Review | LANEIGE Clear C Advanced Effector EX

For the first few years of my skincare journey with South Korean beauty products, I have learned several ways to boost the effect of brightening skincare products that I was using to give my skin somewhat faster results but the initial concept is actually to give way for the rest of the products to be well-absorbed into skin by removing the dead skin cells rather gently.

Unlike recent years, there were not much of choice when it comes to exfoliating skincare products as it was either using physical exfoliators like scrubs and peeling gels or first treatment essences filled with fermented extracts, witch hazel extracts, black sugar extracts; basically ingredients that can help making skin even smoother. In today's market, we have acid-containing treatment products like exfoliating toners and high-percentage of Alpha-Hydroxy-Acid (AHA), Beta Hydroxy-Acid (BHA) even Poly-Hydroxy-Acid (PHA) essences or serums which are known as chemical exfoliators.

But before deciding on which of these exfoliating products to be incorporated in your skincare routine, you should know the kind of ingredients that your skin can actually tolerate and the intensity of the ingredients itself before buying so today I'm going to share about this antioxidant-filled skincare booster which gives brighter and healthier complexion.

Product Description Vitamin booster with 92.5% super berry extracts that have clarifying effects, giving you a brighter complexion. Contains 92.5% super berry extracts rich in vitamin C

• Anti-oxidizing super berry extracts for skincare. Extracts from acerola cherry and acai berries, super berries with four times’ anti-oxidizing effects of Vitamin C, prevent skin from oxidizing to help you achieve a healthier appearance.
• Clean and even brightening care. Clear C, LANEIGE's original essence, contains Melacrusher and super berry extracts, components with 3.5 times’ brightening effect when used together for bright, clear skin.
• Water-type booster for fast absorption. The water-type formula is quickly absorbed by skin as it moisturizes. Unlike most water-based essence, the container comes with a pump that makes it easier to dispense.

How to Use: Use the enclosed dual-textured cotton for day and night care. Capacity: 150ml  

Ingredients list: Malpighia Emarginata (Acerola) Fruit Extract, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Propanediol, Alcohol, Niacinamide, Butylene Glycol, Moringa Pterygosperma Seed Extract, Melia Azadirachta Extract, Prunus Mume Fruit Extract, Nasturtium Officinale Extract, Nelumbium Speciosum Flower Extract, Glutathione, Glycerin, Lecithin, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, Sodium Magnesium Silicate, Adenosine, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Water, Disodium EDTA, Fragrance

PACKAGING

 

As you can see, the product comes with its own set of cotton pads housed within the bigger box. There's a short product description at the back of the box itself but this product actually comes with its own information leaflet for your guide and reference. The small Distributor sticker indicates that the product is legally distributed by the brand's Malaysian official distributor, AmorePacific Malaysia Sdn Bhd.

Period After Opening is 12 Months however it's better to finish the product as soon as you can once it's opened as my concern is that the product might have gone oxidised which I personally don't know for sure because the longest I take to finish the product is just 4 months.

 

There is infographic printed at the back of the cotton pad box for you to follow on how to gently drag the cotton pad across the facial area according to skin concerns. During the day, I'd pour the product onto the wave-patterned side of the cotton pad to smooth out my skin while at night, I'd use the smooth side of the pad and tap my facial area gently with it.

 

The product comes in that pretty, transparent pink glass bottle and again, there's English simple product description printed at the back of the bottle with the product expiry date printed at the bottom. The format is YYYYMMDD (Year-Month-Day).

 

The product comes with a lovely pump that dispenses sufficient amount of product that I need which is usually 3 to 4 pumps. Now, there's indicator at the side of the bottle that supposedly marks product usage on daily basis so it is assumed that the product needs to be finished within 30 days or so.

APPLICATION

 

The product comes in very watery texture so it is recommended that it is to be used by pouring it onto cotton pads and swipe the pad along the facial area, from inner to outer area of the face. Evidently, the product does help with removing my dead skin cells.

THOUGHTS

When it comes to exfoliating dead skin cells off my face these days, I'd prefer to use chemical exfoliators; Glycolic Acid (AHA)-containing exfoliating toner like 2 to 3 times a week depending on my skin condition at the time and I'm using first treatment essence like this as the first product to apply right after cleansing  in between those days.

