Review: Yves Rocher Hydrating Toner

What I like about Yves Rocher  is that it always have expiration dates on its products. I don't see it very often in cosmetics here in Canada. Even the higher ends brands such as EL or Dior do not put expiration dates on all the products. Who knows if they sell old (or very old expired) products to us? I do see expiration dates on products with SPF with almost all brands.

(photo courtesy: yvesrocher.ca)

This hydrating toner is for normal to combo skin. It is not as sticky as some Japanese toners. It is not serum like Estee lauder nutritious toner. It is water like. The texture reminds me of Yves Rocher's Micellar cleansing water.
(micellar cleansing water/ photo courtesy: yvesrocher.ca)


This hydrating toner can actually work as micellar water. It removes the traces of make up very well. Though it's not sticky, it's quite hydrating for my skin at this time of the year--late August in Canada.

It helps the following skin care routine goes on easily. The cream goes smoothly on my face after this toner. I can use less products than usual after this toner.

It does have a light scent but it does not bother me. It has a nice fresh smell which relaxes you. But if you are sensitive to fragrance you'd better to try it in the store or ask for sample when you order it online.

It does not sting my eyes.

Overall, it's a very good hydrating toner/ micellar cleansing water.

Review: SHISEIDO The Skincare HydroNourishing Softener

(photo credit to thebay.com)

I got this in a gwp. It's in average not bad toner. It's hydrating and can be used like light serum when my skin is not dry. It has a nice scent to it. But nothing fancy. It's very similar to lancome tonique confort. This one is more expensive, 140 ml for$44 CAD plus tax while lancome has 200ml for $35 CAD.

Review: SHISEIDO Eudermine Revitalizing Essence

(photo credit to thebay.com)


After trying so many lotions (toners), this is nothing special to me.

It may be a great product in 19th century--Shiseido claimed it to be introduced in 1897.

It is not a revitalising essence to me, it's just pure lotion with hydrating function. It does not dry out my skin, but does not work wonders like other toners that I reviewed in my blog.

It has a scent which I am really fond of. But that is the only thing that I like.

It's on the pricey. The essence toner retails at $78 plus tax for only 125 ml.

Dupe for Estee Lauder ESTEE LAUDER Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Recovery Complex- New ESTEE LAUDER Nutritious Radiant Vitality Energy Lotion review

(photo credit to thebay.com)


This is the dupe for EL advanced night repair serum. In fact, it's much better than it.

Let's compare the price first, the EL advanced night repair serum is $96 CAD plus tax for 50ml while this nutritious lotion retails at $55 for 200ml.

You may say it's not fair to compare a serum to a lotion (toner). But to me they work in a similar way.

This nutritious lotion claims to infuses skin with  moisture and energy for a look of radiant vitality. It does help my skin look radiant. I usually put it on before sleep, next day I wake up with hydrated, refined glowy skin.

It's a real high-performance treatment lotion that works like serum. The texture is similar to advanced night repair serum, but less thicker than it. To my surprise, I only need 2 drop of it to put on my skin while with the night repair serum, I usually put more than 3 drops of it.

The first after I bought it, I use only drops of this lotion after washing my face. My skin did not feel tight even I did not put the moisturiser on immediately. It can stay more than 20 minutes on my skin alone without making my skin feel dry.

I have not finish this bottle yet and I believe it can stay quite long time if I use it as a serum. Will update later and say how long does it take for me to finish this 200 ml serum like lotion.

Review: Clarins Daily Energizer WakeUp Booster

(photo credit to thebay.com)

Toners have many nicknames. Cosmetic companies call them lotion, softener, and booster......

This wakeup booster is supposed to be a morning toner. But of course I do not use it in the morning only.

It claims to enhance skin radiance. Since the toner is hydrating, it makes me feel that my complexion is radiant and luminous.

 

Clarins is famous for plant extracts ingredients, and this is no exception. I am not sure if there's any natural ingredients there, but I can be sure that there's artificial smell in almost all Clarins' products.

 

I prefer fragrance free products in general. But this smell does not bother me that much.  It does not break me out but make my skin healthy and hydrating.

 

This is a rather cheaper department store toner. It retails at $15 CAD plus tax for 125 ml. Very good value. Because some drugstore toner can cost this much or even more ( if you buy toners at shoppers.) ......

 

Thoughts on Japanese toner (softener, lotion) and other higher end toners

Japanese toners are more than toners.

Most toners work as a cleansing lotion after washing face, but Japanese toners seem to be doing more than that.

Most of the Japanese toner I have tried are very hydrating. Some of them are in light serum consistency such as Shiseido nutriperfect and future solution softeners.

The toners I have tried with serum feel are Lancome tonique confort, Estee lauder re-nutriv softening lotion and Estee lauder nutritious energy lotion.

Review: SHISEIDO Future Solution LX Concentrated Balancing Softener

(photo credit to thebay.com)

This softener is more than a softener.

It feels like a light serum. I normally apply it without cotton pads. It's very hydrating. In summer time I do not even need a moisturiser afterwards.

However it has a very strong scent. Though I do not hate this smell, I do not enjoy it either.

It retails at $98 CAD plus tax for 150ml. If you use it as a serum, it cost less than other moisturising serums. However you can find a dupe for it. Shiseido Benefiance nutriperfect softener has the same function, cost a lot less and with less scent.

Review: Shiseido Benefiance WrinkleResist24 intensive eye contour cream

(photo credit to thebay.com)

I like this eye cream! It's more than an eye cream. I not only use it on my undereye area, but also on my lips and whole face.

The cream has very thick consistency, yet not greasy. It absorbs quickly. Since it's a little bit sticky, I use it as the last step of my skin care routine.

It says this is best for women around 40, but it works wonders for my mid-late 20s dry skin.

The sticky and thick consistency of the cream reminds me of cle de peau's intensive wrinkle cream (not sure about it's whole name, but it was a cream with airless pump.) It works better than cle de peau's cream. This eye cream can be the best dupe for cle de peau--inface, the whole line can be the dupe for cle de peau's older generation skin care lines.

The cream is not cheap, 15 ml retails at $65 CAD plus tax!