REVIEW: Bravura London Detoxifying Eucalyptus Astringent Toner 15% AHA/BHA

It seems like forever since I last did a toner review. But we're not done yet! So, let's jump right into it.

In my previous post, I talked about the Merumaya Gentle Exfoliating Toner, why it's one of my favourite toners (as it meets pretty much every requirement), and my only one gripe about it. Today, I want to talk about the Bravura London Detoxifying Eucalyptus Astringent Toner 15% AHA/BHA, another exfoliating toner in my stash.

Why I purchased it
I started my exfoliating toner journey with this product aimed at oily, problem skin, mainly because it has salicylic acid (good for spotty, clogged, oily skin) and eucalyptus, which I simply love. I love peppermint-y, eucalytpus-y ingredients in my skincare products, which give my skin an instant cooling, refreshing feel. So, this seemed like a no-brainer purchase.

Ingredients:
Purified Water, Glycolic Acid and Sodium Glycolate, Aloe Vera Extract, SD Alcohol 40B, Glucose and Fructose and Sucrose and Urea and Dextrin and Alanine and Glutamic Acid and Hexyl Nicotinate, Lactic Acid, Eucalyptus Extract, Salicylic Acid, Camphor, Balsam Peru, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate

How much acid is in it?
As per the Bravura London website, the Gycolic Acid in this amounts to 15 per cent, partially neutralised with Ammonium Hydroxide. However, the website does not mention the percentages of both Salicylic Acid and Lactic Acid. We know that Salicylic Acid is typically used in very low concentrations as it's quite potent, so that might explain why it's showing up towards the end of the inci list.

Packaging and user experience
The toner I had purchased came in a no-nonsense flip-top, see-through bottle, which I absolutely love for travel as it's so practical. Bravura has since changed its packaging so do have a look at the website to see if you like it.
The scent is very herbal and refreshing (to me at least), but it may come across as strong to others. I use this poured onto a cotton pad and swiped across the face and neck.
With a ph of 3.8 (perfecto!), this toner gives a tingly kick to the skin. With that said, this toner is not for the faint of heart. Bravura states clearly on its website that this toner is a strong one and should be avoided if your skin is sensitive. Mine isn't so I had no issues using it.
The toner seemed very effective initially in evening out my skin tone, but sadly, with my second bottle, I did not see sustained impact. In other words, clogged pores were still a major issue for me, even with continued use of this toner.

Price and where to buy
The toner is priced at 12.90 GBP (roughly 1000 INR), and can be bought from the Bravura London website. I don't believe Bravura sells this anywhere else, although I have seen resellers having a go at it. But I'd be wary about buying skincare from unauthorised sellers.

Worth the hype?
Sadly, even after using up one-and-a-half bottle of this toner, I have concluded that it isn't a keeper for me. Even though I love its eucalyptus-y kick, it did not completely meet my expectations of managing my clogged pore situation. Having said that, if you have non-sensitive skin and the AHA/BHA concentration and other ingredients excite you, do give it a try. After all, I did repurchase it to give it a fair chance.

In my next post, I will talk about a recent purchase of mine, the Plum Green Tea Toner, possibly the only toner with glycolic acid in it, being sold in India commercially. Stay tuned!

Is a toner really necessary?

On my way to an event about 'laser treatment for skin' conducted by a few of Mumbai's renowned aesthetic medical practitioners, I was debating about which toner to buy next. Toners serve a variety of purposes, from taking off any leftover residue (even after you have had a go with your cleanser), exfoliating the skin, calming sensitive skin to leaving a layer of hydration on the skin. I have all four varieties and a couple of favourites in that, but the one I find indispensable is the first type--the skin cleansing one. Let me clarify, I love cleansing and I love my cleansers, but my pores behave like a deep cave with dark recesses that house gunk, which can only be pulled out by a cleansing toner.

I had reached the venue, and the skin docs began talking about general skincare, giving tips and busting misconceptions. While I was enjoying all that, the subject of toner came up, especially for oily skin. My ears perked up and I was eager to hear what the expert had to say.

Avoid toners, he said! Shattering the long-held belief of the holy grail of skincare--Cleanse, Tone and Moisture--he silenced the audience but went on to explain how toners are unnecessary imports from the western world and we Indians do not need them, including oily skin types. What he meant was that we don't need the traditional alcohol-based toners that used to wipe away cleansing creams of the yore. Yes, before face washes came into the picture, women used to use cleansing creams, which were greasy and hence needed an alcohol-y toner to take it all off.

While I wouldn't degrade all toners (like I mentioned above, a few of them have something extra to offer), I agree with the skin doc in that I absolutely hate toners with alcohol. Any self-respecting beauty company ought to throw out such toners because in today's age, cleansers have become advanced thus eliminating the need for a strong-burn-your-skin alcohol-based toner. India is also catching up to the alcohol-free toner trend, with Plum being one of the early adopters.

In my next post, I will share a bit about my current toners, why and how I use them, and a few that are on my wishlist.