Week one of using Cosrx's AC collection #stylekorean #trymereviewmeevent
Hello everyone! I am checking in after using most of the AC collections products for around a week!
In this blog post I will go over the ingredients for each product that I've tested so far and my thoughts after using them for a week. I will be posting a week after photo at the end as well!
If you didn't see my instagram posts (@lavelenabeauty), I was selected by stylekorean for their try me review me event to review cosrx's AC collection! I'd like to thank both stylekorean and cosrx for giving me this opportunity, I am incredibly grateful to be part of this! I've been a fan of cosrx since around 2015 and two of my most used and repurchased products are from Cosrx! I also recommend a lot of their products and have made other people hooked on them too. I also have been using stylekorean since 2016 (funnily enough, my first purchase on stylekorean contained two cosrx products haha). I love stylekorean because they have something called "time deals" where they have really good deals on certain products for a certain amount of time. I've gotten expensive products for half off because of them! I've gotten the Banila Co Clean it Zero for under $15USD and also Missha's Time Revolution Essence for around $20 USD during these deals! So make sure to check it out for korean skincare and make up!
So my skin type is sensitive, dry, acne-prone and dehydrated-prone. I tend to avoid anything with essential oils, fragrance, alcohol/denat. alcohol (not fatty alcohols though!!) and coconut oil. My main concerns are usually using products that are moisturizing, hydrating, non-sensitizing, helps treat acne and post acne pigmentation! I tend to break out after I eat cheese and sometimes when I consume milk or ice cream. A lot of my break outs tend to be related to hormones, touching my face too much and me eating cheese because although it makes me break out and gives me painful acne I can't control myself (especially when my mom gets jalapeno havarti cheese.... that's my favourite...). I also tend to have a bad picking habit when I'm stressed out or anxious and I do it without even realizing or when I'm sleeping so that has really messed up my skin this time around. I was really good for not picking and touching my face for a long time but some stuff happened in my personal life that threw me off of it and I got into the habit again. HOWEVER, I am slowly getting back to where I was before and I'm trying my hardest to avoid falling into those habits and trying my best to let my skin heal as much as possible! So I really hope you all keep that in mind when I show you photos of my skin because it's important to understand that there are multiple things that contribute to breaks out and although skincare can really help calm and restore the skin... you also have to make other changes a lot of the time to see real change and healing! Tea tree oil and BHA's are only going to help so much if I'm constantly touching and picking at my skin... so I had to really remember that and it played a huge role in my skin doing better too. Although I do think the skincare had helped quite a bit, it was also other actions taken to help.
Disclaimer: all the products were gifted by stylekorean.com and cosrx but I am not expected to give positive/biased reviews. Everything is my own opinion and 100% honest as I want to make sure everyone knows what will work or won't work for their skin type and skin concerns.
Before and after pictures
My skin was conveniently freaking out like crazy for a couple weeks before I received this package. I had cheese almost every week and my skin was NOT happy at all... I also used a multi-vitamin for about a month that I learned was breaking me out as well (watch out for biotin and iodine... especially if you eat a lot of soy.. it is high in iodine and having too much can cause you to break out!!). It is quite embarrassing to post these photos so please be reminded that I'm being super vulnerable and real right now..
The photos don't do my skin justice and the lighting was pretty bad but the amount of pimples and redness has definitely reduced (my forehead hasn't shown as much improvement but it's okay). Although it may seem like my skin might not have changed a lot but for my skin this was a pretty fast improvment! My skin tends to take quite awhile to heal during break outs and sometimes it can take me over a month to start seeing a significant change in my skin and the redness but to see a reduction in a week is pretty crazy for me! To be fair, I was making sure to touch my face less and not eat cheese to make sure my skin doesn't break out anymore but even then I did see great improvements!!
Ingredients: Aqua, Glycerin, Stearic Acid, Myristic Acid, Lauric Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Lauramide DEA, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Lavandula Hybrida Oil, Pinus Sylvestris Leaf Oil, Potassium Cocoate, Salicyclic Acid, Asiaticoside, Asiatic Acid, Madecassic Acid and Disodium EDTA.
