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: IOPE - AIR CUSHION® (2017) Natural SPF50+/PA+++ No.13 (Ivory)

I have been wanting to write this review for some time now because this product is by the brand called IOPE, which is known for their “air cushions” as they are said to be among the best of the best. Evidently, one cushion is sold every four seconds. 

Before I decided that I wanted to try something that was majorly hyped, I kept thinking that if I had tried one cushion, I had tried them all. What made me change my mind was taking a look at their brand history. This is a brand that seemed like it really knew its science, and that intrigued me. It is also apparently Korea’s very first air cushion. So naturally, I did my research and finally decided to make the plunge.

Packaging: It comes in a beautiful case that shines like the rainbow when the sunlight catches it just right. The accompanying puff applicator is seemingly much smaller than other cushions I am more accustomed to; I attempted to demonstrate this in the photo above of the Iope puff next to the Missha one since I was unable to find any real measurements anywhere online. This is the one thing I dislike about the packaging because it feels like it takes longer to apply the product and blend it in. Somehow it just feels too tiny and awkward to hold in my hand. The cushion inside the case has unique 3D prism shapes to it that allows you to pick up more product without worrying about most of it sinking to the bottom. So far, I have not yet had to turn the cushion over, but only time will tell if this makes any real difference. They are also meant to make your skin appear dewy from any angle.

Price: I purchased this product for about $40 USD off of Jolse. It may seem expensive, but actually, it came with a refill so that really makes it only about $20 per cushion. Looking at it in this light, I would say this is a great price for an even better product. I expect this to last me about three months of daily usage.

Consistency: The new 2017 Iope cushions came out with multiple formulations: cover, intense cover, matte longwear, and natural. I purchased the “natural” one because I wanted a formulation that felt light but not too drying (like you might see with “matte longwear”) nor become too cakey (possibly with “cover” and the “intense cover” ones). I also chose the color #13 in ivory because lately my other cushions in #21 have been looking unnaturally dark and yellow on my skin -- and I’m not sure if this is an oxidation issue... or perhaps my retinol products are working that well? At any rate, #13 turned out to match my skin color perfectly.

Scent: It smells faintly of something floral, which I really enjoy. It does linger but is not by any means overwhelming.

Ingredients: Taking a look at this product’s CosDNA analysis, the ingredient list appeared like any other BB cushion. But I am stumped, honestly, because there is just something about this product -- it has taken my heart and replaced my old beloved holy grail BB cushion, Missha’s Essence Cushion.

High up on the list, there is zinc oxide, for one, which functions as a form of sunscreen, is an astringent, and works out very well for those of us who have acne. Niacinamide is also high up on this ingredient list, which is very effective for lightening and brightening up the skin. 

But then, the thing that makes this product stand out to me, more than any other cushion I have ever tried, is that I do not have to worry about having an oily face hours after having applied this product. I usually follow up my BB cushions/creams with a finishing powder out of habit, but I found that with this product, I actually do not need it unless I want that extremely matte look. This is huge! Apparently this is due to their unique addition of “bio water” in this formulation, a water retention capability that allows your skin to stay moisturized even after long hours of being on your skin. Although I was unable to find any current studies on bio water at this time, I did find a review by The Dermatology Review that revealed this interesting information regarding it:

As a homeopathic water concentrate that is mainly alkaline in nature, bio water in its purest form is highly concentrated with both oxygen and electrolytes. 

In the meantime, I will continue to search for actual studies that support this claim, but as it stands, I did feel that this made sense in light of this Iope cushion. My skin did not feel dried out nor oily with this cushion. And I have said this before, but I will say it again: proper hydration and moisturization (a perfectly balanced oil-water content of the skin, if you will) does make a difference in your skin.

Overall Review: If it is not already obvious, my conclusion is that this brand is definitely onto something. This is the best cushion I have ever tried, and I do believe that the hype surrounding their best-selling air cushions are not unfounded. If you have not yet tried one of these cushions, I would highly recommend that you give them a try. 5/5.

Review: Hada Labo - Gokujyun Lotion (Clear)

Packaging: It comes in a clear, plastic bottle (170ml) with a label stuck right on it along with a cap that pulls open. I like that the spout dispenses the product in the exact amount I need when I simply tip the bottle upside down over my hand for a moment. What I don’t like is that its design is so similar to their other products that sometimes we may confuse it for something else. A quick Google search shows that it also appears to go by the name “Hada Labo Gokujyun Hyaluronic Acid Lotion (Moist),” making matters worse. (And remember, Japan refers to toners as “lotions.”)

Price: Because I bought this at a T&T store in Canada, the price was marked up to about $25-30 CAD, but you can get this product off of Amazon for about $16 USD. So far, it has lasted me over five months and I generally use it 2x a day (although, admittedly, I haven’t been using it as often this month since I’m testing out another hydrating toner).