It has such a lovely watery texture that I can use it on daily basis and there are times when I actually finished a single bottle within merely a month or so but as I do alternate this product with other products with similar functions, I usually finish 3 to 4 bottles within a year.

I never exfoliate my skin when I'm having sensitive skin days or just having bad reactions due to testing new skincare products but I'm glad I still can use this I'd refer to as first treatment essence now by just applying it directly onto skin without cotton pads because even cotton pads can cause irritation sometimes. I'd be tapping my fingers gently on my face until the essence is well absorbed into skin before applying the rest of my skincare products.

I still do love this product very much even after all these years as it helps with maintaining my overall skin health, complexion and makes my skin feeling smoother and softer right after every application.

I love that I can incorporate this product easily into my skincare routine especially a routine that mainly focuses on brightening the skin as I have used brightening skincare line from the brand, White Plus Renew for several rounds and I have definitely seen better result compared to when I didn't have this booster in my first round of it.

Talk about ingredients in this product, I'd like to highlight that this product does contains Alcohol however it doesn't make my skin feeling drier or anything but I always have hydrating toners, essences, serums even ampoules in my routine as I cannot afford not to have humectants, emollients and occlusives to seal all the moisture in the layers of skin so I definitely suggest for you to avoid alcohol-containing skincare products if you have dry skin.

If there's one thing that I don't like about the product is the fact that the bottle is made from glass which has broken once before as my hand slipped off the bottle but again, it's so pretty so I guess I'll just have to be very careful all the time.


I guess that's all from me and I hope this review helps you in some way but do let me know if you have any thought by leaving comments down below. Annyeong~

Review | Mamonde Rose Water Toner & Toner Pad

Hydrating toners are currently my favourite steps in my daily skincare routines as it is a huge part of my therapeutic self-care ritual where I would be layering my hydrating toners; sometimes with numbers of different hydrating toners but most of the times, I would be using a single toner and apply 3 to 7 times depending on the hydrating power of the toner itself or simply how dry my skin at that point of the day.

MAMONDE ROSE WATER TONER

Product Description Rose Water Toner contains 90.97% Rose water,with soothing and moisturising effects, offering greater hydration with each swipe on skin:

• Building a water-based moisture barrier on the skin
• Exceptional soothing and moisturising effects of the Damask Rose
• Formulated without 7 ingredients - Free of animal ingredients, mineral oil, polyacrylamide, imidazolidinyl urea, triethanolamine, silicone oil, synthetic colour.

How to Use: After cleansing, take appropriate amount of the product onto cotton pad and wipe across the face, from inner to outward of facial area. Tap the skin lightly to let the excess absorbed into skin nice and even. Capacity: 250ml

Ingredients List:
Damask Rose Extract (90.97%), Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, 1,2-Hexanediol, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Acrylate/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Tromethamine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Fragrance, Purified Water, Sucrose, Prunus Mume Fruit Rosehip Fruit Extract, Indole Acetic Acid.

PACKAGING

 

As you can see in the above photos, the product comes in that transparent pink plastic bottle. There's no English product description nor label sticker so all the information you need is in the section above and there is a product expiry date printed at the bottom of the bottle with the format being YYYYMMDD (Year-Month-Day).

 

The product doesn't come with a pump or anything; just a simple cap with seal that needs to be removed before using and with the small hole at the cap, I'd say it's easy to dispense the toner whether on cotton pads or your palm. I'd recommend for you to decant into smaller bottle if you were to travel with this one or even better, a spray bottle as you can surely use this toner as facial mist.

APPLICATION

 

The product has a watery texture which is quickly absorbed into the skin and I know the scent is quite overwhelming for some but for me, none whatsoever plus I love the rosy scents; good thing that it doesn't irritate my skin or anything.

THOUGHTS

I find this toner is simply hydrating and thanks to its lightweight watery texture, I have been using it a lot in both of my morning and evening skincare routines. I am optimising it's usage by layering the toner 3 to 7 times in the morning and then followed up with applying my daily serum, lightweight moisturiser and physical or tone-up sunscreen of the day.

