Province Apothecary Invigorating Plus Balancing Toner, 4 oz

Refreshing, "natural" toner in a simple, but beautiful blue glass bottle. Even with ingredients like patchouli and frankincense, the floral scent is light and lovely. However, when I spritz it on my face, if I take a breath right after, the mist seems to go straight up my nose in a way that almost hurts, like an astringent. I am not sure if that is due to one of the ingredients and of course, after a second or so, it does not cause that effect, but it is something I have never experienced in a toner before and it is kind of inconvenient to have to remember "not to breathe" for a few seconds after spritzing. Perhaps that is part of its claims to be "invigorating." Mainly for that reason, I would consider this a 3.5/5 for me, but since half stars are not an option, I am bumping it to a 4 because while it is not my perfect toner, I do think it is above average. Are there "better" toners out there? Yes, depending on what you want out of a toner. I do not see any noticeable skin improvements from using this one, but I like it as a revitalizing toner to mist on my face whenever I need a middle of the day "pick me up." The mist itself is broad, yet fine, so you do not need to spray too many times to cover your entire face and it feels nice, not like your face is drenched in water. The ingredients are especially suitable for an energizing toner, as you can take a deep breath to really take in all the scents and aromatherapy benefits of the various essential oils/waters.I do think this product is pricier than what I would expect from a toner, much less a natural toner. Some ingredients included, like frankincense, can be expensive, but I doubt that it is used in a such a large amount that it makes up the bulk of the cost. I do understand that the ingredients are supposed to be "high quality, organic" and that is is made in Canada (needing to be imported), so perhaps either or both of those aspects drive up the price some. All I know is that I have toners that actually improve my skin from well-known, higher end brands that cost less. And that I have also purchased a natural rose water toner from a little "modern apothecary" and that one also cost less, like 1/4th of the price of this one. Aesthetically, it even looked the same, with a similar blue glass bottle - perhaps that is the go-to natural product look. Of course, that one had a simplified ingredient list. . . but they performed at the same level, so the extra ingredients (and their cost) do not seem entirely necessary. While many of the ingredients CAN be beneficial, since this is basically a water that quickly evaporates from the skin, they are not as effective as when they are included in a product that will stay on the skin longer and absorb. If one does not mind the cost, this is a pleasant, freshening toner - personally, I love spritzing my face because I find it refreshing and moist skin helps my subsequent products apply/absorb better, so I do enjoy this one. But it is not the best toner I have ever tried, and for me, it is not nearly amazing or even unique enough to warrant its elevated price. Since it is easy to find a cheaper toner that works just as well, I would much rather spend my beauty money on a serum than what is essentially fancy facial water.Province Apothecary Invigorating + Balancing Toner

It is a refreshing and nicely balanced toner. It absorbs very quickly. It is nice that free from petroleum, parabens, synthetic fragrances. The only negative thing is the price. It is very expensive.

Feels refreshing on my skin and I love the smell.

Province Apothecary Invigorating + Balancing TonerFirst, please note that the ingredients in the listing are (thankfully) incorrect. You receive the new, reformulated version of the toner and I've listed the ingredients below. The toner still comes in a blue, glass capped pump spray bottle. It's primarily a mix of rose water, lavender water, a PHA for gentle exfoliation and various oils. It absorbs quickly and fully without any stickiness or oily feel. Does not disturb skin's natural pH. I have not found it to balance sebum levels as claimed. It has a noticeable floral fragrance. The PHA will help to diminish the appearance of lines and wrinkles and can also help with hyperpigmentation and clogged pores. Free from: petroleum, parabens, synthetic fragrances and ingredients, endocrine disruptors, carcinogens, dyes, alcohol, solvents, pesticides, genetically modified organisms (GMOs), palm oil or derivatives, cosmetic grade ingredients and toxins of any kind. Vegan and Cruelty-Free. I have other toners that I think do more for my skin than this one, but it's a nice toner if you are looking for something natural that gently exfoliates and don't mind fragrance.Ingredients:Aqua, Rosa Damascena (Rose) Flower Water*, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Flower Water*, Gluconolactone^, Sodium Benzoate, Calcium Gluconate, Disodium Citrate', Sorbitan Oleate Decylglucoside Crosspolymer', Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Extract, Pelargonium X Asperum (Geranium) Oil*, Salvia Sclarea (Clary Sage) Oil*, Pogostemon Cablin (Patchouli) Oil*, Boswellia Serrata (Frankincense) Oil*

This toner comes in a dark blue glass bottle with a spray top. Just press the top and spray it on your face. It is very refreshing. Very light feeling. Dries almost immediately. It smells mostly like roses so it smells wonderful.What I like about it:One of the reasons I wanted to try it is because it contains essential oils that I use in my skincare. Frankincense, geranium, clary sage- these all have wonderful benefits to them. Lavender is my favorite fragrance right now. I love the smell of Patchouli. I can smell a hint of patchouli in this spray. It mostly smells of roses. There are ingredients I am not familiar with in this spray. After looking them up, they are all good with me and found easily enough/not some crazy man made ingredients.I have used this spray for a couple days now. It is light. Is not heavy. It absorbs almost instantly. It leaves my face feeling refreshed. I can easily use my cc cream after using it and it goes on well and as expected. I don't expect to see any change really in 2-3 days I have used it. I do know that the essential oils that are in here I use in my own homemade serums and have had good results with so I will continue using it.I can also appreciate the founder's story. As someone who has switched to making my own to better control what I put on and in my body so it functions better, I can appreciate her story and makes me feel better about using the products knowing that they were developed by someone looking to make their skin and well being better.

- i liked the natural ingredients and the fact that is free from some harsh ingredients as per description- light floral scent is pleasant- comfortable for the skin , no irritation- so far effectiveness as per my experience is decent .