Pixi glow tonic exfoliating toner review năm 2024

It doesn’t seem like too long ago that toners and exfoliators were two completely different products. One was a clean-smelling liquid whose purpose you never fully understood, and the other, a harsh grainy scrub that would leave your sink – and face – messy.

But skincare has come a long way, and anyone who is after consistently clear and glowing skin now knows that a mighty glycolic acid toner is the best product you can have in your beauty stash. And there’s one particular best-selling version beauty editors can’t get enough of.

The reason Pixi Glow Tonic has become such a cult product is because its main ingredient is glycolic acid – an AHA (that’s alpha hydroxy acid), which means it chemically exfoliates the skin by penetrating deeper into pores, breaking down dead skin cells and dissolving oil build-up. All of this while also reducing the appearance of fine lines and inflammation. Basically, it’s magic.

It’s gentle enough to use everyday but we suggest adding it to your nighttime routine, as the acids increase skin’s sensitivity to UV rays (you’ll still need to slather on a moisturiser with SPF in the morning).

The fact that this product tackles both acne and age concerns has made it a huge hit among buyers as well as beauty pros.

One user wrote: “I had acne on my forehead prior to purchasing and in as little as four days it started to clear. My forehead is actually acne free right now and I’ve only been using these products for less than two weeks! Worth every penny!”

Another said: “I’ve been using this for months now, and having spot-prone skin I have seen a great improvement in my skin and regularly wear little to no makeup as it gives such a fab glow. It has evened out my skintone and texture!”

One reviewer said she can’t ever “be without it” adding that, “My skin is 51 years old, menopausal and dry and it doesn’t look it!! My skin is glowy and that in large part is due to this tonic.”

If you’ve not tried it, what are you waiting for?

Learn all about how you can get the Pixi glow at the GLAMOUR Beauty Festival in London on 24-26 July, where the Pixi team will be offering Glow Facials and also introducing their new Collagen collection.

You can probably predict the verdict of this Pixi Glow Tonic review. That's because Pixi Glow tonic is one of those beauty products that’s so widely adored it’s almost become a cliché to say you love it.

And look, tropes exist for a reason and with this cult liquid exfoliator it’s with very good reason—this stuff is brilliant. Beauty Editors have it on repeat order (myself included after writing this review) supermodels rave about it and facialists recommend it to their clients. It sells every minute globally on average and is about a third of the price of your typical superstar skincare acid product.

But what exactly is Pixi Glow Tonic, and how did it become a modern beauty hero? This tried and tested Pixi Glow Tonic review has all the answers you need.

Pixi Glow Tonic Review: everything you need to know

Pixi glow tonic ingredients

(Image credit: Pixi)

Pixi Glow Tonic is a liquid exfoliator that shifts dead cells and smooths rough skin texture via it’s main active ingredient, glycolic acid. As well as glycolic, the ingredients list is an all-star cast designed to soften and hydrate, like glycerin and aloe vera plus ginseng, which has antioxidant benefits to brighten.

In practice, I found that it was this combination of nourishing and exfoliating ingredients that made this one of the best toners I've tried for all-around skin improvements. There are many acids out there, and god knows I've tried them all, but glycolic is the gold standard. It’s an alpha hydroxy acid that works by loosening the joins between dead cells so they naturally shift from your skin’s surface, revealing the fresh layer beneath. It can also stimulate collagen production over time and help other products penetrate more deeply.

Glycolic often crops up in hardworking but slightly scary at-home chemical peels, blended with other strong actives for maximum skincare satisfaction but also the potential for irritation. Here, Pixi has done something very clever by including glycolic in a fairly robust concentration (5%) but also ensuring to soothe and quench the skin. This means Glow Tonic gave my skin that satisfying instant smoothness that makes using an acid toner worthwhile, but also gave me peace of mind that it wouldn’t aggravate my skin. Happy days!

How I tested Pixi Glow Tonic

This is by far the easiest bit of this Pixi glow tonic review to explain because applying Pixi Glow tonic went like this—I dropped it onto a pad and swiped it on my face. I did this on just cleansed skin and let it sit for a minute before going onto my hydrating serums and creams. It did tingle a tiny bit and I felt a satisfying little ripple of sensation that indicated something was working hard in my skin, but nothing painful or extreme. It smelled fresh and pleasantly botanical, not chemically or overly perfumed.

Now for the big question - how often should you exfoliate your face with Pixi Glow Tonic? It claims to be gentle enough for daily use, and many people do use it daily, but tempting as it may be I’d recommend aiming for two to three nights a week. This is what I did and meant I could go ahead and use other active products on alternate nights, say the best retinol creams, without overstimulating my skin. After applying it this way every second night for a week I felt a noticeably smoothed-out texture and spotted an unusual brightness in my tone. Plus, my rosacea-prone skin remained resolutely not-red.

It’s also worth remembering that as exfoliation exposes all those peachy-fresh skin cells, hence the glow, you should always apply the best facial sunscreen for broad-spectrum protection the following morning. In all honestly, you should wear SPF all the time full stop, but that’s another bit of beauty nagging for another story.

Which Pixi Glow Tonic should I buy?

The 500ml bottle of Pixi Glow Tonic that I tested

(Image credit: Fiona McKim)

As well as being ultra-affordable, Pixi Glow Tonic is ultra-simple to get your hands on. It’s available at a wide range of online beauty retailers and there's often a deal to be had. The classic 250ml bottle lasts you several months depending on how often you use it. If you are a die-hard fan or trying to reduce your plastic usage there is also a supersize 500ml bottle, which is what I was testing here. Plus there is a smaller 100ml that's ideal for first timers and pads so you needn’t go without Glow Tonic on the go.

Such is the success of this cult product, Pixi has created several other variants of Glow Tonic designed to tackle specific skin concerns, including Rose, Vitamin C, and Pixi Glow Collagen Tonic. It seems the Glow Tonic family will keep going from strength to strength, and no wonder. This unbeatable combination of effectiveness, ease of use and price means it’s always on my dressing table and should be on yours too.

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What does Pixi Glow Tonic exfoliating toner do?

The Pixi Glow Tonic™ is a highly concentrated, invigorating facial toner that deeply cleans pores by sweeping away excess oil and impurities. Never run out of your favourite Pixi products. Formulated with 5% Glycolic Acid. Exfoliates, brightens and smooths skin.

Can I use Pixi Glow Tonic toner everyday?

Now for the big question - how often should you exfoliate your face with Pixi Glow Tonic? It claims to be gentle enough for daily use, and many people do use it daily, but tempting as it may be I'd recommend aiming for two to three nights a week.

Does Pixi Glow Tonic really work?

It really works and does what it says it does. Gentle on the skin. Smooth and luminous skin overnight. Can't live without it.

What are the disadvantages of Pixi Glow Tonic?

Glycolic acid can't be used with vitamin c and, although we all should be doing this anyway, you really must wear SPF if you use the Glow Tonic in the morning because the acid makes skin far more sensitive to the sun.