At night, I always apply this toner after my exfoliating Glycolic Acid; alpha hydroxy acid (AHA)-containing toner to simply hydrate my skin because I find my skin tends to feel even drier if I don't pile on layers of hydrating products on top. Also, it's actually even better when I add soothing toner on top of this and that's how I gather the ultimate trio to treat my dehydrated flaky facial area.

MAMONDE ROSE TONER PAD

• Product Description

Cotton pads soaked in Rose Water Toner that can be used as a toner or a sheet mask.

• Soothing, moisturising effects of Damask Rose Water. The brand have picked damask roses that were grown in morning dew to deliver soothing and moisturising effects to the skin.
• Long-lasting moisture barrier. Goes on light on the skin without stickiness and creates a moisture barrier for long-lasting hydration.
• Formulated without 7 ingredients - Free of animal ingredients, mineral oil, polyacrylamide, imidazolidinyl urea, triethanoamine, silicone oil, synthetic colour.

How to Use: Use the toner pad as a mask!

• Take out the pads and leave on the cheeks, forehead, chin, and other spots like a sheet mask. Remove after 10~15 minutes and lightly tap on the residue to absorb.
• When used instead of cleansing in the morning or as a toner, wipe across the face following the flow of skin texture and lightly tap on the residue to absorb.
• Leave the pads on the face while drying hair or applying lip & eye makeup. Remove the pads and then apply base makeup for an effective use.

Capacity: 40 pads, 80ml

Ingredients list:

Damask Rose Extract (90.97%), Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, 1,2-Hexanediol, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Acrylate/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Tromethamine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Fragrance, Purified Water, Sucrose,  Prunus Mume Fruit Rosehip Fruit Extract, Indole Acetic Acid.

PACKAGING

 

As you can see on the above photos, the product comes in that pink tub with screw lid. There’s simplified Korean product description at the side of the tub and there is a product expiry date printed at the bottom of the tub and the format is YYYYMMDD (Year-Month-Date).

If you're familiar with regular daily sheet masks from AmorePacific brands like Innisfree, the sheet is similar to the sheets of the sheet masks; thin, perforated and can hold the liquid in it for about 10 to 15 minutes, provided that you're not sitting under a fan or it'll dry out even quicker.

 

Single pad is actually quite big as it covers my cheeks area rather sufficiently and adheres well onto my facial area too. As the pad is quite thin and if you feel the toner pad is rather insufficient you can simply add more toner of your choice by pouring directly onto the sheet in small amount.

For hygienic reason, do not try to recycle the pad as I'm pretty sure the pads are merely for single use only.

THOUGHTS

Having both products in my skincare collection is great! While the bottled toner serves its whole purpose to hydrate my dehydrated normal to oily skin in this hot and humid weather, the toner pad however is simply a convenient or at some point, a luxury for me because every time I use the toner pad, I keep on adding more toners after 10 minutes or so. Now that I'm halfway through the tub, I am definitely sure that I would rather getting actual rose daily sheet masks compared to this as I can source compressed sheet mask from drugstore myself these days.

Bottom line, definitely get the toner because it nicely hydrates the skin and you can use it as simple toner after cleansing, toner masks even as liquid medium if you were to mix it with powder wash-off masks for example clay masks and by mixing hydrating toner like this with it, you can still get a little bit of hydration while letting the clay ingredients pulling out all the impurities off your skin.


I guess that's all from me and I hope this review helps you to choose which of the five that you want to pick up or try next. Let me know your thoughts by leaving comments down below. Annyeong~

Review | THE FACE SHOP The Therapy Hydrating Tonic Treatment

As much as I want to mix around my skincare products, I usually go for the whole skincare line; from cleanser to moisturiser as I believe the most concentrated product would be the essence or serum and the other products within the same skincare line are designed to complement the star product in order to bring out the best result for my overall skin condition.


As I have previously reviewed the sister product, THE FACE SHOP The Therapy First Serum, let me introduce the toner for this hydrating The Therapy line; Hydrating Tonic Treatment so first, let's go to some basic information.

