Unboxing first!
This collection aims to provide a full skincare routine for those acne prone skin which may also easily breakout due to sensitivity to certain ingredients. As there are cleansing, moisturizing & treatment products within the range, it ensures that consumers have consistency in their skincare regime in terms of ensuring they use mild formulas which corresponds well together.
AC COLLECTION CALMING FOAM CLEANSER
Key Ingredients – Stearic/Myristic/ Palmitic/Lauric/Salicylic acids & Lavandula oil.
Vegan, cruelty-free, hypoallergenic, dermatologist tested, paraben/sulfate/phthalates/alcohol free.
To kick start of the entire skincare routine, COSRX have included a gentle foam cleanser. Some may say ‘wouldn’t a gel or milk cleanser be more gentle?’ – Well a foam cleanser will cater to most acne prone skin types as they tend to be triggered by excessive natural oil production (sebum). A foam cleanser such as this one will not only irradiate the impurities which are linked to acne, but it will also calm sensitivity and provide the right balance or ratio of oil-water within skin which is again another common imbalance among those with acne prone skin/frequent breakouts. The texture of this foam cleanser is very soft, especially when whipped to make abundant foam by using a bubble net or another type of foam maker. You can always tell when a foam cleanser is going to not deprive your skin of moisture – it will have an emulsified sheen to it upon dispensing: this foam cleanser has exactly that!
AC COLLECTION CALMING LIQUID MILD
Key ingredients – Camellia leaf water, dimethyl sulfone (an anti-inflammatory), Panthenol, Allantoin & tea tree.
Vegan, cruelty-free, hypoallergenic, dermatologist tested, paraben/sulfate/phthalate/alcohol free.
This is COSRX’s answer to providing a mild yet effective toner for acne prone skin. First of all I like how watery it is – some would think this is messy – however it’s ideal for supplying a thin layer of toner as the foundations for the skincare which will follow. One item which typically causes more breakouts, are complex toners which contain more alcohol and fragrance rather than beneficial ingredients. On the contrary, this calming liquid has an essential amount of moisturising ingredients as well as ingredients becoming more commonly known as ‘acne friendly’ rather than harmful ones. As you should apply this directly after cleansing, you will most likely notice how well it handles redness. The toner has a delicate tree tea & Camellia scent. The size and curved shape of the bottle makes it easy to dispense & won’t take-up much space in your luggage.
AC COLLECTION LIGHTWEIGHT SOOTHING MOISTURIZER
Key ingredients – Propolis extract, aloe leaf water, Camellia leaf water, Niacinamide & madecassic acid.
Cruelty-free, hypoallergenic, dermatologist tested, paraben/sulfate/phthalates/alcohol free.
Finally! – an AC moisturiser that has the gel-cream texture that combination/oily skin types require, without the greasy heaviness that typical AC moisturisers often have. I don’t know about you, but when I’m using Acne care, I want them to have the same properties as popular on-trend skincare which is used by those who don’t have acne; by this I mean convenient and comfortable moisturisers that don’t have to be worked into skin with extensive rubbing-in or patting-in. I don’t want to feel like I’m missing out by having to use old fashioned ‘pharmacy style’ acne skincare. This moisturiser is proof that having acne or breakouts isn’t all doom and gloom; we can still enjoy the latest formulas just as effortlessly as other skin types. And infact, the same concept runs throughout this entire range – the products can be layered quickly if need be, and don’t leave you feeling like you’ve smothered butter over your face in order to deeply or thoroughly care for your skin.
AC COLLECTION BLEMISH SPOT CLEARING SERUM
Key ingredients – Propolis extract, Niacinamide, Panthenol & tea tree oil.
Cruelty-free, hypoallergenic, dermatologist tested, paraben/sulfate/phthalates/alcohol free.
This serum has to be my favourite item within the range, simply because of how fast absorbing it is. Once again it makes caring for acne more achievable despite how busy you may be. What intrigued me about this Serum is of course it’s claim to fade the dark or red pigmentations which blemishes and minor acne scarring have. Furthermore it allows you to care for your acne prone skin but also has anti-aging effects thanking to it’s ability to boost collagen and elastin. Its also the first time that I’ve seen propolis used in a lightweight serum. Regardless of it being placed at the top of the contents list Propolis extract, which tends to be a thick and sticky natural anti-bacterial, doesn’t effect the serum’s featherlight texture/finish. Propolis does however care for the bacteria and oxidants in skin in addition to providing a healthy looking glow.
AC COLLECTION ULTIMATE SPOT CREAM
Key ingredients – Aloe leaf water, sunflower seed oil, zinc oxide.
Vegan, cruelty-free, hypoallergenic, dermatologist tested, paraben/sulfate/phthalate free, travel friendly.
Until discovering this spot cream, I had avoided spot creams for at least 5 years or more. I had always found spot creams to sting open spots, so I eventually refrained from using them. This one however surprisingly contains an even mixture of both natural and man-made ingredients ideal for effectively reducing the inflammation of acne. Because it’s a cream, it’s form makes it easy to pinpoint onto specific areas; as opposed to drying lotions or gels which usually have to be applied with a wasteful cotton bud/Q-tip. 30g of product in the tube is rather generous in my opinion – value for money I’d say.
AC COLLECTION ACNE PATCHES
Key ingredients – Carboxymethyl cellulose sodium, Polyisobutene, Rosin.
Cruelty-free, hypoallergenic, dermatologist tested, paraben/sulfate/phthalates/alcohol free, travel friendly.
The ever so popular original COSRX acne patch varieties perhaps lead to the creation of this full acne focused line. These Polyurethane film patches come in packets of 26 pieces: 9 small, 9 medium & 8 large sized patches divided onto two sheets. To ensure that you maintain hygiene practices once the patches have been initially opened, it’s sensible to continue to store the patches within the resealable pouch and wax-paper sleeves that they come in (similarly to how you would store sterile plasters/band-aids in a medical box). The tapered edges of the individual patches makes them straightforward to apply and remove – for the same reason the perforated plastic sheet they are attached to comes in handy. Overall I’m impressed with this product. The patches stay-put, they extract impurities and oil just as successfully as the previous patches by COSRX, and I believe that the inclusion of Centella Asiatica helps prevent the patches from being as harsh as others.
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As this is a new skincare range, which I was fortunately selected to give my thoughts on, there isn’t much information surrounding this collection as of yet. So for those who are interested, I’d like to mention that I will be writing an update post in a month~6 weeks time to further see the benefits of this innovative range.
💬 Let me know – Will you be giving this a go? You can find the COSRX AC Collection at StyleKorean Global 🇰🇷
Please be aware that most of the products within this collection aren’t suitable for those who are allergic to Aspirin, due to the fact that it contains Betaine Salicylate (- a natural BHA sourced from certain plants; aspirin being a derivative of salicylic acid).
The products featured were gifted in exchange for an honest review. All opinions shared are my own. Any music used in videos are owned by InShot & partnering creators.
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