Anyone who’s struggled with hormonal acne can tell you how it takes a toll on their lives. Fortunately, with the right products, a solution is not impossible. Here’s how skincare blogger, Clara Gomes, started using the Isntree Green Tea Fresh Toner and how it helped with her hormonal acne.
As a teen, I never suffered from acne or pimples. However, once I hit my mid-twenties, I started getting these painful, stubborn cystic acne right on my ovulation day. They would be painfully active for five to six days and would take forever to heal. By the time one flattened and started healing, it would be time for my next period. To help battle it, I tried understanding hormonal acne.
Understanding Hormonal Acne
You see, our skin provides more sebum than usual during these days resulting in clogged pores. And it became a clockwork for me. I would be very productive, and jolly and my skin would glow the four days before my ovulation day, A.K.A during my fertile window. And then suddenly after these four days, I would get depressed for no reason, wouldn’t want to get out of bed. And worst of all my skin would look oily, and a new pimple would pop right up.
How I Try To Combat Hormonal Acne
Once I had a better understanding of hormonal acne, it was easier to try and combat them. Unfortunately, since this is completely hormonal, there is little we can do. But I still tried my best to combat these hormonal acnes. I started tracking my period and would switch to oily skin products starting from the last day of the fertile window. I would try exfoliating, use a detox mask and would apply green tea or tea tree products. While they would often help ease the painful acne, nothing worked when it came to stopping the acnes from erupting.
Fast forward to a childbirth later, these hormonal acnes came back with vengeance after I stayed period and hormonal acne free for 9 to 18 glorious months. I started having two hormonal acne a month, one during my ovulation period, and one right before getting my periods. And this time they were more painful and would take even longer to heal. At any given moment, you could spot at least three active or flattened acne. By this point I did not have the luxury to curate and follow an entire PMS skincare routine after running behind a toddler all day.
My skincare routine also was a lot more compact than it used to be three years ago. Just a basic CTM and one or two serums. So, I figured if I want to introduce any product that would help combat my acne, it would have to be something that I can use regularly. And thus, I picked up the Isntree Green Tea Fresh Toner.
What The Brand Claims
According to the brand, Isntree Green Tea Fresh Toner is formulated with 80% Green Tea Extract, Hyaluronic Acid and Centella Extract. It controls the oil production of the skin, protecting and brightening it at the same time. It works great with acne due to the presence of Centella Extract and is hypoallergenic.
Isntree Green Tea Fresh Toner Ingredients
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Water, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Salix Alba (Willow) Bark Extract, Vaccinium Angustifolium (Blueberry) Fruit Extract, Pinus Palustris Leaf Extract, Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract, Oenothera Biennis (Evening Primrose) Flower Extract, Pueraria Lobata Root Extract, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/ VP Copolymer, Allantoin, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Beta-Glucan, Disodium EDTA, Hydroxyacetophenone.
My Experience with Isntree Green Tea Fresh Toner
What I love the most about this toner is that it smells like freshly brewed green tea. And looks like a little over-brewed green tea. It has a watery texture and feels super refreshing on my skin.
The first time that I used this toner was right after a hormonal acne freshly irrupted. It was huge and painful when I started applying this toner. Two applications later, I woke up with a flattened acne the next day. It took about four more days for the acne to completely disappear, but the mark lingered. So, I waited for the next two weeks to see if the toner would stop the acne from erupting in the first place if I continue applying it throughout the month.
Despite this toner being marketed towards oily skin beauties, it didn’t dry out my normal skin. Not even during the harsh winter, or when I wasn’t PMSing. After two weeks it was time for my next hormonal acne to erupt. And sadly, it did! But the good news is that, again it flattened the next day. It didn’t linger for a week like they used to. Ever since then I have been hooked with this toner and even though I still get two hormonal acne a month, they are active for only one day each.
Final Verdict
Despite having a normal skin which becomes dry during the winter, I absolutely adore this toner. And what is more convenient for me is that I don’t have to curate two separate routines for regular days and PMS days. The Isntree Green Tea Fresh Toner turned out to be the Holy Grail for me. Not only does it protect my skin on those days, it works for me throughout the month.
The only point to be noted is that, while the brand claims that it hydrates the skin as well and me being someone with normal skin that turns dry during the winter cannot say that I have enjoyed that particular perk. While it doesn’t make my skin drier, it doesn’t provide me with any hydration either. But I guess that it will be a different experience for oily skin beauties.
Pros:
- Helps combat acne
- Doesn’t dry out my normal-dry skin
- Very refreshing
Cons:
Nothing that I can find out.
Rating:
5/5
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