REVIEW: SKINFOOD WATERY BERRY LINE (TONER, SERUM, EMULSION)

I wanted to try Skinfood Watery Berry line because I loved the packaging and the CF (silly reasons, I know), but as the prices were quite stiff, I didn't want to purchase them and end up regretting my decision. Imagine my happiness when I received the samples for the toner, serum and emulsion! Now I'll stop blabbering and tell you what I think about them.

• Main ingredients (source: eng.theskinfood.com):

- Berries: Cloudberries, lingonberries, and raspberries from Lapland, a region famous for its Santa Claus village, provide superior antioxidant properties.

- Hyaluronic acid: holds up to 30 times its weight in water, transforming dry skin into a soft, glowing texture.

• Skinfood Watery Berry Toner:

- Description: A dewy moisture toner that promotes soft, glowing skin with berry extracts and hyaluronic acid.

- My opinion: This is a gentle, non-stripping and non-drying toner. I don't think it provides much moisture to the skin, but at least it doesn't irritate or dry my skin out. It also has a light scent which I really like. If you have dry/sensitive skin, I highly recommend this product.

- Score: 8/10

• Skinfood Watery Berry Serum:

- Description: A dewy moisture serum that promotes soft, glowing skin with berry extracts and hyaluronic acid.

- My opinion: This is my favorite product out of the bunch. I used this when my skin was dull-looking and dehydrated, and when I woke up the next morning, my skin was revitalized, moisturized and visibly brighter. Its light texture enabled it to penetrate quickly into the skin without leaving any greasy residues behind. However, I used this in spring, when the weather was still cold, so I'm not sure if it'll be suitable for the scorching summer. But in my opinion, it'll be fine because of its light consistency. I think every skin type can use this, but if you have really dry skin, make sure to follow up with a moisturizer.

- Score: 10/10

• Skinfood Watery Berry Emulsion:

- Description: A dewy emulsion that promotes soft, glowing skin with berry extracts and hyaluronic acid (OK, Skinfood is really lazy with their English translations as the descriptions for their line are basically the same, minus the product names :/)

- My opinion: This is basically a light moisturizer, which absorbs quickly as well as provides moisture and brightening effect. I really like it but I think the moisturizing and brightening properties pale in comparison with the serum. That's understandable because serum is more concentrated and meant for treatment, while emulsion is just supposed to provide extra moisture and comfort for the skin. Again, I can't attest to how it'll perform in hot weather, but if you have dry/dehydrated skin and feel that the serum is not enough for your skin, follow up with this emulsion.

- Score: 9/10

Purchase?: I love this line, but I'm quite satisfied with my skincare routine at the moment, so I'll have to say no. But I may buy them in the future if the current products stop working for me. Overall, I highly recommend these products for those with dry or oily/dehydrated skin because they're so light, gentle yet effective.

REVIEW: SK-II PITERA DELUXE SET TRAVEL EXCLUSIVE: FACIAL TREATMENT ESSENCE (215MML) - FACIAL TREATMENT CLEAR LOTION (215ML)

Pitera, SK-II signature ingredient, is probably one of the most famous ones in high-end skincare products. Needless to say, I was longing to try out the notorious Facial Treatment Essence as well as the much-raved about Facial Treatment Clear Lotion. Last year, I saw this exclusive travel set in Hong Kong International Airport, so I snapped it up instantly because 1) it was tax-free and 2) it was cheaper to buy in a set rather than individual products. 

• What is Pitera? 

In 1970s, SK-II scientists found out that aged sake brewer all had youthful and soft hands even though their faces were all wrinkled. They assumed that it was due to the fermentation liquid that they came in contact with while fermenting sake. After testing over 350 kinds of yeast, they finally discovered the yeast strain that helped maintain the skin youthfulness, and Pitera was created. According to SK-II, Pitera contains a lot of vitamins, amino acids, minerals, and organic acids, which can enhance the skin's rejuvenation process.

