REVIEW: Merumaya Treatment Toner™ with Vitamin C

Say the words 'treatment', 'toner' and 'vitamin C' in a single sentence and you'd have me hop around with excitement. That's exactly what my intentions were going in with this toner from UK-based brand Merumaya. So, let's get to know this toner well.

Why I purchased it
As mentioned in the beginning of this post, the three magical words got me excited. I'm always looking for something more in a toner apart from the basic function of wiping away any leftover residue post cleansing and bringing the ph of the skin to the optimal value of 5.5. I want my toners to be almost pre-serums or essences. And this one seemed to fit the bill, as per Maleka's (the brand owner) description on her site and the many positive reviews.



Ingredients
Aqua (Water), Polysorbate 20, Glycerin, Betaine, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Maris Aqua, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Cellulose Gum, Hydrolyzed Algin, Sodium Hydroxide, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citronellol, Disodium EDTA, Limonene, Linalool, Geraniol, Isoeugenol, Benzyl Alcohol, Benzyl Benzoate Parfum (Fragrance).


Star ingredients
Betaine: This ingredient stood out for me as I have seen it in several K-beauty skincare products. Betaine is a naturally occurring amino acid which acts as an anti-irritant and is responsible for maintaining moisture. It is also a non-sticky ingredient, a must-have in my books as I constantly struggle with high humidity in Mumbai.

Vitamin C: The finicky antioxidant that you want to own for its brightening, collagen-building, sun protective qualities, but also one that requires utmost protection as it's highly prone to oxidation. In short, Vitamin C provides great skincare properties but if exposed to light or air, turns a pale yellow to a vivid orange depending on how much oxidation has taken place. Oxidised Vitamin C not only stops providing skincare benefits but also causes damage to the skin, according to some reports. This toner contains Ascorbyl Glucoside, a stabilised, natural vitamin C which activates on contact with the skin, providing slow and sustained benefits.

Sodium Hyaluronate: Sodium hyaluronate is the sodium salt of hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic acid again is a naturally occurring substance found in our bodies which helps retain suppleness and is a magnet for moisture as it can hold 1000 times its weight in water. This ingredient unfortunately depletes with age which is why babies look young and supple and older people lose that quality.


Packaging and user experience
The 128 ml product comes in a see-through plastic bottle that has a press-down lid--and this is where the product let me down. While the brand says that the toner contains a stabilised form of vitamin C, mine has turned a pale yellow after a couple of months' use--this despite having stored it away from light and air, in a closed cabinet. Thankfully, I had already finished using 3/4th of the product as I love it that much but I think the see-through packaging is a complete let-down especially because the vitamin C seems to have oxidised. The yellow colour is more pronounced at the neck of the bottle. See below...

UPDATE: 
On publishing this blog post, Maleka, the incredibly helpful owner of Merumaya, provided a clarification regarding the yellowing of the toner's content. This is her comment:

"First I thank you so much for sharing your thoughts on our products. I really do appreciate it. I sent it off to one of our team of Cosmetic Scientists for his response to your comments about Vitamin C degradation. "Any yellowing is down to the acids rather than the Vit C. Acids are prone to a bit of yellowing. We know it's not Ascorbyl Glucoside as that ingredient only becomes Vit C (ascorbic acid AFTER contact and reaction on the skin. So it won't oxidise in the bottle. I hope that helps all your followers to feel perfectly reassured that what we said is true. It is encapsulated. Thanks again and I hope you will keep trying and sharing your thoughts about our products - you write exceptionally well. Fluid, factual and yet very personal. Regards to you all Maleka x Founder of MERUMAYA"

I thank Maleka for being so proactive with responding to reviews and concerns stated by users such as me. This is what sets her brand apart from the run-of-the-mill ones who don't even bother to show a face let alone address concerns. So, all in all, we don't need to worry about the 'yellowing'.

User experience wise, there is not a single fault that I can find with this product. The press-down lid is user-friendly as is the lightweight plastic bottle. The toner carries the same signature Merumaya scent present in all other products in this line, which is a delight to the olfactory senses.


Price and where to buy
The toner is priced at 16.5 GBP, which translates to 1395 INR. Like its sister toner, the Merumaya Gentle Exfoliating Toner reviewed here, this one is also pricey when compared to most Indian toners. But I feel the value this toner provides is much more than the average toner you'd find in the Indian market. Both toners can be bought at merumaya.com


Worth the hype?
The Merumaya Treatment Toner is completely worth the hype. Go for it if Vitamin C is something you like to incorporate in your routine minus all the typical inconvenience associated with it.

I feel like I have covered quite a few toners over last several posts. I hope to write about other exciting products very soon. Stay tuned!

