Kate Somerville Clarifying Treatment Toner

For all that Kate Somerville's Clarifying Treatment Toner is described to be, I wish it was more than just an average item for me.

Toners don't quite mean the same thing it did all those years ago when I first started using it in my skincare routine. Long gone are the alcohol-based astringents that need to be poured onto cotton rounds and swiped across the face. Nowadays, alcohol-free varieties that can be patted into the skin are becoming mainstays in regimes. For the sake of my sanity and distinguishing purposes, I'll refer to the pattable toners as essences.

Maybe because I made that distinction or maybe because I am stuck on old habits, I don't feel like it is an either or situation with the two types of products. I like the extra step of wiping my face after cleansing to really ensure all traces of makeup and dirt are gone. Despite double cleansing, there have been occasions where I miss spots on my face (typically around the outer edges).  I also enjoy the lightweight hydration essences provide. Both product types having a place in my routine and I find myself going through them fairly quickly, which is why I would prefer to not spend a lot on either. But there are desperate times when descriptions get the better of me and I plop $20+ on a toner I spend less than a minute using daily.

lavlilacs Review Kate Somerville Clarifying Treatment Toner

Sephora's description:

What it is
A results-focused toner that clears and balances oily skin.

What it is formulated to do
This is not your traditional toner! Kate Somerville Clarifying Treatment Toner is indeed a treatment. Its antiseptic power fights bacteria to ward off future breakouts. Effective exfoliating properties remove dead skin that can clog your pores. Lastly, it helps lighten discoloration from acne scarring.

What else you need to know
This skincare essential is fragrance- and alcohol-free.

Directions:
Apply to cleansed skin with a cotton ball. Use twice daily, in the morning and evening.

Ingredients
WATER, METHYL GLUCETH-10, HAMAMELIS VIRGINIANA (WITCH HAZEL) WATER, BUTYLENE GLYCOL, PHYTIC ACID, CHAMOMILLA RECUTITA (MATRICARIA) EXTRACT, ALOE BARBADENSIS LEAF JUICE POWDER, PANTHENOL, NORDIHYDROGUAIARETIC ACID, OLEANOLIC ACID, GLYCERIN, PEG-60 ALMOND GLYCERIDES, CAPRYLYL GLYCOL, LACTIC ACID, POTASSIUM SORBATE, SODIUM BENZOATE, DISODIUM EDTA, CARBOMER, SODIUM HYDROXIDE, CHLORPHENESIN.

Sephora (150ml): USD $26

lavlilacs Review Kate Somerville Clarifying Treatment Toner packaging

How I ended up purchasing the Clarifying Treatment Toner isn't all too surprising after re-reading the product description. It seemed tailored to my persistent skin concerns: prevent future breakouts, remove dead skin, unclogged pores, and lighten discoloration. Plus, Kate Somerville is a highly beloved brand and everyone can't sing enough praises for. My trust was locked, tightly.

I know...this is starting to sound like I ended up hating it or was extremely disappointed, but I wasn't; at least not extremely, just a little. It did its job as a toner fairly well: clean remaining residue. I can count on it to see dirt accumulation and a yellow cotton round after swiping. It didn't break me out any more than before and wasn't drying. I have no way to tell for sure if my pH is balanced or not, but let's just assume it does. The clarifying toner just didn't live up to its other claims. I didn't break out any less after using the toner nor were my dry flakes less apparent. My pores were still clogged and acne scarring discoloration remained. Refreshed from toning, yes; refined and renewed, not so much.

I didn't realize the toner contained lactic acid (AHA) until now. It wasn't a skincare term I paid much attention to before. I would assume that is why they say it has exfoliation and de-clogging abilities. It seems high up on the ingredients list too, perhaps the concentration wasn't high enough for me to see results? Regardless, I would recommend using sunscreen afterwards if using this toner in the mornings.