Product Description

This anti-ageing, hydrating tonic treatment delivers the effect of toner + treatment + emulsion all at once for smoother skin texture and effective hydration.

• Toner + treatment + emulsion action all in one
  • This hydrating tonic treatment provides toner + treatment + emulsion action all at once as it penetrates into skin while hydrating and smoothing it.
• Moisturising toner for perfect hydration.
  • This toner provides an excellent moisturising effect to hydrate and smooth dry skin and spreads easily upon application.
• Le Marche hand-blended formula
  • This moisturising anti-ageing line is formulated with highly nourishing Oat, Lavender Flower, Wild Rose and Sweet Basil blended by hand with great care over a period of 6 weeks.

How to Use:

1. After washing your face, soak a cotton pad and apply over the entire face using a gentle tapping motion to promote absorption into the skin.
2. Completely soak cotton pad in the product and apply to skin for 90 seconds to enjoy a quick mask/pack in the morning or at night.

Capacity: 150ml

Ingredients list:

Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Propanediol, Betaine, Panthenol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Butylene Glycol, Honey Extract,Ocimum Basilicum (Basil) Oil, Avena Sativa (Oatmeal) Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Flower Extract, Rosa Damascena Flower Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Xanthan Gum, PPG-26-Buteth-26, Disodium EDTA, Parfum/Fragrance, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Adenosine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ethylhexylglycerin.

Packaging:

 

The box packaging has a similar design to the First Serum sister with the name of the product printed in blue - a good indicator so I won't get mixed with another toner from The Therapy line. On the side of the box packaging, there is the English product description and the short story on the blending method used to create the product.

 

The product comes with a nice pump that is similar to the rest of THE FACE SHOP products. There is simple product description printed at the back of the bottle although partly in Korean but you guys surely get the gist. The expiry date is printed at the bottom of the bottle in YYYYMMDD (year-month-day) format.

Application:

 

This toner comes in the form of slightly runny liquid; definitely thicker  consistency compared to your regular toner but I do appreciate this kind of toner especially at night where I would be layering hydrating toners, essences, even serums to buffer the irritation might be caused by AHA-containing exfoliating toner or BHA-containing skincare product  that I usually apply at night as part of my chemical exfoliation routine.

Thoughts:

On its own, this toner does leave slightly sticky finish but I do not mind that as I would be applying more products on top.

Looking at the ingredients list, with Dipropylene Glycol and Propanediol help the overall texture and enhance the absorption of the toner into skin, I just love that this toner contains Betaine, an ingredient that helps skin adapt to moisture losses due to cleansing step for an example and also moisture gains from hydrating ingredients in the toner itself.

What's more, this toner contains Panthenol which is famous for its soothing properties which makes it is perfect for my dehydrated, flaky facial area so together with the rest of other ingredients within, this toner actually works well with my current skin condition.

Final verdict:

Overall, I give this product 5/5. I love how hydrating it is so when it comes to the 7-skin method, I would be layering this toner for 2 to 3 times; compared to my other hydrating toners with lighter consistencies, I literally need to layer 7 times!

I would say this toner is perfect for those of you who are currently feeling dehydrated due to external stressors like air-conditioner or simply hot weather, or if you are looking for not-too-intense or mild anti-ageing skincare products. 

I guess that's all from me and I'll be seeing you guys on my next post! Annyeong~

Review | LANEIGE Cream Skin Refiner

Toners have come such a long way from being just a product that you use as the next step in cleansing. These days, you can find all kinds of toners out there, ranging from hydrating and exfoliating ones to soothing and mildly-formulated toners for acne-prone and sensitive skin. Just choose the right ones based on your skin concerns. I myself love layering different toners; from the most lightweight to the thickest in terms of texture. I always start with an exfoliating toner, especially in my evening skincare routine to remove dead skin cells and make way for the rest of my skincare products to be well absorbed.

