ELRA STORY Alpine Remedy Healing Serum

ELRA STORY is relatively new kbeauty brand ( at least for me).  The serum which is supposed to help calm and heal irritated skin currently costs 14.11 USD on Jolse which makes it seriously affordable. It highlighted ingredients are Centella Asiatica and edelweiss extracts to soothe and protect the skin. Niacinamide and vitamin tree extracts to help brighten the skin and Propolis to rejuvenate the skin. Serum comes in a 30 ml plastic bottle with a pipette. Very clean looking design. Serum itself is watery (thicker then water) and light green in color. It sinks into skin and looses initial stickiness some 40 sec after application. It has a light fresh scent. The entire thing looks and feels fresh.

ELRA STORY je relativno novi kbeauty brand (barem za mene). Ovaj serum koji bi trebao pomoći smiriti i pomoći pri zacjeljivanju nadražene kože trenutno košta 14,11 USD na Jolse-u, što ga čini ozbiljno pristupačnim. Istaknuti sastojci su ekstrakti  biljke Centella Asiatica i runolista koji umiruju i štite kožu. Niacinamid i ekstrakt moringe (drvo života) pomažu kod hiperpigmentacije kože, a Propolis je tu da pomogne pomlađivanju. Serum dolazi u plastičnoj bočici od 30 ml s pipetom. Vrlo svježeg i jednostavnog dizajna. Sam serum je vodenast (gušći od vode) i svijetlozelene je boje. Upija se u kožu i gubi početnu ljepljivost nekih 40 sekundi nakon nanošenja. Ima lagan svjež miris. Izgleda svježa i ostavlja dojam svježine na koži.

Ingredients list/ lista sastojaka: Leontopodium Alpinum Extract, Glycerine, Pentylene Glycol, 1,2- Hexanediol, Niacinamide, Gnaphalium Leontopodium Flower Extract, Propolis Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Zizyphus Jujuba Fruit Extract, Ocimum Basilicum Leaf Extract, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract, Achilles Millefolium Extract, Artemisia Absinthium Extract, Arnica Montana Flower Extract, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Origanum Vulgare Leaf Extract, Olea Europaea Leaf Extract, Curcuma Longa (Tumeric) Root Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Thymus Vulgaris Leaf Extract, Mimosa Tenuiflora Leaf Extract, Wine Extract, Allantoin, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ocimum Basilicum Oil, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcus Peel Oil, Citrus Grandis Peel Oil, Salvia Sclarea Oil, Fructan, Polysorbate 20, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Cyamopsis Tetragonoloba Gum, Maltodextrin, Decyl Glucoside, Phenethyl Alcohol, Disodium EDTA, Ascorbic Acid, Citric Acid. 

It has some amazing ingredients like Niacinamide, Propolis, Absorbic Acid, Centella Asiatica and 77% edelweiss extract, an antioxidant with skin soothing and rejuvenating benefits.
I would not recommend this to people with sensitive skin due to added fragrance that can cause skin irritation ( Bergamot Oil, Orange Peel Oil, Grapefruit Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil) or to people who suffer from fungal acne as there are ingredients that could trigger them (Polysorbate 20 and Hippophae Rhamnoides). It could be worrying that it is stored in a see through package while containing Vitamin C that is super sensitive to light and air. However, I suppose it contains very little amount of Ascorbic Acid so oxidation is not an issue. All in all, I'm enjoying this serum. I just wish brands in general would stop putting skin sensitizing ingredients for the sake of smelling nice. Regarding its claims I did notice its calming effect on the skin,  but it is too early to tell if it will brighten or help rejuvenate the skin. It is a very refreshing serum and Niacinamide helps control and balance the sebum production which makes it an ideal product for summer. (Ironically, I am writing this review in the middle of Autumn). 

