Wow, Beauty Water smells like the product of a mad genius mixologist who spent years crafting a special concoction made with the peel of an exotic, prehistoric citrus fruit found only in a secret valley lost to civilization eons ago.
If it were a beverage, I would pour it over ice on hot afternoons, sip it at my desk and call it “Mommy’s special sauce.” LOL! 🙂
The first stop on the Summer of Skin Care tour is Beauty Water by Son & Park ($30).
The way people rave about this Korean brand’s toner on the Sephora website makes it sound like a miracle in a bottle. It’s an exfoliator made for most skin types (normal, oily, combo, dry and sensitive), and it’s supposed to alleviate dullness, dryness and uneven texture.
The ingredient list is pretty long, but I see lots of plant extracts high on the list. The fourth item down, Hamamelis Virginiana water, is commonly known as witch hazel water, and here’s a fun fact about that: witch hazel is one of very few products that is both endorsed by real witches *and* FDA approved.
Beauty Water: ingredients
Water, Rose Damascena Flower Water, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Orange Fruit Extract, Hamamelis Virginiana Water, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol PEG-7 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides, Alcohol Denat., Xylitol, Phenoxyethanol, Decyl Glucoside, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, PPG-26-Buteth-26, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia (Bergamot) Fruit Oil, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Peel, Citrus Granolis Grapefruit Peel oil, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil, Cedrus Atlantica Bark Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Water, Carica Papaya (Papaya) Fruit Water, Copaifera Officinalis (Balsam Copaiba) Resin, Jasminum Officinale (Jasmine), Illicium Verum (Anise) Fruit/Seed Oil, Sodium Lactate, Sodium PCA, Artemisia Absinthium Extract, Rose Flower Oil, Propylene Glycol, Thuja Occidentalis Leaf Extract, Ferula Galbaniflua (Galbanum) Resin Oil, Malic Acid Sucrose Urea, Tartaric Acid, Origanum Majorana Leaf Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Melissa Officinalis Leaf Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Salix Nigra (Willow) Bark Extract, Pelargonium Graveolens Extract, Mentha Rotundifolia Leaf Extract, Origanum Vulgare Leaf Extract, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Extract, Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Extract, Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Leaf Extract, Thymus Vulgaris (Thyme) Leaf Extract, Mentha Spicata Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Benzyl Alcohol, Chlorphenesin, Methylparaben, Dehydroacetic Acid, Butylparaben, Ethylparaben, Isobutylparaben, Propylparaben
According to Paula’s Choice (which is a very helpful site, BTW), the witch hazel plant contains tannins that vary depending on what part of the plant is used. Higher amounts in the bark, and lower concentrations in the leaves.
The plant also contains a potent antioxidant.
The water is made using a process called “steam distillation,” and during the process different parts of the plant are added to the mix, so you don’t always know what concentration of tannins you’ll get at the end.
Steam distillation also involves alcohol, so you’re getting that in your witch hazel water, too.
So, depending on which parts of the witch hazel plant are used and how they’re prepared, witch hazel products can contain high amounts of tannins and/or alcohol, both which can be irritating for some people.
I remember using witch hazel on my super oily teenage skin back in the day… I’d get a bottle of witch hazel from the drugstore and use it periodically, thinking that it would control the oil and dry out my zits. So I’ve used it before, but it’s been almost 30 years! And my skin has changed a lot in that time. The only part of my face that’s oily now is my forehead. Everywhere else is dry.
I applied Beauty Water on my face with a cotton pad morning and evening for a week and a half, and it worked well on my oily forehead, but everything below my brows wasn’t happy at all. My skin feels tight, dry and just plain thirsty after I use it, like I just spent a week in Vegas in August and wasn’t drinking enough water.
I’m not sure what I’m reacting to, but I’m guessing that it’s either the witch hazel or the alcohol, both of which appear high on the ingredient list.
People rave about this product, though. I’m assuming that it works better for gals and guys with oilier skin than mine. It certainly reduces the oil.
If you’re interested, the bottle is pretty huge. It’s 11.49 ounces. I bet if it worked for me, I could make it last seven or eight months.
OK, let’s talk toner. What are you using at the moment (if you use one)?
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
My current toners:
1. Fresh Black Tea: My OG and I’ve bought 5 bottles of it. Helps with dehydration, smells great, and is slightly anti-aging.
2. Klairs Supple Preparation Toner: It’s a must. It’s cheap and it really helps dehydrated skin.
3. Whamisa Organic Flowers Deep Rich Toner: This kicks dry patches to the motha flippin’ curb. Glowing like a cherub at 38. I legit look like I’m strobed by heavenly light.
Exfoliating with a combination of things is needed for these babies to work their best but over exfoliation is a nono for me anyhow.I just use one exfoliating product a day.
Hey, wanted to say thanks for mentioning Whamisa! Didn’t know them, so I just checked out their stuff online and it is *really* impressive in terms of ingredients. Gonna go for the toner you mentioned, plus their facial oil. Both sound amazing. How exciting! 🙂
My current toner is the Korres Pomegranate one. It’s really nice for sensitive, acne prone skin and lasts me well. Witch hazel is a great ingredient and so soothing… this sounds like a good toner too x
I use the Thayer’s Cucumber Alcohol Free Witch Hazel toner because it has glycerin and aloe, so it’s not particularly drying, and it’s inexpensive so I can use a lot of it! I also use some face mists, just plain Avène Thermal Water and Bioelements Calmitude (which is wonderful, it has lots of licorice root extract, which my skin loves).