The toner also has a very prominent witch hazel scent. I'm not a fan of it but it is better than it being masked by a fragrance. Good thing the smell doesn't linger after applying.

lavlilacs Review Kate Somerville Clarifying Treatment Toner pump

The best thing about the product is its packaging, although not $26 worth. The pump bottle is handy to help control the amount of toner I use. I don't have to waste extra time twisting open bottle caps since this one has a very accessible flip-top cover. I am very likely to keep using this bottle for toners in the future.

Even after a period of not using the Clarifying Treatment Toner, I miss the act of swiping my face more than using the specific product. Perhaps I should stick to more affordable options (under $20) for my next toner? I realize now I only want my toners to do one job only and since it doesn't sit on my face for long I don't need it to have too many extra benefits.

tria Hair Removal Laser 4X & SmoothStart Calming Gel - 5 Months

5 months have gone by on this experiment with the tria Hair Removal Laser 4X and surprisingly some of the disappointment I felt in the previous 4 months have been reversed. I hope it isn't just my imagination. Instead, I want it to have been just my lack of closer observation.

tria Hair Removal Laser Facial Hair 20 Weeks

tria Hair Removal Laser Facial Hair 22 Weeks, 5 months

Even though I tossed around the idea of treating other areas of my body, I haven't actually gotten around to it yet. It is on my list but I want to focus on this last month of lasering on the current areas.

Recharging of the device is also a big deterrent. It takes around 2 hours to fully charge the machine and it only lasts for about ~300 zaps at Level 5 (just barely enough for a generous session targeting the upper lip + chin + knuckle hairs + both underarms).

While the Laser 4X is plugged in, it gets very loud, as what I am assuming is the fan, whirls to cool the gadget down. For heavy sleepers, recharging the laser overnight shouldn't be a problem. For light sleepers like me, it does get a little annoying. I can't even imagine how many times I would need to recharge if I want to tackle other body parts. It will probably be a multi-day affair considering how small the laser window is compared how large an area leg hairs cover.

tria Hair Removal Laser Facial Hair 20 Weeks Closeup

tria Hair Removal Laser Facial Hair 22 Weeks, 5 months Closeup

Upper lips.

I am tempted to say that I am finally noticing some progress here. In previous updates, I based my comments on the regrowth at the corner of my lips alone since the wisps there are longer and most noticeable. This month I noticed how much less fuzz my eyebrow razor collected after I grazed over my uppers lips. It is a nice motivation to get through another month of laser treatment.

tria Hair Removal Laser Armpits Hair 20 Weeks

tria Hair Removal Laser Armpits Hair 22 Weeks, 5 months

Armpits.

Stubborn patches of hairs, be gone! Since the armpits have shown the best results over this 5 months period, I am getting a little impatient to see the last bits of hair still stick around. I wonder if one more month of lasering will do much difference at this point. If not then how many more months would it take? Or should I just leave it be and just shave off the rest for a while and see if it will eventually fall off by itself?

tria Hair Removal Laser Knuckle Hair 20 Weeks

tria Hair Removal Laser Knuckle Hair 22 Weeks, 5 months

Knuckle hairs.

I wish it was easier to see in the photos. In reality, it seems as if all my knuckles hairs have regrown. I can confidently say at this point this area has proved to be the least responsive to the lasering. It could be that the hairs were too thin or that the laser had a difficult time reaching the follicles since the area is so small and not flat. It always took a few attempts to get the right placement for the laser to zap.

April Haul - Sasa

lavlilacs April 2017 haul - Sasa

The OG Asian beauty shopping temptation. Whether it is a physical store or their online site, Sasa is comparable to the Western beauty mecca, Sephora, in terms of variety and store numbers. What makes Sasa more dangerous than the other S brand is the prices. It takes much willpower to browse the store and leave empty-handed. Everything looks nice, sounds promising, and is cheaper than most other (e-)retailers.

My method to avoid temptation? Not visit period. If I don't look I won't be lured. But you know...when the opportunity comes to order with a friend to share the order total load...for free shipping purposes, it gets infinitely more difficult to resist. Oh, I'll just get an item or two. 1 hour, 4 items, and almost $50 later I finally stop myself from browsing anymore.

