toner or no toner?
Foreword
On my quest to find the best K-beauty gems, I came across this little product by Dr Jart+ called Ceramidin Liquid. Having enjoyed the brand's Ceramidin Cream in the past, I was eager to compare this formula to some of my other (more affordable) toners and see if it is actually worth your money or not.
Curious? Then please keep on scrolling
My Skin: dry, sensitive
About the Product
Dr Jart+ Ceramidin Liquid Moisturizing Toner (39 USD; Made in Korea) - is described as a lightweight moisturizing toner that is supposed to calm and heal dry, flaky or rough-textured skin.
Packaging: although the bottle looks rather small, it contains 150 ml/ 5.07 fl.oz., which means that you get quite a reasonable amount of product. This Dr Jart+ toner is not a piece of luxury, however, its packaging is functional and well made.
Formula, Texture: similarly to other Korean toners I have tried in the past, Ceramidin Liquid Moisturizing Toner has that signature "thick water" consistency to it; hence you have a good control over how much product you are pouring out. The liquid appears semi-sheer and has no tint to it.
😃 PROS
Some of the good ingredients here are Propandiol, Glycerin, Panthenol, Centella Asiatica Extract, as well as Fig, Cocoa and Turmeric Extracts.
😕 CONS
Four kinds of Ceramides and Sodium Hyaluronate are mentioned at the very end of the ingredients' list, signifying that their actual content is very low. This makes the whole selling point (aka 5-Cera Complex) a bit wishy-washy.
On another sad note, Dr Jart+ list Dipropylene Glycol and Alcohol as second and third ingredients respectively, which is definitely something I try to avoid in my skincare as Alcohol itself can be aggravating, drying and damaging over time. I am surprised to see a product designed for dry/sensitized skin to even have it to begin with.
Scent: although there is no added fragrance to this toner, you can notice faint notes of Bergamot and Sage Oils, which I personally do not mind. These ingredients never caused any irritation to my skin, however, if you are extremely sensitive to essential oils used in skincare please be mindful of that.
Application: just like with any other toner, you can use Ceramidin Liquid Moisturizing Toner as part of your AM and PM skincare routine, after cleansing and before your serums/creams. This liquid spreads out with ease but might need a few seconds to get fully absorbed. Once it is dry, it feels nice to the touch and has a natural skin finish to it (not dewy/matte). Other products apply and absorb better layered on top of it.
Immediate Results: refreshed, hydrated skin. I found this toner to be quite calming as well, especially when I applied it after being being exposed to chlorine (I am a swimmer).
Long-term Results: although initially I was enjoying this Dr Jart+ toner, over time I started noticing that certain areas of my face were getting drier and drier day by day. It was not so much about skin texture becoming flaky, but rather experiencing a long-forgotten feeling of tightness and discomfort that does not go away. Thankfully I did not get breakouts/redness, but my skin still feels dehydrated.
Verdict
This product went from a potential favorite to a non-favorite in a matter of weeks. Although I can live with minimal amounts of Alcohol in skincare, in case with Ceramidin Liquid Moisturizing Toner I have experienced that my skin barrier was compromised over two months of daily use. This is why I had to exclude it from my routine altogether, while I fix things with actual skin-barrier healing products. With such a high content of Alcohol, yet such a low content of Ceramides, the whole concept is nothing but a marketing game that is misleading consumers, which is why I do not think this toner is worth your time or let alone 39 dollars. There are plenty of amazing K-beauty toners out there for literally half the price, that do not contain skin-aggravating ingredients (I will be highlighting those very soon, so stay tuned). Alas, in the bin it goes with D rating.
What do you guys think about this toner? Let's chat some more in the comments!
More online:
sephora.com (USA)
PR samples; full disclaimer here
