Beauty

[Katcat1]

I use Thayer's Witch Hazel alcohol free. It's suppose to minimize pores and it's great for removing any excess makeup after cleaning. Neutrogena's pore refining cleanser is really nice. My skin has never been so clean.

[suzyQ3]

I stay away from alcohol (unless it's a fatty alcohol) and witch hazel. I do love the feel of toners and use Paula's Choice Resist toner in the morning, almost as a light moisturizer. I put some in the palms of my hand and pat it all over my face, neck, and chest.

In the evening I use her Hydralight toner with a cotton pad. It's refreshing and removes any last trace of makeup or sunscreen.

None of the above is necessary. But I love them.

[myshell624]

On 7/25/2014 suzyQ3 said:

I stay away from alcohol (unless it's a fatty alcohol) and witch hazel. I do love the feel of toners and use Paula's Choice Resist toner in the morning, almost as a light moisturizer. I put some in the palms of my hand and pat it all over my face, neck, and chest.

In the evening I use her Hydralight toner with a cotton pad. It's refreshing and removes any last trace of makeup or sunscreen.

None of the above is necessary. But I love them.

I found a sample of the Hydralight toner recently and tried it last night. I can see why you like it. It is very refreshing but not drying. I haven't tried the Resist toner but I do like the Skin Recovery toner.

[wilma]

On 7/24/2014 Moon River said:

I saw some in CVS tonight and bought the Neutrogena one called Alcohol free Toner. I had bought the Loreal one weeks ago but hated the scent. Does this dry out your skin? or is it a good thing to be using. Thanks

I think the Neutrogena alcohol free toner is free of alcohol. I use this one at night to make sure there are no traces of makeup left after cleansing. IMO it is very gentle and gives a clean but not dry/tight feeling. Neutrogena makes other toners which do contain alcohol. Alcohol can dry out and irritate sensitive or dry skin.

I also use Paula's Choice Hydralight toner in the a.m. It has a lot of good ingredients like antioxidants and hydrates my skin a bit. I still have oily skin in my 50s so I don't need anything too moisturizing.

[MarenSeattle]

Unless you're using a toner for a particular purpose (like Clinique's exfoliating ones), I've read that the primary reason is to make sure all makeup and cleanser is removed before applying products. Not sure if that's correct, but it makes sense. :-)

And another vote for Thayer's -- I'm using the Aloe Alcohol Free and I really like it. Makes my skin feel moist and dewy, absorbs immediately, and smells heavenly. :-)

[soonersis]

I also like the Thayer's Rose Witch Hazel toner. May not be a necessary step but I've always used a toner after cleansing morning and night to make sure I've removed all my makeup (especially around the hair line) and before putting on my makeup.

[suzyQ3]

On 7/25/2014 MarenSeattle said:

Unless you're using a toner for a particular purpose (like Clinique's exfoliating ones), I've read that the primary reason is to make sure all makeup and cleanser is removed before applying products. Not sure if that's correct, but it makes sense. :-)

And another vote for Thayer's -- I'm using the Aloe Alcohol Free and I really like it. Makes my skin feel moist and dewy, absorbs immediately, and smells heavenly. :-)

MarenSeattle, as I understand it, another purpose was to restore the skin's pH after cleansing. Bar soaps or bar cleansers, in particular, can have quite a high pH level, and a toner would help to balance the skin.

Most good cleansers these days are gentle, however, and have a level close to that of our skin.

So I'm not worried about pH balance. I just like the feel of a toner. One of the reasons I chose the ones I mentioned is that I like that they include antioxidants and skin-repairing ingredients, especially since I use the Resist in the morning as a light moisturizer after cleansing.

[HappyDaze]

On 7/25/2014 NickNack said:

You sound like me. After not using a toner for years I bought the Paula's Choice Skin Recovery Toner recently and love it. This is what her review says about the Neutrogena one.

Pore Refining Toner lists alcohol as the second ingredient, and also contains witch hazel. It is even more irritating than usual because it also contains peppermint and eucalyptus. The alcohol will stimulate oil production at the base of your pores, which isn’t the least bit refining.

yikes, alcohol and witch hazel and double yikes, peppermint and eucalyptus in skincare is a terrible combination! yikes!

[myshell624]

On 7/25/2014 HappyDaze said:

On 7/25/2014 NickNack said:

You sound like me. After not using a toner for years I bought the Paula's Choice Skin Recovery Toner recently and love it. This is what her review says about the Neutrogena one.

Pore Refining Toner lists alcohol as the second ingredient, and also contains witch hazel. It is even more irritating than usual because it also contains peppermint and eucalyptus. The alcohol will stimulate oil production at the base of your pores, which isn’t the least bit refining.

yikes, alcohol and witch hazel and double yikes, peppermint and eucalyptus in skincare is a terrible combination! yikes!

Why is witch hazel bad? Is it drying? I read Paula's review on the ingredient but everywhere else I read said it was good for your skin. I ordered the Moisture Boost Cleanser and Skin Recovery toner. I tried something else and really missed my Moisture Boost Cleanser.

[NickNack]

On 7/25/2014 myshell624 said:

Why is witch hazel bad? Is it drying? I read Paula's review on the ingredient but everywhere else I read said it was good for your skin. I ordered the Moisture Boost Cleanser and Skin Recovery toner. I tried something else and really missed my Moisture Boost Cleanser.

You will love her cleanser and toner. I use the Skin Recovery cleanser and toner and love it. I haven't tried the Moisture Boost cleanser.

Here's what Paula says about witch hazel in her ingredient dictionary:

WITCH HAZEL

Rating:

POOR

Categories:

Irritants , Anti-Irritants , Plant Extracts , Antioxidants

Commonly used plant extract that can have potent antioxidant properties (Sources: Phytotherapy Research, June 2002, pages 364–367; and Journal of Dermatological Science, July 1995, pages 25–34) and some anti-irritant properties (Source: Skin Pharmacology and Applied Skin Physiology, March-April 2002, pages 125–132). However, witch hazel’s high tannin content (and tannin is a potent antioxidant), can also be irritating when used repeatedly on skin because it constricts blood flow. The bark of the witch hazel plant has higher tannin content than the leaves. Steam distillation for producing witch hazel water removes the tannins, but the plant’s astringent qualities are what most believe give it benefit. Alcohol is added during the distillation process, the amount typically being 14–15%. Witch hazel water is distilled from all parts of the plant, so in that sense you never know what you’re getting, though the alcohol content remains (Source: www.naturaldatabase.com; www.drugs.com). Depending on the form of witch hazel, you’re either exposing skin to an irritating amount of alcohol (which causes free radical damage and collagen breakdown), tannins, or both. Moreover, witch hazel contains the fragrance chemical eugenol, which is another source of irritation.