Your favourite exfoliating acid toner has had skincare babies - here’s what the fresh Glow Tonic arrivals will bring to your bathroom, plus there’s some very good news if you’ve got dry or sensitive skin…
You know that a beauty product has attained cult status when been it’s duped by a low cost high street retailer (*waves at Aldi), and Pixi Glow Tonic is one such example. The 5% glycolic acid and aloe vera based exfoliating toner has been a consistent bestseller for years and is now expanding with the addition of a skin refining serum, sheet mask, cleansing gel and nifty moisturising stick. That’s not all either - along with the Glow Tonic newbies there’s a veritable bathroom shelf of hot out of the lab skincare, including a vitamin C range, a ‘milky’ hydration line and a pH balanced moisturiser, among other ‘skintreats’. Here’s your Pixi prescription…
For ‘Glow’
Glow Tonic Cleansing Gel, £18 for 135ml
This transforms the fundamental Glow Tonic ingredients (glycolic acid, aloe vera , horse chestnut extract and ginseng) into a lightly exfoliating gel textured cleanser. It’s actually pretty mild formulation wise - there’s no tingly acid feels, just a nice, fresh clean, although I did find I needed to go in twice to get all of my longwear makeup off.
Glow Tonic Serum, £26 for 30ml
Expect the same ingredient profile as the original tonic with a hit of hydration thanks to the addition of glycerin plus a slow release form of retinol to gently boost skin cell turnover while supporting the action of the glycolic acid.
Glow Glycolic Boost sheet masks, £10 for three
You’ve guessed it by now - these sheet masks are saturated in the same formula as the exfoliating toner, with a serum complex for extra moisture. It only takes max fifteen minutes to work but leave it on for ten minutes if you’re a Glow Tonic first timer.
On-The-Glow Stick, £18
A glow stick in the non-rave sense, this solid moisturiser is nifty - you’ve got good old glycolic acid to refine skin texture, antioxidant vitamin D to help protect skin from free-radical damage and caffeine to stimulate circulation.
For a big vit hit
Vitamin C Tonic, £18 for 150ml
An antioxidant laden toner that combines vitamin C with skin microbiome balancing probiotics and mildly exfoliating lactic acid to brighten. A potential option if you find that your skin doesn’t get on so well with stronger glycolic acid.
Vitamin C Juice Cleanser £18 for 150ml
A splash of OJ for your face, this cleansing water is a good first step in a double cleansing routine and is enriched with hydrating plant extracts, probiotics, lactic acid and orange flower water to wipe away grime from the skin’s surface, although it's unlikely to be efficient enough by itself for an end of day cleanse.
Vitamin C Serum, £26 for 30ml
With antioxidant ferulic acid to boost the efficacy of the vitamin C rich formula, this serum helps to defend skin from environmental damage and even skin tone over time.
Vitamin C Lotion, £24 for 50ml
You guessed it...antioxidant vitamin C (deemed an “essential” ingredient in your skincare routine by derms ) is the main player in this light textured moisturiser, with lactic acid, ferulic acid and probiotics waiting in the wings.
Vitamin C Caviar Balm, £24 for 45ml
This balm is actually technically a leave-on mask - encapsulated vitamin C ‘bursts’ on contact with skin when its applied. Massage it on after cleansing and leave it overnight for maximum moisturising and antioxidant benefit.
For dry and sensitive skin
pHenomenal Gel, £24 for 50ml
This gel moisturiser is ideally pH balanced to keep the skin barrier strong and healthy, while aloe vera hydrates and soothes.
Hydrating Milky Tonic, £18 for 250ml
An oat-based toner designed to moisturise and soothe rather than refine, this alcohol free formula is just the thing for dry winter skin.
There’s more where the milkiness came from too - from a cleanser to a mist to a peel and a lotion, the range is designed to serve the needs of sore, dry skin across your entire routine, although notably SPF is excluded so as much as this looks like a comprehensive skincare loot, it's not the full monty. Otherwise, to add to your roster of skincare choices, many products are available in full-size, travel-size and multipack editions as well. I think we need a lie-down to take this all in.