Andalou Naturals Toner Review - The Acne Experiment

Sorry for the hiatus y'all. I've been working overtime at my big girl job, and like many Americans, I've had a rough couple of months. If you are American and having a rough time, I want you to know I'm here for you. I'm not able to respond to every comment or note I receive, but I read every single one, and some multiple times. I appreciate you guys. Thank you for enjoying this pus-filled pocket of the Internet with me.

If you aren't American, but are having a rough time, I'm here for you also. I know America is not the center of the universe. I also know that things can suck in all kinds of creative ways. I'm a big-time believer that the balance between the serious and the frivolous is what keeps us sane, and I hope I can help you with some of that frivolity.

If you aren't having a rough time and just get to the damned review already ok, I'm here for you as well. I had some feelings stuck in my throat and I needed to hack them up. Thank you for your patience.

Ingredients:

• Andalou Naturals Clementine + C Illuminating Toner (Aloe Barbadensis Juice, Panthenol (Pro-Vitamin B5), Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Lauric Acid, Fruit Stem Cells (Malus Domestica, Solar Vitis) and BioActive 8 Berry Complex, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate (Vitamin C), Citrus Clementina (Clementine) and Cucumis Melo (Melon) Extracts, Glycolic Acid, Aspalathus Linearis (Rooibos), Hibiscus Rosa-Sinensis and Camellia Sinensis (White Tea) Extracts, Phenethyl Alcohol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citrus Tangerina (Tangerine) and Cymbopogon Martini (Palmarosa) Oils)
• Tretinoin 0.05% cream (this trial was concurrent with the 6mo Retin-A trial)
• Jojoba Oil / Tea Tree Oil

Method:

1. Buy the toner after debating whether you should for approximately 30 minutes while sitting on the floor of a Nugget Market in Woodland, CA.
2. Sit there so long that someone that works there comes over to talk to you.
3. Convince yourself that the worker thinks you are going to steal something. 
4. Someday I will be accused of stealing something and I'm gonna cry in front of strangers.
5. Buy the toner. I was never gonna steal this I swear I'm just indecisive ma'am.
6. Let the toner sit in its little box on your bookshelf for at least a year.
7. Skip over the toner for louder, flashier trials, like fruit acids and face washes that look like boogers.
8. I'm so sorry toner. I'm going to use you some day I promise.
9. God don't look at me like that. I know you might expire.
10. Finally try the toner.
11. In the morning.
12. I don't wash my face in the morning, so this will be like a morning face rub I guess.
13. Spray the toner on a facial cotton a couple of times. (these are my favorite)
14. Apply toner all over your face.
15. Revel in your ability to very slowly get shit done.

Conclusions:

I decided to try the Andalou Naturals Toner in particular because it has vitamin C in it. Vitamin C is one of those no-BS ingredients in that it is actually supposed to help with things like hyper-pigmentation and uneven skin tone. This toner also has a teensy bit of glycolic acid in it, but not so much that it would cause problems when used in conjunction with the Retin-A I was testing. It has an aloe base, which is aces — aloe-based means moisture-based and is the opposite of alcohol-based, aka the-devil-based.

The toner also has a bunch of other froo-froo-s in it, like a plethora of tea-ingredients and fancy sounding stuff like "fruit stem cells" and "BioActive" whosa-whatsits, but I don't think they're actually gonna do much other than add to the scent of the product. Actually, the teas probably provide a little antioxidant punch, so don't listen to me guys I'm a wildcard you can't tame me.

Upon first application I could tell this is definitely a moisturizing toner, probably as a result of the aloe and the glycolic acid (glycolic is a humectant). I think if you aren't super dry, this toner could work as moisturizer. My face was instantly "dewier" as they say, and it did a superb job of shining my forehead horn to a high gloss.

Other first impression: this stuff smells delicious. It's probably the best smelling product I've tried since I started The Acne Experiment. If you are partial to citrus, you are going to love this shit.

As for results, I wasn't expecting miracles because, well, it's a toner. Toners aren't meant to treat acne, and if they are, they probably aren't toners (but rather "treatments" natch). Instead I was more interested to see if it would work as a light morning product since I concentrate the bulk of my skincare at night (I was using Retin-A with jojoba/tea tree oil at night during this trial). I tested it for a week.

It didn't turn my face into a pizza. My skin looks a bit clearer in the afters, but a lot of that is probably due to differences in lighting. Since it was only a 1 week trial, I'm hesitant to say the toner itself cleared me up, especially since I was testing Retin-A at the time as well — perhaps the added moisture was helpful? Because I didn't react, I may just have to fold this guy into my routine down the road. It really did smell lovely.

Next Up: Marcelle Micellar Water

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Application Tip:  If you're willing to give the Andalou a go, I don't recommend spraying it directly on your face. Although it is mild, spraying it all willy-nilly everywhere is crazy. Plus there is something satisfying about using a bit of cotton to wipe-on product while simultaneously wiping-off excess face gunk.

Storage Tip:  The darker bottle will help preserve the vitamin C, but you can also also store it in the box it comes in for extra protection. That's what I did, and I stored it like that for a year.

Making Internet Friends Tip:  I liked that after picture so much that I used it to test out that Prisma Instagram filter app. I liked the art I made so much that I shared it on the Crappy Candle Facebook page:

I lost a couple of followers that day. I hope my face made someone vomit.

ALL Acne Experiment Posts are listed at The Acne Experiment MOTHER HUB.

Andalou Naturals Vitamin C Toner Review - The Acne Experiment

All Images © Crappy Candle / The Acne Experiment