Review: Indie Lee CoQ-10 Toner
This was probably one of the first toners that I used that was a step up from a ‘nice smelling water’ and actually had a noticeable benefit to my skin, rather than being just a luxurious additive to my routine. It will always have a special place in my heart and not just because it smells like delicious cucumbers in the Summer, but because it keeps my skin balanced. I have ‘typical’ combination skin, with some dry/dehydrated spots and an oily t-zone, but the Indie Lee CoQ-10 Toner plays a huge role in keeping my face in that Goldilocks state of just right; not too oily and not too dry.
What Makes It Special:
The Indie Lee CoQ10 Toner is an alcohol and essential-oil free formulation that combines CoQ-10, Aloe Vera, Cucumber, Hyaluronic Acid and Roman Chamomile to create a hydrating and balancing toner to be used after cleansing that preps your skin for the rest of your routine. This toner is part of my daily routine, both in the morning and most evenings, and ever since working from home became the norm I’ve also been spraying this on my makeup-less face mid-afternoon if I’m feeling a bit oilier than I’d like.
Why I Like It:
It’s tricky to put my finger on exactly what I like about this until I stop using it, and then I instantly remember! The Hyaluronic Acid works extremely well to hydrate but team that with the soothing benefits of the Aloe Vera, Roman Chamomile and Sage and the Ubiquinone (coenzyme Q10 aka CoQ10 – an antioxidant which helps protect skin from free radical damage and environmental stressors like UV and pollution), it makes one very hardworking mist. It keeps my skin in that happy medium of not too oily/not too dry, just nicely balanced and comfortable. It makes the products I put on after it feel like they absorb that bit better and the scent, although not important to a lot of people, is exactly what you’d expect from a product containing Aloe and Cucumber, fresh and green. No synthetic fragrances here.
What I Don’t Like About It:
Literally nothing. This toner isn’t going to give you the same freshly exfoliated glow as an acid toner, but it’s not claiming it will. It’s a hydrating, balancing toner and it does that perfectly.
Application:
The official recommendation is to saturate a cotton round and swipe all over your face, or spray directly onto your face and remove excess with a cotton round. I don’t do either of those. I apply a spray or two directly into my clean hands and wipe and press all over my face (avoiding the eye area). I do this because A. I don’t want a cotton round soaking up half my product and B. I don’t want to be throwing out a cotton round every day if I don’t have to. I use this every morning, but of an evening if I’m using an acid toner, I’ll typically use that instead of this or apply the CoQ10 Toner after the acid has had a moment to work its magic.
Product Claims:
Non-drying – no dry feeling immediately after using this, but I would never use this alone after cleansing, I always go straight on with the rest of my routine.
Refresh and hydrate – agree.
Prime and protects from environmental aggressors – possibly, I don’t think I can really judge this.
Ingredients:
Water (Aqua/Eau), Aloe Barbadensis, Ubiquinone (Coenzyme Q10), Hyaluronic Acid, Anthemis Nobilis (Roman Chamomile), Salvia Officinalis (Sage) Leaf Extract, Carica Papaya Leaf Extract, Cucums Sativus (Cucumber) Extract, Citrus Aurantium Flower Extract, Propanediol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Potassium Sorbate
Details:
It is currently available in two sizes; the 30ml travel size bottle (AU$14 / £10 / US$10) or the full-sized 125ml version (AU$49 / £32 / US$34).
Available From:
Cult Beauty
Sephora AU
Indie Lee
Repurchase:
Have done and will continue to do so. Recently, I was running low on it and so I went to grab my backup from ‘the stash’ and realised I didn’t have one and I’m not exaggerating when I say I’d ordered another two bottles from Cult Beauty within 5 minutes. An absolute must-have product for me.
