Aqua Glycolic • Toner • Toners

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heykerrieann on 5/20/2013 4:06:00 AM more reviews by heykerrieann

Age: 36-43   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair   Hair: Red   Eyes: Brown    

I absolutely love this toner. It's not for everyone. If I would have used it before my skin became so oily, it probably would have burned. It does have alcohol in it which I have never actually noticed. It dries up the oil on my face and takes away any dirt and residue left on my skin after cleansing. Even when I do a very thorough cleansing! I have to order it online - I've never seen it in any shop or drugstore I've been in. I will even use it when I'm not wearing makeup and I can feel my face getting oily just to clean my face up. I've never had a problem with it aggravating my acne, just the opposite - it HELPS it. I hadn't been using it for a while and the acne along my chin was out of control, and the pores over my nose and cheeks were always clogged. Now that I'm back to using it, things have definitely settled down. I liked reading here that people said their dermatologists suggested it. Makes me feel even better about using it. Even the packaging is great. The pump on the bottle is so unique and thankfully makes it impossible to spill. I can't imagine spilling all of this and then having to order more and wait for it! It's such a good product. I really need to order a few of them so I'm never without.

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*TOP REVIEWER* DLYNN on 2/15/2013 4:47:00 PM more reviews by DLYNN

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

Like a lot of people, I learned about this Aqua Glycolic Toner at the recommendation of a dermatologist. I am not sure if it's easier to find nowadays, but back when I started buying this product it came via special order through a pharmacy for about $13. First impression: I was immediately impressed by the pump-top dispenser that places just the right amount of toner on a cotton puff. I was impressed, too, by how much dirt it managed to remove from my already-washed face. Yuck!


Second impression: This is powerful stuff. It does, indeed, exfoliate and increase skin radiance. Unfortunately, no matter how much I stuck with the product, I always seemed to end up with terrible acne. I tried to believe it was just the purging stage, somewhat like what happens when going on Retin-A treatment for the first couple of weeks. But after several bottles of this stuff, I finally stopped buying it when I realized that I never got over the purging. I suspect that the alcohol content, in combination with the glycolic acid, was just too drying, causing the skin to over-produce oil, thereby contributing to breakouts.


For years this product experience left such a bad impression on me that I was afraid to use exfoliating products containing AHAs. When at last I got up the nerve to try an alpha hydroxy lotion, I was shocked to find that I could reap the benefits of an AHA without the breakouts by switching to another product. (For the past year I have been using the original Alpha Hydrox brand, a 10 percent glycolic acid in a lotion base.)


I have long been a skeptic that your average skin care product can contribute to breakouts. Most products from reputable companies these days are non-comedogenic; they don't block pores. When I read other reviews where someone has been using a product for a few short days and they're sure it is responsible for breaking them out, I'm typically a skeptic because I think breakouts are mostly tied to stress, hormonal factors and genetics, not so much to the things that are going on on the outside, at the skin's surface. But then I am reminded of my experience with this product, Aqua Glycolic Toner, a product that after years of purchase I finally had to admit was causing, not clearing, my breakouts. I haven't used Aqua Glycolic Toner for about eight years now, and I definitely won't repurchase. Of course, all results are individual. What didn't work for me might work great for someone else. I just wish my dermatologist at the time had warned me, rather than denying my observation that it was only making my skin issues worse. Ironically, the few over-the-counter products that I have had serious problems with have been dermatologist recommended. With products like this, I've learned it comes down to trusting your own instincts and experience, in spite of whatever an expert claims is beneficial to one's complexion or health.

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kismet42 on 6/17/2012 10:12:00 PM more reviews by kismet42

Age: 30-35   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair-Medium, Cool   Hair: Other, Wavy, Coarse   Eyes: Brown    

I am using this with the cleanser and it has been the best thing for my adult acne. I had tried it as a last resort since I am 5 months pregnant and my acne had gotten worse since I got pregnant. I must say it really cleans my pores and have refined my skin.

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*TOP REVIEWER* Hedd on 4/2/2012 4:34:00 AM more reviews by Hedd

Age: 30-35   Skin: Normal, Tan, Neutral   Hair: Black, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

So far, this toner is pretty good for my oily, acne prone skin. The only other Glycolic Acid toner I used prior was by Mario Badescu which is around the same price. I would recommend this product if your skin can handle alcohol based products.

If you have sensitive skin, it may be a bit too harsh.

