Jumiso/Helloskin: Have A Good Cream and Drop The Vita C Facial Serum First Impressions

I recently bought these two products on a whim after they were on sale on stylekorean.com. I usually like to research the crap out of products before I invest since I am a poor university student and I also have very sensitive skin. However, the price points were reasonable and the ingredients seemed pretty harmless so I decided to bite the bullet and just test them out even  though there wasn't a lot of information out there on the products. The packaging also drew me  in because I am a huge animal person and the instant you advertise anything with a dog I am  SOLD almost immediately. The dog is also trying skincare in the illustration on the cream  so HOW CAN I NOT BUY THESE??????????Anyways I will get to my first impressions of the cream and drop and give my thoughts after using them a couple times!

HAVE A GOOD CREAM

                                                                                   

Cruelty free? Vegan?

According to beautyandseoul, Helloskin is confirmed to be cruelty free and does not sell their products in China but sell them in Hong Kong to bypass animal testing (it is mandatory to test cosmetics on animals in China). HOWEVER, this cream has Squalene and I do not have information on whether it is derived from shark liver or if it is derived from plant based oils. I am assuming it is derived from plant based sources as the brand is supposed to be cruelty free but if you are strict about using cruelty free and/or vegan products avoid this!

Ingredients 

Water, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Butylene Gylcol, Glycerin, Squalene, Centella Asiatica Extract (1.05%), Bacillus Ferment, 1,2-Hexanediol, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Ceterayl Alcohol, Cetearyl Olivate, Dimethicone, Trehalose, Arachidyl Alchohol, Sorbitan Olivate, Arginine, Carbomer, Cyclopentasiloxane, Panthenol, Caprylyl Gylcol, Behenyl Alcohol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Polysilicone-11, Arachidyl Glucoside, Ethylhexylglycerin, Simmondias Chinensis Seed Oil, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Allantonin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Mentha Haplocalix Extract, Snail Secretion Filtrate (0.025%), Menthyl Lactate, Disodium EDTA, Backhousia Citriodora Leaf Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Asiaticoside, Madecassic Acid, Asiatic Acid and Hydrolyzed Beta-glucan.     

                               

I appreciate that they list the ingredients in korean AND english on the packaging!            

                                            

Noteworthy Ingredients         

Glycerin: acne fighting, anti-aging, water retention (humectant), moisturizing, softening (emollient), healing and protective properties                        

Squalene: mimics natural sebum so it can regulate sebum production, improves elasticity, water retention (humectant), protects against sun damage and anti-bacterial            

Centella asiatica: healing, scar healing, acne fighting, promotes collagen synthesis, improves circulation, strengthens skin and anti-aging

Jojoba seed oil: moisturizing, protective, mimics natural sebum and modulates sebum production, anti-inflammatory and soothing

Macadamia nut oil: moisturizing, anti-inflammatory, repairing, healing and restores skin barrier

Allatonin: moisturizing, smoothing, healing and calming

Sodium hyaluronate: helps with collagen synthesis, anti-aging, moisturizing and water retention (humectant)

Snail secretion filtrate: anti-aging, skin repairing, soothing and scar fading

Backhousia citriodora leaf oil/Lemon myrtle oil: antibacterial, reduces clogged pores, oil balancing and pore size reduction                                                     

Asiaticoside, Madecassic acid and asiatic acid: soothing, anti-inflammatory, anti-wrinkle, firming, healing, firming, scar reduction and collagen synthesis

First Impression

Prior to buying this what sold me (besides the adorable packaging) was that the cream had centella and snail in it! These are two ingredients that my skin has loved in the past and I couldn't pass up the opportunity to have a product that had both of these ingredients! Unfortunately, the snail secretion filtrate is lower in the ingredient list which means that the amount of it is lower compared to ingredients that appear before it. I would have preferred to have it higher in the ingredients like centella since it is marketed as being a main ingredient, however, I know that they probably formulated it the way they did for a reason. After doing more research on the ingredients I was pleasantly surprised by the other ingredients and my initial reaction of having snail so far down was replaced with curiosity for the other ingredients that appear in the product. Notable ingredients that spiked my interest were squalene, jojoba and macadamia oils. All of which are great for hydration, healing and have anti-bacterial properties! 