Serum sadrži odlične sastojke poput niacinamida, propolisa, vitamina c,  ekstrakta biljke Centella Asiatica i 77% ekstrakta runolista- antioksidansa koji umiruje i pomlađuje kožu. Bez obzira na navedene odlične sastojke, ne bih  preporučila ovaj proizvod osobama sa osjetljivom kožom zbog dodanog parfema koji može izazvati iritaciju kože (Bergamotovo ulje, ulje korice narandže, ulje grejpa, cvjetnog ulja pelargonije Graveolens) ili ljudima koji pate od gljivičnih akni jer postoje sastojci koji bi mogli izazvati gljivične akne (polisorbat 20 i Hippophae Rhamnoides). S obzirom da sadrži vitamin C koji je super osjetljiv na svjetlost i zrak malo je zabrinjavajuće da se nalazi u prozirnoj bočici. Ipak, pretpostavljam da sadrži vrlo malo količine vitamina C, tako da oksidacija nije problem. Iako ja osobno uživam u ovom serumu, jer je ugodan pri aplikaciji i ne izaziva nikakve negativne reakcije kod mene, poželim da brandovi općenito prestanu stavljati sastojke koje pojačavaju osjetljivost kože samo radi lijepog mirisa. Od učinaka primijetila sam da doista smiruje kožu i ublažava iritaciju, što se tiče pomlađivanja i prosvjetljivanja kože to još nisam primijetila. Serum je vrlo osvježavajući a niacinamid pomaže kontrolirati proizvodnju sebuma što ga čini idealnim serumom za tople ljetne dane. (Naravno, ja recenziju pišem usred jeseni.)

Pyunkang Yul Moisture Cream - review

Before I start talking about the Pyunkang Yul Moisture Cream let me tell you what I want form my face cream. I do not expect my face cream to work miracles, I have serums and ampules chock full of actives to do the heavy lifting. What I want from my face cream is to be occlusive and lock in moisture and everything else I have put on my skin before it. I want it to be comfortable, pleasant to use and to play nicely with my sun screen and makeup. Pyunkang Yul Moisture Cream does all that. 


Pyunkang Yul is the brand launched by the renowned Pyunkang Oriental Medicine Clinic in South Koea, an institution known for treating atopic skin disorders. As they say themselves,  Pyunkang Yul  believes that cosmetics are a means of protecting the skin. They have removed all unnecessary chemical substances from their products to utilize only the minimum,safest components to protect and provide respite to your tired and irritated skin. Pyunkang Yul is a cruelty free brand. 

The cream comes in a dark blue glass jar, whose color is reminiscent of old apothecary bottles. Packaging is minimal, classy and evokes confidence that whatever is inside, it will be good for you. Kudos to their design team. The outer cardboard packaging is the same dark blue with a sticker containing information both in Korean and English including the ingredients list (grammatically and semantically correct English). 

Looking at the ingredients list the only "sexy" ingredient is Coptis Japonica Root Extract, an extract of a plant called Coptis Japonica used in  traditional medicine. Coptis Japonica Root Extract is said  to have anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, and anti-infection properties. Which means its main purpose is to calm and hydrate the skin. Besides the Coptis Japonica Root Extract the cream is chock full of emollients and humectants like Butylene Glycol, Jojoba Seed Oil and Shea Butter. 

The cream comes in whopping 100 ml and has no artificial scent. Texture at first glance seems thick and even greasy, however it is exactly the opposite. It is very comfortable cream, lightweight, absorbs easily and leaves no tacky finish. Once you apply it it turns into almost lotion like texture and gives the feeling of skin being quenched in moisture. It is extremely gentle moisturizer which leads me to believe it would be suitable for all skin types, even the sensitive skin. Once applied it leaves the skin soft and moisturized. 

I have been using this cream all through past Autumn and Winter and I am very happy with it. I would recommend this cream to anyone but especially to people with sensitive skin. It can be purchased at JOLSE  for USD 25.84. This might seem steep to some but it does come in 100 ml while most other face creams come in 50 ml sizes and if you have a hard time finding something that does not irritate your skin I think this one is worth a try. It is 10/10 from me. Great moisturizer that delivers everything you might want form a face cream. 

Beauty of Joseon Revitalize Sleeping Mask

I have this complicated relationship with sleeping packs or masks. Half of my brain thinks they are basically glorified night creams and the other half is going "I am sleeping in a face mask! How awesome is that!  Look at me on top of my skin care game!". The truth is probably somewhere in the middle. While sleeping packs are basically the occlusive step of your night routine they do tend to be more moisturizing and more occlusive then your regular run of the mill cream and that is why I religiously use them every single night. 

