As someone with combination skin, I need a mattifying toner on hand in case I have one of those dreaded oily spells where my makeup basically slips off my face. (I am of the mindset that I’d rather treat the problem with good skin care rather than cover it up with a primer.) Perricone MD No:Rinse Intensive Pore Minimizing Toner gets the job done with a host of other benefits, including some redness relief, which is another one of my concerns. Read on for my honest review.
My Skin Type:
Combination. I’m drier in the cold-weather months and oilier in the warm-weather ones thanks to the high humidity on the East Coast. Occasionally when I try a new product or use a formula with a high concentration of acids, I experience a little sensitivity (mainly redness, but sometimes tingling).
The Benefits:
If you’ve never used a liquid exfoliating toner before, it may be the thing standing between you and better skin. You may not know what you’re missing until you see and feel the results (if your skin needs it, of course). This multitasking formula is great for those with large pores and oily skin because it provides gentle exfoliation without stripping (via salicylic acid), so you get just the right amount of mattifying, but your skin doesn’t feel too dry. I love that it gets all the gunk out of my pores.
It not only absorbs visible excess oil to set the stage for better makeup application and absorption of other skin-care products you apply after using it, but for me, it also seemed to make my skin less oily in general after a couple weeks of using it daily. Additionally, it helps to reduce redness and dark spots to give the skin a more uniform tone. And if that weren’t enough, it includes two firming ingredients, DMAE and a Copper Complex, which help make aging skin look better over time, too.
In a clinical study with 28 women over the course of 28 days, 93 percent of participants showed significant improvement in skin redness, 86 percent showed significant improvement in the reduction of dark spots, and 75 percent showed improvement in pore size and texture. In a consumer study with 104 women over the course of 28 days, 92 percent of participants agreed that the toner reduced the appearance of excess shine and oiliness, 89 percent agreed it left their skin looking matte, and 88 percent agreed it made their pores appear less noticeable.
Key Ingredients:
DMAE, Copper Complex and salicylic acid
What It’s Free From:
Gluten, fish, milk, corn, phthalates, sulfates, parabens, talc, and mineral oil
How to Use It:
Saturate a cotton pad with the toner and apply it to clean skin. Don’t rinse it off, but rather use it as the base of your skin-care routine. Wait a few minutes for it to fully absorb and dry before applying serums or moisturizers on top. You can use it in the morning and at night, or just once a day, depending on what your skin needs.
It does contain synthetic fragrance (and the distinct scent may take a little getting used to), so if you are sensitive to that, do a patch test first before using all over your face.
Price/Where to Buy:
$45, perriconemd.com
