Paula's Choice • Skin Recovery Enriched Calming Toner • Toners

Where To Buy?

mikiraa on 5/1/2013 1:26:00 AM more reviews by mikiraa

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

This is the best toner I have tried so far for my normal-dry skin. It is a light, milky-fluid. After I apply it, it takes no time to dry at all and once it does, there is no residue whatsoever left behind. It leaves my skin feeling very nicely hydrated, smooth, and not tight at all after cleansing. I haven't broken out from this either in the time that I've been using it (then again, I don't tend to break out very often). Like the rest of PC's products, this contains no fragrance or added colour.

This toner comes in a bottle with a screw-top lid typical of many other toners. The lid seals tightly and I don't find it to be leaky at all, which is good because you need to shake this toner vigorously each time before you use it.

It's a wonderful bonus that this toner also goes easy on the wallet. Paula's Choice has frequent sales, and I bought two bottles of this for around $12/bottle when they were having 25% off their cleansers and toners. Each bottle contains 190 mL, and although I feel that I am slightly heavy handed with the amount of toner I use, I still have about 1/5 to 1/4 of my bottle left, which I have been using twice daily for the past 7-8 months. Compared to Lancôme's Tonique Confort which I had been using prior to this, I find this to be much, much better. PC's is perhaps a touch lighter than the Lancôme, but Lancôme's is 2x the price and doesn't contain as many great ingredients as PC.

Overall I'd highly, highly recommend this if you have normal-dry skin and are in search of an inexpensive toner with great ingredients. If you're on the fence about this, you can always try a few samples before committing to a full-sized bottle!

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aessop on 4/16/2013 7:23:00 AM more reviews by aessop

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Tan, Warm   Hair: Black, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

Lovely toner. Its texture is milky and makes your skin feel like silk. I love the fact that it has some oils added to it.

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*TOP REVIEWER* Meriel65 on 3/31/2013 3:19:00 PM more reviews by Meriel65

Age: 44-55   Skin: Very Oily, Fair, Warm   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

I never thought I'd use a "milky" toner before; to me that hinted that I was, um, getting old. Well, the truth is, I am getting older; as are all the rest of us. I have used PC products for several years and have generally been very pleased with most of the items. Her toners are some of the very few that don't contain alcohol, fragrance, or coloring agents, so already there are many pluses to her formulations. I had started out with a different formula--the Skin Balancing one for normal to oily skin. But that has gradually ended up being a little too strong for me. That has been a kind of a shock to me, again related to the aging process and my own kind of humble vanity.

This toner is very soothing to my skin. I always keep in mind that a formula that works for one person may not work for another, it all depends on individual preferences and literally the way a person's body reacts on a biological level, which we really can't control. I think that Ms. Begoun does pretty due diligence when trying to formulate products leaving out known irritants, but she can't cover every last base. So this works very well for me; it removes any last remnants of dirt or makeup, but leaves my skin feeling silky and slightly moisturized. My skin does not as yet require heavier moisturizers than the gel formulation that I use, knock on wood. I don't really care about fancy packaging; I'd rather it be sort of dull and serviceable, or that it keep active ingredients active/stable (you hear that, Creme de la Mer???? Jar packaging on something that costs a gazillion?).

I can detect no fragrance though others report a faint scent. I think for the winter months I consider this essential here in MN. I go back to the Skin Balancing formula in the summer months. I am glad this product works well for me and will buy it for as long as it is made and can afford it.

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BitJustGingerly on 3/10/2013 8:11:00 PM more reviews by BitJustGingerly

Age: 36-43   Skin: Very Dry, Fair-Medium   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Blue    

I have avoided toners like the plague because they either have alcohol, fragrance, or coloring in them. This one doesn't... It is a little milky and very soothing going on. It will be tough incorporating this step into my routine, something I haven't done in years, but I intend to keep it up as everyone is always saying how important a toner is.