Beauty of Joseon, the company that became known thanks to its Dynasty Cream, that basically went viral on k-beauty scene few years ago. The whole philosophy and aesthetic is based on the "ancient beauty secrets of Joseon royalty".  It is a bit gimmicky but at the same time enchanting. As I really like their Dynasty Cream I was keen to try the sleeping mask too.

Same as the Dynasty Cream the packaging is lovely. Heavy, frosted plastic jar that looks just like glass and will look gorgeous on any vanity. Texture of the products is pudding like and slippery. Best to use a spatula to take it out of the jar (it comes with its own spatula). It is contains fragrance but not unpleasantly so. The light floral fragrance does not linger once applied on the face. You get 80 ml of product. 

The three marketed ingredients are:

• Black soybean – moisturising, reduces signs of ageing by allegedly improving elasticity, it also has antioxidant properties
• Ginseng – anti-ageing, smooths, brightens and rejuvenates skin
• Orchid extract – antioxidant benefit, moisturising, smoothes and softens skin 

Which sounds awesome, however all those ingredients are pretty much on the bottom of the ingredients list so it is questionable in which amounts all these hanbang goodies are present in the pack. That said, this mask pack is rich with occlusives, emollients and humectants. Basically, all the things you want in a sleeping mask.It promises brightening and anti-wrinkle functions. I did not see much brightening and anti-wrinkle is impossible to objectively test. It also promises that you will wake up with  with a softer and more supple complexion, and it delivers that. Skin is well moisturized, soft and even a tiny bit firmer when you wake up. I especially enjoyed it during winter as it helped keep my skin moisturized overnight in the dry, central heating air. 

It usually costs around 30 USD but currently it can be found for around USD 20 on Jolse. Which is the price I could live with, the full price of 30 USD seems too high for what it offers. If I am going to throw money on a hanbang sleeping pack I would go for Sulwhasoo Overnight Vitalizing Treatment (120 ml for USD 50), which remains my favorite sleeping pack of all times.  

REVIEW - iUNIK Rose Galactomyces Essential Toner

iUNIK is a young Korean brand connected to http://www.unique4u.net web store that offers Korean skincare products, many of which are from smaller companies that are not so easily available elsewhere (at least for international buyers). Looking at iUNIK's products it seems to me they paid attention to what people are looking for and have produced their own line based on true and tested and much loved ingredients in Korean beauty. Rose Glactomyces Essential Toner is no different, its two main ingredients  Rosa Damascena Flower Water (70%) and  Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate (10%) are  both well loved and popular ingredients among lovers of Korean skincare products. 

Toner claims to be moisturizing, re-balancing and softening to sensitive skin. As claims go these are rather sensible. I am digging the humbleness and common sense on display. 

It comes in 200 ml plastic clear bottle. Design is rather clean and functional, much like the product itself. Product is easy to dispense and control without any leaking of the product. Ingredients list is provided on the label in English and Korean as well as instructions for use and claims. 

Toner is clear in color and runny like water. It has a slight, rather pleasant rose scent. 
Instructions state to use it after cleansing with a cotton pad or fingers. Pretty much like any other toner. I like to apply hydrating toners with hands because it just seems a waste to drench cotton pad with one. 

Clear and runny like water

It sinks into skin easily and quickly leaving behind moisturized skin that is not sticky or tacky but is smelling faintly of roses. As other hydrating toners it helps products that follow absorb better. If you like you can use it for that 7 layers of toner skin care routine.  

Ingredients:
Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate,Butylene Glycol ,Water, Glycerin, Glycereth-26, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Caprylyl Glycol, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, Allantoin, Punica Granatum Fruit Extract, Ficus Carica (Fig) Fruit Extract, Morus Alba Fruit Extract, Ginkgo Biloba Nut Extract, Adenosine, Ethylhexylglycerin,Rose Flower Oil, Pentylene Glycol, Aspalathus Linearis Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract

The star ingredients are of course:
Rosa Damascena Flower Water  - produced by steam distillation of Bulgarian rose petals. It has a long tradition of use in Europe for its antibacterial and skin balancing properties. Scent of Bulgarian rose is known to be relaxing. 

Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate - well loved k-beauty ingredient that was made popular by a Japanese brand SK-II product SK-II Facial Treatment Essence. Galactomyces ferment filtrate is said to help with skin issues such as acne, pore size, oil/sebum control, uneven tone, improvement of skin texture, signs of aging as well as dry skin. 