However, my toner-layering method just stopped working when I had the worst allergic reaction that caused my skin to become red, irritated, and flaky, or so I thought. As it turned out, I needed to combine a moisturising toner with a stronger exfoliating toner; Glycolic Acid treatment to really smooth out the flaky skin. I've tried several different toners that are powered by Hyaluronic Acids, ceramides, and other hydrating ingredients, but I kept my options open. One day, I got my hands on a deluxe-sized sample of the Cream Skin Refiner from one of my favourite Korean skincare brands under AmorePacific, LANEIGE. I think it's safe to say that my search for a hydrating toner is over and I quickly got myself the full-sized product. Before I go further into this highly-raved skin care product, let's get to know it a little bit more.

Product Description:

A Cream that melts into a Skin Refiner. This hydrating skin refiner provides ample moisture to the skin at the very first step of skincare routine.

Capacity: 150ml

Ingredients:

Water / Aqua / Eau, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Limnanthes Alba (Meadowfoam) Seed Oil, 1,2-Hexanediol, Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Inulin Lauryl Carbamate, Glyceryl Caprylate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Propanediol, Disodium Edta, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Tocopherol.

Packaging:

The Cream Skin Refiner comes in a pretty frosted glass bottle. Want to bring it along during your travels? Transfer some into a travel-friendly bottle to prevent accidental breakage.

 

There's simple product description printed on the back side of the box but also full description in the brochure that comes with every LANEIGE product.

Highlight on the ingredient; White Leaf Tea Water that's rich in amino acids that soothe the skin and reinforce the skin moisture barrier, making the skin truly healthy - which I have to agree!

Notice the sticker below there? That's the proof I've got mine (the first bottle) from LANEIGE Malaysia via their Official Lazada store during the product launch online before the stocks hit their beauty counters in departmental stores, etc. The promotion was to get a bottle at the retail price and get the miniature in 50ml for free. Definitely appreciate that as I've been traveling and I just love carrying this in my office bag so I can replenish my moisture in my mid-day skincare routine; layers of this toner and reapply my sunscreen.

 

The product features a unique cap that I have not encountered before. It has a lock system to prevent spillage, so make sure you twist the cap until you hear the 'click' sound. Notice the relief at the neck of the bottle?

The expiry date is printed at the bottom of the bottle in YYYYMMDD (Year-Month-Day) format. 

APPLICATION

 

The toner has a milky-looking watery texture that felt nice on my skin. I always use cotton pads for first liquid-based product application after cleansing routine, but if I were to use first treatment essence, serum, or ampoule prior to this toner, then I would apply it by pouring a few drops into my palms and spread it well on my face.

THOUGHTS

Once applied, the toner slightly dries down and my skin felt so nicely hydrated. I followed up with thick-textured essence, serums, and/or ampoules after this toner; essentially the rest of my skincare routine. On lazy nights when I'm too exhausted to do my usual full routine, I'd be deep cleansing my skin and applying this toner several times before putting on a sleeping mask. I'd still be waking up with well-moisturised skin!

I didn't use the Cream Skin Refiner every day as I still love layering lightweight hydrating toners on daily basis. However, this toner is the only one I'd be using after every Glycolic Acid-infused product. The reason is because this toner really helps in replenishing moisture loss as glycolic acid can potentially dry out and irritate my skin. Thanks to the White Leaf Tea content (high in amino acid), it provides better moisturisation hence strengthens the skin barrier. I can totally tell that my skin is feeling much smoother.

If you have normal to oily skin that's dehydrated like mine, a single layer of this toner would be suffice. If you have dry to normal skin, then I'd recommend layering this toner at least 2 times per application in your morning and night skincare routines.

Overall, I give this toner a 5/5! I love it; it works well with my dehydrated skin. Plus, it helps so much in repairing my skin when it was recovering from the flaky situation. Now that I'm about to finish my first bottle after about 2 months (at the time of this post), I'm glad that I purchased another one (and then some more) as backup.

Have you tried this lovely hydrating toner? Let me know your thoughts below in the comment section. Until next post, annyeong~

|||   SHOP THE PRODUCT   |||

LANEIGE Cream Skin Refiner | RM125 on HERMO

||| Official links |||

Website | https://www.hermo.my/
Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/HermoMalaysia
Instagram | http://instagram.com/hermomy

Disclaimer: Links provided are non-affiliated. This product was sent to me for review purposes and all opinions here are based on my personal use of the products.