Tuesday, 1 June 2010

Review: DHC Salicylic Acid Toner

Apologies: I used to put prices as a service for those who wanted to know, but I no longer do it. ^__^

This article was originally posted at http://aichakubeautification.blogspot.com. If you see it anywhere else without credit, the content is stolen without permission.

I had been battling my cranky ultra-reactive skin since April! My skin had been both super-clogged, super-oily and dry at the same time, if it makes any sense? It was very hard to deal with, since I couldn't use the usual oily-skin products to combat the clogging. Some days I even had small bumps like mini-pimples all over my t-zone. :( It took some time to calm my skin down. Using my usual regimen of Impress IC products didn't work, so I had to find some way of unclogging my skin without over-drying it. I'll spare you the blow-by-blow trial-and-error details, and get straight to the item that worked a minor miracle for me. I took a chance on it on a whim during a sale and fortunately it worked out well. It's based on the fact that I read something about Salicylic Acid online and went out looking for a suitable formulation.
Photo from DHC

Salicylic acid

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Salicylic acid (from Latin salix, willow tree, from the bark of which the substance is obtained) is a beta hydroxy acid. This colorless crystalline organic acid is widely used in organic synthesis and functions as a plant hormone. It is derived from the metabolism of salicin. In addition to being a compound that is chemically similar to but not identical to the active component of aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid), it is probably best known for its use in anti-acne treatments. As with other beta hydroxy acids, salicylic acid is a key ingredient in many skin-care products for the treatment of acne, psoriasis, calluses, corns, keratosis pilaris, and warts.[12] It works as both a keratolytic and comedolytic agent by causing the cells of the epidermis to shed more readily, opening clogged pores and neutralizing bacteria within, preventing pores from clogging up again by constricting pore diameter, and allowing room for new cell growth.[13] I decided to try out DHC's Salicylic Acid Toner because it is alcohol-free, contains numerous helpful botanicals and it's reported to be one of the least drying Salicylic Acid products. Although it's supposed to be for acne, I used it for the purpose of clearing up my pores. It was mild enough to be not overly drying and did not trigger any redness. In fact, I think the botanicals added some moisturising. At the same time, I could feel my pores slowly clearing up and unclogging, something which even regular masking and scrubbing couldn't do. At the beginning, I used it twice a day. Once my skin settled down, I reduced it to once a day, at night. As of today, my skin has gotten back to normal, albeit with some scarring (from my over-enthusiastic picking at my skin), and it's starting to feel too dry to use daily, so I'm back to my usual Impress IC regimen and using this toner once every 2-3 days This product is worth considering if you are looking for a product to unclog your pores and yet provide some hydration. It is also very reasonably priced locally (in Singapore at Watsons), not far from the Japanese retail price.

This article was originally posted at http://aichakubeautification.blogspot.com. If you see it anywhere else without credit, the content is stolen without permission.

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