Oriental Beauty fruits (iUNIK name for extracts of fig, pomegranate, morus alba or mulberry and ginko biloba nut) - they contain vitamins, amino acids and help protect skin from sun damage by absorbing UV-A and UV-B rays. They are also antioxidants. 

CosDNA analysis of the product comes out really clean 

Conclusion: This is a very pleasant basic hydrating toner that works well in hydrating and softening the skin and helping subsequent products absorb better. It did not irritate my skin or cause any breakouts. Its rose scent is pleasant without being overwhelming. I would recommend this to anyone that likes using rosewater as toner or loves a rose scent. Looking at formula it seems suitable for all skin types. 

Available for purchase :
ebay blueprint 21 store 
unique4u.net store 

Note: Product was provided to me in exchange for the review. 

Review - I'm from Ginseng Mask

First few times I tried this mask I was completely unimpressed. I was about to write it off when I finally read the instructions on the box. I was using it wrong!!!! It is not a standard wash off mask but a massage mask. So I decided to try it while actually following the instructions on the box and WOW!! The difference was evident. So I am starting this review with a cautionary tale. Don't be dumb like me and read the instructions. 

Usage directions I did not read because I am above it (dumb).

Mask comes in a brown cardboard box with ingredients list and instructions (READ THEM!) in both Korean and English. The mask itself comes in a glass jar with a seal. 

Much like the serum from the same line this mask contains a bunch of hanbang ingredients, most notable being Red Ginseng Extract (3.97%) and Panax Ginseng Seed Oil as well as one of my favorite herbal extracts Licorice Root Extract. It also contains various moisturizing agents and Ishohexadecane that softens and smooths skin without leaving a greasy residue(source: Beautiful with Brains blog). 

Mask has the honey in summer consistency (liquidy) and it is amber in color like the serum. It applies easily with a silicone mask brush and goes on the face clear. It has a very strong floral scent, much like the serum, a scent which I personally don't like but it is not a deal breaker for me. I would prefer if it smelled like dirt in true ginseng fashion. I'm a bit weird, I know. Mask begins to warm up once you start to massage it. When I say warm up, I mean warm up, nothing unpleasant or burning like but definitely noticeable. The heat from the mask helps open up the pores and thus better remove dirt and sebum from it.  After massaging it you leave the mask on for some 10-15 min and the final result is very satisfying. My skin was soft and even, pores looked smaller and it felt well moisturized.

This mask was very quick and easy to use (once I properly read the instructions) and immediate results were really nice. I am really liking this mask. 

Little tip: I prefer removing my masks with a flannel face towel soaked in warm water. It removes it easily and completely, Just don't scrub your face with it like crazy. 

Review - UNIK Black Snail Restore Serum

Snail slime on your face does not really sound like an attractive idea, but than again neither is facial injections, various ways of hair plucking and many other things that we still do in order to look better and younger. We do go to interesting lengths for the sake of beauty so as Frank Zappa said in a song long time ago  "Beauty knows no pain..." it still rings true. However, fear not snail goo is painless and to seasoned users of Korean beauty products snail mulcin or its fancy name used in cosmetics "snail secretion filtrate" is not an exotic ingredient anymore but more of a staple.

You might ask yourself why put snail on my face ? Well let me tell you.  
Snail slime is packed with good stuff such as hyaluronic acid, glycoprotein, proteoglycans, and antimicrobial and copper peptides, all of which are commonly used in beauty products and proven to be beneficial for the skin. These elements help to protect the snail’s skin from damage, infection, dryness and UV rays. 
Snail mucin is best known for its anti-aging properties. It reportedly  helps to stimulate the formation of collagen and elastin, restores hydration, protects skin from free radicals, soothes skin and repairs damaged tissue . It can be used to treat dry skin, wrinkles and stretch marks, acne and rosacea, age spots, burns, scars, razor bumps.
I personally like snail in my skincare because I find it very moisturizing and soothing and very helpful in tending small burns and cuts. It also helps speed up the healing process after a break out. 

I was kindly sent UNIK  Black Snail Restore Serum by the eBay seller blueprint21 after reviewing UNIK Propolis Vitamin Synergy Serum. 

UNIK Black Snail Restore Serum is a serum that claims to strengthen the skin barrier and make skin supple and smooth by providing nutrition and calming ingredients.

