☹️ AKA the “Why did I even buy this” toner ☹️
Let me start by saying that I really wanted to love this. I mean, it’s all over TikTok, my friend groupchat wouldn’t shut up about it, and even my roommate (who usually uses like, bar soap on her face??) was raving about how “hydrating and gentle” this stuff is.
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So of course I got sucked in.
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Bought it during a sale. Cute bottle, minimal packaging, all the aesthetic “clean girl” things. I was hyped. Thought I was about to have the softest, dew-glazed skin of my life.
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Reality? Not so much. 😐
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First impression: It’s literally water. No scent, no thickness, just… water. And I get it, that’s supposed to be the charm — minimal irritation, hydrating for sensitive skin, blah blah. But it didn’t feel hydrating. I would splash it on after cleansing and it would instantly vanish into my skin, leaving it... tighter? Like it actually made me feel dryer than before. What kind of anti-toner is this??
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I gave it a few more tries, thinking maybe I was using it wrong.
Maybe I should pat it in?
Maybe I should use more cotton pads?
Maybe I should layer it?
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Yeah. I tried everything. I put it in a spray bottle. I tried seven-skin-ing it like those K-beauty bloggers. I even tried it as a skin pack (soaked cotton pads on the face for ten minutes). Wanna know what happened?
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Breakouts. 😤
Literal tiny bumps all over my cheeks and forehead. And not the cute “adjusting to a new product” kind. The “your skin barrier is annoyed and now you’re gonna pay” kind.
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Which makes zero sense because everyone says it’s “good for sensitive skin” and “so calming.” Uh… calming for who??
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Let’s talk about the price too. For something that feels like expensive bottled tap water, it’s not exactly cheap. Sure, it comes in a big bottle, but when I’m soaking cotton pads and reapplying three times just to feel like I’ve done something, it runs out fast.
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Also, let me just say… if you like fragrance, skip this. I know some people prefer unscented skincare but I personally enjoy a bit of spa-like luxury. This is just… nothing. No scent, no experience, just wetness. And not even the good kind.
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As for my skin type, I’m combo leaning dry in the winter, oily in the summer. But all year round, I’m acne-prone and sensitive. This did nothing for oil control, didn’t soothe breakouts, didn’t help with redness. If anything, I felt like it destabilized what was already a fragile balance.
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🌊 Pros:
Cute branding
Large quantity
Probably okay for people with oilier, non-reactive skin
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🔥 Cons:
Doesn’t hydrate (me)
Made my skin feel tighter and not in a good way
Caused breakouts
Boring texture/scent/experience
Overhyped to the moon and back
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Would I recommend it to a friend? Only if I secretly didn’t like them 😅
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Am I gonna finish the bottle? Honestly, no. It’s sitting on my shelf like a reminder that TikTok isn’t always right.
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Do I regret buying it? 100%. That $18 could’ve gone to boba and sushi.
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Final rating:
2/5 🫧🫧
And those two points are for packaging and potential if your skin likes boring water.
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Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
#SkincareFail #OverhypedAF #Dokdonotforme