• My opinion:

 - SK-II Facial Treatment Clear Lotion: 

I really like this lotion because it's gentle, hydrating and non-drying. In my opinion, it's very hard to find a moisturizing yet non-sticky toner, but this one fits the bill perfectly. Even when my face was at its driest peak, it never dried my skin out. Having said that, I don't think I'll repurchase it because it doesn't really do anything to my skin: it doesn't improve my skin texture and has no effects whatsoever on my occasional breakouts (despite the fact that it contains salicylic acid). If you want to avoid paraben, then skip this because it does contain that ingredient.

- SK-II Facial Treatment Essence:

Many people recommend using hands to apply this instead of cotton pads, but for me, that method doesn't work. My palms seemed to absorb the liquid so quickly that I found I had to pour out more product. In the end, I just applied it according to SK-II's instruction, which was pouring it onto a cotton pad. This product has developed a cult following, but I have to say I hate it. First of all, it smells like... spit. If it has worked, maybe I could get over the scent, but sadly it doesn't. After using up the whole bottle, I can honestly say that I see no difference whatsoever on my skin. It doesn't make my skin worse but there's no improvement in my skin tone, pores and blemishes. Like the Facial Treatment Clear Lotion, it also contains paraben. I'll definitely NOT repurchase this because I just don't see the point in using this as my skin looks exactly the same!

I said this before, and I have to repeat it now: My skin doesn't love high-end products! Hopefully, this will serve as a reminder for me not to splurge on purse-rippingly expensive items in the future (well, maybe not!).

REVIEW: IT'S SKIN POWER 10 FORMULA YE EFFECTOR WITH YEAST EXTRACT

As you may know from reading my blog, I'm a big fan of It's Skin Power 10 Line. While Power VC used to be the most popular one, it seems that recently Power YE has taken its place as it's the only product out of the entire line to actually have a 60ml version. I received some free samples from It's Skin and quite liked them, so I decided to buy a full-size bottle.

Description (http://en.koreadepart.com): 
- Formulated with yeast extract
- Provides vitality and elasticity for skin

Size: 30ml

Ingredients: water, butylene glycol, glycerin, polyglutamic acid, pseudoalteromonas ferment extract, saccharomyces polypeptides, triethanolamine, carbomer, methylparaben, chlorphenesin, fragrance, disodium EDTA

My opinion: It's Skin Power 10 YE was previously compared to Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair (ANR) and Lancome Genefique on a Korean beauty show and it came out as a winner. I've never tried Lancome Genefique before, so I can't comment on that. I did, however, use one bottle of Estee Lauder ANR (old version) and I was not impressed. It did nothing to my skin: my face didn't get worse but it didn't become better either. It honestly felt like applying some kind of sticky (and expensive) water. 

I first used Power 10 YE in the summer, and it felt a little bit tacky on my skin (it didn't clog my pores or break me out though). However, it was perfect for my dehydrated skin in the autumn/winter. It sank in so quickly and left no sticky trace behind. It brightened and moisturized my skin really well. It wasn't hydrating enough for extremely cold days though, but I just applied a gel moisturizer on top and the combo was moisturizing enough for me. While Power 10 VE is perfect for the summer, Power 10 YE is definitely my stable in the colder months.

Score: 8/10

Repurchase?: Yes :)

REVIEW: JUJU AQUAMOIST HYALURONIC ACID MOISTURE LOTION AND ESSENCE

Hyaluronic acid is my favorite moisturizing agent (you can read about its benefits here). I love Hada Labo SHA Hydrating Lotion but I can't use it on a daily basis as it can create bumps under my skin. I really want to find some hyaluronic acid-based products which can be used everyday, and since Juju Aquamoist Hyaluronic Acid line receives a lot of glowing reviews, I decide to pick up the lotion and the essence.

• Juju Aquamoist Hyaluronic Acid Moisture Lotion:

- Description: Thick and rich lotion penetrates into the stratum corneum quickly. Rich moisture makes the skin plump and moist. It contains double amount of hyaluronic acid (Compared to JUJU AQUAMOIST collagen lotion and whitening lotion). Mild acidity/no fragrance/no artificial color/no mineral oil/oil free/no animal origin ingredient used.

