Minimalist Toner PHA 3% + Biotic Review

I have been using Minimalist Toner every night on my sensitive and acne-prone skin. Being someone too addicted to cosmetics I tried toners way too early than I required. Back then, I wasn’t much aware of the benefits, and neither I notice results. Now that I am 25+, I have started to notice the results of various skincare products.

Update – April 1, 2024 – I no longer use the Brand Minimalist. They have changed their formulations over the past few years and their products give me breakouts and reactions. Even the products that used to work for me now result in acne. I do not recommend Minimalist anymore.

After trying Minimalist Serums, I became a huge fan of this brand. For someone with highly sensitive and acne-prone skin, it isn’t easy to trust brands and products, especially the ones that are new in the market. Minimalist Brand has my faith now and I love the fact that they are coming up with new launches keeping in mind the skin sensitivity.

It is been over a month since I have been using Minimalist PHA 3% + Biotic Toner followed by Minimalist Serums every night and I am all set to share my experience. Let us get started.

Ingredients

Aqua, Gluconolactone, Niacinamide, Butylene Glycol, Methylpropanediol, Inulin, Lactococcus Ferment Lysate, Saccharide Isomerate, Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Fruit Extract, Xylitylglucoside, Anhydroxylitol, Xylitol, Salicylic Acid, Allantoin, Trehalose, Glycerin, Sodium Polyglutamate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Panthenol, Lysine, Histidine, Arginine, Aspartic Acid, Threonine, Serine, Glutamic Acid, Proline, Glycine, Alanine, Valine, Methionine, Isoleucine, Leucine, Tyrosine, Phenylalanine, Cysteine, Ethoxydiglycol, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate.

How to Use

• Use it right after cleaning in the AM and PM. Take a few drops on a cotton pad, enough to soak it completely. Apply over your entire face by sweeping across the swab.
• It’s a leave-on product so should not be rinsed after application.
• Allow it to get completely absorbed in your skin (takes about 5-10 min). Follow it with your daily serums and moisturizer.
• When using during the day, always wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen SPF 30 or above.

Review – Minimalist Toner

Price: Rs.399/- for 150ml

My Skin Type: Combination-Oily in Summers, Dry in Winters, Sensitive, and Acne-Prone Skin

Packaging: It comes in a see-through bottle with a flip-flop cap and a nozzle to dispense the product. Details such as expiry date, price, and ingredients are clearly mentioned on the bottle.

Fragrance: No fragrance as such.

My Experience

Even though it is mentioned that use a cotton pad, I use it directly without a cotton pad because of its essence-like texture. If you have used Klairs Supper Toner you would know what I am talking about.

Right after I wash my face, I follow up with this Minimalist Toner, let it absorb by my skin, and then continue with Minimalist Actives and Moisturizer. The moment I splash this toner onto my skin I instantly feel a soothing sensation. My skin instantly feels a dose of hydration. It is a hydrating toner and adds moisture to my skin, I always use it during my nighttime skincare routine because I love to go heavy with moisture during the night. I love it when my skin looks plump and nourished every morning.

I allow my skin to absorb it by tapping it in soft and gentle motions. It did leave a bit of minor stickiness which goes away minutes later and if I am not wrong that is because of Niacinamide in it. Every product I have used with Niacinamide has this bit of stickiness in it.

With regular usage, I did notice it brings on a subtle hydrated glow to the skin, and true to the claims, it balances the skin’s pH level. I know what it is like to have your skin pH disturbed. Your skin actually swings from being too dry to too oily. It maintained my skin’s pH level and prevented my skin from being too dry or developing excess oil.

As far as it is about shrinking or tightening the pores, I didn’t notice any results in my case. I do have a patch where I have got large pores and they remained as it is but, I didn’t get any new clogged pores or oil-head which is pretty amazing.

I have been using it daily, with and without Actives and I didn’t notice any reaction or breakout. It worked for my sensitive and acne-prone skin pretty well.

If your skin develops acne or oil-heads frequently, I think this Minimalist toner paired with Neutrogena Deep Cleanser is going to work like a gem. It will surely be going to help you get rid of clogged pores, and acne, and have a balanced pH level.

Wrapping up my review

Minimalist Toner PHA 3% + Biotic Toner is a great option for acne-prone skin. It is a hydrating toner that instantly soothes the skin. With regular usage, I did notice a glow, a reduction in the formation of clogged pores and oil heads, and a balanced skin pH level. It suits my sensitive skin and works great along with actives.

Share your experience in the comments below if you tried this one too.