image from totalbeauty.com

Okay, so while everyone is posting Halloween looks (which are spectacular this year) I'm over here like, "What about removing all that stuff!?". So I thought the perfect post before all the Halloween festivities start would be about my favorite technique to remove face paint and heavy makeup. 

Toning is another important aspect to a good skincare regime. First you wash and or exfoliate then you tone before moisturizing. Toning will take off the last bit of dirt and bacteria so your serums and lotions can absorb much better. Depending on your toner it can also be your exfoliator. Toners that have alpha and beta hydroxy will exfoliate in the sense that those ingredients take off the dead skin without having to scrub your face. They can also be drying though so watch out.

People with dry skin want to look for toners that don't have any harsh ingredients. Alcohol is something that will dry out your skin so you want to look for something with little to no alcohol. Sometimes they will say "alcohol free" on the bottle.



Boots Expert Sensitive Gentle Refreshing Toner - This toner is definitely a number one in my book. It is so refreshing and gentle you can even use it on your eyes. It feels like cool soothing water on your face. Sometimes in the summer I use this just to freshen my face on a day when I don't wear foundation. I think I might even put it in a spray bottle so I can spritz it on my face every now and then to freshen my foundation! Target also sells this in store which is great! I heard it was a drugstore dupe for Bioderma but I can't say since I've never tried Bioderma.

Thayer - Witch Hazel Toner-Rose Petal - This toner smells divine if you like roses. It does come in different versions though such as cucumber if that is more your thing. The rose is the only one I've tried. It is not overpowering, the scent is very light. Roses are also supposed to be very brightening and nutrient rich for your skin. I will get into a few other rose items I like in my future posts.

I'll admit, I do not always tone after washing my face but I do notice a difference when I do. My skin is much clearer and brighter.

Another product that is similar to toner is facial mist. Many brands are coming out with these now and they can be great. Mac was one of the first I bought. Their Fix+ is supposed to keep your makeup on and fresh. They came out with their Mineralize water and that is a really great freshener throughout the day.

These do seem like a waste of money to me sometimes unless they have a purpose like keeping my makeup on longer, moisturizing, or brightening my complexion. Otherwise why buy bottled water for your face? Here are a few facial mists that I like and think if you are in the market for one or have been intrigued by them you might want to try one out.

JURLIQUE Rosewater Balancing Mist - another rose scented item... this is really refreshing and has rose extract and marshmallow to moisturize and balance the skin. This is nice to spritz on after cleansing and before your night time creams. It smells lovely and is a relaxing ritual before bedtime. I have not used it every single day so I can't tell you if it has necessarily improved my skin in any way.

Mac Fix+ - definitely a regular in my collection from now on. It does help my makeup stay fresh and it is a great refresher when my foundation becomes dried out during the day. This is also a great product to mix with pigments and other loose eyeshadow and such. It gives you a much truer pigment and helps the product stay on longer without creasing.

Murad Essential C Toner - This is new to me but I am definitely becoming a fan. As I have said in my earlier posts, I love anything that will even out and brighten my tone. This helps with its vitamin c addition. This does sting a little if I use it after doing an intense exfoliation (from the citrus extracts) but for other times it works great to make my skin feel clean and fresh.




I do not think any of these are essential. Out of the three I think Mac's Fix+ is a great thing to have, or any other makeup fix spray for that matter. I am currently trying out different mists to see if Mac really has the best of the best so I will keep you posted on that! If you have any mists you recommend please let me know!