[unpaid/sample/affiliate/ad] I’m never keen to add another element to my skin care routine. Despite my job, I like to keep things simple. However, although I’ve nominally tested other AHA toners and liked them, I’ve never felt that they were ‘essentials’. I’m still on the fence as to whether Cetaphil Healthy Radiance Brightness Refresh Toner is ‘essential’ but that’s down to how much you can be bothered and personal skin preference. What I can say is that it’s so gentle and while carrying a claim of ‘visibly more even skin in 4 weeks’ I could say that after a week I can feel a difference in my skin.

I’m using an expensive moisturiser (CHANEL) but I was using that well before I started testing Cetaphil Healthy Radiance Brightness Refresh Toner. Cetaphil fares well for those with sensitive skin – mine has got more sensitive over the years but it’s not usually problematic – and I do notice how incredibly gentle this toner feels when I apply with a cotton pad. I’m genuinely not that interested in an even skin tone – I’ve learned to love my pigmentation – but after a couple of weeks (almost), I can feel such a difference in complexion softness and the way my base applies that can only be put down to the toner.

Cetaphil toner uses citric acid as its AHA to remove dead skin cells from the surface of your skin – it also contains sea daffodil (brightening and antioxidant) and Niacinamide (moisture retention and anti-pigmentation) and while you’d have to use Niacinamide for a very prolonged period before you’d see any real reduction of pigmentation (if at all), on my skin, it wasn’t long at all before I could tell the difference in smoothness – both in look and feel. Cetaphil Healthy Radiance Brightness Refresh Toner is not expensive in the general scheme of things. If you want to buy online, it’s HERE for £11.95 (but postage is £3.95) or you can pick it up in Boots for £15.99.