The Toner I've Been Obsessed With For Over 8 Years

Hey my loves! You’ve no doubt heard me rave about this toner over the years! I’ve tried so many different toners, and although I’ve loved lots of them, the Clinique Clarifying Lotion 2, $27, is one that I really can’t live without. Honestly, it just works for my skin, which is typically normal or combination with dry patches and hormonal breakouts.

The Clinique formula was developed by dermatologists for dry to combination skin and I find it works so amazingly for keeping my hormonal pimples at bay. It’s quite strong, but I swear that when I use this consistently it makes my acne go away, and when I stop using it, I get more pimples. The toner works to gently exfoliate your skin by removing dry flakes for smoother skin that looks more even in tone while removing any traces of pollution or grime.

Source: Clinique

The formula contains a few key ingredients that work really well for acne-prone skin: Salicylic acid is oil-soluble and able to clean deep into your pores and control oil production, and witch hazel, which is anti-inflammatory and an astringent, helps to soothe skin and dry out spots and tighten your pores.

The Clarifying Lotion 2 also packs sodium hyaluronate (aka hyaluronic acid) and glycerin, which both boost moisture in the skin and promote wound healing. The addition of menthol for improving oily skin and anti-aging citric acid means this formula really helps to smooth and balance the skin. The formula does contain alcohol and could be a little too harsh for very dry or sensitive skin, so I recommend this for those with combination, oily or acne-prone skin.

When I use this, I typically only apply a small amount on a cotton pad (it doesn’t need to be completely saturated) otherwise it can be a bit drying. I like to use this as part of my nighttime skincare routine, and I prefer to use a hydrating essence in the morning.

Have you guys tried this toner? I would love to know what you thought about it!