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phc1964 on 3/4/2012 4:56:00 PM more reviews by phc1964

Age: 44-55   Skin: Sensitive, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Blue    

This is one of the only toners I use, it helped me get rid of occasional breakouts on my chin (I'm in my late fourties). It has also cleared up some of the acne breakouts for my teenage son. He has autism and I really don't want to put him on meds for this, like his doctor suggested. This toner keeps his skin tolerable looking. I am waiting for a set of Aqua Glycolic products in the mail, which will have the face wash and moisturiser as well.

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*TOP REVIEWER* tricyclesinskirts on 6/15/2011 6:51:00 PM more reviews by tricyclesinskirts

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair, Cool   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Coarse   Eyes: Brown    

I thought I was a bit crazy for thinking this was a culprit of my breakouts til I read some of the reviews here. After all, it's just a toner, and I generally love glycolic acid, but this one sucks. For drugstore alternatives to DDF, I highly rec c booth's glycolic toner (about $14 at rite aid, works wonderfully and is very concentrated so the bottle lasts ages,) or reviva (about $10 at ulta, also great, alcohol free and I'm nearly certain is PH-balanced.)

2 lippies for the generously sized bottle, and decent press-pump packaging (though my lid broke off too, like another reviewer before me.)

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*TOP REVIEWER* Tindra78 on 2/15/2011 8:18:00 PM more reviews by Tindra78

Age: 30-35   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair, Cool   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

I don't understand!! This seems to work for almost everyone, but not for me.. :(

This broke me out, suddenly I had twice as many pimples/cysts as I usually do!! I used this every other night the first days, but than every night....first i broke out, but after 6 days my face looked tan/orange...a friend told me that it looked like I'd been in the sun (we have only snow here now, hardly any sun).... Than some days after that I realized: The glycolic acit had BURNED my skin!!

For one week my face was flaking and flaking and flaking! It was really imbarresing to work, when the flakes were everywhere and big as 1 cm!! The face was SO damaged and burned that all the skin was "changed out" after one week....horrible! I looked completely schrinked and couldn't even smile!! I was so embarresed that i was hiding my face in a high scarf.... :(

No, i don't know what i think about this product!! How can it work for everyone but give me zits? And was I using it too often? I don't know if i dare to try it again, i'm really scared now.... :(

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amberw22 on 10/22/2010 8:51:00 AM more reviews by amberw22

Age: 36-43   Skin: Normal, Fair, Warm   Hair: Other   Eyes: Blue    

This isn't a totally fair review because I've only used the toner a few times. At first I was impressed with how much dirt it left on the cotton ball. Usually my cotton balls end up pretty clean so I was shocked to see what this stuff found. It left my face feeling extremely clean and there was not much irritation. After a few uses I did suspect it would dry out my skin. Esp. in Winter.

THEN... I finally read the ingredients. The main ingredient is alcohol. Alcohol is not good for your skin. Even if it helps in the short term, it will cause cell damage and irritation in the long term (So say Paula Begeoun) . It also has eucalyptus which is a skin irritant. As a loyal Paula fan and a sufferer of Roscea, I'm going to stop using it.

One pro about this product us that the packaging is amazing. It's one of those lids where you push down on the top with a cotton ball and the product squirts up into it. I am going to save it to use with other products.

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*TOP REVIEWER* laurore44 on 9/17/2010 10:12:00 PM more reviews by laurore44

Age: 44-55   Skin: Normal, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette, Curly, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

This is my HG toner. I've been using it on & off for over 15 years, and I've used up and repurchased it many times.

It exfoliates and controls acne without irritating my skin. I have not found any other toner or any other AHA product that works as well for this purpose.

I prefer this toner to AHA creams because I can apply a serum or moisturizer on my face after using it, and know that they will penetrate the skin instead of just sitting on top of a layer of AHA cream.

This toner, when used twice daily, significantly improves the texture of my skin. It has never completely eradicated my acne, but it keeps it under control. Although it contains alcohol, it has never dried out or irritated my skin. If anything, my skin is calmer and more hydrated.

Be sure to wear a good (SPF 50) sunscreen if you use this product. I think a lot of the irritation that people experience with AHA products is due to sun exposure.

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pseuperfly on 8/17/2010 10:29:00 AM more reviews by pseuperfly

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

There have been a lot of products I've purchased due to glowing reviews, only to find they're horrible for me (PhotoReady, I'm looking at you...and you too, Smashbox blushes!) I have such sensitive skin that even wearing sunglasses will cause friction pimples where the frames rest on my face. It's ridiculous. While I don't have a LOT of acne, I've had some degree of it seemingly forever, from age 12 on until now, age 40. So much for a window between zits and wrinkles.

The gods, they laugh.