- Ingredients: water, glycerin, alcohol, sodium hyaluronate, PEG-20 sorbitan isostearate, sodium citrate, carbomer, hydroxyethylcellulose, phenoxyethanol, methylparaben 

- My opinion: This lotion, or toner, is definitely not as hydrating as the Hada Labo one. However, it doesn't dry my skin out like some toners with alcohol do and provides a little bit of moisture to my face. Although it contains hyaluronic acid, it doesn't feel greasy or sticky on the skin at all and absorbs really nicely into the skin. During the first week, I really enjoyed using it, but by the second week, I changed my mind as I started having many clogged pores on my face! I knew it was this lotion because it was the only new thing in my skincare routine and the clogged pores gradually went away after I stopped using it. In order not to waste it, I poured some into a spray bottle to use as a mist, but since the texture was so thick, it just didn't work well that way and instead of a "fine mist", I just got huge water drops all over my face. Such a shame this didn't work out because I really like how it felt on my skin :(

- Score: 5/10

- Repurchase?: No.

• Juju Aquamoist Hyaluronic Acid Moisture Essence:

- Description (ratzillacosme.com): A Japanese beauty serum featuring hyaluronic acid to hydrate skin. The beauty serum contains 100% pure hyaluronic acid. Only a drop is needed to deeply hydrate skin.

- Ingredients: water, sodium hyaluronate, phenoxyethanol, methylparaben

- My opinion: This essence absorbs so quickly into my skin, leaving my face feeling smooth, plump and moisturized. It neither clog my pores nor break me out. Having said that, it's not really hydrating enough to be used alone (except in summer), so I often have to layer another cream on top. 

- Score: 8/10

- Repurchase?: Yes, probably.

REVIEW: TONYMOLY INTENSE REPAIR LIVE SNAIL LINE (SKIN, LOTION, ESSENCE AND CREAM)

When it comes to acne treatments, people often think of ingredients like benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid. My favorite, however, has to be snail mucus because it's gentle and non-drying. Today I'd like to talk about the skin, lotion, essence and cream of Tonymoly Intense Repair Live Snail line.

• Tonymoly Intense Repair Live Snail Skin: 

(Source: tonymolyvn.com.vn)

I received a tiny sample bottle of this as a GWP. One thing that I dislike about Tonymoly's sample bottles is that it's so hard to get the products out, even when they are in liquid form! This "skin" is actually a toner. I don't like it because it's sticky and does nothing for my skin. Needless to say, I won't purchase this.

• Tonymoly Intense Care Snail Lotion:

I also got this as a GWP. This "lotion" is the equivalent of a light moisturizer. Ii feels sticky at first but quickly absorbs into my skin and provides a little bit of moisture. I don't see any skin improvement though, so I definitely won't buy it.

• Tonymoly Intense Repair Live Snail Essence and Cream: 

(Source: tonymoly.ph)

This was the first and only product from Tonymoly Intense Repair Live Snail line that I purchased. I quite liked it as it helped cure my acnes and moisturized my skin well. However, it felt sticky on my skin and didn't seem to absorb at all. It also failed in preventing future breakouts. I prefer It's Skin Prestige Creme D'escargot to this, so I don't think I'll repurchase. 

A sample tube of the Tonymoly Intense Repair Live Snail Cream was included in the essence box. It felt super sticky and didn't do anything to my skin, so I wouldn never buy it!

Score:

• Skin: 5/10
• Lotion: 6/10
• Essence: 7/10
• Cream: 5/10

If you're looking for a good and acne treatment, definitely try the Tonymoly Intense Repair Snail Essence, but there's no need to buy other products in the line, really.

MY SPRING SKINCARE ROUTINE

Our skin constantly changes because of the environment, the weather, our diet, stress, hormones and many other factors. So, in order to get the best out of our skincare products, it's important to adjust and change your skincare routine according to your skin needs. As for myself, I often have different routines for each season, and I try to provide options for when my skin is drier or oilier. Since it's spring right now, I'd like to talk about my current routine. Currently, I have combination with normal but easily dehydrated forehead and cheeks, and oily nose, philtrum and chin. Some of the products here have been reviewed on my blog, so if you want to read my detailed opinions on them, just click on their names. Other products will be updated on my blog as soon as possible. Without further ado, here are my morning and evening routines.