+ Glycerin is a humectant natural in all lipids, it hydrates, replenishes and restores skin. It is a VERY VERY common in skincare and you find it in almost every product because it is a great basic ingredient that is cheap to use but it great for the skin.
+ Salicyclic acid is an exfoliant and also known as betahydroxy acid (BHA). It penetrates deeply into your pores and exfoliates inside to help clear it out and reduce break outs. It can also calm skin as it has anti-inflammatory properties.
+Asiaticoside, Asiatic Acid and Madecassic Acid are active compounds from Centella asiatica. They help with skin soothing, hydrating and protecting and repairing the skin barrier as it is a source of amino acids.
+ Glyceryl Stearate is a surfactant (aka a cleansing agent) that is a mixture of glycerin and stearic acid and is known to be less drying than other cleansing agents.
+ Cocamidopropyl Betaine is another gentle surfactant and has a low risk for sensitization of the skin. Is coconut derived and a safe alternative to sulfates!
Ingredients I don't like:
- Lavandula hybrida oil is lavender oil and is often used for fragrance. It is known to be sensitizing. For people that aren't sensitive to essential oils though it can have soothing and anti-inflammatory properties. Research has shown that you don't immediately see or feel sensitizing effects for your skin to suffer damage (so be cautious).
- Pinus sylvestris leaf oil is Scots Pine Oil and like other essential oils be sensitizing. I wasn't able to find a lot about this but there was a study that tested 200 dermatitis patients and had 4 patients that were sensitive to 2% pine needle oil and there was no signs of irritation when tested on rabbit, pig or mouse skin. So this may be less irritating than some other essential oils but I'd still be cautious if you have sensitive skin. I'm not sure if it's the same but Paula's Choice does rate pine oil as poor and sensitizing.
- Also has a couple cleansing agents that are known to be on the drying side: Disodium EDTA, Lauric Acid, PEG-100 Stearate, Lauramide DEA and Potassium Cocoate,
What I like about this:
+ Feels soft
+ Feels soft
+ Gentle and slightly moisturizing
+ Not drying or stripping even for super dry skin
+ Get a lot of product
+ I love products that have anything related to centella asiatica!
What I don't like about this:
- Has lavender and scotch pine essential oils that can be irritating to the skin (it irritated mine a lot). As soon as I used it, all of my acne stung and I could tell that it was irritating them so I decided to stop using it after using it twice... my skin looked pretty inflamed and red after cleansing with this..
- I prefer cleansing gels over foams and haven't used a cleansing foam for a couple of years. If you have normal to oily skin you'd probably appreciate this but for my skin (and for drier skin types) I wouldn't recommend using a foam cleanser.
Would I repurchase? No. I gave this to my friend as I want this to be used by someone that doesn't have super sensitive skin like myself. I hate the idea of wasting a new and perfectly good product so I will see what she thinks about this and maybe even include it in my final thoughts!
2. Calming Liquid Mild Ingredients: Camellia sinensis leaf water (85%), butylene glycol, dimethyl sulfone, betaine, 1,2-hexandiol, betaine salicylate, gluconolactone, polyglyceryl-10 laurate, polyglceryl-10 myristate, glycerine, panthenol, allantoin, arginine, sodium hyaluronate, melalecua alternifolia leaf oil, asiaticoside, asiatic acid and madecassic acid.
Ingredients I like
+ Camellia sinensis leaf water is grean tea leaf water. Green tea has a bunch of antioxidants which help with skin soothing and anti-aging.
+ Betaine salicylate is a salicylic like ingredient derived from sugar beets. It is used as an alternative to salicylic acid as it is more gentle and can be used at higher concentrations in some countries as OTC salicylic acid has restrictions on its concentration in some (I believe S.Korea is one of the countries).
+ Gluconolactone is a type of polyhydroxy acid that is less sensitizing but as effective as AHA's. It is chemically and functionally similar to AHAs but has a larger moleculre structure which limits the penteratbility in the skin which makes it less sensitizing BUT this does not reduce its effectivenss. It can also function as an antioxidant and can improve the strength of the skins surface.