Anyway, as usual I was hopeful yet skeptical when I received this product in the mail. It took a few days for me to realize, or perhaps acknowledge, that this stuff's amazing. Just the amount of dirt and oil that shows on the cotton pad, even after I clean and exfoliate with the Clarisonic, is astonishing, but that's not what's really impressive. It leaves you with a slight glow (but again, still not what I love most about it). In short, these last couple of weeks have been the clearest skin weeks I've ever experienced. I've tried everything, including Retin-A and Proactive and so many other things.

I traveled to Paris last month and in an effort to pack more lightly I left behind the travel-sized toner bottle I'd prepared. What a mistake. It's this that showed me the profound difference this toner makes. While keeping everything else the same in my skin care routine, the difference in clarity was dramatic (and disappointing to the point of despair.) The other reviewers who say that without this product, their skin goes to hell are echoing my own sentiments. It may not be for you what it is to me, but I am fiercely glad I found it.

Anyway, here's the regimen I've followed lately (should it help anyone):

• Clean with Purpose soap and the Clarisonic brush
• Tone with Aqua Glycolic
• Moisturize with Prescriptives Comoft Cream

Supplements:
Supplements also seem to make a difference. I'm taking Fish Oil, Resveratrol, Acai, and Beta Carotene.

I've also cut out coffee and replaced it with tea and maté. Coffee seems to aggravate acne for me. I know this sounds like a lot--and it's all just to have clearer skin--but finally I seem to have found what works...for now!

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genahy on 6/29/2010 12:55:00 AM more reviews by genahy

Age: 30-35   Skin: Other   Hair: Other   Eyes: Other    

Update: Thought I could use this up as a back toner. My back can usually handle strong chemicals like alcohol. (I use Seabreeze regularly on it.) But Aqua Glycolic caused a pimple even on my tough as a nails back. I threw it out and am dropping a lippy.

Ah, Aqua Glycolic. How I wanted to love you. Everybody else seemed to love you, both here and on drugstore.com. But alas, our love was not meant to be.

I bought it to deal with acne, primarily, though I was looking forward to the fact that it might also help even skin tone. Though I have sensitive skin, it didn't aggrevate me, though I did feel it stung at times a bit. I began using it once a day.

Then I got the first pimple, after a few days. It wasn't big or red though, so I thought I would give the product another chance. Then I got the second pimple. It WAS big-ish and very red.

I was getting disgusted.

Another problem I had was that I discovered you could not use this over open pimples. Tried that once and the Aqua Glycolic was so strong it made a SCAB.

Then the third pimple came along. Three pimples in two weeks is not normal for me, so I think this had to do with the large amount of alcohol in the toner, an ingredient I recently found out I am allergic to.

That being said.

I did like this product for the way it made red marks dissapear. NOTHING I have ever used made red marks go away so fast. Plus, it made my chin feel very soft, which was nice.

I'm keeping my half-full bottle around to help even my skin tone, but I am not using it for acne prevention any more. After two weeks a product should work--at least a little bit--and all this did was make me worse.

But everyone is different so maybe it's worth a try. I wasn't impressed with the reviews for the cleanser or face cream AG makes. They seemed to make a lot of people break out too.

I also didn't like that it was so hard to find in stores.

Overall, FAIL (at least for me).

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melissast on 5/16/2010 8:01:00 AM more reviews by melissast

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Combination, Medium   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

My dermatologist recommended this product to me and I love it! Not only did it clear my acne, but the glycolic acid in it exfoliates and smooths the skin..my skin is baby soft! I thought my skin would be too sensitive for this product, but using it actually help my moisturizer be absorbed. great product, highly recommended.

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gladiolii on 4/26/2010 11:10:00 PM more reviews by gladiolii

Age: 19-24   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Black, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

I *LOVE* this toner. Everything else pales in comparison once I started using this, and I swear I cannot go without it. It gets more dirt on the cotton ball than I would've thought possible, and it got my acne to go away within a day--with anything else, even the Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque, it has usually taken longer for the cystic acne that always crops up right after my cycle. It does sting at first, but if I ignored it my skin would adjust and it would be fine. The only complaint I can think of is that when I ordered it from drugstore.com, the bottle leaked even when it was in plastic wrapping, and it was about 9/10 full when it got to me. Otherwise, I love the way the dispenser works, and I will keep using this until the end of time.