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denaerea on 3/9/2013 10:49:00 PM more reviews by denaerea

Age: 30-35   Skin: Sensitive, Fair, Cool   Hair: Blond, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Blue    

Just got half way through my first bottle and I definitely see an improvement in my complexion overall. It looks more even in colour and is smoother and well hydrated. I have not tried to use a toner in over 10 years, as my skin is incredibly sensitive and everything I had ever tried in the past really burned and irritated my skin. The feel of this toner is so calming and refreshing. I actually get excited to use it!

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funnyblossom on 2/8/2013 5:04:00 AM more reviews by funnyblossom

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

I had never been a fan of toners, but since trying this and the Resist one, I can´t be without it - the resist one was very similar, but why pay more for less ? This one works just fine. I shake the bottle and pour it into a spray bottle. I shake it well before spraying it over my face, neck and chest. I let it dry and follow with treatment/moisturizer. After I turned 40, I feel my skin needs less abrasion, scrubbing and more hydration. This gives me a cooling, calming effect while giving me a good dose of antioxidants. Overall a winner!

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*TOP REVIEWER* EcoPretty on 10/28/2012 1:08:00 PM more reviews by EcoPretty

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Green    

I love reading Paula's incredibly knowledgable reviews on Beautypedia and have liked almost all her other products I've tried. But this was a big disappointment! I bought this to use as both a toner and as a light, soothing night serum due to its silicone content and evening primrose and borage seed oils. (I thought this would be much thicker than it is). But this did the exact opposite as it claimed: It stung and made my face pink every time I used it! In addition to NOT calming and soothing, it left my face tight and dry-feeling too.

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Arosci on 3/17/2012 11:55:00 AM more reviews by Arosci

Age: 44-55   Skin: Very Oily, Fair, Warm   Hair: Other, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Blue    

Very good soothing toner, you can feel it glide over your skin because of its silicone content.


This one neither burns my skin nor turns it red (see my reviews about the Moisture Boost, Hydralight and Skin Balancing Toners) but it is not moisturizing enough (for this purpose, the Resist Toner outperforms this one).


The packaging is ho-hum but it has recently been changed and the new one is gorgeous so my rating applies to the old packaging.


It has the same smell (although weaker) as the Skin Recovery Moisturizer (I suspect it's from the Evening Primrose oil), definitely not yummy but not unbearable.

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dusice on 12/26/2011 5:01:00 AM more reviews by dusice

Age: 25-29   Skin: Acne-prone   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

This is an excellent toner as far as toners go, and I do recommend it, though after using the one of the best toners I could find, I've decided that I don't need to use a toner. This is a nice toner, the consistency of water without any noticeable scent, which is great for sensitive skins, but it has added oils and things that I don't need after cleansing before treatment. After cleansing my skin, I was my skin to be absolutely clean for my treatment cream to become completely absorbed, and with this oil containing toner, I don't think my skin can absorb the treatment product thoroughly, so I can't recommend a toner in general, but if you don't need any treatment and have normal skin, then I absolutely would recommend this toner, as it contains super ingredients.

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ashley92504 on 10/17/2011 10:27:00 PM more reviews by ashley92504

Age: 25-29   Skin: Dry, Fair, Cool   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Green    

I had been using Clinique Mild Clarifying lotion as my toner for the longest time.

My skin gets dry during the fall & winter so perfect for me right? yes.

the mild clarifying lotion was not really moisturizing my skin, because the first thing i noticed while using this (at night) is that it actually helped my skin stay moisturized over night.

I use this in a little spray bottle and spray directly on my face after washing, than i put on my moisturizer before this dries.
It is really helping with the dryness from the weather change.

I like that this is unscented with lots of antioxidants, it will be replacing the mild clarifying lotion as my daily toner now.

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*TOP REVIEWER* lindsayloohoo on 8/12/2011 1:13:00 PM more reviews by lindsayloohoo

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Green    

I am not the target skintype for this product. I used samples of this on dry skin days or before particularly drying treatments (like Retin-A). I prefer the Resist toner to this one for both texture (though they're similar) and how it makes my skin look/feel.


