little white truths

I used Andalou's coconut water toner a while ago (see here) and loved that so much that I gave it an HG tag, so I was interested to try different toners from the range and see how I went with those.

Next up is this illuminating toner, which unfortunately I don't like nearly as much and indeed I'm looking forward to finishing it. It's not a bad product, it's just not as hydrating or gentle as the other one so it doesn't suit my skin. More on that below.

Andalou claims/product details:

• Fruit stem cell complex, vitamin c and aloe vera polysaccharides instantly hydrate and refresh
• Skin friendly nutrients uplift circulation and gently balance pH for improved appearance in skin's tone and texture and a luminous complexion
• For normal/combination skin
• RRP $19.99 AUD for 178ml, but do wait for specials

Verdict

This product is ok but it's not right for my skin and I've certainly used better products from Andalou. Having said this, it's designed for normal to combination skin so that might be why it's not right for my dry skin.

It's a standard fluid toner that comes in a bottle with a pump. The directions say to mist this over your face after cleansing, but I get more benefit from applying it to a cotton pad (I open the cap and forget the pump: less waste). Reason being, it does a good job of removing that last layer of gunk from my face - so it's better to use a cotton pad in my case.

The product smells like orange peel and it's a nice, refreshing scent that I enjoy. In terms of how it feels on my skin, unfortunately I find it to be a little too astringent so it can make my skin feel dry after use, but it's not too bad and I can still use it.

I also find that my face feels rather 'over clean' after use, and while I wouldn't say that this product strips my skin, it does something a little like that and I feel like it's removing my natural oils. Again, you'll likely get on better with it if you have normal/combination skin and not dry skin.

Do note that I've tried misting this over makeup, and while it feels fine, the spray isn't great for that and I get blotches that upset my makeup, leaving me with little holes in my foundation. So I don't recommend it for that, but I do recommend decanting it into another bottle with a finer mist, since it does feel quite refreshing and adds a little radiance to the skin, although it's not the right face spray for me personally because it's not hydrating or nourishing enough. 

On the claims: no it doesn't hydrate my dry skin but I agree that it's refreshing; yes it's uplifting but no I don't think it balances pH (if anything, it upsets the pH of my dry skin); yes I do think it smooths out my texture a little because it has a slight resurfacing effect; and no it hasn't offered me improved skintone or a luminous complexion.

Overall I don't think this is a bad product, it's just not the right toner for me so I wouldn't recommend it if you're dry like I am. It may however suit you if you have normal/combination skin (which it's designed for), and it's not too expensive - especially on special - so it's a good one to try if you're in the market for a new toner.

Fine, but not right for my skin.