@bufferingbetty
We're just a little high maintenance in this dehydrated corner.
It's funny how just a year ago I wasn't even sure of what a toner does. More accurately, I was skeptical of toners even serving any skincare benefits and not just a scam to get beauty junkies to buy more of the industry's promises of perfection in a jar. Fast forward to Summer 2018 and your favorite squishy beauty blogger has got a few toners sitting in her cabinet.
About my skin:
I have normal skin that leans dry If i'm not careful. The seasons play a starring role in how my skin behaves. In the winter, my skin needs a wild amount of attention. The heat in the summer makes my skin a little oily but the extra SPF I apply to my skin can dry out certain areas like my forehead and cheeks. In the fall, my skin just -ugh, perfection!!! And in the spring, we cool.
Having a few toners is more than me just being high maintenance. No, really! My skincare has always been responsive. I look at my skin and focus on how it feels. It tells me what it needs.
At our last Meet Pepper B present's Beauty Hour event, we had skincare expert, Niambi, teach us about natural skincare. She is the creator of Pholk Beauty formally known as Bloomsbury Square. Niambi said, "my skincare is a conversation." It was one of the night's major takeaways. Instead of doing the just same old routine, pay attention to what your skin is asking from you.
Soothing and Hydrating Toner:
The Esteli Coco Rosa Hydrate Toner Mist has brought some balance to my life. Toners I had been using were too potent to use daily. I like to use this toner on days when I have exfoliated my skin because it feels gentle and hydrating. I spray it on a cotton round apply it to my face to ensure that I'm getting all of the goodness all over my skin. I don't like the smell. It's slightly rosy but has a spicy note to it. I've said in the past how I don't have a great sense of smell. If you blindfolded me and put a plate of strawberries in my face, I probably guess that the scent is coconut. It's just not in my skill set. That said, there is something that is zesty and just off about the scent. But I like how my skin feels when I use this toner, so I look past it. I also use this to remove excess oils from my skin before I use an epillator for my uninvited, unnecessary, ladystache. This product also claims to be makeup setting spray or a skin refresher but I don't agree. Lastly, a tip I picked up at #BeautyHour with Niambi was using a toner before a mask to prep the skin. This toner has come handy for that too!!
And not that it really matters, but I just love the color of the bottle. Deep, jewel tone-ish shades of green bring me so much zen.
Retexturizing Toner:
United State Balancing Tonic by Origins has been a part of my life for almost a year and I'm ready to put a ring on it. There were spectacular changes to my skin with this product. On the corners of my jaw, below my ears, I have been getting rough textured skin. It was a build up of dead skin. I didn't want to use a physical exfoliator too often because that tends to break out my skin. This balancing tonic was able to remove the dead skin without damaging my skin. I just have to use it sparingly on my nose because it's more sensitive. I cannot use this toner after sun exposure or using a physical exfoliator because my skin just doesn't like it. This is more of a winter product while the Esteli toner I can use year round.
Honorable Mention - The Gram or YT Made Me Buy
Social media doesn't always influence my purchases. I stalk the "new" or "just in" sections of Sephora, Ulta, and Beautylish so much that I am already a quarter of the way through a product when I see my fave vloggers hauling it. Which always prompts me to think "Yuh been sleeping, gurl!" It doesn't happen often, but when it does the product is usually -eh. Hype is just hype. I grabbed the mini version of the Mario Badescu Facial Spray with Aloe, Herbs, and Rosewater while standing in the checkout line at Ulta. It's a trap because it was only $5 so I didn't give it too much thought. Plus, I had been wanting to get a toner with rosewater. It gives excellent hydration that doesn't last. I've been using it this summer as a quick hydrater after being in the sun or to freshen up my face after the gym so I don't have to over use my moisturizer. She's not cheap. If you want a product like that, this can fill that need but don't expect sparks to fly when you use it.
