AHA toners are the best way to incorporate chemical exfoliation in your skincare regimen. They are gentler than chemical peels and have a lower concentration of exfoliants, which means that the risk of over-exfoliating and sensitizing the skin is minimized. They are usually beginner-friendly, and you can customize the frequency of use as per your skin type. This is why I am always willing to try out a new AHA toner to review it for you guys. I recently received the Derma Co Glycolic Acid Toner in my mail and have been testing it out over the past few weeks. Here are my thoughts on this exfoliating toner.
The Formula
Derma Co is an Indian skincare brand that has been formulated by dermatologists. The brand boasts of dermatologically tested products and is transparent when it comes to the ingredients of their products. The full list of ingredients of each product is available on the website and on the packaging of the product. Also, the percentage of the active ingredients is clearly mentioned on the product.
The Derma Co Glycolic Acid Toner contains 7% Glycolic Acid, which is an AHA that helps to remove dead skin and shrinks enlarged pores. It encourages faster skin renewal, which in turn makes the skin look even, youthful and radiant. The toner has a watery consistency and also contains Witch Hazel and Rosemary that have pore tightening and antimicrobial properties respectively. The formula also has aloe to soothe the skin, arginine to protect the skin, and chrysanthemum extracts to soothe the skin. The product is therefore suitable for those with oily, acne-prone skin with enlarged pores.
The formula does have fragrance as the last ingredient but it is pretty mild and does not bother me.
List of Ingredients –
Aqua, Glycolic Acid, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Arginine, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Triethanolamine, Magnolia Kobus Flower Extract, Chrysanthemum Indicum Flower Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Extract, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, Hamamelis Virginiana (Witch Hazel) Extract, Potassium Sorbate, Betaine (and) Sodium PCA (and) Sodium Lactate (and) PCA (and) Serine (and) Alanine (and) Glycine (and) Glutamic Acid (and) Lysine HCl (and) Threonine (and) Arginine (and) Proline (and) Water, Fragrance.
https://thedermaco.com/
The Packaging
The packaging of The Derma Co products is quite unique from that of other Indian skincare brands. Each of their ranges comes in color coded packaging and the Derma Co Glycolic Acid Toner belongs to the purple range. It comes in a white and purple plastic bottle with a screw on lid. I like the fact that it has a dropper instead of a spray because a spritzer often gives the user the impression that the toner should be sprayed directly on the face. If you will spray an acid-based toner on your face then you may end up hurting your eyes in the process. Hence, such toners always need to be applied with a cotton pad.
The dropper on this toner makes it obvious to a new user that you shouldn’t spray the product on your face directly. The packaging is also quite sturdy and leakproof, and all the details of the ingredients are provided on the bottle itself.
You get 200ml of product in one bottle for INR 499, which is quite affordable in my opinion!
How To Use The Derma Co Glycolic Acid Toner
The instructions for use are a bit confusing because on the packaging it is mentioned that the product can be used twice daily whereas the website recommends using the product at night. My standard rule of thumb is to use any exfoliating toner on alternate nights only. If it is very mild then I may use it every night, provided that the rest of my skincare routine is not heavy on exfoliants. In my opinion, it should be enough to use the Derma Co Glycolic Acid Toner 2-3 times a week at night because it is fairly potent. You need to apply this toner on cleansed skin with the help of a cotton pad and then layer a moisturizer on top. Using a sunscreen during the day is a must, especially if you are using exfoliants at night.
The product may tingle a bit on your skin due to the presence of Glycolic Acid but the tingling should not persist for long. A patch test is highly recommended before the first use.
My Experience With The DermaCo Glycolic Acid Toner
I have been using the Derma Co Glycolic Acid Toner 2-3 times a week for the past few weeks. The toner does tingle on the sensitive areas of my face but the tingling goes away after a couple of minutes. It feels hydrating on the skin and I can feel my pores instantly tighten after using the product. The toner does add a glow to the face and unclogs pores too. It has also helped to eliminate a few whiteheads that I had on my cheeks. Hence, I feel that it is a good product for those with oily and acne prone skin. If you are struggling with dullness, acne, and enlarged pores then this toner will definitely help you. However, those with extremely sensitive skin will have to be careful about the tingling it causes.
I hope that you found this review useful. Click here to buy the Derma Co Glycolic Acid Toner!
Mrinalini
Mrinalini is a beauty blogger with over 7 years of experience in reviewing skincare, makeup, and wellness products. Her professional experience in the biomedical space plus her keen interest in testing products spanning decades gives her the upper edge when it comes to reviewing new beauty products, particularly for oily, acne-prone, Indian skin.