Formulating for a Formulator - Colin's Toner

Cosmetic scientist Colin Sanders blogs about how different cosmetics ingredients work, discusses the politics of cosmetics, and kindly answers almost any type of beauty query – all with a charming British wit that I have become thoroughly addicted to.

Last week, he offered a few thoughts and questions as to the function of skin toners in this post.

Like Waving a Red Flag at a Bull

I realize full well that some people find skin toners unnecessary to a skin care regime, but personally, I have a hard time dismissing them.

Ok, that was an absolute whopper of an understatement.


I'm pretty darn certain that I could do without cleansers, lotion, cream, body butter, and just about everything else, but would be a miserable wretch without my (alcohol-free, hydrosol-based) skin tonic.

Nope. That doesn't even cover it.

Don't Hold Back Lise, Tell it Like it is

I believe I would shrivel up and die without my toners and skin mists.

And with that little bit of information in mind, you can probably guess my reaction when I read Colins blog post titled What Does a Skin Toner Do for You?

I had to put in my 2 cents (or British pence, if you will).

I wrote to him.

And, in the hopes that a die-hard hydrosol-skin-toner believer like me could create a new convert, I offered to create a personalized skin tonic for Colin.

Guess what?

He accepted!

Thus I Formulate for a Formulator

I'm thrilled (and a bit daunted) to be formulating for a formulator.

Every personalized product I do begins with a few questions about skin type, skin care, allergies or other conditions I should know about, etc etc. It gets personal.

A personalized product requires a few personal questions.

Every person I have made products for appreciates my absolute discretion with what they tell me, but Colin took me completely by surprise and said he wanted to blog about it – all of it.

And he did!

His answers to my initial questions can be found right here.

And as soon as my latest ingredients order arrives, I will be making his skin toner.

I promise to update on how it goes, but I'm pretty sure you'll be able to read about it right here too.

Stay tuned.