What is there to be said that hasn’t been said before about this cult favourite? Raved about by the likes of Caroline Hirons and Vivianna Does Make Up, this ‘exfoliating facial glow tonic’  is beauty’s answer to Mission Impossible. To say it is a challenge to get your hands on a bottle is a bit of an understatement, but the smart people of Pixi finally stocking up more at their Carnaby Street brick stone shop and a sweet friend going to London finally made things happen for me. One and one led to two, and now a rose gold bottle of liquid magic, also known as the Pixi Glow Tonic is standing front and center in my bathroom.

Pixi is a result-driven range, and that atitude shows in every aspect of their products. No pretty packaging that takes away focus from the product, no lofty marketing texts to cover up lack of result, you know what I mean. Sounds like a Scandinavian approach? Well, you might be on to something! Pixi was created by Petra Strand, a Swedish make up artist, and she tapped her sister, Sofia, for the skincare side of the brand. Sofia, a trained facialist in Stockholm with a A list clientele as long as my arm, focused on three musts for the line: simplicity, efficacy and price sensibility. Quality for a reasonable price, what’s not to like!

Let’s zoom in on the ingredients, shall we? First up, no added colour/fillers/additives or fragrances are allowed, so that each and every product, and especially the tonic, could be used by even the most sensitive of skins (that would be me then!). Labeled as ‘gorgeous glow-giver that brightens, tones and conditions your skin after cleansing’, it is an oil-free, alcohol-free gentle yet snappy, astrigent toner. The exfoliation part is handled by glycolic acid, this sugar-cane derivate will loosen dead skin cells without angering the skin underneath. Aloë vera soothes, witch hazel softens, smoothes and firms, horse chestnut boosts blood circulation, and lastly ginseng oxygenates, and thereby bringing life and energy to your skin cells.

The lasting effect of a toner often is hard to judge because, compared to other products, it only touches your skin shortly, but even so, a spritz on a cotton wool pad every night is worth the effort. I might be tricking myself here, but my fine lines seem to have slightly reduced. The few pigmentation spots that freckle my face haven’t necessarily faded, but the combination of the exfoliating, oxygenating and soothing ingredients zaps fatigue away like no one else can! Life at the moment is a circus going into overdrive, but somehow my face doesn’t show it. Redness from stress and tiredness is kept at bay, and while I can’t boast about that all-desired natural glow up to now, but there is a certain freshness to my face that makes a mom of 2 with a full-time job very happy! Simplicity and efficacy indeed!