This toner has a cult following, and in all my Paula’s Choice years, I haven’t tried it yet. Let’s remedy that immediately! My Paula’s Choice Advanced Replenishing Toner review.
The Brand
PC, the forerunner of science-based skincare, now owned by Unilever and nowadays rather famous for weird launches (limited edition sunscreen?), unfortunate claims (smooth lines in 20 minutes!) and ramming down their hero product of 20 years down everybody’s throat on social media (oh 2% BHA, bane of my life). It’s a tough world in an overcrowded market.
Description
An anti-aging toner that replenishes skin with essential nutrients, fatty acids & hyaluronic acid to visibly plump & soothe after cleansing.
Preserves and reinforces skin’s barrier, helps improve signs of sun damage and instantly revitalizes for a radiant look. This one-of-a-kind toner provides the essential elements aging skin needs to help visibly reduce the appearance of wrinkles, visibly increase firmness and improve uneven skin tone.
Paula’s Choice
What it is
It’s a milky toner supposed to hydrate and firm.
What I look for in a toner
Oh, baby, how much time do we have?!
When I lived in Asia seven years ago, toners, first essences and essences came into my life, and I fell in love.
I LOVE toners for the refreshing feeling and the sensory stimulus. Also, I love their hydrating and soothing properties, and, like a cat with catnip, when brands also throw the word ‘evening’ or ‘brightening’ in the mix, the toner becomes irresistible to me. When cosrx discontinued their Galactomyces Toner (the essence is still around, but doesn’t suit my needs as much as the toner did), I was heartbroken, and my toner journey began.
More toner reviews:
- Isntree Hyaluronic Acid Toner review
- Paula’s Choice Earth Sourced Purely Natural Toner review
- Good Molecules Niacinamide Brightening Toner review
- cosrx pure fit cica toner: review
- cosrx Full Fit Propolis Synergy Toner review
- Paula’s Choice Calm Soothing Toner: review (discontinued)
- Scinic First Treatment Essence review
- Allies of Skin: Molecular Saviour Probiotics Treatment Mist review
- SK-II Facial Treatment Essence – worth the money?!
- Hydrating serums battle, part 2: The best essences of the East!
A word on terminology: if it has a watery texture, is hydrating and comes without heavy-duty actives, for me, it’s a toner. In my book (lots have been written about it!) a toner is made to hydrate the skin after cleansing and prep the skin for the following routine: I like the sponge analogy (a dry sponge can’t absorb liquid as easily as a damp one).
Ingredients
Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Glycerin, Glycereth-26, Polysorbate 20, Dimethiconol, Linoleic Acid, Oleic Acid, Linolenic Acid, Phospholipid, Carnosine, Epigallocatechin Gallate, Genistein, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sphingolipids, Ferulic Acid, Laurdimonium Hydroxypropyl Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Glycyrrhiza Glabra, Acetyl Glucosamine, Quercetin, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Beta Vulgaris Root Extract, Cucurbita Pepo Seed Extract, Lecithin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydrolyzed Corn Starch, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Palmitic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Xanthan Gum, Laureth-23, Laureth-4, Aminomethyl Propanol, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Benzoate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin, Benzoic Acid, Sorbic Acid
Noteworthy ingredients
Sure, we have a lot of antioxidants and soothing ingredients, namely fatty acids that help repair a damaged skin barrier. This may be the swiss-army knife of toners that manage to actually include heavy-duty moisturizing agents without being too heavy or oily.
A word on Genistein: Under new EU law (under which the new retinol advice falls, too) this will only be allowed up to 0,007%, and I assume this toner will be reformulated in the near future. (Genistein is a naturally occurring compound known as isoflavone. It’s a phytoestrogen, derived from soy beans, and used in skincare as skin conditioning agent, protecting agent and antioxidant.)
Sustainability
(We are) reducing our contribution to the climate crisis through materials sourcing, product development & shipping. Our end goal? Net zero emissions by 2030.
Paula’s Choice
For that, they try to reduce packaging, offset carbon emissions, audit gas emissions and reduce air shipments. (I guess that all came with Unilever’s takeover.)
Application
I use it after cleansing and a quick mist with my beloved Eucerin Hyaluronic Spray, and it goes on like a milky, silky dream. I haven’t had any problems with products balling up, pilling or being generally unagreeable after PC’s toner. Even sunscreen sits nicely over it.
Texture
This is a very milky, but liquid formula. It’s not water-thin, but is still easy to overapply.
Effect
I’m in the rather unique situation right now that I can say it does something (can even say WHAT it does), but the situation I’m finding me in is completely new to me and not really applicable to everyone. I started with Tretinoin a few weeks ago, and despite me being very careful, I couldn’t help but notice that my regular watery, hydrating toners didn’t cut it anymore. I needed more: more ceramides, more soothing, more barrier-repairing. And I can tell you: in combination with the products I’m also using right now (and there are a lot of them!), this works really well.
Comparison
I hated all Paula’s Choice toners before this one, apart from the new and improved Calm toner. IS this one different to the Calm Toner in effect? I can’t really say. Is this a good toner when you need a bit more than just simple hydration? Definitely. Is it my fave new thing? No.
Rating
Like I said, this definitely isn’t my new PC favorite. And that’s because of the claims, which in this case I find really annoying. (…) ‘visibly reduce the appearance of wrinkles, visibly increase firmness and improve uneven skin tone’?! That’s a really big task for a few antioxidants, hyaluronic acids and some fatty acids. Will it temporarily plump and smooth your skin? Maybe. If your skin likes the Hyaluronic Acid used, you will see an effect, while the silicone will make your skin appear smooth and more supple.
Still, together with the ludicrous claims I find the price rather hard to stomach.
Availability & Price
$26.00 for 4 fl/oz / 118ml for 30€.
Please note that this review is not sponsored in any way. We buy products ourselves, with our own money, and don’t accept exchanging goods, or money, for reviews. We are completely independent, and our reviews reflect that.
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