Aside from the ingredients, the adorable and sturdy packaging, I was pleasantly surprised by the cream itself! It has a nice typical sticky texture that most snail creams have but it absorbs quickly and doesn't leave a film on your skin. It isn't greasy either so I can see it working for various skin types! It reminds me of COSRX's snail cream but it actually hydrates the skin rather than drying it out (I don't know if I'm the only person that experienced this with COSRX's snail cream but it literally felt like it was sucking the moisture out of my skin). It soaked into my skin fast and left it feeling moist and supple. It has a light citrus scent (I'm assuming it's the lemon myrtle oil) and makes my skin tingle a little bit but it's not an irritating tingle (if that makes sense?). I would prefer that it didn't have a scent to be completely honest because I am very sensitive to fragrance. I haven't noticed any irritation from the scent yet though and it does wear off quite fast so I can't say it's a problem at the moment. I've used it four times so far and have yet to notice any new acne and my skin has been looking good lately (I don't know if it's the cream though, it may be a coincidence). When I apply it over open wounds it doesn't sting which is also good (as some products have the tendency to do so). I will definitely get back to you on how it reacts with my skin after using it for a month or so.

The price point is decent for the size, $32 CAD for 50g on stylekorean but it's currently on sale for $22 CAD. I don't normally spend over $25 on creams but if I know the product goes a long way I'm willing to invest in it and that's the case for this cream. A little goes a long way for sure. 

                                                       

Drop The Vita C Facial Serum

 

Cruelty free? Vegan?
As mentioned earlier Helloskin does claim to be cruelty free and does not sell their products in China. Based off the ingredients in this specific serum it looks to be vegan as well. 

Ingredients
Water, Propanediol, Ascorbic Acid, 3-0-Ethyl Ascrobic Acid, Hydroxyethylcellullose, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Illicium Verum (Anise) Fruit Extract, Cirtus Paradisi (Grapefruit) Extract, Nelumbium Speciosum Flower Extract, Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract, Scutelleraia Baicalensis Root Extract, Geranimum Maculatum Oil, Brassica Oleracea Italica (Broccoli) Extract, Morus Alba Root Extract, Chaenomeles Sinensis Fruit Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Callus Culture Extract and Nelumbo Nucifera Callus Culture Extract.

Noteworthy Ingredients

Ascorbic acid: anti-aging, protection against sun, healing, repairing, evening skin tone, anti-pollution, hydrating and brightening

Illicium verum (Anise) fruit extract/Anise fruit extract: anti-aging, anti-microbial, antioxidant, exfoliating and conditioning

Cirtus paradisi (Grapefruit) extract/Grapefruit Extract: anti-aging, evening skin tone, fighting free radicals, antioxidant, hydration, protection against sun and pollution, exfoliate and antimicrobial

Nelumbium Speciosum flower extract/Lotus extract: antioxidant, moisturizing, acne fighting, oil balancing, anti-inflammatory, brightening, soothing, hydration, anti-aging and evening skin tone

Paeonia suffruitcosa root extract/Peony extract: brightening, hydration, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, healing and firming

Scutelleraia baicalensis root extract/Skullcap extract: anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, protection, against sun, brightening and repairing

Geranimum maculatum oil: healing, pore tightening, anti-aging, soothing, anti-inflammatory, scar fading, hydration, sun protection and anti-aging 

Morus alba root extract/Mulberry extract: antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, anti-aging, evening skin tone and acne fighting

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract/Green tea extract: antioxidants, anti-aging, anti-inflammatory, inhibits the breakdown of collagenase (enzyme that breaks down collagen), firming, improves elasticity and sun protection

Chaenomeles sinensis fruit extract/Chinese quince extract: antioxidant, skin softening (emollient), skin protection, water retention (humectant) and pore tightening

Adenosine: soothing, anti-aging, smoothing, improves elasticity, improves collagen, anti-inflammatory, repairing and healing

