Nindia's Letters

A lot of you have heard the brand Cosrx and Klairs before. If you haven’t they are Korean skincare and cosmetics brands from S.Korea which specializes in natural and simple ingredients. Their products have become the rave in Korea and all around the world due to its effectiveness and affordability. It is time for me to test it out myself.

For your information, I have oily and sensitive skin so my main skin concerns are acne and scarring (I know, the worse!) Without further ado, let’s get right to the review J

The two products that I will reviewing today are: Cosrx Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence and Klairs Freshly Juiced Vitamin Drop

Claims: moisturizing without using heavy oils, Alcohol + Paraben + Fragrance + Artificial Coloring Free

Main Ingredient: Snail Secretion Filtrate

Application method as suggested: Apply a light amount to the T zone; on the other hand, apply a generous amount to the cheek area, and tap lightly for the under the eye area.

Texture: gooey, transparent, and spreads on like a dream! A little goes a very long way and it does resemble the slime of a snail (?)

Packaging: A rounded plastic bottle with a pump top.

How I use it and my personal experience:

At first I thought that this is going to be a thick essence which gives extra hydration to the skin however even though it does have a thick consistency at first, the moment you spread it on your face it directly absorbs into the skin leaving a cooling and refreshed sensation. I do agree that there are no heavy oils in this product but it does a great job giving my skin a healthy glow (and when I mean glow, oh, it truly GLOWS) without any sticky feeling.

As I’ve mentioned before, it does give a cooling sensation and calms my sensitive skin. Major redness that I have on my skin disappeared right after I applied this.

I have been using this product for a couple of months and I cannot say that I see any difference on my acne and/or scarring issue but it does not trigger any new acne so far. My skin just calms down when I use this.

I apply this essence at night religiously but not in the morning since it might be too much for my oily skin. Unless when my skin feels dehydrated, I applied this before my sunscreen and it instantly creates the most beautiful glow. If I live somewhere dryer then I would definitely recommend applying this day and night since it moisturizes without the feel of an extra layer on your skin.

One pump is perfect to apply to the whole face.

Claims: helps stimulate collagen production, improved skin texture without harsh irritation, Alcohol + Paraben + Fragrance + Artificial Coloring Free

Main Ingredients: 5% Pure Vit. C, Centella Asiatica Extracts, Yuzu Extracts, Grapefruit Extracts

Vitamin C is known for its amazing anti-aging and spot correcting effects while Centella Asiatica Extracts are great for wound healing. As a result, this serum is helpful to heal active acne and remove its scars (just what I’ve been looking for!) However its 5% concentration level is quiet low in comparison to other Vitamin C essence in the market which goes as high as 20%. Its low concentration makes it possible to be used on sensitive skin or for those of you who are skin care newbies and have just dipped your toes in extensive skincare routine.

Klairs stated that it uses a Hybrid Stabilization Technology which provides L-ascorbic active ingredients into the skin. This helps to protect the skin from UV damage while fighting destructive free radicals.

Texture: oily

I was quiet surprised when I first tried on the product on my hands. From videos that I’ve watched I have always had an impression that this vitamin drop would be like water. To be honest, I was quiet concerned since thick oils can block out pores therefore causing acne. For the first month I was disappointed that this product does not do anything neither to my active acne or my scars. I really wanted this product to work but I just can’t see any result. But once I experimented here and there, here’s my ultimate tip for you:

DO NOT layer anything on top of this product before leaving it on your skin for at least 10 minutes. Vitamin C does not like to be combined with other ingredients so let it chill and be absorbed into the skin before layering your moisturizer. This makes a whole lot of difference both to its texture and effectiveness. After leaving it on for 10 minutes, the oily texture have totally seeped into the skin leaving a smooth finish on my skin (none of that sticky feeling anymore) therefore other products you put into your skin now won’t disturb this vitamin drop anymore.

Packaging: A clear glass with dropper

This might go against what most people have told you about Vitamin C oxidizing when exposed to sunlight which is why most companies use dark tinted packaging for its Vit. C serums. I personally store my product in the refrigerator so that it is protected from the sun and gives of a cooling sensation when applied. It is recommended to store this in a cool, dry place away from sunlight.

How I use it and my personal experience:

I use this vitamin drop after the Cosrx Snail Essence by dropping products on my entire face. I gently tap and spread it around my face. To help the absorption process, I rub my hands together really fast and using the heat created I gently lay the palm of my hands on my face. I’m not sure what ingredient causes this, but the second I drop the product on my face it feels very cooling (since I store it in the fridge) but right when I spread the product around my face and rub my hands together, it gets warm very easily. For your information, I have relatively cold hands so I know that this product is reacting when I started rubbing it in. It’s nothing bad but just an interesting info for you all J

I use this product only at night just because it is Vitamin C and I know that it can oxidize and lose its effectiveness when exposed to sunlight.

