Thayers Alcohol-Free Rose Petal Witch Hazel Toner

After much research and debate about whether a toner/stringent is even necessary I decide to try Thayers Alcohol-Free Rose Petal Witch Hazel Toner. According to my Mother; my great-Grandmother used this or something similar and she always had the loveliest peaches and cream complexion.

Legend has it that Rose Thayer, niece of the founder, Dr. Henry Thayer, invented this formual over 120 years ago and because she used it always looked 10 years younger than she actually was. Thayer's Natural Remedies has been in business since 1847 and has a line of various Witch Hazel toners. Many of them are alcohol free which makes them less drying than those with alcohol.

Some people suggest that toner helps reduce pore size, removes the last traces of cleanser and preps the skin for what ever serum or moisturizer is applied next.

The problem is that many toners on the market, whether drug store brands or high-end department store brands contain high concentrations of alcohol which strips and dries the skin causing it to produce more oil. Using an alcohol free product, that adds moisture and soothes and tones, on the otherhand, may actually provide some benefit.

According to Thayer they use undistilled Witch Hazel which maintains a higher level of tannins. This product also contains Aloe Vera which is know for it's soothing and healing properties as well as Vitamin E and Rose Water. Roses are reportedly high in fatty acids which may help the skin.

The texture of this product is a clear, watery liquid. It is rose scented but the scent fades rather quickly and is therefore not overwhelming. My skin feels soft and supple after I use it and my Mastey de Paris Moiste Facial Moisturizer sinks in easily over top.

Do I think a toner is necessary, no, I don't. I feel if you wash your face thoroughly and rinse thoroughly you're good to go. However, I have decide to use this as my "serum" for a few weeks and see how my skin reacts to it. It is alcohol free, propylene-glycol free and paraben free. Because of the nourishing ingredients it contains and because it is so light it works well thus far using it under my moisturizer, twice daily.

A 12 ounce bottle of toner costs under $10 and is available at GNC, the Thayer's website and Whole Foods.

Ingredients: Purified Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf (Certified Organic Filet Of Aloe Vera), Glycerin (Vegetable), Fragrance (Natural Rose) Hamamelis Virginiana (THAYERS® proprietary un-distilled Witch Hazel) Extract, Rosa Centifolia (Rose) Flower Water, Citric Acid, Citrus Grandis (Grapefruit) Seed Extract, Tocopheryl (Vitamin E) Acetate.