Let's just say, for comfort's sake, I limited myself well. Of the 4 items I got, half are to satisfy my curiosity and the other half are products I have used before—at least all of them were under USD $15. 23 Years Old's Black Paint Rubar's promise to tackle whiteheads and blackheads earned a place in my cart quickly. I enjoyed using a stick cleansing before and was excited to find another brand at a more affordable price. Papa Recipe's Bombee Honey Pudding Set was the pure impulse purchase. It also claims to help with congestion but I have yet to meet a peel off mask that I could handle. Biore's UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence SPF50+ PA+++ is a favorite for using on my neck and chest when the warmer humid weather kicks in. Crabtree & Evelyn's Hand Therapy lotions are the only ones I have tried that sink into my skin without leaving a residue behind.

lavlilacs April 2017 haul - Sasa Shopping Cart page

Price & Stock

If you can find a particular Asian brand you want on Sasa, it is safe to assume it'll be the cheapest option available on the internet. The only catch is the product availability and price fluctuates a lot. Items go out of stock fairly quickly. If you don't purchase it immediately, the item could get cheaper but more likely than not pricier.

They seem to have a "Price Guarantee" option where customers could submit information to Sasa if a lower price for an item is found elsewhere online. I have never used this feature before nor know of anyone who has so I can't attest to how smoothly that process goes.

Account

Signing up is required to complete the checkout process. I believe shopping on the site will accrue "Bonus Points" which can be then redeemed for various freebies. These points also expire every year end of March.

If the purchase is big enough, USD $155 within 3 months, Sasa may send a "VIP member" invitation. Their site says VIP's get 5% off throughout the year, 2x Bonus Points, birthday surprises, and free gifts.

Shipping Options

Shipping options to the USA and Canada are simple—it is either Free Shipping for orders $70+ or Standard Shipping is $15 for orders below $70. The requirements for other countries are slightly different. Do remember to double check before buying. Since the minimum requirement for free shipping is quite high, I recommend ordering with friends.

lavlilacs April 2017 haul - Sasa payment page

Payment

The site accepts a bunch of different payments: Visa, MasterCard, American Express, PayPal Diners Club International, JCB, Unionpay, Tenpay and Alipay.

It seems pain-free enough and practically every popular option is offered. Bestie did have troubles before when using credit cards in particular. Her issuing bank blocked her payment to Sasa once and on another occasion Sasa declined her payment. We're not really sure what the reasons were. Sometimes Sasa will e-mail to request for credit card confirmation information and other times trying a different credit card fixed the issue.

Maybe next time PayPal is the way to go?

Check Out Process

Other than possible payment hiccups, the rest of the check out process is simple. Shipping and payment information are input into in-screen pop-up windows. Then you accept the Terms and Conditions and press the "Confirm Payment" button to acknowledge the order.

I find the side "Notice" panels really intimidating. It looks like it has so much information even though most of it aren't pertinent to my order. Some "Notices" date back to 2013!

Delivery

Sasa estimates a delivery time of 8-12 business days. In reality, it took a little over 3 weeks for our purchase. The both of us weren't all too surprised. We don't order from Sasa often but every time we have the delivery time typically takes around 1 month.

We placed the order 4/3. Bestie said they sent a packing notification on 4/5 and dispatched it for delivery on 4/6. Even though she received a tracking number, it was a non-working one. The package arrived 4/26, and on the same day, Sasa sent an email to Bestie saying the order was canceled. What's up with that?

This was also our second attempt at ordering from Sasa. We had tried a month earlier and had similar communication mishaps. Sasa requested credit card confirmation information 2 weeks after placing our initial order. After waiting another 2 weeks for our package to arrive, Sasa sent an email one day saying the order had been cancelled altogether. Bestie suspected it was because one of the items on our list was out of stock. It would have been nice if they could have sent the other items and refunded the unavailable one, waited until everything was in stock again, or at the very least notified us of the cancellation earlier.

Returns

Sasa will accept returns within 30 days after receiving the package, but the items have to be completely unopened. This basically means you can have a change of heart on the actual act of purchasing but not because you didn't like the item after trying it.