Consistency: The consistency is very watery, but there is still this slightly viscous feel to it. Because of this, I don’t use a cotton ball/pad to apply it since so much of the product can get trapped inside and get wasted; instead, I simply use the palms of my hands to pat it onto my face. Its finish feels dewy (or as the name implies, “moist”), making it the perfect hydrating toner.

Scent: Absolutely no scent! Great for people who are sensitive to fragrances.

Ingredients: A CosDNA analysis showed that the only flagged item was butylene glycol (solvent + moisturizer) for acne, which only scored a 1. But let us dive right in and analyze the star ingredient, hyaluronic acid. It only sounds scary, but it isn’t – I promise! When we think of “acids,” we generally think of exfoliation and skin peeling, but this ingredient does the exact opposite: it moisturizes, plumps your skin, and sucks moisture out of the air and into your skin. This product includes two forms of hyaluronic acid for increased efficiency due to their differently sized molecules: hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid and sodium hyaluronate. They are naturally found within the skin and even between connective tissues. 

Its “plumping” effect on the fine lines of my forehead shows that it actually works instantly; the photos above were taken only minutes apart. And take a look at that short ingredient list! I love it! Unless you have a sensitivity to hyaluronic acid, this product may be just what you’re looking for if your fine lines need some plumping.

Important note: If you find that hyaluronic acid actually dries out your skin, this is because there is no moisture in the air for it to draw into the skin, so it sucks the moisture out of your face instead. This issue can easily be mitigated by using a moisturizer on top (which you absolutely should be using anyway!).

Overall Review: This product is ideal for all skin types due to its simple ingredient list and lack of fragrances. I will note that it does contain parabens to keep the other ingredients from breaking down or spoiling, so if that bothers you, then you may not like this product. But if this doesn’t bother you, then you will absolutely love this product for its efficiency just as I do. 5/5.

Review: TheFaceShop - Chia Seed Soothing Mist Toner

Packaging: It comes in a green plastic bottle (170ml) with a clear cap that pulls off to reveal a spray nozzle. I absolutely love how fine of a mist this spray produces. I had originally planned on including a photo of it sprayed onto my hand, but even with my Nikon D5000, it looked like there wasn’t anything there – that’s just how fine it is! Side note: The packaging was recently updated, so this is why you see two different types of the bottle in my photos (the recent one being the clear bottle), but the formulation is still the same!

Price: It goes for $27 CAD on TheFaceShop’s Canadian website. As much as I love this mist toner, I do think the price could be cheaper. I can go through it in a single month if I use it consistently in my routine (which would normally be 2x a day, multiple spritzes), but as you can probably tell from my empty bottles in the photos above, the price doesn’t hold me back from buying more!

Consistency: This product is for very, very light layers of hydration. If you’re looking for something of a powerhouse, then this product might feel underwhelming for you. However, the extremely lightness is part of why I love this product so much. It goes well under or over anything (including makeup) and gives me just the right amount of light hydration that my combo skin needs. Even after spraying multiple layers on, it never feels heavy.

Scent: I fell in love with this scent from the very first moment I spritzed it onto my face. It’s light, fresh, and doesn’t linger at all. I couldn’t get enough of the scent, so I’ve bought many products from TheFaceShop’s Chia Seed line*.

Ingredients: According to CosDNA, there are only a few flagged ingredients that might cause acne (all of which scored a measly 1), but they are present in most skincare products and are of little concern: dimethicone (emollient), butylene glycol (solvent + moisturizer), and castor oil (fragrance + moisturizer + emollient). The star ingredient of this product, which is the very first ingredient present in the list, is “Salvia Hispanica Seed Extract” – commonly known as chia seed. It is an emollient and skin conditioner, making it the perfect hydrating element. And even more, chia seeds have been shown to relieve dry, itchy, and irritated skin when applied topically! 

In a study by the Annals of Dermatology, researchers found that:

[C]hia seed oil is the richest botanical source of 18:3 n-3 fatty acid currently known. In addition, chia seed oil also contains natural α-linolenic acid and flavonol, which can act as lipid antioxidants… the flavonol has anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-thrombotic and anti-cancer effects.

This is significant because omega-3s also make this product useful to those with troubled (read: acne-infected) skin.

Overall Review: This product is ideal for all skin types, and especially so for those with finicky, sensitive skin. As the name suggests, this chia seed toner will “soothe” your skin even when it is at its worst. Throughout my crazy skin journey, this product has been something I’ve used consistently because it delivers exactly as it promises, and I can’t see myself ever being without it. 5/5.

* Look forward to my future reviews on more of TheFaceShop’s Chia Seed line!