Review: Etude House Skin Malgam Toner in Smoother

Hello everyone! I am back with another skin care product review and this time it is a toner from Etude House. I have already used up half the bottle of this product and I apply it 2x a day since I got it last March 2012.

Etude House had launched a new line of hypoallergenic skin toners called Skin Malgam. Malgam is a Korean word that means cleanliness, clarity and purity. This toners are meant to promote clean, clear and pure complexion with moisturizing and pore cleansing formulas. (info found on the box of the product)

This line of toners have 6 variants that will fit normal, dry and oily skin. They also have a moisturizing serum for all skin types under this hypoallergenic line.

I got the variant for oily, acne prone skin which is called Smoother. Skin Malgam Smoother is an exfoliation toner that contains alcohol for disinfecting the skin...or so the speaker at the Etude House event last month said hehe ^_^

 

 This bottle contains 250ml of product and it comes in an opaque plastic bottle.

You can click the picture to see the ingredients list but the first ingredient is water and the second is alcohol.

 Also on the box, it is stated that this toner can be used 4 ways:

1. As a regular toner

2. As spot treatment - you just put some product in a piece of cotton pad and place that on the problematic area and wait for 30 mins.

3. As a refreshing spray.

4. As a mask to be used once a week.

Of course, I was talked into about getting the mask tray so I can try if this will work great as a mask. 

 You just need to get one piece and put it on the tray. Pour around 15ml of product on the sheet. You will see that it will expand quickly like so.

You will then spread the mask sheet soaked with the product and put it on your face like so.

WARNING: scary! 

I suggest you avoid placing it around your eyes coz it might sting and dry the sensitive skin of your eyes. I got this based from experience.

Wait for 20 minutes before removing the mask. And here's the finish result.

I have not noticed any redness or irritation after the mask. I will discuss the effect on my review.

PROS:

- This is hypoallergenic.

- Cleanses very well. I really love toners that cleanses my skin thoroughly.

- Doesn't sting. Even though this contains alcohol, I have never experienced any stinging on my skin.

- The packaging is very nice. I love that it is not a brittle type of plastic and it doesn't spill if  bring it on trips.

- It helped in smoothing my skin. I have a lot of small bumps on my skin before I used this and it is now gone after 1 month of continuous use.

-  I believe it helps in controlling any breakouts because I did not get any acne or pimples even during my period.

- I love the fact that this line of toner can become essence mask too (the moisturizing variants)

- I love how my skin feels cleansed and refreshed after use.

- I like the scent too. Very very mild and fresh.

- Available on any Etude House store.

CONS:

- Can be a bit drying sometimes because of the alcohol content.

- Do not use the Smoother toner as a mask coz it is very drying especially around the eyes. My skin became wrinkled after I removed the mask sheet so I did not repeat it to test any effectiveness. I think it is better to use the moisturizing variant for mask use instead of this one.

- This is not suitable for someone with normal to dry skin. I have combination-oily skin and my cheeks became a drier with this. CHOOSE THE RIGHT VARIANT FOR YOUR SKIN TYPE.

OVER-ALL RATING: 4/5 - I love how this cleanses my face from dirt and oils that I accumulated throughout the day. It leaves my skin feeling fresh and primed for moisturizer.

WILL I REPURCHASE? I might try another variant to compare. I wanted the one for normal skin if it would work great on me too since I have combination-oily skin. But if I would not like it that much, I will repurchase this for night time use and the variant for normal skin during mornings :)

TIPS:

- Choose the best variant for your skin type.

- Don't forget to apply moisturizer after toning.

- Use just a small amount of product...just enough to wet a cotton pad and not soak it.

I am looking forward to getting the moisturizing serum under this line. I wanted to try it since I am oilier this summer and my current moisturizer is becoming too heavy for me now.

Thank you for dropping by! ^_^