Background: I have normal/combo (slightly dry/slightly oily depending on season) acne-prone skin that has dramatically improved since I've been more diligent about potentially irritating ingredients (ie alcohol). I don't have sensitive skin in the conventional sense - my skin is very tolerant of products. However, I would breakout consistently using anything even just remotely not suggested for acne-prone skin. Before buying a product I refer to beautypedia.com, the cosmetic ingredient dictionary (on same site), and MUA! My acne used to be the painful bumps under the skin that would take weeks to surface. Since using Paula's Choice products I only get the occassional spot. My current skincare regimen is used in tandem with regular workouts. For me, this alleviated all hormonal breakouts (because working out balances your hormones, and sweating changes the PH of your skin - don't know if the PH part matters for acne though).


Usage: I apply this liquid toner directly into my hands and apply to my face in order to avoid product waste. I didn't use this regularly (I use Skin Balancing toner regularly) - but rather as a treatment whenever my skin was dry. I use a BHA exfoliant (2% liquid from this line) regularly, but I also used this toner in tandem with a once weekly 10% AHA and Retin-A treatment. I did still use a moisturizer with this because I mainly used this toner at night and I like to double up on beneficial ingredients and apply more emollient products at that time. If I bought the full-sized version (which I didn't), I would have gotten the spray nozzle to go with it (I do this for my Skin Balancing toner). Since I put the product directly into my hands, the spray gives me more control over how much product I'm dispensing.


Results: This did alleviate inflammation/redness but I felt like this product never sunk in and left a film. Perhaps it was the samples, but mine were incredibly viscous. I use the Resist toner, and while that is milky and thicker - this stuff was waaay thick for a toner. This didn't cause breakouts and was extremely gentle and also hydrating - exactly what I wanted. I just didn't really like how it felt, applied, or made my skin look in comparison to the Resist toner. I really did want to like this because it's more economical. To be fair, I'm not really the target skintype and just had a very specific use for the product (almost like a treatment).


I don't think I'll purchase the full-size, but might give the samples another shot in the future if it's on sale significantly or something. This product is $15.95 for 6oz (compared to Resist $18.95 for 4 oz - boo). I buy all my PC products on sale and in multiples. The website is always rotating sales so keep an eye out if you're looking to try things. Also, look up online discount codes because I've doubled up my discounts like that.

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*TOP REVIEWER* emmgill on 6/14/2011 11:05:00 PM more reviews by emmgill

Age: 19-24   Skin: Sensitive, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

I love this toner in winter. This toner feels moisturising but light enough to be able to build up products on it. I generally put this on only at nightime before I put on a treatment serum. it works perfectly with all of them and allows me to use serums that dry my skin out in winter. This toner makes my skin soft and makes me skin look healthy.

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princesssage on 3/21/2011 4:56:00 PM more reviews by princesssage

Age: 25-29   Skin: Sensitive, Fair, Cool   Hair: Brown, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

Immediately after applying this product with a cotton ball, my face started stinging very badly, it was almost a burning sensation. I washed it off shortly after. Something in this product does not agree with my skin, which I don't understand given that Paula tends to market her products as NOT containing ingredients that will irritate your skin. I would never use or purchase this product and I advise anyone with sensitive skin to steer clear.

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alohahawaii on 2/20/2011 7:26:00 PM more reviews by alohahawaii

Age: 36-43   Skin: Sensitive, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Brown, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

I have tried all of Paula's Choice Toners. I like them all, but I loooooveeee this one! I just repurchased another bottle. It is so soothing! I don't consider myself to have Very Dry Skin and I benefit from this toner. I started to panic when I saw that I was almost out of it! I am dirt poor right now and managed to reorder this because I can't be without it! I never thought I would be this particular on a product, but this is one that I can't live without. I actually look forward to using this twice a day.