A.M.

• Cleanser: In the morning, my skin isn't too oily, so I just cleanse my face with Etude House Baking Powder Bubble Cleansing Moist - a super gentle yet effective cleanser. 
• Toner: I'm using SK-II Facial Treatment Clear Lotion. This one is super expensive but it's the best toner I've ever used: it's non-drying and non-irritating, and my skin feels smooth and moisturized after applying it. However, I haven't seen any actual long-term benefits on my skin. I update later once I finish this bottle. 
• Eye cream: My current eye cream is It's Skin Brighten System Eye Cream. It absorbs quickly yet still moisturizes my eye area really well. I haven't noticed any brightening effects though. 
• Moisturizer: If I stay at home, I'll just apply Juju Aquamoist Hyaluronic Acid Essence. This essence is ok, nothing to write home about. Sometimes, when my skin is drier than usual, it isn't moisturizing enough and I have to layer It's Skin Toma Jelly Cream on top (You can see its photo in the p.m. section). If I go out, I always wear a sun block, and the one I'm using right now is It's Skin 2PM Sun Block SPF50+ PA+++. It acts as a moisturizer, sun protector and makeup-base, and I don't need to apply anything underneath or over it! It prevents my skin from getting tanned, too! Reminder: Always double cleanse when you wear sunscreen/sunblock. Otherwise, you'll get blocked pores, blackheads and even breakouts!

P.M.

• Makeup-removers: I first remove my eye makeup with Bifesta Cleansing Sheet Moist. It's able to take off most of my Majolica Majorca Lash Enamel Glamour Volume On Mascara. I then use Bifesta Cleansing Gel to take off my sun block and/or my base makeup.
• Cleanser: If I don't have any makeup or sunscreen on, I just use Etude House Baking Powder Bubble Cleansing Moist. On days that I do wear sunscreen and/or makeup, I reach for Hada Labo AHA+BHA Exfoliating Face Wash Foam. It completely removes every makeup and sunscreen residue on my face. However, don't use it if you have dry or sensitive skin because it's quite strong.
• Toner: SK-II Facial Treatment Clear Lotion.
• Eye cream: It's Skin Brighten System Eye Cream.
• Moisturizers: First, I aplly Juju Aquamoist  Hyaluronic Acid Essence, then layer It's Skin Toma Jelly Cream over. I really like this cream as it's lightweight and moisturizing. They are not moisturizing enough on their own, but perfect when combined together.
• Lip Balm: Finally, I moisturize my lips with Nivea Essential Care. I love it: cheap and cheerful :) You can read more about my beauty tips for lips here.

SPECIAL TREATMENT

- For extra hydration: When I feel like my skin is drier than usual, I'll add Hada Labo SHA Hydrating Lotion into my routine. I apply it after my toner and before the essence. It helps lock the moisture into my skin and when I wake up the next morning, my skin is no longer dry.

- For deep-cleansing/exfoliating: When my skin is congested and bumpy, I apply The Body Shop Seaweed Ionic Clay Mask. It gets rids of my blackheads and the bumps under my skin, as well as deflates my acnes and unclog my pores. However, I have to moisturize my skin well afterwards, otherwise, I'll wake up with dry skin the next morning. If you have dry skin, I don't think it's a good idea to use it.

That's all for my skincare routine. It may seem long but it only takes less than 5 minutes. And please remember to drink 1.5-2 litres of water per day as well as maintain a healthy diet and lifestyle, because what you eat/drink and how you live will really show up on your skin, and skincare products can't solve all the problems if you don't take care of your body first. 

REVIEW: JUJU AQUAMOIST C WHITENING LOTION AND WHITENING ESSENCE

I've always been curious about Juju Aquamoist because of the positive reviews all over the Internet, so last summer, I decided to purchase Juju Aquamoist C Whitening Lotion and Juju Aquamoist C Whitening Essence.

