Pixi Glow Tonic

A cult skincare favorite that I had yet to try? The Pixi Exfoliating Glow Tonic. Many fellow bloggers rave about this stuff, but with my sensitive, dehydrated skin I wasn’t sure this would be my cup of tea. But after successfully using The Balm’s Time Balm Skin Clarifier in 2016, I decided to give this a try come 2017. I’ve been using this toner for weeks now so a good moment to share my thoughts with you.

Pixi Glow Tonic with Aloe Vera & Ginseng

Why this product?

My main reason for being intrigued with this product is because this toner should clarify your skin. I suffer from milia: tiny white bumps that look like whiteheads, but will not budge unless you make an incision. I’ve been told that milia are caused by dryness of the skin and that a good exfoliator can help with getting rid of them.

I’ve been using The Body Shop’s Vitamin C Microdermabrasion for months now and have noticed what a difference that has made. I was curious to see what the effect would be if I’d add an exfoliator that does not include any granules. Facial scrubs can be tricky as they can cause micro tears in the skin if you use them too often. A product like the Pixi Glow Tonic should be suitable for both day and night time use.

Price & Packaging

Where most toners I use cost around the €10 mark, this one runs more expensive. I found this is sold in The Netherlands at Babassu, but I purchased mine from Topshop during a London trip. It is also widely available from websites such as Cult Beauty. A bottle of 100 ml retails for €15. You get 250 ml for €23.50.

The packaging is straightforward. All Pixi products come in this mint green packaging which I’m not too fussed about. It actually looks a bit cheap in my opinion. But it’s the product that counts. The tonic itself looks like an orange/ red water that doesn’t smell too strong.

Ingredients

The good thing about this product is that it is alcohol free, but since this is an exfoliant you know this can be quite intense. The ingredient list shows just that. Witch hazel, while great at exfoliation, can cause quite the allergic reaction, the same goes for strong concentrations of aloe vera. A little further down the list are different types of urea, which can also be used to minimize callouses. Since I never figured out what I react to if I do get an allergic reaction, I just went for it.

The Usage

Using the product is easy. You simply put some on a cotton pad and wipe it over your face.  I use this both in the morning and at night. I like to start around my nose area: when I start on my forehead I don’t like the sensation it gives me there. Because you can definitely feel this product working straight away. It isn’t exactly a tingling sensation, nor a very pulled taut one you get when products strip your face of oils. I can’t exactly describe it, but I definitely feel something.

The first time I used this, my face lit up like a Christmas tree: it became bright red. My skin didn’t hurt thought and after the first use, I have never had that reaction again. I guess I must have been using too many new products at the same time as I had also started using a new serum and a different cleanser.

The Conclusion

I was skeptical after the first few uses, but I ended up loving the Pixi Exfoliating Glow Tonic.  I feel my skin has become less red and dull looking and it is now much better prepped for make up as well. I do think I have to be careful with using this come summer time as I feel it may take away some of the protective layer of my skin.

However for the winter time, when my milia usually get worse, this has been a great product. There are now fewer milia, my skin feels smoother and as a result my skin looks a lot better too. I will definitely repurchase this to be part of my winter skincare routine.

What is your experience with exfoliating toners?