(Lancôme Tonique Douceur)
Just like makeup, old favorites get discontinued and we look through new candidates. I used to love Shu Uemura’s Refreshing Lotion, but it was discontinued a couple of years ago. After I used up my last bottle, the audition process started again.
Although there are a couple of toners I really like from Japanese brands not available in the UK, when it comes to skincare products, I tend to use what is available locally. It makes shopping (and restocking) a little easier.
I think Lancôme‘s Tonique Douceur has been around ever since I started to be interested in cosmetics. I am not sure if the formula has ever changed, but when I tried samples of it in the past, I did like them. After comparing it with a couple of others just to be sure, I decided to settle on Tonique Douceur.
It is alcohol-free and has a light, soothing, and refreshing feel. (I don’t really like toners with a serum-y texture or those that leave a slippery film on the skin.) I find that it eases up the mild redness of my skin and helps the skin look clearer and more transparent.
Also, the ingredient list is shorter than those of a lot of other toners I have come across. For people with sensitive skin, the fewer ingredients applied on the skin, the better.
After water and glycerin, rosa centifolia flower (rose hip) water is third on the ingredient list. According to Paula Begoun’s Cosmetics Ingredient Dictionary, rose hip has antioxidant properties. It is a pity that the toner is packaged in a transparent toner. Otherwise the antioxidant properties would last longer.
I usually don’t use cotton balls or cotton pads when applying a toner. I dispense 4 or 5 drops of a toner, spread them across my palms, and gently pat the toner onto the skin. (I put Tonique Douceur in another bottle with a pump dispenser so I don’t accidentally pour too much out.) During the application, I also like to cover my cheeks and eyes with my palms and do some deep breathing. I find it very calming.
Overall this is a toner that really suits my slightly sensitive skin, and the fact that I don’t use cotton balls/pads also makes a 200ml bottle go a long way.
(Please note that Tonique Douceur contains fragrance and preservatives. Do make sure you read through the ingredient list if you have relevant concerns.)
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Other steps of my skincare routine:
Makeup remover
{ 16 comments… read them below or add one }
I got a sample of this toner after purchasing something from the Lancome counter last year. It is quite good i have to say but when i tried it last year it did have some weird grasy feel to it. Does it still have that or was it just my skin? I actually apply my toner with a bottle that’s got a spray head. I’ve just recently started using Dr Hauschka’s toner as my skin has been acting up and living a life of its own and the toner seems to have calmed it down. It does have a weird natural smell to it which takes a bit of getting used to. But it doesn’t have any emulsion feel to it which is great and the bottle is actually a dispenser-like bottle so no need to transfer it to another as you can spray directly on the face.
My favourite toner so far is Origins “A Perfect World”~
I love this stuff, i have sensitive skin too and this toner works a treat :)
However i’ve recently found that the Body Shop Aloe Vera sensitive toner is just as kind to my skin, and a wee bit cheaper!
Hi Allysia-May,
Thank you for telling me about Dr. Hauschka. I will definitely keep this in mind!
I do remember that when I was trying Tonique Douceur for the first time, which was several years ago, I thought it was just a little bit filmy. (But I did generally like it.) But, interestingly, I don’t feel that anymore when I use it now. I suppose skin conditions do change overtime and we sometimes feel differently about the same products overtime as well.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and experiences again! :)
Hi CC,
Actually, I used to use Comforting Solution from Origins quite some time ago and I really liked it! I nearly forgot about that…:)
That might be a good alternative if I need to change part of my skincare routine…
Thank you for leaving your comment again! :)
Hi Chica,
I am glad you like Tonique Douceur too. I’d imagine it should work well for people with slightly sensitive skin.
Thank you for telling me about the toner from The Body Shop. I will definitely have a look at it the next time I am in the shop.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts! :)
I use a Olay toner and I enjoy it very much. I’ve never thought to not use a cotton ball before. The method you suggest sounds really interesting, I think I’d like to try it!
Thanks for always giving great reviews and tips!
Hi Nilla Cookie,
You are very welcome!
Thank you for letting me know the toner of your choice!
I think we can use our fingers and palms to apply most kinds of toners. However, there are certain types of toners that are meant to be exfoliators (like those with a working concentration of salicylic acid). With those, we should still use cotton balls/pads to apply, in a gentle wiping motion.
Thank you for stopping by again, and keep up the great work with your blog!! :)
I am always looking for a great toner product as well. My fav’s are:
Sukipure White Willow Toner &
Caudalie’s Beauty Elixir
Suki’s has natural salicylic acid and my skin LOVES it, very soothing and no sticky feel or film.
Caudalie’s BE gives a bit of a tingle, but is so refreshing and soothing as well.
Both are spray on toners, but I pat on Suki’s with a cotton ball.
Both highly recommended!
Hi Jen,
Thank you very much for telling me about your toner favorites.
I tested Caudalie’s Beauty Elixir in the shop quite some time ago, but I remember it smelled gorgeous. Very fresh but soothing, just like you said. I might have a look at it again soon…
Thank you very much for visiting my blog. Look forward to hearing from you again!
I recently received the Tonique Douceur as a gift but the Tonique Clarté is what I’m used to and addicted to. I was wondering if anyone has used both and felt a significant different. I didn’t know that the Clarté contained alcohol until I saw the Douceur advertising its alcohol-freeness on the bottle. I really love the Clarté since I have combination/oily skin. But like PJ, I also have sensitive skin that becomes extremely dry after cleansing. Should I give Douceur a try? The bottle is intimidating in size (400 mL) and I’m not sure what Macy’s return policy is for skincare products).
By the way, this is a very nice and informative blog. The large collection of posts cover almost every topic imaginable.
Hi Rui,
Thank you very much for your kind words about my blog. I hope you will continue to find it useful.
I haven’t really tried Tonique Clarté myself. I probably won’t, simply because it has alcohol. I think you can give Tonique Douceur a try if you are happy with the return policy. (Also, there are 200ml ones sold in the UK. Maybe they are also available in the US.)
Tonique Douceur is quite refreshing, and, for me, it doesn’t leave the skin filmy or sticky. (My skin tends to be on the oily side as well.) I think it will suit many people with combination or oily skin.
Do let me know what you think if you have a chance to give it a try.
Thank you very much for your comment. Hope to hear from you again soon! :)
200 mL are sold in the u.s. and idk if it’s just me and idk if i got sunburnt but ive used this product for two days and my face started to peel. it might be a sunburn (seeing as how i live in california and it recently started to get warmer) but i’m not too sure.
Hi Hanna,
I see. I can’t say for sure but it might be that the peeling is due to the sunburn. Do make sure that you use a moisturizer after the toner, and make sure that you stay out of the sun as much as you can for the moment. If you need to be under the sun, do wear a sunscreen product with both UVA and UVB protective ingredients.
Thank you for your comment! :)
Have you tried Garnier analog of this toner? It’s in a rose container and has very similar ingredients. Recommended for dry skin. Is it much worse?
Veronika
Hi Veronika,
Thank you for your question. I haven’t tried the Garnier toner that you mentioned, but I will definitely have a look at the ingredient list. I will leave another reply for you later on.
Thank you again! :)