(Source: juju.co.jp/eng)

Juju Aquamoist Whitening C Lotion: This product is a brightening toner, so you're supposed to pour it onto a cotton pad and wipe it all over your face. The alcohol smell is quite obvious, so if you have dry skin, this may not be for you. As for my oily combination skin, it doesn't dry out or irritate my skin. However, after using up a whole bottle, I can't see any brightening effects whatsoever, even in conjunction with Juju Aquamoist Whitening C Essence. It doesn't improve my skin in any ways and I'm quite disappointed with this toner. I think it has been reformulated but I'm no longer interested in trying out the new version.

(Source: yesstyle.com)

Juju Aquamoist Whitening C Essence: 

- Description (source: yesstyle.com): 

• Provides whitening effect and fresh hydration.
• It can soften stratum corneum and allow the whitening ingredient of ascorbyl glucoside to sink into skin quickly.
• It gives you plump and luminous skin and prevents dark spots and freckles caused by exposure to the sun.
• Continuous use will promote the restoration of skin, making dull skin to have a luster and become elastic again.
• Skin will be left luminous.

- My opinion: This essence is light and it absorbs quickly into my skin, leaving my face feel smooth and moisturized without clogging my pores or breaking me out. However, those with dry skin may have to follow up with a moisturizer. It doesn't brighten up my face or fade my acne scars. Despite its moisturizing property, it somehow makes my skin look ashen and lackluster. The biggest con is that it balls up under makeup! I literally have rubbery pieces all over my face! I think this product has been discontinued as I can't find it on Juju Aquamoist website. 

Pros:

- Lotion:

• Free of fragrance, artificial color, mineral oil, and animal origin ingredients
• Non-irritating

- Essence:

• Fragrance free
• Non-irritating
• Moisturize and smooth out skin

Cons:

- Lotion:

• May not be suitable for dry skin
• No brightening effects / skin improvement

- Essence:

• Make skin look dull
• May not be moisturizing enough for dry skin
• Ball up under makeup

Repurchase?: Sadly, no :(

REVIEW: IT'S SKIN POWER 10 FORMULA SYN-AKE EFFECTOR

One thing I really love about It's Skin is that they are super generous with their samples, even when the customers don't buy anything! Thanks to their generosity, I've been able to tried about 15 samples of Power 10 Syn-ake. This one and Power 10 Propolis are called the "Upgrade versions", so their prices are higher than the regular ones.

Description (source: itsskin.com/eng): Highly concentrated ampoule containing peptides with properties similar to snake venom will hinder movement, improving even the facial expression wrinkles that are difficult to smooth out.

Ingredients (source: http://en.koreadepart.com/item/1306395531/its-skin-power-10-formulasynake): syn-ake, adenosine, baobab extract, indian fig extract, malt extract, lactobacillus fermentation, yeast fermented filtered ingredient (This list includes only the key ingredients. I used Google Translate to translate the ingredients list on itsskin.com, and although there're a lot of errors in the translation, I can see that Power 10 Syn-ake contains paraben.)  

Price: 563,000 VND (about US$26.5)

My opinion: This serum is quite watery and it absorbs quickly into my skin, even in summer. It's moisturizing and brightening without clogging my pores or breaking me out, but the effects are average. This is supposed to be an anti-aging product but it doesn't provide as much hydration as Power YE, Power VC or Power CO. I have oily combination skin and Power Syn-ake isn't hydrating enough for me in winter. It also fails to plump up and brighten my skin like Power 10 VE. I don't notice any anti-aging benefits either. This is an okay serum and I quite like it, but not enough to purchase a full-size bottle. In my opinion, it's not worth the extra money and I'd rather buy the regular Power 10. 

Pros:
- Moisturizing and brightening
- Non-irritating

Cons:
- Not moisturizing enough for dry skin or oily combination skin in winter
- Unimpressive effects in comparison with regular Power 10 
- Contain paraben

Purchase?: No.

