Empties & Mini Reviews [July 2017 – December 2017]

Brands Included: COSRX | Missha | TheFaceShop | the CREME shop | Hada Labo | SCINIC | Kikumasamune | Mamonde

1. COSRX

• COSRX – AHA/BHA Clarifying Treatment Toner
  • As somebody with oily, acne-prone skin, I found this product to work fine, but it did not seem to do quite as much as I would have hoped it would. It could be because the formulation is so gentle and I need a higher percentage of AHA/BHA, but this product would be ideal to those with sensitive skin. Will not repurchase. 4/5.
• COSRX – Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence
  • When my skin was doing particularly bad, this was my absolute go-to product. It hydrates, heals, and soothes the skin very effectively. I think everybody should try a snail product at least once in their lifetime. Will repurchase. 5/5.
• COSRX – Ultimate Moisturizing Honey Overnight Mask
  • While COSRX tends to impress me more than disappoint, I was sad to find that this product did next to nothing for my skin. As an overnight mask, I expected it to act as an occlusive to seal in all of the hydration and moisture from the products I used underneath, but it felt like it would simply dissipate from my skin. I did love the texture of the actual product though. Will not repurchase. 2/5.

2. Missha

• Missha – Time Revolution Night Repair Science Activator Borabit Ampoule
  • This is a holy grail item for me. With its long list of extracts I can always expect this product to hydrate my skin and make it look more radiant. And because it has a very small percentage of retinol, I can comfortably use it every night without irritating my skin but still see the benefits that retinol brings — lightening of acne scars, smoother skin texture, a more even skin tone, and less acne in general. Will repurchase. 5/5.
• Missha – Near Skin Smart All-In-One Cream
  • I wanted to love this product so much. Its ingredient list might suggest that it could easily become a product loved by many, but for whatever reason this product did very little for me. I do not think that it truly functions as an all-in-one product, but rather, a slightly heavier gel-cream. That being said, it must be one of the very few products by Missha that had absolutely no fragrance. While it did not make my skin worse, it did seem to make it more oily and did not wear well under makeup. Will not repurchase. 2/5.

3. TheFaceShop

• TheFaceShop – Jeju Volcanic Lava Pore Mud Pack
  • Simply put, I found this product to be very drying (and ultimately damaging to my skin more than anything else). My skin is not particularly sensitive, but this product made it feel as though it was. Will not repurchase. 1/5.
• TheFaceShop – Chia Seed Moisture Recharge Cream
  • After discovering that my holy grail Chia Seed Moisturizing Cream had been discontinued, I decided to give this newer formulation a try. I was pleasantly surprised. Just as the original cream, it soothed my skin, thoroughly moisturized my skin without turning it greasy, and worked well under my makeup. The only thing that gets me about this product is that its scent seems more artificial (more “perfume-like”) than natural. Their first formulation will always be superior, but this is an acceptable replacement. Will repurchase. 4.5/5.

4. the CREME shop

• the CREME shop – Chia Seed Calming Spritz Toner
  • I thought I had stumbled onto an amazing dupe for my beloved Chia Seed Soothing Mist Toner by TheFaceShop, but unfortunately, I was very disappointed by this product. It burned my skin instead of soothing it, smelled strongly of perfume, and was drying rather than hydrating. I managed to finish the bottle by using it on my body. After only a few uses, I was reluctant to use this on my face. Will not repurchase. 0/5.

5. Hada Labo

• Hada Labo – Gokujyun Lotion (Clear)
  • This is a perfectly light toner that effectively plumped up my skin, reducing the look of the fine lines on my forehead and under my eyes. I found that it was perfect for layering when I wanted that extra bit of hydration. Will not repurchase only because its main ingredient, hyaluronic acid, can be found in many Asian beauty products that provide additional benefits. 5/5.

6. SCINIC

• SCINIC – Honey All In One Ampoule
  • Smells amazing, feels amazing, and simply is amazing. I loved how thick this product was while at the same time it felt light on the skin because of how well it absorbed. (Note that it will feel sticky until it does fully absorb.) It soothed my skin, improved my skin’s texture, was healing, and helped fade some post-acne scars. Will repurchase. 5/5.

7. Kikumasamune

• Kikumasamune – High Moist Lotion
  • The most hydrating toner I have ever used to date. It delivers immediate hydration upon application due to the many ceramides it contains and improves the skin with its star ingredient, fermented sake. Perfect for layering. Smells of bananas and bubble gum. Will not repurchase only because of its controversial ingredient (horse placenta) and there is a dupe of this product. Still, I cannot deny that this is an amazing product. 5/5.

8. Mamonde

• Mamonde – Rose Water Toner
  • The highest rose-containing product that I currently know of (90.98%) that smells of natural roses and not artificially perfumed. I love that I could use it effectively as an astringent toner to remove any makeup I might have missed with my cleanser and to prepare my skin for the following products I used on top of it. It made my skin smooth and helped reduce my acne. Will repurchase. 5/5.