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cosmeticsprincess on 12/13/2010 2:17:00 AM more reviews by cosmeticsprincess

Age: 36-43   Skin: Sensitive, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Hazel    

The only toner that has ever worked on my skin, didn't irritate, left it feeling fresh & clean without tightness or a dry feeling. It leaves your skin feeling moisturised, which I found most toners don't.

I have skin that gets easily irritated, and this is a gem.

It is a bit pricey in Australia, and the bottle is only 117ml and doesn't come in a larger size.

I would still re-purchase, purely for the fact that it works!

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SensitiveCC on 11/9/2010 8:55:00 PM more reviews by SensitiveCC

Age: 30-35   Skin: Sensitive, Fair-Medium   Hair: Black   Eyes: Black    

I love using the RESIST serum and moisturizer. Unfortunately my skin reacts to this toner. Since I have really sensitive skin, when I use new products, I don't use them all together, I would use it one at a time for 2 to 3 days, then proceed to another new product after there's no reaction to the previous one. I tried the serum first, no problem; then try and moisturizer without any problem neither; then when it comes to this recovery toner, there's a patch of red itchy and scaly skin on my left cheek, looks and feels so terribly. I used the steroid cream to stop the itch and inflammation. After 1 month of no irritation on face, I tested this product again, and same result...rashes on face :( Too bad i am really allergic to something in this toner, have to throw this away, otherwise I will keep trying it...People with allergic/sensitive skin have to careful on this. It must be something in the ingredients...I donno what that is that I'm allergic to...

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Tpot on 10/23/2010 10:33:00 AM more reviews by Tpot

Age: 44-55   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Black, Wavy, Coarse   Eyes: Brown    

One of the best toners I have ever used! I was doubtful at first when I found that it's for dry skin, as I have combo-oily, sensitive skin. But from the first day I started using it, I have found it the best! It removes leftover dead cells, yet keeps my skin hydrated, is non-drying, does not leave my skin feeling sticky unlike most toners I have used in the past. & totally fragrance free. What more can I ask for?? :-) I am into my 3rd bottle now and still totally loving it. I just wish PC makes it in bigger bottles like her cleansers.
EDIT 13/01/2012 : Over time, this didn't help with my dehydration issues from using PC's products. It was also a hassle to re-order on-line & pay the shipping cost for just 1 item. Where I stay, there is never any foc shipping costs. So I stopped using this. Am back to dermalogica.

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*TOP REVIEWER* agibeault on 6/29/2010 6:02:00 PM more reviews by agibeault

Age: 25-29   Skin: Sensitive, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

I'm very sad to say this but this has caused my skin to react in a big way...my eczema was almost healed and this sent me back to square one. I didn't notice the reaction right away, and if I didn't react, I would adore this product as it is very hydrating (but at the same time...burning).

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Koko06 on 6/16/2010 7:36:00 AM more reviews by Koko06

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

Well, it seems like this toner doesn't agree with my skin like it used too. Might be because my skin is getting more oily (I have combination skin) and this is for dry skin.

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*TOP REVIEWER* SChiara on 6/13/2010 6:23:00 PM more reviews by SChiara

Age: 19-24   Skin: Dry, Fair-Medium, Cool   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Green    

My HG toner! I was using Lancôme's Tonique Confort and genuinely thought it couldn't get any better than that. Wrong!
I have sensitive dry skin and some redness on my cheeks. This toner does not make my skin more red, I think it actually reduces the redness! It leaves your skin clean and refreshed, but not dry.
~~
PRO's:
- does not irritate my skin at all
- does not dry out my skin
- feels so soft and nice when you apply it
- leaves my skin perfect and ready for treatment
- perfectly removes the last bit of dirt my cleanser didn't get rid of
~~
CON's:
- I wish this toner was a little less expensive. The bottle really isn't that big and in Europe the price is €16,95
~~
Best toner I have ever used!

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