REVIEW: Merumaya Gentle Exfoliating Toner

In my previous post, I spoke about the Clinique Mild Clarifying Lotion and what it did and did not do for my skin. Continuing with my toner review series, today, I want to talk about one of my favourite exfoliating toners. Tada!

MERUMAYA GENTLE EXFOLIATING TONER
In case you're new to exfoliating toners, here's a quick note on why they are useful. Exfoliating toners are called so because they contain exfoliating acids such as salicylic acid, lactic acid, glycolic acid, etc.

Exfoliating toners:
1) Lower the ph of the skin so that when a harsh cleanser is used on the skin, raising its ph value from a natural, healthy level of 5 to anywhere beyond level 6-7, the exfoliating acid brings down the ph back to its healthy level. A healthy ph level means that bad bacteria do not breed on the skin, thus reducing instances of acne.
2) Wipe away dead skin cells, which ordinary toners are not capable of. Removal of dead skin cells means the fresher skin cells underneath are more capable of taking in whatever skincare products you use next. In short, without exfoliation, you're just moisturising dead skin cells.
3) Tend to make the skin sensitive if they are overused. The visible results they give can tempt you to overuse them.

Why I purchased it
Merumaya came into my radar when I was researching into cleansing balms, which is a separate blog post in itself. Once on the Merumaya website, I noticed how passionately its creator, Maleka Dattu, described each product that she offered--the inspiration behind it, the need for it, the active ingredients, etc. And before I knew it, the product fell into my cart. Also, it helped to know that Maleka had Caroline Hirons' blog readers test out this product during the pre-manufacture phase. Caroline, being a proponent of exfoliating toners, asked her readers to test it out as most of them were used to exfoliating acids and obviously had high standards of a new exfoliating product. Long story short, the toner met their approval.

Ingredients:
Aqua (Water), Glycerin, Citric Acid, Tartaric Acid, Polysorbate 20, Sodium Hydroxide, Betaine, Hamamelis Virginiana (Witch Hazel) Leaf Extract, Lactic Acid, Maris Aqua, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Algin, Parfum (Fragrance), Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Limonene, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Cellulose Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citronellol, Linalool, Geraniol, Benzyl Alcohol, Isoeugenol, Benzyl Benzoate

How much acid is in it?
The toner contains 15 per cent of ‘Natural AHA (Alpha Hydroxy Acids) Complex’, which is the maximum permitted level of that ingredient and equates 10 per cent actual AHAs. From what I understand, this toner has a good percentage of lactic acid, citric acid and tartaric acid, although the latter two are also used as ph adjusters (to ensure the product isn't too acidic or basic), so I'm not sure about the concentration of each acid. But lactic acid, on its own, is a wonderful gentle exfoliant, which explains the name of the product.

Generally speaking, AHAs, like glycolic acid, are considered harsh, but Maleka says that if the product formulation is right, the harshness or the sting that acids give can be buffed. For this, she has included Hyaluronic Acid (for moisture and hydration), Betaine (an anti-irritant) and Glycerin in the toner.

Now for the test of any exfoliating product--out come the ph strips. As mentioned in my previous post, this toner records a solid 3 on the ph scale, making it perfect for exfoliation. In case you missed that post, here's the comparison shot with the Clinique toner. As you can see, the Merumaya patch is a bright yellow, indicating its acidic ph level.

Packaging and user experience
The toner's packaging is faultless. It comes in a 128 ml see-through plastic bottle. The lid is a press-down type, which is extremely convenient.
The first thing you notice on using this toner is that phenomenal Merumaya signature scent, which Maleka likes to include in all her products. So, while the toner and the cotton pad are buffing away dead skin cells on your face and neck, you can breathe in this lovely aroma. I'm not particularly good at describing fragrances but if I had to, I'd say that this has a light floral, spa-like scent.

Price and where to buy
The toner is priced at 15 GBP, which translates to 1200 INR. I know this is pricey as per Indian standards but there are hardly any exfoliating toners being sold in India. I can only think of Plum and its glycolic acid-based toner.
As far as buying Merumaya products is concerned, obviously, they can be purchased from the Merumaya website but the shipping fee to India is 15 GBP, which is extortionate. So, I didn't buy it immediately. I searched high and low for other sites that sold Merumaya products internationally. No luck! Eventually, I bit the bullet and placed a huge order to qualify for free shipping. Works out well, that way. On the one hand, I'm happy that Merumaya ships globally but I seriously hope that she and her team consider doing something about that horrendous shipping fee.

Worth the hype?
The Merumaya Gentle Exfoliating Toner is completely worth the hype. It is formulated at the right ph, does not sting the skin and is convenient as well as pleasurable to use. I highly recommend it if you don't mind the splurge, shipping fee included.

In my next post, I will talk about the Bravura Detoxifying Eucalyptus Astringent Toner with 15% AHA/BHA. Stay tuned!