It’s been too long since I’ve done a #fail review. It’s time.
I am a total sucker for pretty packaging. Even before I look at the description or ingredients, I often feel the pull to purchase something just because it looks beautiful. I’m sure I’m not the only one. I also have a soft spot for Korean toners. It’s definitely the skincare category in which I tend to overbuy.
What happens when a beautifully packaged toner is sold at TJ Maxx at a great price? You can probably guess. I picked up Frudia Blueberry Hydrating Toner and Frudia Antioxidant Pomegranate Nutri-Moisturizing Toner because I couldn’t control myself. They are also sold on eBay, Amazon, YesStyle, and Stylevana.
The blueberry toner contains 88% blueberry extract. It’s marketed for those with dry skin. The pomegranate toner is for those with dry and aging skin that’s losing elasticity.
How to use:
Apply after cleansing
Follow with the rest of your routine (essence / serum / lotion / etc.)
My impressions:
Full disclaimer - I only opened the blueberry one. Let me explain.
While I prefer unscented products (unscented options have a lower chance of causing irritation), I do like a great fragrance once in a while. However, I absolutely despise strong, cheap, in-your-face scents. They remind me of brightly colored low quality cosmetics of my childhood that could stain any surface permanently.
The Frudia toners are so heavily fragranced that they stopped me in my tracks. I just couldn’t use them. I tried the blueberry one a few times, and it felt nice and hydrating, but that scent… ugh! I didn’t even open the pomegranate one, because I could smell it through the package. In the spirit of honesty, the two friends who inherited these toners from me did like them, as far as I know. It could be that I’m just extra sensitive to smells. Or maybe these particular ones rubbed me the wrong way. I was severely disappointed. Sure, I got these at a discount, but the full price isn't exactly cheap. So to have a product that's pricey smell this awful was sad.
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Frudia blueberry hydrating toner ingredients: Vaccinium Angustifolium (Blueberry) Fruit Extract (88%), Butylene Glycol, Glycereth-26, 1,2-Hexanediol, Panthenol, Diethoxyethyl Succinate, Betaine, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer, Disodium EDTA, Fragrance, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil, Prunus Armeniaca (Apricot) Kernel Oil, Solanum Lycopersicum (Tomato) Seed Oil, Punica Granatum Seed Oil, Mangifera Indica (Mango) Seed Oil, Citrus Paradisi (Grapefruit) Seed Oil, Tocopherol
Frudia Pomegranate Nutri-Moisturizing Toner ingredients: Punica Granatum Fruit Extract (87%), Methylpropanediol, Glycereth-26, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Betaine, Phenoxyethanol, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Polysorbate 60, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer, Carbomer, Tromethamine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Fragrance, Disodium EDTA, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Prunus Armeniaca (Apricot) Kernel Oil, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil, CI 14700, Citrus Paradisi (Grapefruit) Seed Oil, Mangifera Indica (Mango) Seed Oil, Punica Granatum Seed Oil, Solanum Lycopersicum (Tomato) Seed Oil, Tocopherol