Star ingredients are Black Snail Extract 70% and Centella Asiatica Leaf Water 10% as well as 5 black super food extracts (Black Rice, Black Bean, Black Sesame, Eggplant, Sea Tangle).

Full ingredient list:

Snail Secretion Filtrate, Centella Asiatica Leaf Water, Methylpropandediol, Glycerin, Niancinamide, Glycereth-26, Water, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Saccharomyces/Viscum Album (Mistleto) Ferment Extract, Lactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract, Laminaria Japonica Extract, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Seed Extract, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Extract, Sesamum Indicum (Sesame) Seed Extract, Solanum Melongena (Eggplant) Fruit Extract, Saccharomyces/Imperata Cylindrica Root Ferment Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Allantone, Centella Asiaitaca Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract, Artemisia Vulgaris Extract, Vaccinum Angustifolum (Blueberry) Fruit Extract, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Carbomer, Arginine, Pentylene Glycol, Adenosine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Xanthan Gum, Aspalathus Linearis Extract

  

 CosDNA analysis is very clean. 

The ingredient list is full of calming, moisturizing and anti ageing ingredients. Also presence of Centella Asiatica and Licorice Root Extract as well as no added scent makes me think acne prone skin and sensitive skin might enjoy this very much. 

As snail serums go texture of this one is not overly snaily/slimy, it does have that typical snail secretion slip to it which is good as it makes application smooth. It is not a very moisturizing serum so I would not use it as sole source of moisture for dry skin, but it layers well with other products and sinks in fast. What I can say is that it does help the wound-healing process as I used it on my daughter's hands that have patches of skin so dry it breaks. This serum was soothing and helped her heal faster. 

 A really solid snail serum and if  you are new to snail products this is a good place to start.

Review - Goodal Camellia Lip Oils

Camellia oil is obtained by cold-pressing the seeds of the Camellia japonica flower. It has a long tradition of use in Asia for the care of skin and hair.  It is an oil rich in linoleic and oleic fatty acids as well as numerous anti-aging antioxidants. It is an remarkable trans-dermal carrier and very effective in enhancing skin's ability to retain moisture. It is no surprise that camellia oil is one of my favorite oils and whenever I see a product containing it I am immediately intrigued.

Goodal recently came out with their own version of increasingly popular lip oils and I could not resist to try them both out and I am glad I did.

Goodal lip oils come in two versions, camellia intensive lip oil and camellia vital lip oil. 

 Packaging: They come in beautiful simple cardboard packaging enhanced by a drawing of camellia flower that contains basic information about product in both English and Korean. Lip product itself is in a round plastic packaging convenient for travel. Applicator is rather big and sturdy but applies the products on lips very easily and evenly. Both come with 5.5 ml of product.

Camellia Vital Lip Oil

It is light pink in color in bottle but colorless on lips and it has a sweet fruity/flowery scent. Main ingredients are Camellia Japonica Seed Oil and Retinol (Vitamin A). This is the lighter of two oils. It is very nourishing and lasts a long time on lips. Even after eating a meal you can still feel it on the lips. It is very shiny, oily even (duh, it is a lip oil after all) when first applied but the shine vanishes after some time. I prefer using it during the day as it is not sticky. You can even use it under other lip products. I like to apply it at the beginning of my skin care routine in the morning and by the time I apply my makeup and lipstick it has sunk in pretty well into lips. I just blot excess with some tissue and apply my lipstick on top. Works like a charm.  

Camellia Intensive Lip Oil

It is yellow color in the bottle but colorless on lips and it has a very light/barely there flowery scent. Main ingredients are Camellia Japonica Seed Oil, Sunflower Seed Oil, Sweet Almond Oil and Macadamia Oil - all  of them oils rich with oleic fatty acids. Oleic acid makes oils richer and heavier, so they are extra-occlusive and can seal in moisture really effectively. This makes this lip oil perfect for use at night as a lip mask. It is of heavier, thicker consistency than the vital lip oil and it is sticky. I like to put generous amount on my lips before going to bed and I wake up with well nourished, moisturized lips. 

Top one is vital lip oil and bottom one is intensive lip oil. Both are colorless on skin.

I like both of these oils and would recommend them to anyone who suffers from dry and chapped lips or just wants to maintain their lips in good condition. 