REVIEW: SKINFOOD OMJIA WHITENING LINE

Apart from the Salmon Brightening Eye Cream, I've never used any skincare products from Skinfood, so I was quite excited to try this Omjia Whitening line. However, I was sorely disappointed, not because of the products themselves, but rather the quality of the sample packagings :( 

For some reasons, most of the products have evaporated/disappeared by the time I opened my samples. For the toner, I was able to get 2 drops out, which, frankly speaking, wasn't enough to wet my cotton pad. As for the serum, ALL of the serum had gone and the inside looked like this:

Although it seemed there was loads of product, it was just the mark of the used-to-be-there serum. This sample was completely empty so I couldn't try out the serum T-T

The  emulsion wasn't much better as I was able to get only a green bean-sized amount out. I applied it on my philtrum and... that was it!

The cream fared the best out of the four. I got a pea-sized amount which was enough for my T-zone.

OK, so here's my first impressions of 3 products: toner, emulsion and cream.

- Toner: It was OK, nothing to write home about. It was gentle, non-drying and non-sticky.

- Emulsion: Honestly, it's hard to write a review based on a green-bean sized amount, but at least it didn't break me out and made me philtrum feel smooth and moisturized.

- Cream: I like this product because it absorbed into my skin quickly and didn't make my face become oily or greasy. It made my skin baby-smooth and moisturized without clogging my pores or breaking me out. When I woke up in the morning, my face looked bright and healthy. However, I have a feeling that it'd be quite heavy for my oily-combination skin in summer.

Purchase?: No. To be honest, the quality of the samples kinda puts me off :( 

REVIEW: IT'S SKIN POWER 10 FORMULA VC EFFECTOR WITH VITAMIN C DERIVATIVES

It's Skin Power 10 VC is the first serum from the Power 10 line that I've ever used. Since then, I've tried 8 different types of Power 10 serum and haven't had time to go back to this yet, but it always holds a special place in my heart :)

(Source: itsskin.com)

Description (from It's Skin English website): Brightening serum containing vitamin C and green tea components suppresses the formation of freckles that can make skin look dull and dark, and tightens pores to leave skin fair and luminous.

Size: 30ml

Price: 467,000 VND (about US$21)

Ingredients (from ratzillacosme.com): water, butylene glycol, glycerin, polyglutamic acid, PEG-60 hydrogenated castor oil, ascorbyl tetraisopalmitate, methylparaben, triethanolamine, carbomer, camellia sinensis extract, acrylates/C10-30 alkyl acrylate crosspolymer, chlorphenesin, fragrance, disodium EDTA

My opinion: This serum has a thick consistency and it feels sticky on my face. Despite that, it doesn't clog my pores or break me out even in the hot summer weather. It does have a brightening effect, but to be honest, I think Power 10 CO and Power 10 LI works better in this aspect. I don't notice any pore tightening effect. It doesn't make my skin look as glowing as Power 10 VE. OK, so I guess now you're wondering why I said that this had a special place in my heart if it doesn't perform that well in terms of brightening and pore minimizing. Well, that's because of its moisturizing property. As I've mentioned countless times on my blog, I suffered from a very bad case of dry and damaged skin because of Tonymoly Pore Cleansing Brush, and although this serum didn't completely cure that, it helped so much in soothing and repairing my skin. So, if you have dry/sensitive skin, I highly recommend this product.

Pros:

- Moisturizing

- Non-comedogenic and non-acnegenic

- Brightening

Cons:

- Sticky

- No pore tightening effect

- Contain paraben

Repurchase?: Yes, but not immediately coz there're other things I wanna try first :)

REVIEW: IT'S SKIN POWER 10 FORMULA CO EFFECTOR WITH PHYTO COLLAGEN

As the weather gets colder, I want something more moisturizing for my skin, so after finishing It's Skin Power 10 Formula VE Effector, I switch to It's Skin Power 10 Formula CO Effector with Phyto Collagen.

Description from It's Skin website: Collagen serum concentrated with vegetable collagen extracts hydrates the skin from the inside, giving it a look of effervescence and resilience immediately after applying.

