Facetheory: Facetheory is a brand that focuses on personalized skincare with clean formulations. They offer a range of products tailored to different skin concerns, using high-quality active ingredients and avoiding common irritants, making them suitable for sensitive skin. One of my all-time favorite ingredients. This does a little bit of everything. It’s very effective at brightening skin tone, treating hyperpigmentation (skin discoloration), and hydrating the skin. ( 2, 3) There’s also ample evidence that it has anti-aging benefits. ( 4, 5 , 6 , 7) In fact, one study showed it’s anti-wrinkle properties are akin to tretinoin! ( 8)

This thing applies gloriously! I’m going to have to throw shade at the Paula’s choice BHA again (sorry). For comparison sake, just look at the difference in spreadability/finish between the both of them.

SUBSCRIBE FOR UPDATES

BHAs clean pores by penetrating deep inside of them to get rid of, exfoliate, dead skin cells trapped inside. Since BHAs are oil-soluble they are able to penetrate through oil, natural and otherwise, to truly dissolve it and clean out clogged pores. They also have amazing anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. This would in turn lead to more clogged pores, and it just became a never-ending cycle of trying to use more product to treat the problems that the product was causing! Affordability: Cosrx is known for offering affordable skincare options. Their products are priced reasonably, making them accessible to a wide range of consumers who are looking for effective skincare without breaking the bank. So far I’ve been using this product in both my AM and PM routine. Full disclosure, I do not have sensitive skin or any active breakouts at the moment, so I feel using this product twice a day is totally safe for my skin. But if you’re new to chemical exfoliants or have sensitive skin, I would start off with using this product once a day 1-3 times a week and slowly incorporating it more often. If you’re going outside, remember to use sunscreen afterward applying the power liquid because chemical exfoliants do sensitize the skin!

Most of the Cosrx inventory is generally affordable to the average consumer. The company is also very transparent when it comes to what ingredients they use for their formulas. It’s nice to see a company that doesn’t put its focus on aesthetics, which makes the outlook of this brand more trustworthy and reliable. Cruelty-free brand: Cosrx is a cruelty-free Korean skincare brand. They do not test their products on animals, making them a suitable choice for individuals who prefer ethical and animal-friendly skincare options.Propolis is a resinous substance produced by bees. It is often utilized in Cosrx formulations for its antioxidant, antibacterial, and soothing effects. Propolis can help protect the skin against environmental stressors, support skin regeneration, and improve overall skin condition. AHA (Alpha-Hydroxy Acid) Cosrx products often incorporate ingredients with soothing and calming properties, such as centella asiatica and aloe vera. These ingredients can help reduce redness, inflammation, and skin irritation, making them suitable for sensitive or irritated skin types. Skin Barrier Repair

Fun fact: salicylic acid has to be formulated with a pH of 3-4 to work best, otherwise it might precipitate out of the solution and form crystals like this! They always try to really maximize their formulas, so rather than simply filling it up with water they went that little extra mile to sneak in some added benefits. 🙂 As the name implies, the key ingredient in COSRX Centella Blemish Cream is Centella asiatica leaf water. Centella asiatica, also known as gotu kola and tiger grass, is a perennial plant native to the wetlands in Asia. It is a rich source of natural bioactive substances, including triterpenoid saponins, flavonoids, phenolic acids, amino acids, and sugars. The most important compounds in tiger grass are asiaticoside, madecassoside, asiatic acid, and madecassic acid. The Centella asiatica leaf water in COSRX Centella Blemish Cream should enhance moisturization, calm inflammation, and stimulate collagen synthesis after topical application. Herbivore Botanicals: Herbivore Botanicals is known for its minimalist and natural approach to skincare. They offer a range of plant-based products that are free from synthetic ingredients, aiming to bring out the best in your skin using gentle and nourishing formulations.

Certain products, especially those with exfoliating ingredients or targeted for oily skin types, may cause temporary dryness or tightness. It’s important to follow the usage instructions and consider adjusting the frequency of use or incorporating additional moisturizing products if needed. Photosensitivity Cosrx products are known for their minimalistic and straightforward formulations, often featuring key ingredients like snail mucin, centella asiatica and propolis. The COSRX Snail Essence contains 96% snail mucin as the key ingredient. It has been theorized that applying snail mucin to the skin could provide skin-regenerating benefits. Many of the snail mucin benefits come from three key components: hyaluronic acid, glycolic acid, and allantoin. According to researchers at the University of Nigeria, snail mucin plays an important role in wound healing as it enhances the skin’s natural regenerative response on the formation of new tissues, probably through immune response. Due to these healing properties, snail mucin has been shown to help with acne, rosacea, scars, razor bumps, and even signs of aging.

It’s derived from sugar beets, and many consider it a more gentle alternative to salicylic acid because it isn’t pH dependent, meaning it does not require an acidic environment to work optimally. Chemical exfoliants on the other hand, because of their texture and active ingredients, can go beneath the surface of the skin to help shed more dead skin cells and even promote cell regeneration. The photo on the left was what the Paula’s Choice Extra Strength BHA did to my forehead after trying to use it 4 times weekly for about a month. In other words, it completely nuke my moisture barrier and acid mantle (and aggravated my malassezia / fungal sensitivities)! Just looking at the photo makes me cringe. If you didn’t know what over-exfoliated skin looks like…. well, now you do. Oh, and the Paula’s Choice BHA smells like a** too. I understand that Paula’s Choice has a quarrel against fragrances because they’re potentially irritating, which is good. Kudos to them. But goodness, this stuff stinks haha.

Manual exfoliants, think any of the scrub products currently in your shower, differ from chemical exfoliants, such as COSRX’s, in one major way — they only remove what’s on the surface of the skin. This means manual exfoliants are, unfortunately, far less effective. Betaine Salicylate 4% (tương đương khoảng 2% BHA): Betaine Salicylate thì có tác dụng tẩy da chết tương tự như Salicylic Acid, tuy nhiên nó sẽ tác động lên da nhẹ nhàng hơn, tránh tình trạng da bị kích ứng. In fact, there is some evidence that salicylate (the active BHA in COSRX) at pH 6.5, works just as well as salicylic acid in an acidic vehicle (pH 3.12) after only two days of application. Here are some potential side effects associated with skincare products in general, including those from Cosrx: Skin Irritation