I purchased them for approx. 10$ each at Jolse. 

Review - I'm from Ginseng Serum

If you have read some of my posts before you know of my love of Hanbang cosmetics and particularly of Ginseng. Now if you want to enjoy ginseng in your cosmetics best thing is to turn to Korean cosmetics as they really know their ginseng. 

Ginseng is a health benefiting ingredient and Panax Ginseng or Asian Ginseng has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for thousands of years and Korea is famous for the quality of its ginseng. 

Ginseng with its natural antioxidant and antibacterial properties has been promoted to have many skin care benefits among which are anti-ageing as it contains considerable amount of phytonutrients, which stimulate and activate the skin’s metabolism. As an antioxidant it rids the skin of the free radicals from when your skin is exposed to sunlight and environmental pollution. Also reportedly it can increase the production of collagen making your skin firmer.  Here is the Wishtrend video/commercial listing the skin benefits of ginseng. 

I personally enjoy ginseng in my skin care and products I have used so far that contained ginseng had a brightening and firming effect on my skin making it appear more luminous. So when I saw on Wishtrend that "I'm from" has come out with a ginseng serum I could not contain my excitement and ordered it immediately, especially as this is the company that produces one of my favorite masks  - I'm from Honey. 

I'm from Ginseng Serum comes in a 30 ml glass bottle with a pipette. Its outer packaging is a nicely designed brown cardboard box containing information in Korean and English. The serum itself is a thicker, amber/dark yellow colored murky liquid. It spreads easily and sinks rather quickly into skin, leaving a sticky feeling that goes away after a minute or two. If you were worried that it will smell too medicinal or like dirt (as ginseng products often do)  do not worry as it has a rather strong vaguely floral scent. It is not unpleasant, but it is rather intense.  So people sensitive to scent might find it problematic. However, once you put serum on the face the scent quickly vanishes. Looking at the ingredients  its formula sounds promising but it is hard to tell its long term effects after only couple of weeks of usage but what I have noticed is that it leaves my skin supple and nourished and reduces redness. It layers well with other products and looks pretty in my bathroom (that is important, you know!). 

Ingredients: 

Water, Red Ginseng Extract, Butylene Glycol, Betaine, 1,2-Hexanediol, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Glycerin, Panax Ginseng Seed Oil, Glycyrrhiza Uralensis (Licorice) Root Extract, Paeonia Albiflora Root Extract, Angelica Gigas Root Extract, Rheum Palmatum Root Extract, Angelica Pubescens Root Extract, Schizonepeta Tenuifolia Extract, Phellodendron Amurense Bark Extract, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethiconol, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, Ethoxydiglycol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Tromethamine, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans, Hyaluronic Acid, Glyceryl Polyacrylate, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA, Fragrance 

CosDNA analysis is very clean. 

The star ingredient of this serum is of course ginseng. Wishtrend states:

6-year-old 7.98% Ginseng extractBecause ginseng extract is made with a moisture content of less than 14%, it is possible to store the taste, scent and active ingredients of ginseng in a concentrated state for a long time. Meticulous control of temperature, time and pressure is required until one ginseng is made into ginseng extract. Through this process, a new active ingredient unique to ginseng extract was discovered. The I’m from rejuvenating serum is formulated with the concentrate of high-quality ginseng extract at its purest. 

Besides ginseng this contains some other herbal extracts I love in my skincare like: Camellia Sinensis/Green Tea Leaf Extract which contains EGCG polyphenols that are known for their anti-carcinogenic and antioxidant abilities. EGCG has shown to be an effective treatment for reducing the redness and irritation associated with Rosacea and recent research suggests that EGCG indirectly acts as a sun-protecting ingredient by quenching the body's UV induced free radicals, in turn preventing the breakdown of collagen and reducing the skin's UV damage. Both ginseng and EGCG are used to reduce under eye puffiness and combat dark circles so I like to take this serum all the way under the eyes. 

Also there is Glycyrrhiza Uralensis (Licorice) Root Extract, an anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antiviral antioxidant used as a soothing ingredient that may benefit skin lightening as it contains liquiritin and isoliquertin, flavonoid containing glycosides which brighten skin by dispersing melanin pigment and enhancing a more even pigment distribution. 

