The cute little pink guy is the Melissa Rose Toner. These bottles may not be easy to read, but they sure are pretty.

I have tried several different toners in the past few years, but I usually ended up throwing them away or simply forgetting to use them when the bottle was still half full.   I never really saw enough of a difference in my skin to continue using or purchasing them. But after buying and loving Karen’s Botanicals Rehydrating Olive Oil Cleanser, I decided to give her toner a try.  I wasn’t really surprised when I ended up loving it too.  The Melissa Rose Toner is for normal to dry skin.  I was reluctant to try the Fennel Sage Toner for oily skin (because I was worried that it would be too drying; my skin is more combination than oily), but my roommate recently purchased it after trying and loving my toner…so maybe I’ll get her to post a guest review in the near future.

Ingredients- (provided at karensbotanicals.com)  “Melissa leaf*, Rose blossom*, Calendula blossom*, Marshmallow root*, Nettle leaf*, Rosemary leaf*, Comfrey root*, and fresh Parsley leaf* all infused with gentle heat and light from the sun and moon with Distilled Water and Witch Hazel; Aloe Vera gel*, Vegetable Glycerine, wildcrafted Benzoin gum extract*, selected essential oils. *Denotes certified organic.” (p.s. Karen puts less alcohol in her toners than a lot of other brands. For this reason, her toners are less harsh. For example, Burt’s Bees Garden Tomato Toner made my skin very dry. Hers does not.)

Product Description (also provided at karensbotanicals.com)- “A refreshing astringent lotion formulated to clarify the complexion, tighten pores, and deep clean the skin. The enchanting and delicate scent of rose and lavender makes this toner a pleasure to use.”

Price- $12.50 for four ounces, and I’m pretty sure that’s a steal.

Performance- I put a little of this on a cotton pad after washing my face and before moisturizing in the morning and at night.  After using this for the first time, I could already tell that my skin looked less oily after applying moisturizer. I work at a restaurant, and my face sweats a lot. A sweaty face usually results in clogged pores, but I’m experiencing less blemishes since I incorporated this into my skincare routine.

Scent- Honestly, I think this stuff smells like a cabbage patch kid (which I love…how nostalgic!!!).  I’ve asked several people if they agree and, sadly, they didn’t smell a cabbage patch kid at all.  They all still seemed to find the scent to be pleasant, however.

Rating- I’m giving this stuff a 10. Anything that smells like my favorite childhood toy and keeps me from having a greasy face is alright with me.