Size: 30ml

Ingredients (taken from ratzillacosme.com): hydrolyzed extensin, water, butylene glycol, glycerin, polyglutamic acid, carbomer, triethanolamine, methylparaben, disodium EDTA, chlorphenesin, fragrance

Price: 467,000 VND (about US$21)

My opinion: It's Skin Power 10 CO has a gel-like consistency. When I first apply this on my face, it feels sticky but after about 5 minutes, it sinks into my skin. Although it contains collagen, it doesn't make my skin as plump and dewy as the VE Effector does. However, this is more moisturizing and the brightening effect is much more obvious! This alone is hydrating enough for me and I don't need any follow-up moisturizer. It really improves my skin tone and fades my acnes scars (in fact, it works even better than the famous Power 10 VC), though it doesn't prevent acnes. When I wake up in the morning, my skin isn't oily at all but I think it's because the weather is so dry right now. I tried some samples of this in the summer and it did feel a little bit greasy, though it didn't clog my pores or break me out. I think those with very oily skin should only use it in colder months.

UPDATE: Although it's winter, the past few weeks have been quite warm and sunny, so my T-zone becomes quite oily. This serum seems to clog my pores a little bit and cause some blackheads :( So this serum is suitable for cold and dry weather only :(

Pros:

- Moisturizing and brightening

- Fade acne scars

Cons:

- May clog pores and cause blackheads for oily skin in warm weather

- Contain paraben

Score: 8/10

Repurchase?: Yes :)

REVIEW: IT'S SKIN POWER 10 FORMULA VE EFFECTOR WITH VITAMIN EDERIVATIVES

I have quite bizarre skin: it's oily on the T-zone and dry on the cheeks. In the past, I always had troubles finding a perfect moisturizer. Gel moisturizers are not hydrating enough, sometimes even drying (The Face Shop Arsainte Eco-therapy Crystal Water Super Gel, I'm looking at you!), and cream ones are too greasy and oily to the point of giving me clogged pores and blackheads (giving It's Skin Biyunjin Gold Cream the evil look). Recently, I've found out that my skin reacts much better to essence/serum. My favorite line is It's Skin Power 10 Formula because of their effectiveness and affordability. So far, I have used Power 10 VB, VC (reviewed here), PO, Li, Syn-ake (reviewed here), Propolis, YE (reviewed here), GF, CO (reviewed here) and VE. My most favorite, and also the one I'm currently using, is Power10 VE.

Description from It's Skin website: Essence containing vitamin E (tocopherol) capsules that directly provides nutrients to the skin to make it look lustrous and smooth.

Size: 30ml

Ingredients (taken from ratzillacosme.com): water, rosa centifolia flower water, butylene glycol, polyglutamic acid, boswellia serrata resin extract, vanilla planifolia fruit extract, propylene glycol dipelargonate, candelilla wax, phenoxyethanol, triethanolamine, carbomer, tocopherol acetate, methylparaben, butylparaben, ethylparaben, isobutylparaben, propylparaben, disodium EDTA  

Longevity: One bottle can last me for about 2 months if I use it once a day.

Price: 467,000 VND (about 21 USD) 

My opinion:

This essence has a watery consistency with tiny white capsules in it. Once I apply it onto my face, it sinks in right away, leaving my skin feel smooth and hydrated without the oily or greasy feeling. The effect is even more noticeable when I use it in conjunction with Hada Labo SHA Hydrating Lotion: my skin feels so much plumper, dewier and healthier ^^ This essence seems to sooth my acnes as well because they tend to become smaller and less red the day after. I often have cystic acnes around that time of the month, but ever since using this (it's been a month already), they stop coming! The only downside to me is that when I wake up in the morning, my T-zone is quite oily. However, that always happens to me, even when I don't apply anything the night before, so it really doesn't bother me that much. After washing my face though, my skin just GLOWS and feels extremely plump and smooth ^^ I don't use this under makeup though because it's not hydrating enough and my cheeks feel a little bit tight when I apply BB Cream on top of this.

Pros: 

- Suitable for oily skin

- Hydrating without being oily and greasy

- Make skin feel plumper and smooth
- Have a brightening effect

- Deflate and prevent acnes
- Fade acne scars

Cons: 

- May not be moisturizing enough for dry skin. If your skin is dry, I recommend you use another moisturizer on top of this.

- No oil-control property.

- Contain paraben (which doesn't bother me, but if you want to avoid paraben, then skip this). 

Verdict: 9/10

Repurchase?: Yes, in fact, I've already bought 3 new bottles :)