There are other herbal ingredients: Peony Root Extract, a soothing antioxidant rich astringent, Angelica Gigas Root Extract for brightening, Rheum Palmatum Root Extract is an antioxidant, Angelica Pubescens Root Extract an anti-ageing and anti-inflammatory agent, Schizonepeta Tenuifolia Extract an anti-inflammatory agent that is used to counteract allergic reactions, Phellodendron Amurense Bark Extract that is used to reduce skin redness and swelling. All in all a bunch of soothing and antioxidant ingredients. 

If you love ginseng or just want to give it a try this is a good product as it is considerably less costly then some other offerings containing ginseng. I'm from has also come up with a Ginseng Mask which is on my way so expect to read about that in the future too.  

I'm from Ginseng Serum is available for purchase on Wishtrend.com  for USD 28.80. 

Wishtrend promo code

If you have never purchased on Wishtrend before you can use my promo code 126235106 to get USD 5 off of your first purchase. 

Just place the code when asked for in the account registration page. You will then automatically receive 5 USD in store credit once your account is made. 

Photo taken from the Wishtrend site

Review - UNIK Propolis Vitamin Synergy Serum

If you read my posts before you know of my love of honey and propolis in cosmetics so when I spotted a new propolis serum on offer with one of my favorite ebay sellers blueprint21 from a company I never heard of I decided to be adventurous and give it a go. 

I learned that UNIK stands for Unique & Natural Ingredients Knowhow. They say they are a new Korean cosmetics brand, that produces effective cosmetics with natural ingredients and unique combinations thought out by their research and development team.

The brand visual identity is clean, no fuss almost medicinal look. Serum comes in a 50ml glass bottle with a well functioning pipette. The packaging contains the full ingredients list, directions and other information in rather good English. Very user friendly to users that do not speak Korean. 

The serum itself is gold yellow in color and has a really pleasant mellow bergamot scent (that comes from Bergamot Fruit Oil that is part of the formula). The consistency of the serum is reminiscent of honey, it spreads easily and evenly and absorbs quickly leaving a slightly sticky finish at first, but stickiness goes away rather quickly. It is lightly moisturising and imparts some of that famous propolis glow and layers well with other serums and essences. It also feels slightly firming on skin. I like to use it as my final step before an occlusive layer that is a cream or oil as propolis is a natural sealant. The smell is really, really nice and natural but does not linger.

Serum consistency

 CosDNA analysis   is really clean and only ingredient listed as possibly comedogenic is Butylene Glycol, a moisturizing agent widely used in cosmetics. 

I also like that they state the exact percentage of their hero ingredients in the formula.
"The unique and optimal ratio, Propolis Extract 70% and Vitamin C (Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract) 12%, 2% Niacinamide and 0.04% Adenosine.This serum can help make calming, nourishing, brightening and wrinkle care with nature ingredients."

Looking at ingredients this serum should do what it claims. 

Propolis Extract - moisturizing, antiviral and antimicrobial and as such beneficial for acneic skin it is an ingredient suitable for sensitive skin that helps reduce redness it is also natural sealant, and as such it may help skin retain more moisture to maintain healthier and vibrant complexion.

Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract (Sea buckthorn ) -  an antioxidant Sea buckthorn promotes skin hydration, elasticity, and skin regeneration, and even helps treat and prevent acne. It may also be beneficial for rosacea.

Niacinamide - a skin-restoring ingredient that offers multiple benefits for aging skin. Among these benefits is the ability to visibly improve the appearance of enlarged pores, uneven skin tone, fine lines, dullness, and a weakened skin surface. 

Adenosine - good soothing and skin-restoring agent. Adenosine has proven anti-wrinkle benefits due to its ability to energize skin’s surface so it looks smoother and younger. 

There are also skin soothing ingredients like allantoin,centella asiatica extract, portulaca oleracea extract and other antioxidants that are beneficial for the skin. 

Looking at the formula it seems to be really suitable for skin suffering from acne.

So if you wanted to give propolis a go and you have troubled skin this might be a product for you. Also other skin types could use this product as long as you do not rely on it as your main source of moisture as its moisturizing capacity is light. 

I have been using this product for two weeks, twice a day and although it did not make me 10 years younger in two weeks it also did not cause any irritation or flare ups and my skin seems to enjoy it. Hopefully with continuous use I will see the anti aging and brightening benefits.