Boots Botanics Skin Brightening Toner...

Boots Botanics toner is.. Nice. I like it. I just don't know yet quite how much I like it... How much can you like a water-like substance that stings when it gets in your eyes?! It smells really nice, not too strong, but strong enough that you don't mistake it for water.

What Boots Botanics say:

Even after cleansing skin can look a little dull. This gentle toner sweeps away every last trace of cleanser and brightens your complexion while also working to refine pores and minimise excess oil. 

Equisetum: Equisetum is an ancient plant that was used for it's purifying properties. Mildly Astringent, it tones the skin and refines pores.

My biggest problem with it is this...



That, is a SUN ALERT. Warning me that this toner increases my (already mahoosive) chances of getting sunburn. I am probably one of the palest people on the planet, I don't tan, I just burn. I burn wearing factor 50+. Once I burn, it stays red, starts to fade and then suddenly jumps back to white, missing out the tanned stage all together. It is a great source of amusement to everyone but me ;) I am so pale that little thunderbugs land on my arms, like they do on any bright colours... Except mine is blinding white. (I currently have Avon's Skin so soft gradual tanning lotion on, which I've decided I don't like, I'm feeling pretty orange inside, and then outside you can hardly tell I have anything on. Suggestions of any tanning products I might get on better with on a postcard please!)

Please Botanics, take out your stupid burn ingredients, so that everyone can use your toner without fear! It's unfortunate that I bought this online (where they didn't mention the SUN ALERT ooh noo.) as had it been in store I'd have practically thrown it back to it's place on the shelf and chosen something else.

I've not had much of a chance to burn yet, I've been very careful so far, as the sun's only just started coming out; it's a month or two down the line where my brain tells me not to bother, that it'll be fine, the sun's not even out, there are clouds in the sky.... Then I burn horrifically through the clouds and my brain screams arggghhh, what did you do that for?! I told you to wear sunscreen!

Anyway, enough of my conversations with myself I think...

Basically this is.. nice. Nothing overly special, it's cooling, smells good, not noticing that much difference in my skin (I was using Lush's Breath of Fresh Air before this, which was good, I was just fed up of the spray getting clogged in every single one I bought, and it was £3.25 for 100g, which isn't hugely expensive, but my local lush is also 40 minutes away and I don't care for their £3.95 p&p charge!) though it makes it feel fresher, can't really see any refined pores, maybe that'll take more time. However, the SUN ALERT completely ruins this for me. I'd not repurchase and will be looking carefully for SUN ALERT's forever more.

If you don't burn like a... Rachel, then this is available at boots for £3.99. Just remember your sunscreen!

Rachel xx