Budget Beauty With A Twist -Wilkinson Skin Therapy Toner

A few months ago I received a huge box of beauty goodies on behalf of the lovely people at Wilkinson. Yes you heard me, Wilkinson, don't you just love that shop? I first discovered it when I was at Uni and it was one of those shops that just appeals to not only poor students but to anyone on a budget, it stocks everything from food to hardware, to stationary and of course beauty items all at really reasonable prices.

Yes they stock brand names but they also stock their own range of beauty products including skincare, body care and haircare products all of which stay true to their slogan "The Home Of Family Value". The box of delights that I was sent predominantly contained hair products, I have two posts coming soon on those items - one on a shampoo and conditioner, and the on a range of styling products but in the meantime I was also sent one of their skincare products to try.

If you asked me if I had sensitive skin then I would probably say no, I do get the occasional flare up due to products but it's not a regular occurrence thank goodness, and I'm always willing to try something new. When I received this product though I have to admit I was a bit apprehensive, maybe it was a slightly snobbish attitude related to the price of the product, after all how good can a product that's just 98p be.

Yes 98p, just 98 pennies is all you will have to pay for the majority of the products in the Wilko Skin Therapy line in fact the face wipes are even cheaper at just 57p ! Anyways the product I was sent was the Skin Therapy Toner

I love toners, I know it's a step some people often leave out but I love how fresh and clean they leave my skin. Choosing a toner though can be a tough job, too many of them can be far too harsh on the skin, in fact one toner from a top brand left me looking like shall we say a beetroot, but at the same time I like a toner that's a bit astringent as I think they work better on my oil prone skin. I've found four toners that I like and their the ones that I repurchase over and over again, I think I've been stung (literally) by my bad experience .

For that reason I was obviously a little bit apprehensive about trying this one, but I needn't have worried, the packaging states that this product is suitable for all skin types but especially for those with sensitive skins, it's also PH Balanced, Fragrance Free, and Dermatologically Tested. So far so good, what about the ingredients then? well yes it does contain alcohol but as I say my skin can deal with that, it also contains witch hazel, and willow bark both of which I know work well on my skin, so I decided to take the plunge and give it a go, and I've been using it instead of my usual toners for nearly a month now,

What do I think of it well first up the packaging, it nothing special, nothing exciting, it's practical and it does the job, it might not look the fanciest on your bathroom shelf but that isn't really the point.

The toner itself is completely clear in colour, in fact it almost resembles water, as you can see from this cotton pad.

It's supposed to be fragrance free, but I don't think products can ever be completely fragrance free, it's not the alcohol that you can smell, it's the witch hazel, it's not strong but it is evident.

I used this product like I would any other toner, I just put some on a cotton pad and wiped it over my skin after cleansing, and do you know what ? no stinging, no burning, nothing out of the ordinary. My fears were completely unfounded, to be honest I've barely noticed any difference in my skin since I started using this, no redness, no breakouts nothing. I have to admit I am so surprised, this 98p toner actually does it's job as well as one more than 10 times the price eeeek. As I say my skin isn't that sensitive so I would always recommend a patch test, but for just 98p you really can't argue - is the skincare snob in me dead? no definitely not but after this experience I won't be scared to pursue the beauty aisle next time I'm in Wilkinson Wilkinson Skin Therapy Toner 200ml retails at 98p from Wilkinson stores and online. Have you tried any of Wilkinson own brand beauty products? what do you think of budget skincare? leave me a comment and let me know x

(Wilkinson Skin Therapy Toner 200ml Was Provided By PR For Review Purposes)