EDIT: The end of time part is most definitely not true. When I started using this, it was like a miracle product in fading marks and making my face look flawless. Fast forward a couple of months and it's been giving me cystic acne. This probably was too strong for me, though the scar-fading action is still pretty amazing. I have a third of a bottle left and could probably dilute it to see how my skin reacts, but I'm now scared to death of this stuff. It will probably sit there until it expires. Saddd. :(

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khquan on 3/24/2010 12:40:00 PM more reviews by khquan

Age: 19-24   Skin: Oily, Fair-Medium, Cool   Hair: Black, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

Love this toner. It has helped speed up the healing process of my post-inflammatory acne scars. It leaves my skin feeling soft and looking smooth. Great product.

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*TOP REVIEWER* equity on 3/14/2010 8:04:00 AM more reviews by equity

Age: 56 & Over   Skin: Normal, Fair-Medium   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

I simply LOVE this toner. It has kept my skin clear for the longest time ever. I liked it so much that I bought 5 bottles of it from drugstore.com! This toner also got rid of some of my old acne scars (yay). I highly recommend this.

Skin type: I have combination skin (some oil on the t-zone, not much). I have minor acne on my left cheek which comes and goes, and some minor acne scars.

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emmyboop on 12/31/2009 5:02:00 AM more reviews by emmyboop

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair, Warm   Hair: Red, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

I bought this originally because a woman came into my pharmacy to order it and she had AMAZING skin and she said this was why. I'm so glad I tried it, because I love it. For the past couple of years my skin has been pretty calm, without a lot of acne, but now I almost never get zits. And my skin looks smoother and younger. I use this for one week then alternate the next week with aspirin toner, so my skin doesn't get used to one thing. And so far it's working beautifully for me. The packaging is also great, although it really, really doesn't travel well. And if the base were witch hazel instead of alcohol I would have given this 4 lippies. Still my HG though.

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bellastellae on 12/13/2009 5:17:00 PM more reviews by bellastellae

Age: 25-29   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair-Medium   Hair: Black, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

This is a GREAT toner! Why aren't there more reviews for this? Maybe only people who see a dermatologist know about this? A dermatologist recommended this to me years ago when I had very rough, flaky skin with moderate acne. After one week of use, my flaky skin was completely soft, and the redness had gone down significantly. I was extremely impressed.

Now, my acne isn't as bad (due to other medications), and I use this toner on a once-daily basis, and it seems to keep my acne at bay. I use Differin gel, in combination with this toner, and I notice that whenever I run out of the toner, my skin will get kind of blah and a little pimply after a week or two. When I start up again on the toner, it goes back to looking good.

I order this toner from CVS or Walgreens, and it's $12 a bottle, which isn't so awful for such a good product. But I wanted to try and save some money and also use a more natural toner, so I tried the lemon juice method, which I've read such RAVE reviews on. Sadly, the lemon juice did NOT work (in fact, it made my face look worse), so I went back to Aqua Glycolic, and voila! After a couple days, my face went back to normal. Brighter skin, less redness, lighter acne scars, smoother skin. I'm going to stick to this stuff!

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drea0627 on 12/7/2009 5:11:00 AM more reviews by drea0627

Age: 19-24   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair-Medium   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

I love this toner!! It is a must for people who are acne prone. This toner can be a bit harsh and my skin does flush after applying, but it is worth it because this toner helps keep my skin clear!!

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ValleyGirl on 11/24/2009 12:42:00 PM more reviews by ValleyGirl

Age: 36-43   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair, Cool   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Blue    

The only thing I don't like about it is that I can't just go get it from the drugstore. The pharmacist had to get it or I guess I'll need to get it online.

Because this toner is amazing! My skin has been completely in check for the entire bottle. I've been out for a couple days and the little baby zits are already creeping back. I am ordering another bottle (probably two) today and can't wait to get more.

Highly, highly recommend.

In fact, I haven't even bothered to get the accompanying cleanser and lotion - the toner on its own was all it took!

Edit 12/2 - I am bereft w/o this stuff. Seriously. I won't have more till next week and my skin has gone to hell. I feel just as strongly about this product as I do about the Kinerase serum, but this is way cheaper. Of course at my current teensy budget, I still have to wait till next week for more, but this time I am getting two bottles, REALLY, so I am NEVER without it again. EVER.

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funnelbabe on 11/1/2009 10:03:00 AM more reviews by funnelbabe

Age: 25-29   Skin: Dry, Fair   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Hazel    

I'm 29 with super dry skin, and this toner dried my face out too much, even in the summer. HOWEVER, my husband loves it (as he has acne proned skin) and I use it on the occasional zit that likes to try and make an appearance. I cannot use it everyday, but I would repurchase for the occasional zit and for my husband. I do love the way it dispenses the toner too!

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