+ Panthenol is an alcohol form of pantothenic acid (which is a B vitamin). It is a humectant which means it is great for hydration. It is found naturally in various foods and our bodies, it helps the body convert carbohydrates into gluclose which is used for energy. It is considered a fatty acid so do not worry if you are sensitive to ingredients like alcohol and/or denatured alcohol as they are different!
+ Allantoin is a by product of uric acid and is a skin soother and conditioning ingredient. It occurs naturally in the body or can be extracted from chamomile or comfry plants. It can also be made synthetically and is very common in cosmetics.
+ Arginine is an amino acid that is an antioxidant. It has water binding properties which can have skin restoring and anti-aging abilities. + Sodium hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid and is considered to be more effective due to a smaller molecular size and greater compatibility with the skin. Hyaluronic is a humectant which means it draws water into the skin from the environment which helps hydrate your skin!
Ingredient I'm iffy about
+/- Melaleuca alternifolia leaf oil is tea tree leaf oil and it can be great for some but also sensitizing to some skin types. It has skin soothing and sebum regulating properties and is an antioxidant. It contains fragrance components which can be irritating to those with sensitive skin. I have an iffy relationship with tea tree leaf oil. My skin doesn't react to it the same way it does to other essential oils and at times it does help my skin but sometimes it makes my skin feel dry and tight... so I think my reaction to it is due to its sebum regulation rather than it being an essential oil. I knew that it was in basically all the AC collection products and I was kind of apprehensive about buying them because of it... but luckily I was able to try them through this event and see how my skin reacts to them!!
What I like
+ Great ingredients (only iffy about the tea tree oil)
+ Light and watery
+ Absorbs fast
+ Non-irritating
+ Packaging is sturdy and minimal (I love minimal packaging!!)
+ It looks like you don't get a lot of product but a little goes a long way so I think this would last awhile!
+ Seems to help speed up the cell turn over rate and sped up healing the acne I was experiencing
+/- I believe this product is making my skin purge. This isn't necessarily a bad thing as it shows the product is doing it's job but it is annoying to have a bunch of pimples emerge all at once. It's a good sign though since it means that it's speeding up the healing process! At first I was worried that I was breaking out but the first thought I had when I saw the acne was "wow the acne is coming to a head a lot faster than usual" which is a huge sign that it's purging and not irritation (also it's a product that has exfoliating ingredients which points it towards purging as well).
What I don't like
- Tea tree scent is quite strong and tbh I don't like the smell of tea tree. If you don't like the scent of tea tree I don't think you'll like this product either. I think this is one of the products that has the strongest tea tree scent, luckily it doesn't linger very long though.
- Not moisturizing or hydrating but more of a treatment (which is fine for people who just want something to treat acne and exfoliate their skin or those with oily skin that don't need a moisturizing toner)
- It doesn't say how often you can use it but I think if your skin is more dry and sensitive maybe using it once every other day (or every couple days) might be better than using it like a normal everyday toner (I used it three days in a row but I think I'm going to use it 3x a week and see what happens). If you have oily skin I could see it being okay for everyday use (I don't know if using it in the AM and PM would be okay though as there is PHA and BHA's in it).
Continue use? Yes.
Repurchase? Possibly.
3. Blemish Spot Clearing Serum Ingredients: Propolis extract, butylene glycol, niacinamide, panthenol, 1,2-hexandiol, hydroxyethyl acrylate/sodium acryloyldimethyl taurate copolymer, ethylhexylglycerin, glycerin, polyglyceryl-10 myristate, polygycerl-10 laurate, allantoin, melalecua alternifolia leaf oil, sodium hyaluronate, asitaticocide, asiatic acid, madecassic acid, helianthus annuus seed oil, macadamia ternifolia seed oil, sucrose distearate, glyceryl stearate, hydrogenated lecithin, dipropylene glycol, ceramide NP and rh-oligopeptide-1.
