I suppose one could collect stamps or coins or Fabergé eggs or Banksy paintings…but why, when you could just collect toners?! HA HA HA!
Remember all the toner commercials in the ’90s and how you always had to apply toners with a cotton ball? I used to do that, but now? Forget about it. I pour a little in my palms and press and rub the liquid right into my skin. I think the liquid absorbs quicker that way and, bonus, I don’t feel like I’m wasting any of the product on the cotton ball!
There are currently five toners gracing my bathroom shelf. They’re mostly for exfoliation because I’m forever dealing with hyperpigmentation and acne, so I rotate among them, depending on how my skin’s doing. I usually apply them in the morning right after washing my face and before any serums. Sometimes, I’ll use just one; other days, I’ll layer two.
Lately, my skin’s been in the mood for extra moisture, so I’ve been using Fresh Black Tea Kombucha Facial Treatment Essence or Paula’s Choice BHA. Sometimes both.
I’ve also been using and liking REN Ready Steady Glow AHA Tonic, which is a triple threat with three exfoliating ingredients — willow bark, lactic acid and azelaic acid. Side note: DUDE, azelaic acid! If you’re not on that train yet, get on it already.
Occasionally, I’ll dip into the Niacinamide Brightening Toner by Good Molecules (niacinamide, vitamin C, arbutin and licorice root extract) or Kate Somerville Liquid Exfolikate (glycolic, malic, and lactic acids), if I’m craving something different.
On a side note, you know what I miss? Clinique’s old-school BHA toner, Mild Clarifying Lotion. They reformulated it a while back, and it just isn’t the same now. I should’ve stockpiled the O.G. version while I could… Le sigh! #BeautyRegrets
Are toners a “thing” for you too? Maybe we can start a toner enthusiasts club, ha ha ha! ?
A quick-and-easy meal
Not related to toner at all, but this is my new favorite quick meal: a rice and edamame bowl. (Yes, you gotta have it in a bowl!)
I usually add a few shakes of Nori Komi Furikake Japanese Multi-Purpose Seasoning, but Coywolf prefers it plain.
Speaking of TJs, you can get this meal in your belly in less than five minutes with a couple of Trader Joe’s-assisted shortcuts! First, we usually have leftover white rice in a tupperware in the fridge, but when we don’t, I reach for the microwavable white rice from the TJ’s frozen food section, which takes all but three minutes to make. Trader Joe’s also has shelled, salted edamame in the freezer section too. Just defrost in the microwave.
I think this could also be delish with a sunny-side-up egg on top, but I haven’t tried it yet.
Midi skirts!
I’m still slowly but surely chipping away at the wardrobe checklist recommendations (I’m on a mission to look and feel put-together) I found about a month ago and wanted to tell you about these pull-on midi skirts from Gap.
Both the black and white skirt have pockets (SAY WHAT!) and come in regular, tall and petite lengths.
FYI, it looks like they’re still on sale, in case you’re interested (I’m totally my mother’s daughter and hate to pay full price).
I haven’t seen either of these skirts in person yet, and I can see how they could potentially be 1) super cute and casual, or 2) make me look like I’m in a cult…so we shall see! I suppose that’s a major downside to not visiting a fitting room in months.
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
Thanks for meal idea. Love furikake and edamame and rice.
I might add a dash of wasabi powder over the top.
I’ve got to say a heck no on those skirts for me anyway. I’m getting a really strong cult vibe. ?????
The black one arrived today and I’m completely on the fence. On one hand, totally comfortable. Plus… POCKETS. On the other hand, super strong cult vibes.
I am still salty about the Mild Clarifying Lotion. The new one burned my skin so badly!
I wish I would’ve stockpiled a few bottles! It was SO GOOD.
My skin is so sensitive and eczema prone that I can’t use toner at all – I’d have a collection of moisturisers if the Dr Hauschka Rose Day cream wasn’t so good.
I’m not feeling the midi skirt vibe – full length is what I like!
I usually like maxi length too but it’s so hard to find a petite maxi length! Maybe I’ll return this and keep looking…
Yet another person here who misses the original Mild Clarifying Lotion. If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it. Sigh. The new version made my skin so angry. Why Clinique?!!! Why?!!!
Got a sample of the Fresh Kombucha toner and couldn’t get over the smell of it. Dumped that one down the drain.
My skin does not like acids or exfoliants, so yeah, I skip toner.
I cannot wear a midi skirt at all. Talk about making a short person look even shorter and fatter. But I have to agree the pockets do make it enticing, but only if they’re full sized pockets. I am so annoyed with all the microscopic pockets they’re putting on women’s jeans these days. I want a pocket I can stick my entire hand into, plus my full sized phone and not have to worry about money, phone or anything else falling out.
The black one came in the mail and I am having VERY mixed feelings about it. One one hand, it’s super comfy, the pockets are decently sized and it isn’t see through. On the other hand, it’s borderline frumpy! If I can get the right shoes in the mix, it *might* be OK. But I dunno… I promised myself that I wouldn’t keep anything in my closet that I don’t love, and I don’t totally love it. But it gets the job done. SIGH!
You’re younger and much more slender than I am, so I have no doubt you can pull it off. On the other hand, as comfy as it looks, I know I would look like a dumpy, old thing in that skirt.
As much as I would love to branch out, I know what I look ok to good in and it’s best not to stray to far from it.
Over the years I keep telling myself not to buy things I don’t absolutely love and yet, I still look at my closet and think there’s a ton of stuff in there I should never have purchased. The one semi-good thing that came out of this past year, is that I bought almost no clothes and the ones I did buy, if there was something even slightly off with them, I sent them back ASAP.
Clinique also ruined their fabulous, iconic yellow moisturizer with a ‘re-formulation’. Why can’t they just leave stuff alone?!!
My favorite toner is from Kiehl’s, a cucumber/herbal thing.
Seriously. Don’t mess with a good thing, Clinique!
I think I tried that one from Kiehl’s many moons ago and liked it. It smells like cucumber, right? Very refreshing.
I use both a toner and an exfoliating liquid. I use the toner in the morning as a cleanser on a cotton bud, I don’t really feel like my face needs a heavy duty clean in the morning if I cleaned it before I went to bed, and my skin has been much better since I started doing this. I have heard of some using micellar water for this as well. I am going to try applying the exfoliator with my fingers though, I never thought of doing that before, a bonus will be that it might make my hand skin nice and soft!
I like me a midi skirt but I have to go pencil or very gentle A-line. Anything with a gather or anything else breaking the line of the skirt definitely ends up looking cultish! I do have a ruffled one that I just wear around home because it’s light and cool. You could try one with small pleats, doesn’t suit everyone but quite chic at the moment and still comfy.
Collecting toners (and cleansers and serums while we are at it) is totally a thing. At least it is for me, I usually have several in my rotation.
I’m totally laughing at your cult comment. What cult wears those skirts? HAHA! I have a few toners and have been meaning to grab Paula’s choice. The battle against blackheads is real. 🙁
TJ’s frozen rice has saved me so many times, I can’t believe how good it turns out. I always keep some of that and orange chicken in the freezer. ?
I stopped using toner during my pregnancy and haven’t gone back to it, partly because I started using retinol and I’m afraid to use them at the same time. ?
It’s really good, right? You gotta try it with the shelled edamame!