Boring but can anyone recommend a toner ...

[MrsMcGregor]

...Usually use Liz Earle but am doing a big Boots order so may as well benefit from free postage. What shall I order. Skin is dry around cheeks but I have pores around my nose. Looked at a La Roche Possay product as there seem to have been good recommendations here for them - whatever I looked at said great for pores but maybe it would be too drying on my cheeks?

Any ideas pls?

[Neena28]

Clarins exfoliating one. Seems expensive but lasts ages. Really shows amazing results quite quickly. Seems to even all my skin out, dry and oilier areas. Moisturiser sits beautifully on top (although leave a minute after you've applied this on a cotton pad and putting moisturiser on top). I loved this initially and then lapsed a bit in use. Skin went a bit bleurgh so started up using it again and realised this really was a key step for me.

[MrsMcGregor]

Thanks Neena - that looks really good but I don't think it's what I'm after - it says to use once or twice a week and I want to use daily. Although I will bear it in mind when my current exfoliator runs out.

Any other recommendations ladies?

[Neena28]

I use it daily. Have a read of Caroline Hirons blog called beauty mouth. She is a skin care guru and highly recommends it for every day use. My skin is sensitive and I've had no problems at all with it but as I said above really excellent results as have lots of others judging by the feedback the blog gets.

[MrsMcGregor]

I've just spent the last half hour skimming her blog - it's great but boy is my skincare routine sadly lacking .... double cleanse, double tone, serums, 3 different cleansers - eek! Will give the Clarins product further thought though, thank you!

[dexter73]

I use Boots Botanics toner. I really like it.

[Neena28]

Haha mrs m,yes know what you mean. I had very acne prone skin in my twenties and vowed never to go back! So as a result am a bit of a product junkie. I've always flitted about a bit from range to range but interestingly have stuck to a lot of the things she's recommended. I wear make up and sunscreen daily so do the double cleanse because it does seem to make a major difference to keeping it totally clean. Then do the clarins toner then hydroluron and a la Roche posay moisturiser. I don't do all the masks etc tho. Does anyone really have time or inclination for that?! I don't seem to need to separately exfoliate anymore either. The combo of using a flannel to cleanse and then the clarins has totally cleared the flakiness and oily bits. Odd but its worked for me. Genuinely only taking me about 4 mins tho or I'd have lost interest in it all.

Hope you find something you like

[Steben]

Really recommend Claris extra comfort toner - I have sensitive skin and its an essential part of routine for me. Have used it for about 12 years now.

[JazzDalek]

Dr Hauschka. Don't know if Boots sell it though.

I am using Lush's Breath of Fresh Air at the mo but LOVE the Dr Hauschka one when I can afford it.

[evertonmint]

A fan of the Clarins camomile here - they also do another depending on your skin type.

Am going to try the exfoliator one -Sali Hughes is a fan too and as I get most of my recs from Caroline Hirons and her, it seems worth a try :)

[MrsMcGregor]

Thanks everyone. Will check out the other suggestions .

[squoosh]

I love the Clarins exfoliating toner too, I use it every evening. I think they say to use it twice a week to cover themselves in case anyone has a reaction to it.

It's really very gentle.

[squoosh]

I always take my recommendations from Caroline Hirons too.

[missbopeep]

Yes. warm water. Toners are imo a complete waste of money and iif you do some research online many make up and skin care gurus say same.

[goodmum123]

Was going to say liz Earle spray on toner x

[BanoffeeSplitz]

Love the Nivea Naturals toner (says it has "bio argan oil" though it's probably just a miniscule amount).

It's very mild though & doesn't dry my skin out - I wear very little makeup & just use it (as does DD & her skin is quite sensitive) as my make-up remover, with a tiny bit of eye makeup remover where necessary.

Didn't know toners were supposed to do clever things like exfoliate... I like this one because it's just like a softer version of water if that makes sense (very hard water here which leaves my skin feeling tight).

I remember the dreadful astringent toners I used to use as a teenager, it isn't anything like that .

[evertonmint]

As I understand it lots of gurus think normal toners don't do much (more of a use it if it makes your skin feel nice thing) but exfoliating toners do actually do stuff.

Sali Hughes thinks normal toners are a bit pointless but Caroline Hirons likes them (but she loves using lots of products )

[missbopeep]

AFAIK 'toners' were a marketing ploy to get you to buy something useless. They simply remove excess cleanser but warm water and cotton wool do the job just as well.
Exfoliating toners contain chemicals that slough off the surface of the skin. Again, there is no need- you could use a weekly exfoliating product like Clinique Turnaround mask, or you could use a gentle scrub, or simply a damp flannel or muslin square kept solely for that purpose and boiled / thrown away etc to keep it free from bacteria.

[Neena28]

Missbopeep I use a clean flannel daily and boil wash them all. The weekly (or more) exfoliating masks/scrubs etc ive used always left my skin irritated one way or another. I also used to have a stubborn patch of flaky dry skin around the very edge of where my nostril meets my cheek. The clarins one has cured that totally. It really does seen to be the key product in my routine.

Am impressed at how popular it is tho and how many people also recommend. I always thought toner was either a con and just sweet smelling water or paint stripper like the Clinique. This is really a holy grail product for me.

[missbopeep]

Toners which exfoliate contain salicylic acid usually- same stuff that's in aspirin!

[Neena28]

I think the clarins is a similar idea to the elemis papaya enzyme peel etc and is fruit acid. May not be tho. Just know it makes a major difference to me!

[MrsMcGregor]

Thanks all ... have finally ordered ... the Clarins Exfoliatong Toner. It was a toss up between that and the Botanics product which Dexter recommended. Hope it's worth it!!

[InMyShreddies]

I was lurking on this thread and forgot to post my recommendation! Shu Uemura hydrating lotion this one - it is magical stuff. Exfoliates and also has hyaluronic acid which plumps skin by holding on to water so it's doubly amazing. I use it with Neal's Yard rose facial oil overnight and wake up glowing.