Ingredients I love
+ Propolis extract is a the glue that bees collect to make their hives. It has skin soothing, anti-inflammatory, antibaceterial, antifungal and antioxidant properties. It is not HONEY and many people mistake the two and some companies promote it as being a honey ingredient. It seals holes and cracks in the hive which is has been thought of doing the same for the skin as it can protect the skin. Propolis has multiple B vitamins, vitamin c and e as well as many minerals. It can help the skin by having antioxidant, anti -inflammatory properties and can also promote collagen synthesis. It can reduce free radical activity in healing wound beds and supported repair processes. It also has been shown to be effective for treating acne vulgaris. All of this was found in an review article by Pasupuleti, Sammugam, Ramesh and Gan (2017).
+ Niacinamide is also known as Vitamin B3 and is known to be skin restoring, brightening and anti-aging. It helps with improving the appearances of pores, uneven skin tone, fine lines, dullness and hep strengthen the skins surface. It can also help with repairing your skin from UV damage and protect you against environmental stressors like pollution.
+ Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil is sunflower seed oil and is an emollient. It has 60% linoleic acid which gives it the ability to replenish, strengthen and soothe skin. It also contains other fatty acids like oleic, palmitic and omega-3 linolenic acid. It is beneficial for those with dry and dehydrated skin and can also help with those with skin that has been damaged by the environment as linoleic acid helps the skin synthesize its own lipids (including ceramides) that helps repair the skins barrier. It also has natural calming effect on the skin which can help with reducing stress or irritation.
+ Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil is macadamia nut oil which is a great emollient used for dry skin. It contains Palmitoleic acid which is naturally produced by our skin when we're younger to give it a dewy and plump appearance but decreases (and stops being produced) as we age. It can mositurize dry and rough skin and also provide a protective barrier for it without clogging pores. All of this is cited in a paper by Naveed and Ahmad (2006).
+ Hydrogenated Lecithin is a hydrogenated form of lecithin that is known to have skin restoring properties. It is derived from animals or plants (egg yolk is a source) or can be synthetically made. Lecithin is also a water binding agent.
+ Ceramide NP is a type of ceramide, that is naturally occuring, that is a major compoenent of the skins outer layers. Research as shown that ceramides can improve the look and feeling of dry skin. Ceramides help with water retention and prevents water loss from your skin which helps provide replenshing and restoring benefits to the skin. They are often dervied from plants when in skincare or can be made synthetically.
+ rh-oligopeptide-1 is a peptide that is also called the epidermal growth factor (EGF). They are large peptides and small protetins that help sginal molecules and stimulate growth and healing in the skin. It has been found to improve the look of dark spots, aging and the skins texture (Aldag, Teixeria & Leventhal, 2016).
Ingredients I'm iffy about
- Tea Tree Leaf Oil, again.
What I like
+ Great ingredients!!! I have grown to love sunflower seed oil and already have a soft spot for anything with propolis and niacinamide! I was also surprised that they put EGF into the cream as I don't see it very often in more affordable brands! + Has a heavier feeling compared to the other products but it isn't greasy and doesn't leave a film. It feels very nourishing and I love the way it feels on my skin, especially when I apply it to my acne
+ It absorbs SUPER fast despite having an oily texture
+ I've just been applying this to the areas where I've been experiencing massive break outs so far but I think this would be fine to apply everywhere
+ My skin seems brighter, smooth and plump after I use this in my routine alongside my other skincare products
+ Cute and sturdy packaging
What I dislike
- Has the same tea tree scent that I don't necessarily like but I think out of all the products the tea tree scent is the lightest in this and like the other products it doesn't necessarily linger.
- I could see it being used up quite fast since it absorbs super fast.. a little doesn't go that long of a way with this so far
Continue to use? Yes.
Repurchase? Possibly.