Brassica oleracea italica (Broccoli) extract: antioxidants, sun protection, evening skin tone, cell regeneration, anti-aging, pore tightening, acne fighting, moisturizing, soothing and anti-inflammatory  

Vitis vinifera (Grape) callus culture extract/Grape extract: antioxidant, regeneration, sun protection, anti-aging, anti-inflammatory, improves elasticity and collagen 

First Impression

I've always wanted to try a vitamin C serum because I have a lot of acne scarring and overall pigmentation issues. However, as I mentioned before I have quite sensitive skin so I've been hesitant to use what is currently out on the market. I tried the Ole Henriksen Truth Serum for a couple months and in the beginning it helped fade some of the scarring on my cheeks and chin but the texture was really annoying and it felt like after awhile the improvement stopped and my skin started reacting weirdly to it. It felt like it would no longer absorb and just sit on the top of my skin, leaving a weird film. I wanted to try Klair's Freshly Juiced Vitamin C drop but it has lavender oil and a couple other essential oils my skin can't handle. There are a few others that I just didn't want to splurge on and it just didn't seem like it would be a reality for awhile. However, this one was on sale for $13 CAD on stylekorean.com and the ingredients didn't seem to bad so I bought it without too much thought. Most of the vitamin c serums out there are well over $20 so finding one so cheap was a real steal.

After opening it up and wanting to test it out I was surprised by the scent. It was a like punch to the face and I was really apprehensive on even using it on the back of my hand at first. I have never smelled anything like this before and I can't even begin to describe it. It smells like a weird mixture of floral, citrus and something spoiled? After researching the ingredients though, I can see that the combination of the various flower extracts and oils probably attributes to the funky scent. To be fair, I hate floral scents and have allergies towards a good majority of them (despite adoring flowers), so I could be biased against this particular fragrance. Luckily, when I tested it on the back of my hand the texture was quite nice. It had an oily consistency that absorbed well and it didn't cause any irritation (my hands tend to be really sensitive too). My hand felt super soft after and the smell didn't linger too long after application. 

I went a couple days still a bit apprehensive but this morning I decided to give it a try on my face.I didn't apply my toner after cleansing (my toner has BHA, mixing them is a NO NO), applied my essence generously (2 thick layers), applied a thin layer of the have a good cream then mixed a small drop of the serum with the have a good cream and applied it everywhere. I didn't have school or work today so I spent the day at home but I still applied sun cream just in case. I still hated the scent and it irritated my nose a bit for awhile after application but the scent didn't linger too long and my skin didn't feel any irritation. My skin didn't warm up either so I was really surprised and happy! It absorbed well and I enjoyed the oily feeling (my skin is so dry that I drink up oils) and it made my skin feel soft. I haven't noticed any pimples pop up since this morning but it's obviously too early to judge how it'll react with my skin in the long run. I'll keep you posted! 

Packaging
As I mentioned above, I adore the packaging of these products. I love the attention to detail and the amount of effort put into the product. Although at the end of the day the actual product itself is most important but packaging plays an important role as well. The cream is in a sturdy jar and the lid closes well. The serums packaging doesn't feel as sturdy as the creams but it is still good quality and don't see it breaking any time soon. I really hate when products have cheap packaging that breaks easily or the lids don't close properly after a couple uses.

Overall thoughts

Overall, I am pleased with my purchases and I am looking forward to seeing how these will work out for me in the long run! I will update my Instagram and this blog once I'm able to use these for a month or so and give my final verdict. I am still a bit turned off by the scent of the vitamin c serum because I have been using fragrance free and very lightly scented products for the last year so having something so heavy was shocking. I'm hoping that it doesn't sensitize my skin since it does have a couple essential oils and that it doesn't cause any irritation. However, if it doesn't work out I won't be too heartbroken because it was pretty cheap. I am quite happy with the have a good cream and also hope it works out for me!

Where to buy
Stylekorean: have a good cream / drop the vita c facial serum / set + toner

I have purchased from this retailer multiple times and have had no issues! If you live in Canada you get free shipping on orders over $40 USD!

Contact

Beauty Instagram: lavelena_beauty

Personal (food and travel) Instagram: _acafune