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As a proud card-carrying member of the Sensitive Skin Club (a thing I made up), I’m well acquainted with the humbling experience of passing up sensorial body-care products for clinical-looking bottles of unscented ointment. Even though I love perusing the pleasantly perfumed body-care aisle to see the latest and greatest launches, my reactive skin doesn’t play well with the fragrance-heavy formulas dominating the space. To keep my eczema flare-ups under control, I’ve retreated to the safety of unscented options.
Fortunately, the fragrance-free body-care space is no longer a wasteland; brands are increasingly churning out sensitive skin-approved alternatives to scented formulas, as seen in Knock’s Unscented Melt In Body Toner ($26).
Photo: Courtesy of Knock
The Korean body-care brand — which launched in the U.S. earlier this year — is blurring the line between face and body formulations. After all, why should our faces hog all the best ingredients? Powered by a hydrating formula packed with squalane, niacinamide, peptides and ceramides, Knock’s Melt In Body Toner is the ideal addition to my simplistic body-care routine. Ever the “skinimalist,” my bare-bones regimen stars an unscented bar of soap and a colloidal oatmeal-packed cream for post-shower dryness. Now, this dermatologist-tested, scent-free toner adds long-lasting hydration from the neck down without aggravating my eczema-prone skin.
I must confess that my pared-down body-care routine is also due to my very particular preferences on formula texture. As a personal rule, anything remotely sticky gets tossed out, while goopy formulas are condemned to the depths of my beauty closet. Knock claims its Melt In Body Toner “absorbs instantly without sticky residue,” and to my delight, it exceeded my textural expectations. Mirroring the liquid-y consistency of a facial toner, the milky essence sinks into the skin without a trace. There’s no “glass skin” gleam here, only a hydrated (not dewy!) finish that doesn’t rub off on my clothes. Most importantly, my eczema (which flares up in the summer and winter — fun!) has remained calm while I’ve tested the toner for the past couple months.
Photo: Courtesy of Knock
For those without fragranced body-care woes, Knock also offers its toner in four distinct scents: Pistachio, a nutty blend of olive leaf and oat milk cream; Zesty, a fruity burst of orange zest and lemon juice; Caramelt, a decadent mix of caramel and warm vanilla; and Sea Salt, an aquatic boost of coconut water and “coastal breeze.” The emerging K-beauty brand’s assortment also includes a Shaking Serum Mist (a hydrating spray for faces on-the-go), Blending Oil (to boost Knock’s scents and moisturization), Mellow Body Wash (a foaming body cleanser) and Sandy Scrub Wash (an exfoliating coconut scrub).
Although my one-sided beef with fragrance-first body care is unlikely to subside anytime soon, I’ll be slathering on this scentless toner until its (adorable!) tin-like container is empty.
Knock Melt In Body Toner Unscented, $26, available here.
Please note: This product was gifted. In no way does this affect our editorial decision-making.
