A.J.
I fell in love with the COSRx Propolis Serum a while back. (I wrote a really detailed review on that product that explains why. Basically, it really helped heal my face & restored a ton of self-confidence. It continues to keep working its "magic" or just keeping my skin in check at times.) So, I finally decided to give this matching toner a try. I think it's going to be another staple in my personal skincare routine. I find it helps balance my skin better than using the serum alone. It seems to help me absorb the serum better, too. I've tried two other toners from the drugstore, but this one actually seems to be doing something effective for me. I can actually feel and see results with this toner.
I've been applying this immediately after cleansing and drying my face. The different facial cleansers I sometimes switch between don't seem relevant to how this product performs. All are gentle cleansers, but two are slightly more drying than the other one. I'm still figuring out which one I like best. Regardless, this toner seems to work the same no matter which of the cleansers I've used beforehand.
I just swipe this toner over my face; and it feels like my skin is extra clean, balanced, and less dried out in some spots than if I went without it. It seems to provide a clean, even canvas so I can better absorb the matching serum.
That last part is pretty important to me considering I use the serum twice a day, every day. The cost of routine products really adds up. So, it's nice that I can use way less of the serum and have a slightly better effect when pairing it with this toner. I feel like it's worth the money because it'll reduce how quickly I'll use up a bottle of the serum. (I seem to have started using a little less than half the amount of serum when I apply this toner first. It took a while before I noticed I didn't need as much of the serum anymore.) I don't know for sure if I'll actually be saving money or just adding a tiny bit more to my expenses by adding this product to my daily routine. But even if I'm spending a little more, the effects this has on my skin is worth it to me.
I would recommend this toner to others. Particularly to those who suffer from skin problems, like: inflammation, severe dryness that causes irritation or damage, occassional acne, folliculitis, and post-inflammatory hyper-pigmentation (like skin darkening/redness from acne or scars).
JUST TO BE CLEAR: I am not claiming this product will cure all those problems I just mentioned. Those are just some major issues that I've dealt with or still deal with to various extents.
Personal experience: I used to have practically "perfect-looking" skin that hardly required any special upkeep for most of my life. Several years ago, when I was in my 30s, I got hit with some major skin problems/damages. It took a very long time and a lot of effort to get most of those problems under control. Ultimately, I was left with a lot of scarring and hyper-pigmentation on my face that really frustrated me and made me self-conscious. I wasn't used to feeling so insecure about my face. I wasn't used to skincare products either. But I had to learn and adjust accordingly. Over the last year or so, I've been gradually figuring out a skincare routine that really works for me and that has been drastically improving my skin appearance (as well as overall condition). This toner just seems like something that's significantly helping me deal with or recover from those skin issues I mentioned right now. I wanted to write this review in case anyone else out there can relate and is still trying to figure out their own personal skincare routine. Hopefully, the info I provided will be helpful. I'd say definitely give this a shot if you find the COSRx propolis serum has been helpful for you. Give it about a week and see if your skin starts absorbing the serum better. (I'm still figuring out the whole moisturizer ordeal. Unfortunately, the whole COSRx Propolis line up doesn't work for me. Just this and the other product.)
UPDATE MANY MONTHS LATER:
Confirmed. This toner has become a part of my daily routine. But I also found another use for it! Whenever my propolis serum "runs out," there always seems to be a small amount left in the bottom crevices of the bottle that I just can't reach. (The serum comes in a glass bottle with a dropper lid.) I hate wasting products - especially ones that are on the pricier side. I had 2 bottled of the "left over" serum on hand. I squeezed a tiny bit of this toner into the "empty" serum bottles & shook them up. Voila! A perfect match! I was able to get the last bit of the serum by using the dropper or by tapping the bottle into my hand. Combining the 2 doesn't have quite the same effect as using them 1 after the other. But they still work very well together. I was able to use up all of the remaining serum. And this mixture was especially convenient on days when I was in a hurry, but didn't want to skimp out on my skincare routine & risk old problems popping up. I've decided this toner is a win in the skincare, money-saving, & convenience departments. So glad I gave this a shot. (Just wanted to share this "new hack" for any of you struggling with skin issues & trying to manage your routine on a dime! Good luck!)
Imported From: Amazon