Review: Missha - Super Aqua Ultra Waterful Active Toner

Packaging: The product comes in a sturdy, glass bottle (150ml) with a plastic twist-off cap. The deep blue color reminds me of the ocean.

Price: It goes for $20 USD on MisshaUS, but I got it for sale off of Jolse for $18 USD. This thing will last you many months. I have had mine for about two months now, and as you can see, I am only about a quarter through. In my opinion, it is a bit expensive for what it is, but I will get back to this point in a moment.

Consistency: It resembles a watery essence or serum in that it is too thick to be described as water-like, but too runny to be called anything else. It kind of reminds me of the viscosity of my Hada Labo Gokujyun Lotion (Clear) that I reviewed in an earlier post. Upon application this product gives your skin a cooling sensation which I believe would make it a great product for the summer. It spreads easily and after it has absorbed, its finish is smooth and, thankfully, not at all tacky.

Scent: Because the bottle description adds that it has Australia Blue Mountain cave water in it, the scent immediately reminds me of mountains in the way that it seems so nice and fresh. It does not come off as strong to me like the majority of Missha products seem to, and it also does not linger at all.

Ingredients: A CosDNA analysis revealed that the only possible acne-triggering ingredients are the usual suspects: dimethicone (emollient) and butylene glycol (solvent + moisturizer), which are around the middle of the list. I know some people may want to avoid this product anyway because dimethicone is related to silicone, an ingredient known to cause clogged pores and acne in people with silicone-sensitive skin. Another possible culprit is mineral oil, which is the sixth ingredient on the list. As for me personally, this product has not broken me out at all.

Some ingredients stuck out to me when I first considered buying this product as they were high up on the list:

- Glycerin (second ingredient)
- Niacinamide (third ingredient)
- Seawater (seventh ingredient)

Glycerin, a glycerol-based emollient, attracts moisture from the air (i.e., a humectant), makes your skin feel smoother, and even promotes faster healing. Another interesting fact is that it makes other ingredients absorb more effectively than what you see with plain water or alcohol. A 2008 study mentioned that glycerol 

is known to increase stratum corneum (SC) hydration, improve epidermal barrier function and decrease clinical signs of inflammation. 

And as we already know, niacinamide promotes whiter, brighter-looking skin and helps fade post-acne scars.

Seawater, on the other hand, is something I have not seen before in any of my products. When I looked this up, there were numerous articles describing how seawater was beneficial in skin care, that it provided the skin with essential vitamins and minerals. It makes sense, I thought to myself, as to why this might be a rather good ingredient to include. But as I continued to research and look for actual studies involving topical usage of seawater, I found one study that took place in 2007 which painted a much different picture:

SW [seawater] immersion can cause time-dependent apoptosis [death of cells] and proliferation in the epidermis [skin], and the overall effect of SW immersion is injury to the epidermis. 

I felt disheartened at first, but then I found a more recent study from 2013 that seemed conflicting when placed against the first study I mentioned:

Marine algae have gained much importance in cosmeceutical product development due to their rich bioactive compounds. […] The marine environment is enriched with a variety of organisms that harbor a wide range of biologically important compounds that are useful for the cosmeceutical benefit of humans.

From what I currently understand, algae is present in seawater; most of which come from seaweeds. So, this more recent study seems to trump the older one, in my opinion, only because the information provided as a whole was a lot more telling than the other, which involved hairless mice immersed in seawater for ridiculous amounts of time (3 hours, 6 hours, and 12 hours) – in other words, did not seem like the most reliable source to turn to in understanding how seawater might work in skin care products. The seawater is likely much less concentrated than pure seawater, and, being “immersed” for hours in it is a lot different than applying a small amount to the skin that absorbs in under a minute.

Overall Review: Despite the promising ingredients it contains, I found that the actual outcome of using this product for about two months was rather disappointing. As a hydrating toner, it only felt hydrating on my skin as I applied it, but would not have any long-lasting effects or make any crazy changes to the quality of my skin like other hydrating toners I have tried. But still, this toner is a simple one that would likely work well for all skin types and be a great starting point for those who are new to using hydrating toners. I find it basic in that it does help following products absorb better (like most toners are expected to do) and maintains the quality of my skin. 3.5/5.