Review: Cosrx – Ultimate Moisturizing Honey Overnight Mask

 

Packaging: This product comes in a rather small plastic tub (50g) accompanied by an inner seal and a twist-off black cap.

Price: I got this for sale on Jolse for about $14 USD. This has lasted me well over six months because such a little amount can go a long way (however, full disclosure: I did not use this every day – more on this in a moment).

Consistency: If I had been reviewing this on the first day that I tried it, I may have given it a 5/5 rating simply because it feels so nice on my skin. The consistency is what some may refer to as “chewy” or jello-like because it has sort of bounce to it. When applying it to the skin, it spreads easily like a watery serum. Once it is all rubbed in, it feels lightly moisturizing and minimally tacky to the touch. This product does not feel rich at all, so oily skin types would likely be the best candidates for it.

Scent: No scent! Great for sensitive skin types and those who dislike fragrances in their cosmetics.

Ingredients: A CosDNA analysis revealed that there were a couple of things that could either be irritating or acne-causing, such as butylene glycol (solvent + moisturizer), dimethicone (emollient), carbomer (viscosity control), and beeswax (viscosity control + emollient + emulsifier). Personally, I experienced no irritation or acne from this product but I can imagine the beeswax possibly being an issue for others.

What I found interesting about this product is that it actually contained no real honey at all – what a misleading name! It does, however, have bee by-products such as propolis (85%) and, of course, the beeswax. Topical usage of propolis has been gaining more attention in the beauty world due to its propensity to help heal wounds and fight off infections. It is a mixture of bee saliva and beeswax gathered from budding flowers, sap, and so forth. Bees use this mixture on their beehives to keep intruders out but also to “sterilize” themselves as they move in and out of the hive. One study in 2003 found that:

Topical propolis is a well-tolerated therapy for wound healing and […]  it may enhance wound closure.

Another study in 2013:

Due to its antimicrobial, antiviral, and antioxidant properties, it is widely used in human and veterinary medicine, pharmacology, and cosmetics.

In the same study, the researchers investigate all of these claims and find that they are true, albeit not being some kind of “miracle” ingredient as I am sure many might hope for.

Beeswax is a substance made out of honey and pollen which makes up the “combs” of the beehive. I only found one study from 2003 that found beeswax to be beneficial to those with skin issues such as dermatitis and psoriasis vulgaris when applied topically, but their sample size was considerably small, making it hard to really back up these claims. More studies are definitely needed (considering how often beeswax makes its way into our cosmetics). So this is probably where Cosrx decided they would name their product a “honey” one, but in my opinion, this is not honey in and of itself, and they would have been better off calling this product a “propolis” one – especially since that is the main ingredient, making up 85% of the formulation.

After months of usage, I can honestly say this did little to nothing for my acne or any flaking I experienced at the time. In fact, as an “overnight mask,” intended to be the last step of your skincare routine to seal everything in, it did not perform at all to my expectations. It did not appear to seal very much moisture in, and in the end, I found out I was better off using this product on its own as a light moisturizer at night. If I used it during the day, it made my face appear shiny and my makeup felt like it would just slide off.

Overall Review: I bought this product due to the hype surrounding it and the brand, but truly, I was disappointed. I felt that the name was misleading and it did not work well as an overnight mask. It definitely made no difference in how quickly my acne healed, either. In fact, it really felt like it simply did nothing at all; nothing good nor bad came of this product. But still, just because it did not work out well for me, there must be a good reason as to why so many others are in love with it. It is fragrant-free, has a simple ingredient list, and a little goes a long way. But perhaps I was disappointed because I realized there were better overnight masks out there that also provided me with more benefits. At any rate, I do not foresee myself buying this particular product again, though I do still love Cosrx and intend to try out more of their products. 2/5.

Face Cleansers: The Best & The Worst

pH Levels and Why You Should Care

(Acidic) 0 ——————— (Neutral) 7 ——————— (Alkaline) 14

The higher the pH level, the more irritating and stipping a cleanser becomes. But if you have one with a much lower pH level, then your cleanser basically does nothing for you. Our faces rest comfortably at a 5.0, so the idea is to find a cleanser that best matches this slightly more acidic pH level.

The Worst

As much as I adore TheFaceShop’s Chia Seed line*, their Jeju Volcanic Lava Pore Scrub Foam is one product I would never recommend to anybody. There are a few reasons for this:

1. It has a high pH level – I believe somewhere around 8.0!
2. It has alcohol in its ingredients, making it even more drying and stripping on your skin. (A face cleanser absolutely does not need alcohol to do its job!)
3. It contains tiny beads (seen on the right in the photo above) which can actually cause microscopic tears on your skin, leading to greater issues in the long run, such as irritation and signs of premature aging. (Fun fact: St. Ives received a lawsuit for this very reason regarding their once-beloved Apricot Scrub product.) If you feel it’s absolutely necessary to exfoliate, trust me, there are better and safer ways to do this!* These microbeads found in many face cleansers are not only a potential harm to yourself, but they are also harmful to the environment as they contribute to the ever-growing plastic waste found in the ocean.
4. It gives you that “squeaky clean” feeling. In hindsight, this may sound like a good thing, but that “squeaky clean” feeling is actually the result of harsh ingredients and a high pH level.
5. Once more for good measure: It is extremely drying and stripping!