Skinfood gold caviar toner. I don’t love it, but I am using it up. It’s sticky and not as toning as I need.
I use plain ol’ food grade rosewater or Arcona’s Cranberry toner depending on what my skin needs.
My favorite toner that is gentle, moisturizing, and gets every last bit of gunk out of my face isn’t Indie Lee Co-Q 10 toner. It’s da bomb and I love it! Really cleans and balances my skin while having anti-aging benefits. I am trying DHC Co-q-10 lotion/toner next. Will update after I use for awhile!
Great post – and totally checking out these comments for new ideas. I’ve been using the Nuxe micellar water with roses, and it’s very decent, but I’ve been using it for too long and also have some doubts about some of the ingredients – though it’s never ever done anything bad to my skin. But just to switch things up, might try out some of the stuff mentioned here. 🙂
I use an exfoliating toner most days, either with glycolic acid or salicylic depending on the time of the month. If I don´t want that, I tend to stick to a face spritz instead of a pat on toner, like the Caudalie Grape Water or, new in, the pixi Vitamin Wakeup Mist.
SKII essence. Pricier but so worth it. I’ve tried other less spendy toners or essences and have always come back to this one.
I use Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Ultra Gentle Daily peel once a week. I know it says daily, but my rosacea can only handle it once or twice a week. Other toners in the mix are Indie Lee’s Co-Q10 toner which I’m still trying out. It has a lot plant essences in it and I’m not sure my skin likes it. It’s also really smelly. Not in a bad way, but it’s definitely not odorless. I’m also testing out Tatcha’s The Essence Plumping Skin Softener. My favorite by far is Missha’s Time Revolution The First Treatment Essence Intensive. Which isn’t really so intense, but I do love it.
Hi Tatiana,
My mom-in-law recently developed rosacea and is having a hard time finding skin care products to manage it. What do you use and love?
Does she have oily, normal, combo or dry skin? In the winter I’m dry combo and in the summer I’m mostly normal with a slightly oily T zone and dry patches. The main thing is to not use products that strip, dry or irritate. I basically tried all the stupid drugstore products my derm recommended and decided he didn’t know ingredients. So I get most of my advice from Caroline Hirons. Except she loves acid toners and I can’t use them more than once or twice a week. I’d say only introduce one product at a time. You have my list of favorite toners. For cleansing I’m a huge fan of the double cleanse in the evening to get everything off. I love Pixi’s Caroline Hirons double cleanse. I also like Clinique Take the Day Off Cleansing balm and oil. Also Tatcha’s cleansing oil, but it tends to be pricey. For my second cleanse or morning cleanse I really like Kate Somerville Goat Milk Moisturizing Cleanser. If you get an old tube it separates, but it still works. I also like RéVive Cleanser, but at $75, oy! I don’t use it that often because I think it’s more for when my skin is normal to oily. I’ve used Clinique Repairwear Eye Cream without irritation. I can’t say it’s made my lines any less, but it’s moisturizing and gentle. The same for MAC Lightful C eye cream and MAC Mineralize Charged Water Moisture Eye Cream. I’ve just started using Dr. Gross C+Collagen Brighten & Firm Eye Cream and so far I have tolerated it well. For moisture I like Dr. Gross Hyaluronic Marine Oil Free Moisture Cushion and Murad Hydro-Dynamic line. Hope this helps some. I feel like everyone’s rosacea is a bit different so some of these may or may not work for your mom-in-law.
I think she has oily skin. The dermatologist gave her a recommendation for soap and it basically wrecked her skin. 🙁 I don’t have a lot of experience with rosacea so the recs help, thank you! Hopefully it’ll help someone here in the comments, too.
By the way, I’ve been binging on Caroline Hirons videos for the last two days.
Right now I am using Missha’s Intensive Moist Treatment Essence (Time Revolution.)
I too have changed over to dry skin with age. The essence above looks light like water and just melt into my skin. My skin feels instantly hydrated, and when paired with their Night Repair Ampoule (Time Revolution) my skin just glows. I use this as my night regime. I am on my way to doing a better day regime. I recently purchased Pyunkang Yul’s Mist Toner and Nutrition Cream–hopefully they work. 🙂
I was doing a little testing for a work project and have Caudalie Beauty Elixer, Murad Essencial-C Toner, Murad Hydrating Toner and Jurlique Balancing Mist. They are all pump/spray. The long and short is that I don’t notice a lot of pros or cons with any of them. If I had to choose, I probably like the Caudalie best because the mist is the most fine (Murad’s are the least fine), but the scent is much too strong for me (particularly since I’m spraying in my face). The Jurlique has a very strong rose scent so that could be a plus or minus. The best smelling of the bunch is the Essential-C which is citrus, predictably. None of them made me want to repurchase or try other toners, though. They’re all sort of collecting dust right now.
Currently loving Pixi glow tonic and Payot Tonic Réveil , which subtly exfoliate the skin while balancing..
You know what beauty product I love, essential oils from Basilica Botanica. I’m an avid user but once I found these oils I have not switched brands ever since. Trust me on this one. I got mine via Amazon Prime, so convenient!
Paula’s Choice toners are the best! I love love love the Skin Balancing toner (and cleanser and moisturiser). Hers are the only products that can settle my skin when it goes crazy or I have a full-on allergic reaction to skin care (puffy, red, blotchy… yuck!). How good is Beautypedia?!