4. Lightweight Soothing Moisturizer Ingredients: propolis extract, aloe barbadensis leaf water, camellia sinensis leaf water, butlylene glycol, cetyl ethylhexanoate, glycerin, 1,2-hexandiol, niacinamide, hydroxyethyl acrylate/sodium acryloyl dimethyl taurate copolymer, cyclomethicone, cetearyl olivate, betaine, cetearyl alchol, soritan olivate, pantehnol, ethylhexyglycerin, allantoin, xanthan gum, dimethicone/vinyl dimethicone crosspolymer, sodium hyaluronate, arginine, zinc pca, betaine salicylate, mentha haplocalyx extract, methyl lactate, citric acid, melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree) leaf oil, asiticoside, asiatic acid and madecassic acid.
+ Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Water is aloe leaf extract combined with water. It is commonly used to soothe and hydrate the skin and provide antioxidant properties to it.
+ Zinc PCA is a synthetic ingredient derived from zinc. It has shown to have anti-aging benefits because it can minimize the damage of destructive enzymes that can cause surface damage that leads to aging in skin.
+ All the other ingredients I like (propolis, camellia/green tea water, sodium hyaluronate, betaine salicylate, madecassic acid, asiatic acid and asiaticoside have been discussed above!)
Ingredients I don't like
- Mentha Haplocalyx Extract is a mentha species otherwise known as mint or peppermint. Many contain antimicrobial, antifungal and antioxidant properties but can also be senitizing to the skin especially when in a concentrated oil form (this has an extract so it is diluted). However, it has fragrance components carvone, menthone and limonene that can cause sensitivity and allergic reactions. - Menthyl Lactate is a ester of menthol and lactic acid and is used as a cooling and fragrance ignredient in skincare. This derivative is supposed to be less sensitizing than menthol itself but there isn't solid research regarding this. It may be synthetic, plant or animal derived.
+ Has some great ingredients that would definitely help acne prone skin and heal it
+ Tube creams are a lot more hygienic than jars which is awesome!
+ It is light weight and absorbs fast
+ Makes your skin feel smooth after application
+ It comes in a huge size that is okay for travelling (I've noticed that a lot of moisturizers/creams come in 50 and 60ml's!)
+ You also get more bang for buck since it's bigger!
What I don't like
- I do not appreciate the use of mentha extracts and a methyl lactate. I am assuming that they were formulated with these ingredients because they are known to be soothing and cooling but they can also be very sensitizing to people... especially for those with sensitive and/or acne prone skin. I would not recommend this for people with super sensitive skin or know that they are sensitive to mint related products. I think this would be better suited for people with acne prone and oily skin but not sensitive to essential oils or drier skin.
- It also has tea tree oil that I've mentioned earlier that I am on the fence about. It also smells like it and again, I am more used to and prefer unscented products so this is a bit much. However, it doesn't linger longer than necessary which is nice but I do think the scent of this product is the strongest in the whole line.
Continue to use? I might use it a couple more times but I am going to give a sample to my boyfriend and possibly give it to him!
Repurchase? No.
5. Acne Patches Ingredients: Carboxymethylcellulose sodium, Polyisobutene, Rosin, Polybutene, Mineral Oil, Centella Asiatica Extract and Polyuerthane film.
What I like
+ They cover more surface area than their other patches so you can get bigger acne or even multiple bumps that are in the same area
+ Come in different sizes to cover different sized acne which is always nice! The bigger sized patches are great for huge bumps or cluster of bumps that are often very hard to cover with the smaller, regular sized patches
+ Adheres to the skin better than the original acne patches by Cosrx
What I don't like
- These are good but I think the best patches are Cosrx's master patches (the black packaging)! I find that they just pull out the gunk a lot better than all the other patches I've tried, even Cosrx's other patches. These ones don't pull out as much so they aren't as satisfying to use BUT they are still great to use and to protect your pimples from bacteria especially if they are exposed/popped. (They work better than the original acne patches by cosrx though)
- They don't adhere to the skin as well as the master patches. They are still quite sticky and I can put my skincare over them without them sliding off but I can tell they aren't as adhesive as the master patches but they are more adhesive than the original acne patches from cosrx!
- If I were to rank cosrx's acne patches it would go in this order: #1. Master patches, #2. These ones & #3. The original acne patches
*Note: I used these the first night I got the package but forgot to take photos of the before and after for this time around. Since then I haven't used any because I've been trying my best not to pick or let any pimples pop. However, if any pimples do pop I will put this on and take photos to show you what happens!