Another fun fact: If you’ve been keeping up with my posts, you’ll remember that I ditched my Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Stress Control Power-Cream Wash for many of the reasons listed above – the most predominant reason being its too-high pH level. And now you know why!

The Best

You never know the beauty of having an amazing face cleanser until you make the switch. You were probably brought up to believe that the squeaky clean, tight and burning sensations were all “proof” that your face cleanser was working. Now, I hope I’ve shed enough light on this issue to show you that this is definitely not the case at all! All of those sensations you feel is your skin’s own way of telling you, “Stop! I don’t like this on my face!”

Now that I use CosRX’s Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser, I no longer have to worry that I’m stripping my skin of its natural oils and causing premature aging. But there are many reasons why I adore this cleanser:

1. It has a pH level of 5.5, perfect for your face’s naturally acidic pH level.
2. It contains tea tree oil, which is an ingredient that has been shown to effectively treat acne. (Side note: Never use 100% pure tea tree oil on your face until it is properly and thoroughly diluted with a carrier oil, such as jojoba oil, otherwise you risk burning your skin!)
3. It also contains evening primrose flower extract, which is another ingredient beneficial for those of you with acne-related issues.
4. It makes my skin feel clean, but not dried out or tight.
5. It is very affordable! ($11 CAD from Chuusi, and $11 USD from Soko Glam.)

*Stay tuned for reviews on my favorite Chia Seed line by TheFaceShop!
*Learn about the different (and better) ways to exfoliate your skin in a future post.

Review: COSRX – Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence

Packaging: This product comes in a frosted plastic bottle (100ml) with a clear cap that pulls right off. It features an airless pump, making the product less susceptible to bacteria contamination and spillage. This is the most ideal way to have your products packaged, so that’s a 5/5 in this regard.

Price: $21 CAD from Chuusi or $19 USD from Jolse and Solo Glam. I’ve been using this product since January, 2x a day, and I’m only just half way through this product. In my opinion, this is worth every dollar due to how long it lasts and because it’s so efficient at what it does.

Consistency: As you can see from the photos above, this product has a thick viscosity that spreads very easily. Immediately after applying, it will feel sticky but as it sinks in, its finish leaves your skin feeling amazingly smooth and well hydrated.

Scent: Absolutely no scent! Perfect for those who are intolerant to fragrances in skincare products.

Ingredients: What makes this product so special is its main ingredient, snail mucin, at a whopping 96%. It has the highest concentration of snail mucin on the market right now, so you’d be hard pressed to find a better snail product than this one. Snail mucin is not only full of nutrients, but it also protects the skin against aging, it hydrates, heals, and most notably soothes the skin from sunburns and irritations. Looking at the photo above of my face, you can see that after only an hour and a half, my inflamed acne* already looks less red and angry. According to CosDNA, the only acne trigger is butylene glycol (solvent + moisturizer) while the only irritant is carbomer (viscosity control), both ingredients being very common in skincare products, so it is highly unlikely that you would have any issues with this product (unless, of course, you fall under the unlucky category of people who cannot tolerate snail mucin). Because of its simple ingredient list, I can (and often do) smear this product all over my face in multiple thick layers, and I don’t even have to worry about it clogging my pores or contributing to more acne!

Overall Review: My first interaction with this product is actually something right out of a love story. One day, my skin was angry at me because I had over-exfoliated it, which caused it to feel tight, become oily and overly dry with patches at the same time, and everything I normally used on my skin actually burned. Out of desperation, I found myself rummaging through a bunch of skincare samples I had received from my latest Jolse order, and I came across this product. I had remembered reading reviews about it and how it helped with all of these issues, so I decided to take the plunge and just smother it all over my face. I did not regret it. The very next day, every issue I had seemed to have dissipated like magic. I was instantly smitten and had to go and buy myself a full bottle of it (and of course we lived happily ever after).

But really, if you have normal skin with very little issues (esp. acne), this product may actually seem very underwhelming in your skincare routine, but I believe this product is a must-have for everybody. Sunburn? Snail mucin. Acne? Snail mucin. Random cut on your arm/leg/etc.? Snail. Worried about premature aging and wrinkles? Snail, snail, snail. With a product like this on hand, there is really very little for you to have to worry about. Move over, aloe vera, because snail mucin is making its way into all of our cabinets. 5/5.

* Spoiler alert! The breakout you see on my chin was due to something I ate. Read about the difference between a food-related acne trigger vs. a normal, hormonal breakout here.