Clinique Clarifying Lotion

If there's one step in my skincare routine I never miss out and am boarder line obsessed with doing, it's toning. I love sweeping some soothing lotion over my skin post cleanse, it's almost like a sense of relief for my skin, as if it's going 'AHHH' when I apply it. I've been big on toners for a while now but have never really found the one that did it all - hydrated, soothed, balanced and exfoliated so I've been on a bit of a toner trial and hunt recently. I've been through the lot and although they did the job, I didn't feel they were strong enough for me so I opted for something that I could use twice a week to really break down my pores and get into my skin. A toner that exfoliates, yes please? Welcome to the world of Clinique toners... 

Let me introduce you to the Clinique Clarifying Lotion DRY / COMBINATION Skin (£16)

We all love a bit of acid toning, as long as it's gentle and not too harsh, which is why I have jumped on board with this Clinique toner. Similar to the Pixi Glow Tonic offering, Clinique have created a toner that contains a number of ingredients that enhance your complexion and although it is an alcohol based BHA exfoliant, it strips the skin of any dirt, pollution and impurities without drying it out With a number of key ingredients that bring your skin back to life, even out your skin tone and add a youthful glow, this is the toner to have. 

The toner works best on dry to combination skin and is part of the 3rd step routine, coming in after your cleanse to really open up your pores and draw any nasties out. Developed by dermatologists, this de flakes the skin to reveal a smoother and clearer complexion. As this is an exfoliating toner, I avoid using it everyday and dab some onto a cotton pad which I swipe over my face about two to three times a week depending on how my skin feels. When my skin feels dull and lacklustre, I go in with this for an instant wake up and glow boost. As a heads up to anyone who picks this up, the lotion does smell quite strong and chemically at first but once applied, the scent disappears and it doesn't sting or make my face tingle at all, I was wowed by my first use - the exfoliation aspect had really worked and had diminished any dry patches on my face. Since using this, my skin has been a whole lot clearer, smoother and brighter with my foundation applying seamlessly and nothing is sticking those pesky dry patches. With an improved texture and over all feel, Clinique have transformed my skin with this lotion. 

Have you tried this toner?