I’ve used this toner (not exclusively) for two years and it’s good.
That’s it. It’s good. Not great but good.
I don’t have blemished skin but I do get blemishes randomly. And when I do, I use this toner. I’m not sure if it reduces my breakouts but its anti-bacterial nature helps prevent more blemishes. During the summer, I get red angry bumps on my décolletage, and using this toner in that area every night for a week not only reduced them but completely prevented them!
That being said, I do have to address the elephant in the room. Yes, denatured alcohol (alcohol denat.) is listed as the second ingredient. I know, I know. Not good.
Which is why I don’t love this toner. Though witch hazel is listed as the third ingredient and tea tree oil is listed as the fourth, the fact that denatured alcohol is listed as a second is iffy to me.
Witch hazel acts as an astringent and anti-inflammatory ingredient, while tea tree oil is an anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, and is an anti-acne treatment. Both (in theory) are really good ingredients to fight blemishes.
I know alcohol is often added to skincare and there are so many different types. Some are good and some are bad. Denatured alcohol is in the bad category. It’s drying, it strips the skin and can damage your skin’s barrier. In all, not really a good ingredient.
And yet, I still return to this toner. Lately, I’ve been branching out and using gentler or homemade toners but I still keep this in my skincare regime. I can’t seem to quit it. I’m convinced it helps with blemishes and maybe it does. So when my skin is revolting, I reach for this toner.
Note: this will dry your skin out! It’s verrrrry drying and I don’t use it regularly because of that.
Also note: I have combination skin so if your skin leans towards the drier side, please be aware that this will exacerbate your dryness.
Do I recommend this? Honestly, not really. I’m sure there are better tea tree toners out there but for the price (I paid $7.99 CDN and it lasts me 6-7 months), it’s okay.
Overall, I like this toner because of its anti-inflammation and anti-microbial properties but hate that there’s alcohol in it.
Honeysuckle Haiku 