Welcome to Dispatch From Korea, a series where you’ll get the inside scoop on the latest K-beauty news straight from our friends at Soko Glam’s Seoul office. Here, they discuss cream toners, an emerging K-beauty trend that’s about to be everywhere.
One of the most fun parts about living in Korea and working in skin care is hearing about new and innovative products as they’re first introduced in stores.
As someone with dry skin, my ears perk up every time I hear about an effective new moisturizing product. Recently, cream toner has become the new, must-have item for those seeking extra nourishment and moisturization for their skin in Korea.
A few of the most talked-about cream toners are Hanskin’s Avocado Cream Skin, CosRX’s Light Fit Real Water Toner to Cream, and Laneige’s Cream Skin Toner & Moisturizer. With all the buzz, I had to check cream toners out for myself.
My experience with toner in the past has been the typical watery toner that balances the pH level of your skin. On occasion, I’d try one with soothing or cleansing ingredients, but overall, while toner has been present in my skin care routine for years, it definitely has not been a shining star. I was interested to see if a cream toner would be a game changer for my routine.
The cream toner I chose to try is the Hanskin Avocado Cream Skin, a toner designed with sensitive and dry skin types in mind. The first thing I noticed about the toner is its milky appearance and very light citrus scent that is refreshing without being overpowering.
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One of my favorite aspects of the toner is its texture, which is still quite watery. With the word “cream” in the name and its milky appearance, I was expecting something a little more, well, creamy. While rubbing the product between my fingers, I noticed an ever so slight hint of a creamy texture. The toner absorbs quickly into the skin, leaving a smooth, non-greasy feel. This was a pleasant surprise because although I am always seeking ways to add moisture to my skin, I want the best of both worlds and prefer layering lightweight products rather than heavier products.
The key ingredient in Hanskin’s Avocado Cream Skin is persea gratissima (avocado) fruit extract. Avocado has been known as an effective moisturizing ingredient in skin care treatments for centuries in various parts of the world. It is a natural, occlusive ingredient, which means it helps prevent water loss – music to my ears!
After just three days of using this toner, I fell in love with it and I fell hard! Not only did my skin feel softer and more moisturized to the touch, it also looked more moisturized and plump throughout the day. I found it to be the perfect base to my skin care routine and can’t wait to pat it into my skin after double-cleansing.
As we get deeper into summer, it is still my go to toner. With the boost of moisture it provides my skin, I can confidently layer lighter-weight products in my routine during the hot summer months without worrying that my skin isn’t moisturized enough or feeling the need to add heavier products to lock in moisture.
A toner that nourishes and moisturizes has been a game changer for me. It is definitely the moisturizing product that has been missing from my routine. With cream toner, toner has gone from the “meh” step in my routine, to a star.
