The Ordinary saccharomyces ferment 30% milky toner
- Size: 100ml
- Suitable for: All skin types
- Vegan-friendly: Yes
- Why we love it
- Soothing on skin
- Creates fresh-looking effect
This lightweight toner is presented in a glass bottle with a screw-top lid, and, as the name suggests, it has a milky, emulsion-style consistency. Designed for use in the morning and evening after cleansing and before adding serum, it doesn’t need to be rinsed off. I tended to switch between applying the toner with my hands, and a make-up remover pad.
My first impression of the milky toner was how soothing and gentle it felt on my skin, particularly as an exfoliating product.
If you’re wondering how the toner works to exfoliate skin, without the inclusion of acids, The Ordinary’s chief scientific officer, Prudvi Kaka, explains that when exfoliating agents such as AHAs (alpha hydroxy acids) are combined with n-acetyl glucosamine (NAG), they work by “targeting the adhesives that act as the glue holding the dead skin cells together.”
However, “while AHAs break through these adhesion structures, NAG prevents them from sticking the dead skin cells to each other to begin with, allowing the dead skin to easily be exfoliated,” Kaka adds. So, as this product contains just NAG and not AHAs, it is a less abrasive form of exfoliating, as dead cells are removed more gently.
Marketed as being fragrance-free, to me, it has a slight hint of sweet, fermented yeast scent, but it’s not strong enough to be at all off-putting. I didn’t experience any irritation whatsoever and instead saw a fresh-looking effect straight after use. As well as the exfoliating component of saccharomyces ferment, this toner contains hydrating squalene, making it soothing and softening for all skin types. That also prevents the product from stripping the skin’s moisture, while working to create a more even skin tone, and, as toners go, this one does feel noticeably hydrating.
After application, it absorbs quite quickly and doesn’t leave any sticky residue. As would be expected, the formula is runny, so I was careful not to spill excess out of the bottle while using it.
While it’s too soon to see any improvement to dark spots on my skin after just a week’s use, I am impressed by the healthy-looking radiance the toner creates. This means it’s both a brightening skincare step ahead of adding make-up, and a freshening finish to the face before bed. All in all, my tired mum-of-two face felt boosted from using the toner at both ends of the day.
I’m really impressed by the skin-smoothing results I’ve seen using this toner, and will continue incorporating it into my routine, to keep an eye on long-term benefits. Exfoliating toners aren’t something I use regularly, because my skin can be prone to redness and irritation, so, I’m pleased to have found a gentle non-acid version, and at such an affordable price, too.