Lotus Herbals Basiltone Cucumber & Basil Clarifying & Balancing Toner: Review

Rs. 225 for 100ml

Shelf Life: 3 years

Lotus - "Basiltone is a dynamic blend of basil leaf extract and cucumber extract which restores natural pH balance of combination or oily skin. Helps tighten pores and removes any residue of makeup, pollution or excess oils. As a result skin is clear, clean and fresh."

You can see why I was drawn to this toner. It seems like a miracle product for anyone with combination or oily skin. The "1 min to toned skin" written at the base of the bottle added to its attractiveness. The label on the toner says to follow up the Lotus Lemonpure cleanser with this toner, but I generally like to wash my face with a good face wash before toning. Oily skin needs a good face wash in the summer. I was using Lotus Herbals Neemwash Neem and Clove Ultra-Purifying Face Wash for a long time and I loved it; but then I switched to Lotus Herbals TeaTreewash Tea Tree & Cinnamon Anti-Acne Oil Control Face Wash. Let's see more about this toner:

Why I like it:
*  Basil and neem are known for their medicinal properties; while cucumber has cool soothing properties - a blend of the three is ideal for the crazy hot summer.
*  It restores the natural pH balance of the skin.
*  Skin feels cool and fresh after use.
*  1 minute to toned skin? It's really true! It takes a few sprays and a few more seconds to apply, and then another few seconds to completely seep in. A couple of seconds more, and you're ready to moisturize.
*  The quantity lasts quite a while. I've been using it twice a day religiously for 3 months now, and I think I can squeeze another month out of it!
*  The bottle is quite travel friendly. And it comes in a see-through spray bottle!
*  Good, affordable toners are hard to come buy; and this is one of the rare ones.

Where it falls short:
*  It claims to tighten pores which is the main reason why I bought it (I have a major problem of open pores); but I didn't notice any such effect on myself.

Notice the tiny crack on the lid?

*  I wouldn't trust it to remove makeup residue or pollution/dust/grime from my face. I don't even trust their cleanser for that. That's what the face wash was for!
*   I'm not a huge fan of the fragrance (though after completing more than three quarters of the bottle, I don't mind it as much now).
*   Though I said the bottle is travel friendly, it's not the sturdiest bottle ever. You can see the crack on the lid; it developed the very day I bought the toner!
*  Again, like I said with the Lemonpure Cleanser, this too contains parabens; which is a major disappointment.

My Verdict: 7/10

Will I repurchase it? Ummmm.....maybe someday. For now, I'm still looking for something to reduce the size of my gigantic pores, and this one is clearly not helping. I would suggest giving it a shot; it might suit you better.

More Details:
Ingredients: Water, Glycerin, Cucumis Sativa (Cucumber) Extract, Ocimum Basilicum (Basil) Extract, Azadirachta Indica (Neem) Extract, 2-Phenoxyethanol, Methyl Paraben, Propyl Paraben, Fragrance.