Continue to use? Yes.
Repurchase? Probably yes but use them for bigger and nastier pimples or sores that the master patches can't fully cover (or when I run out of the master patches lol). These would be good for sores you get on other parts of your body too!
What I haven't gotten the chance to use yet:
Ultimate Spot Cream Ingredients: Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Water, Butylene Glycol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Glycerine, Zinc Oxide, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dimethyl Sulfone, Betaine, Polysorbate 60, Elaeis Guineensis Oil, Elaesis Guineensis Kernel Oil, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, 1,2-Hexandiol, Calamine, Dimethicone, Illicium Verum Fruit Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Xanthan gum, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Ethyl Hexanediol, Asiaticoside, Asiatic Acid and Madecassic Acid.
Ingredients I like
+ Zinc Oxide is a thickening, lubricating and sunscreen active ingredient. As a sunscreen it is effective in providing protection from both UVA and UVB rays. Outside of working as a sunscreen ingredient, it is also said to have some ability to treat acne.
+ Calamine is a smoothing antipiruritic, it combines zinc oxide to produce a lotion to mitigate irritation. It is also said to reduce redness and swelling. It also helps with alleviating itchiness and has been used to treat and lessen the irritation and itchiness experienced from burns. However, it can also be sensitizing for some people if used on its own (I'm thinking that since both zinc oxide and calamine are in this it makes a calamine lotion????? the lotion is used to treat skin conditions and alleviate itchiness)
+ Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract is a plant native to China known for its use in chinese medicine. It is known in skincare as being a product that impedes on the skins creation and transfer of excess pigment. There is a lack of solid evidence on what concentration is needed to help with discolouration but it is said to help in this department. It contains various flavones that are types of antioxidants and some are soothing. It is said that this ingredient can help the skin stand against environmental damage. It has been tested on various animals and compromised skin to see if it is senitizing and it has shown to be non-sensitizing. Overall, it is good for those struggling with uneven skin tone and need soothing.
Ingredients that are iffy
- Illicium Verum Extract is aniseed and is known to have a lot of antioxidants. However, its fragrance can cause irritation and potential photo-sensitivity.
+/- Elaeis Guineensis Oil and Kernel Oil is palm oil which is an antioxidant and can provide skin replenishing benefits. It also is a antioxidant natural moisturizing factor, which is a group of ingredients that protect the skin from environmental stress and damage. HOWEVER, there is a lot of controversy over its production and its impact on the environment. In the areas where palm oil is produced there is a loss of biodiversity and also a lot of carbon emissions. I'm not really sure where I stand on this exactly as I have to do more research but if you are someone who takes the environment very seriously this is important to consider! I'm not sure how Cosrx sources their palm oil and if it's more ethical but I think it's worth looking into if you're someone who likes to be conscious about the environment when it comes to the products they use. It is a good ingredient for the skin but it's impact on the environment is what makes it iffy for me!
+/- Dimethicone is a silicone and can be soothing and smoothing BUT a lot of people do not like to use silicone's or have sensitivities to them. I personally don't think I have any problems with it but it's also something to keep in mind if you are sensitive to them
I will use this next week as I didn't want to use too many new products all at once! I'll let you know!
Overall I am quite pleased with the products and haven't experienced any sensitivity or reactions to anything! I didn't realize how much I hated the smell of tea tree until using these products though lol. I think it is kind of overkill to use a bunch of the same ingredient in a routine so after I try these out for another week and write my final conclusions I'll choose one or two products to continue to use and give away the products I don't find myself using. So I'll check in around the 23rd and let you guys know my final thoughts (I will also update after a couple months too)!!!! If you have any questions feel free to comment or reach out to me on any of my platforms!
Where to buy these products
- Stylekorean
- Mikaela-beauty
- Jolse
- Sokoglam
- Testerkorea
(I have purchased from each of these retailers more than once so I can vouch that these sites are not scams)
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