If you have an extremely sensitive skin, you can also mix this with your serum or creams to calm down its concentration level.

In conclusion, will I repurchase this again? I will definitely repurchase the Cosrx Snail Mucin Power Essence since it is just a great product as a basic moisturizer without leaving any sticky feeling on the skin. As for the Klairs Freshly Juiced Vitamin Drop, I would love to see how this product will help on my acne scars. Will update you guys if I see positive results ;)

Thank you for reading and do leave a comment below if you have other products that you want me to review J

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Thank you and see you on another letter!

From Yours Truly,

Nindia Djie

Dear Friends all over the world,

It’s time to get to the bottom of things. We’ve seen enough of “Paraben-free” products labelled in drugstores, online shops, banners, etc. Most of us would instantly categorize these products as “gentle”, “natural”, and “safe” for the skin but do any of us really know what paraben truly is? Is it a poison? What effect does it have on the skin? This letter is just the tip of the iceberg and more research is being done on Paraben but I want to share with all of you the real deal. Is Paraben truly is a threat to our health being or is it used mainly as a marketing tool? Let’s find out!

Paraben is a group of chemicals used for preservatives in a lot of beauty products such as shampoo and skincare. The main point is to extend products’ shelf life and preventing the formation of molds; therefore also protecting the users from premature expiration dates. There are usually 6 common types of paraben found in a product: Methyl/Ethyl/Propyl/Isopropyl/Butyl/Isobutyl parabens. Parabens are widely used due to its effective qualities as a preservative and their affordability.

Studies shows that paraben is a chemical that acts as an endocrine disruptors which means that it disrupts the normal function of the hormone system (including the growth, development, and reproduction of hormonal cells). This may cause disturbance in monthly ovary cycle for women, various skin problems due to hormonal confusion in the body, etc. One of the main reason for its current hype is that a study found a correlation of the existence of paraben in our body with breast cancer. HOWEVER, no significant prove has been found that paraben IS the cause for breast cancers or any of the stated health issues. Which is why the FDA hasn’t been able to put forth a proper ban for the use of parabens in products; because no research is conclusive enough to convince them. Also keep in mind that these studies are done in labs and where the number of Paraben used are elevated and is directly injected to a cell in a dish plate, and not to a human skin.

Even though there are no studies that prove paraben is the cause for cancer, we cannot run away from the fact that paraben does affect how our body functions. Different people will experience different things as well as how sensitive they are when they are in contact with parabens. Some may experience dryness in the skin while some might suffer from hormonal acne, and others doesn’t react at all. It is due to the fact that the amount of paraben used in the market is in a very low amount and does not pose a deathly threat to our well-being.

More companies are now focused on eliminating chemical parabens and use natural parabens instead. Some examples of natural preservatives include grape seed extract, lavender, green tea, and eucalyptus. It is also deduced that germs grow in water, therefore some companies eliminate the use of water in their products to lengthen their shelf period.

Be aware that natural ingredients does not mean that it’s safe for our skin or to consume! A lot of natural ingredients are not suitable to be used on human body, so do read the ingredient list carefully. Same goes to the principle that “paraben-free” does not mean that it is safe. Companies may replace paraben with other materials that are as hazardous or even more hazardous.

To my surprise, a lot of popular and holy-grail products on the market does contain paraben. Here are some examples:

On the other hand, these are brands that claims that they do not use paraben in their products and people do claim that their products are gentle as well as effective:

It is true that there are no studies that can show that Paraben pose a significant threat; however, it does affect the well-being of some people who are more sensitive to foreign chemicals being in contact with their body. Therefore it is important to pay attention to the ingredient list of a product and find the safest products to use. Another important thing to note is to always make sure that your products are not expired! Pay attention to an open tube symbol with 6M/12M/24M/xxM written on it. The number xx represents the amount of month that the product is safe to use after opening. 

Read reviews from various users before making a purchase or consult with your doctor if necessary. For me personally, I do prefer paraben-free, alcohol, and fragrance free product to be completely safe. How about you? Leave a comment down below and let me know!

If you find this letter helpful then please share it with your friends and family.

Thank you for reading and I’ll be back with more product reviews!

Yours truly,

Nindia Djie

P.S. Thank you for the reviews.com team for reaching out to me. Click here to read more about Paraben on their website. Credits to reviews.com for the content on this post <3