Product Review #3

 

Hello my beauties!!!

I know it's been awhile since I did a product review but I've been very busy with starting a new job and adjusting to a different routine. However I've been trying out lots of new products which I want to share with you all. I'm still searching for my Holy Grail morning moisturiser but haven't had much luck so far :( I'm starting to realise that sometimes you can't fix what ain't broke haha. So without further ado, let's get started...

#1) Purito Pure Vitamin C Serum

Used for: 5 months

Reasons for purchase: I originally got this to replace my current Vitamin C serum (iUnik Propolis Vitamin Synergy Serum). I wanted to see what ascorbic acid was like so I chose a concentration of 5% to ease myself into it.

My thoughts: I started using it every other day, using the Cosrx Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence as a buffer to reduce irritation. Then I increased to everyday without the essence and applied to damp skin. My skin seemed to respond well to this, so I kept using it in my morning routine. I'm not sure if it was more effective than my other Vitamin C serum but I liked how quickly it absorbed into the skin. The only downside is that the residual serum around the pump oxidised and left a yellow sticky mess. It lasted me about 5 months out of the 6 that it's recommended to use it by. However I've decided to go back to my previous Vitamin C serum as it uses a derivative of Vitamin C which is much more stable.

Rating: 7/10

#2) Purito Centella Unscented Toner 

Used for: 5 months

Reasons for purchase: I got this a couple of years ago as I'd already bought the serum in the same line. However, I didn't use it for ages as I kept trying other toners haha. I even thought about giving it away to my friend. But I thought it would be a waste of money to not at least try it. Although I had to swap out my morning Vitamin C serum, as it also contains witch hazel (same as the toner) and I've been sensitised to it before.

My thoughts: The consistency is slightly viscous and absorbs well into damp skin. It's very hydrating with a touch of moisture. I found it to be nice and soothing on my skin and it helped prep my skin for my other products. I only used half of it though as I have a few other toners to try (more like 5). It's also really good at oil control, especially with the witch hazel and centella. I really enjoyed using this one and am glad I didn't get rid of it!

Rating: 8/10

#3) Rovectin Clean Lotus Water Cream

Used for: 3 months

Reasons for purchase: I've been on the hunt for a Holy Grail AM moisturiser since I got bored of the Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel. The last one I tried before this was the Cosrx Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence. It's not technically a moisturiser but for my normal-oily skin it was more than enough! I'd also heard all my favourite YouTubers raving about it, including Kelly Driscoll and Tina Tanaka Harris. So I was very curious to try it for myself...

My thoughts: The consistency is like that of a lightweight lotion which turns into water when applied to the skin. I enjoyed the process of applying it and how hydrating and moisturising it felt. However, this did not absorb very well and I could feel it sitting on top of my skin. Even after waiting 10 minutes I could still feel the tackiness of the product. It also made my sunscreen pill when applied on top. It definitely didn't live up to the hype for me! 

Rating: 3/10

#4) Isntree TW-Real Bifida Ampoule

Used for: 3 months

Reasons for purchase:  I got this as I was intrigued by the ingredient bifida ferment lysate and had never tried an ampoule before. I had also heard good things about the product through James Welsh's YouTube channel. I basically just wanted to try something different from my usual evening serum (Purito Centella Unscented Serum).

My thoughts: I liked that it's a skin barrier strengthening serum that has lots of fermented ingredients. I found the consistency to be very lightweight but with a touch of oiliness. Again this is a product that takes a long time to absorb and even then I could still feel it on my skin, as if a film had been left behind. For this reason I didn't enjoy it as much as I hoped I would. However, it now means I get to go back to my Holy Grail PM serum, the Purito Centella Unscented Serum :) 

Rating: 2/10

I hope you enjoyed reading about the new products I've been trying out over the last 5 months and my honest reviews of each one. I feel like the only successful one was the Purito Centella Unscented Toner. I really enjoyed the user experience of applying it and felt that it controlled my sebum levels really effectively. It also helped to soothe my skin which was handy when using the Purito Pure Vitamin C Serum; especially as it was formulated with ascorbic acid. I still have half a bottle left which I will use up at some point, however I'll have to switch out my iUnik Propolis Vitamin Synergy Serum again as it contains witch hazel (as does the toner).

Unfortunately the other 3 products were definitely fails for me. The moisturiser was a massive let down as it was meant to be so popular in the Korean Beauty world, it just didn't work for me :( I was hoping it would be a good replacement for the Hydro Boost Water Gel I used to love. I am still trying out other moisturisers to see if they can take on Holy Grail status. Spoiler Alert: I'm currently using the No7 Hydra Luminous Water Surge Gel which seems to be a very good dupe so far! [Watch this space] I'll have to write a 'Finding My Holy Grail Moisturiser' blog post comparing all the moisturisers that I've tried and ranking them in order of preference. 

On reflection, I'm glad I tried an ascorbic acid serum as now I know my skin can handle it if I decide to try one again in the future. However, I think I'll stick to more stabilised forms of Vitamin C as the Purito one was way too messy and couldn't be left in direct sunlight. Also my fridge is downstairs so I can't be bothered to keep it in there and get it each morning haha. I was already happy with my current Vitamin C but I wanted to use something different to compare the results I got. I think it's safe to say that I will not be using the Isntree TW-Real Bifida Ampoule again as I didn't notice any results or enjoy the user experience... like at all!

I still have more product reviews for you so keep your eyes peeled for another post in the not-so-distant future!   

Who Cares, We Care, Skincare :)