PRODUCT REVIEW: COSRX GALACTOMYCES ALCOHOL-FREE TONER – BEST HYDRATING TONER, BEST FERMENTED TONER WITH PROBIOTICS
COSRX | GALACTOMYCES ALCOHOL-FREE TONER
This review was originally part of my blog article titled, A Complete K-Beauty Routine with the Best Facial Skincare from Purito, Cosrx, Missha & More! You can catch the full piece here.
—
As I said earlier, fermented toners are a K-beauty essential — and are, in fact, common across all Asian beauty routines. I certainly have my faves; among them the Laneige Cream Skin (which I reviewed here) and Whamisa’s Organic Flowers Deep Rich Toner. The luxurious, silky treat was my first fermented Korean toner and, in fact, the first fermented product I ever tried. Whamisa’s thick, pampering concoction is my toner of choice for the 7-Skin Method.
Fermentation is like the Trojan horse, tricking its way past the skin’s defenses.
What’s the deal with fermentation? In short, fermentation helps to break down actives in a formula to essentially enhance penetration into the fortified skin barrier. The main function of the skin barrier, after all, is to prevent foreign substances — molecules of all kinds — from penetrating and entering the body.
That includes both good and bad substances — including viruses, bacteria and even most of the healthy, beneficial ingredients that are used in skin care. Without help, they just sit on the surface and either evaporate or are whisked away when we use a cleanser.
The very premise behind toning is to hydrate the skin, dampen it, to enhance penetration of actives. That’s not only important at the toning step, immediately following a cleanser, but throughout a skincare routine.
To keep my skin damp and better able to absorb skin care, I like to use a toning mist like the COSRX Galactomyces Alcohol-Free Toner or Missha’s Time Revolution First Treatment Essence. Toning mists allow me to continually hydrate my skin anew between the application of water-based essences and toners.
COSRX’s Galactomyces Alcohol-Free Toner is a simple formula, comprising just 10 ingredients. (Funny, it’s all “top ten”!) Its star fermented active, Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate, is the second ingredient — after water. If you have a concern for acne, particularly fungal acne, you should steer clear of galactomyces as it can make the situation worse; however, not all ferments are created equal. Both Bifida and Lactobacillus can actually help to calm and rebalance acne prone skin.
The formula also contains moisturizing Panthenol (Vitamin B5), humectant Sodium Hyaluronate, and Cassia Obtusifolia Seed Extract. Also known as Chinese Senna Extract, Cassia Obtusifolia Seed Extract is an anti-inflammatory, an antioxidant and an anti-redness substance.
If keeping skin healthy, happy and hydrated is your skin goal (it’s mine and the goal of every Korean woman!), then consider incorporating COSRX’s pro-skin health hydration mist.
SHOP THE BLOG: Purchase the COSRX Galactomyces Alcohol-Free Toner for $20.81 here.
SHOP THE BLOG:
The Ingredient List of the COSRX Galactomyces Alcohol-Free Toner:
h, Butylene Glycol h|solv|vc 0 1, 1,2-Hexanediol solv, Betaine h, Panthenol so|h 0 0, Allantoin so 0 0, Sodium Hyaluronate sii|h 0 0, Cassia Obtusifolia Seed Extract, Ethyl Hexanediol solv