Welcome to the World of Toners

Did you know that there are multiple types of toners? Why do we even need toners anyway? Well, I picked up this great book called The Little Book of Skin Care by Charlotte Cho (of Soko Glam) that explained the reasoning behind toners just perfectly:

Think of toners as prep school for your pores: It gives them a head start for what comes next and will help your skin absorb your skin-care products. Picture your skin as a dried-up sponge. If you try to put a heavy cream on it, a brittle, dry sponge won’t accept it – it isn’t “prepped” for moisture. But if you wet the sponge, the cream will sink in more easily. (p. 42)

Looking at toners in this light, it’s quite obvious now that if you plan on upping your skincare routine, you should consider buying one (or multiple, like me – a hoarder).

Different Types of Toners

• Astringent Toners
• These are the toners that we westerners are most accustomed to using – we’ve known them to be rather drying or simply alcoholic in nature. But the truth is there’s a lot more to them than this. Some people need astringent toners more than others (esp. oily, acne-prone people), but they can be helpful to everybody. They’re meant to clean the remaining gunk and/or makeup you didn’t fully wash off with your cleanser and they penetrate much deeper into your pores.
• Common astringent ingredients found in toners include (but are not limited to):
• Alcohol
• Witch Hazel 
• AHAs (Alpha Hydroxy Acid)*
• Citric Acid
• Glycolic acid
• Lactic Acid
• Malic Acid
• Mandelic Acid
• Tartaric Acid
• BHAs (Beta Hydroxy Acid)*
• Benzoic Acid 
• Salicylic Acid
• Rose (Water/Extract)
• Citrus (Extract)
• Astringent toners pictured above: Mamonde - Rose Water Toner (contains rose extract – a very mild astringent) and Missha - Time Revolution Clear Toner (contains a very small percentage of both BHAs and AHAs, making it a very mild formulation as well).

• Boosting Toners
• These toners are very interesting. Some may not even classify them as “toners” in themselves, but I most certainly do (because they can be used in place of a toner in your skincare routine), so under this category I also include “boosting toners” that are referred to as:
• First Essence [Treatment]
• First Essence Booster
• Generally speaking, you would want to use a boosting toner before another toner (but never before an astringent one) because, as the name implies, it “boosts” whatever product that follows it. They can be used with or without an accompanying toner. Boosting toners tend to be thicker and less watery than other types. They generally contain a handful of extracts. These toners are also generally geared more toward those with dry skin types, but I find that they can be beneficial to all skin types.
• Boosting toners pictured above: Missha - Geum Sul First Essence Booster and Missha - Time Revolution Night Repair Turn Over Control Booster.

• Hydrating Toners
• While westerners focus on astringent toners, easterners focus on the opposite: hydrating toners. Had I known these existed in my teenage years, I would have been all over them because of how amazing they are. As the name implies, these toners are “hydrating,” meaning they add to the water content of your skin. Hydrating toners are beneficial to all skin types.
• Before I was even aware of it, I always thought “hydration” and “moisturization” meant the same thing. Wrong. Hydration involves adding water content to your skin, while moisturization involves adding oil content to your skin. “Ideal skin” (meaning not overly dry nor oily) has a balanced water-oil ratio. We spend so much time worrying about lotions and creams (which add oil content) that we forget about hydration! This is where these beautiful hydrating toners come in.
• Common hydrating ingredients found in toners include (but are not limited to):
• Ceramides
• Ferments  
• Glycerin
• Propanediol 
• Hydrating toners pictured above: Hada Labo - Gokujyun Lotion (Clear) and Missha - Super Aqua Ultra Waterful Active Toner.

• Mist Toners
• Mist toners fall under astringent, boosting, or hydrating types of toners, but more often than not, you will find that they are usually geared toward light hydration. They’re perfect for all skin types.
• Fun tip 1: They can be used between different layers of products in your routine if you hate that sticky feeling that essences, serums, etc. can leave behind.
• Fun tip 2: They can be used even after you put on makeup if you feel like your skin needs just a little more hydration without ruining it.
• Fun tip 3: Use a mist toner to set your makeup!
• Fun tip 4: Spray your mist toner onto a beauty cushion or sponge before application for a more even and well-adhered look. 
• Mist toners pictured above: The Creme Shop - Chia Seed Calming Spritz Toner, TheFaceShop - Chia Seed Soothing Mist Toner, and Innisfree - Aloe Revital Skin Mist.

I realize after writing all of this, someone new to skincare could easily be overwhelmed. If you are looking to start off easy, I would suggest starting with a hydrating toner!

* Read more about the differences between AHAs and BHAs here.
* Always use a sunscreen if you incorporate AHAs and/or BHAs into your routine.