AprilSkin Magic Snow Pad

12:28:00 AM mandy 0 Comments

Exfoliation is not my strong suite in this skincare game. While I started out using ones with particles doing all the dead skin removal work, I have slowly left those behind in search of less abrasive products. AHAs and BHAs are still such foreign concepts to me. But AprilSkin Magic Snow Pad sounded like it would match well with its non-irritating and skin toning promisings. Plus, who could say no to something that is pre-portioned and seemingly foolproof?



AprilSkin's Descriptions:

The non-irritating peeling pad contains Lactobacillus/Milk Ferment Filtrate along with 10 other grain extracts that remove dirt and excess sebum from skin enhancing skin texture and tone.

100% Cotton & Microfibre
Provides sensitive skin care with 100% cotton pad and microfibre pad.

Exfoliate & Skin Soothing
Gently exfoliates and removes dead skin cells.

Sebum Control
Effectively controls sebum and brightens skin tone.

Cleansing & Hydrating
Pads in gommage type easily remove make-up and nourish and hydrate for smoother skin.

Directions (on package)
1. The white surface is pure 100% cotton and sky blue surface is abrasive (meant for exfoliation).
2. Using the white side of the pad, on a dry face, gently roll on the surface of the dry skin.
3. Use the blue side to gently exfoliate areas with dead skin cells.
4. Rinse with luke warm water.

Directions (on website)
1. Gently rub cotton pad (white) on areas with dead skin cells and skin wastes.
2. Remove peeling and skin wastes with microfibre pad (sky blue).

Ingredients (translated from packaging)
LACTOBACILLUS/MILK FERMENT FILTRATE, CELLULOSE, QUATERNIUM-60, PROPYLENE GLYCOL, DIPROPYLENE GLYCOL, PEG-7 GLYCERYL COCOATE, PEG-20 GLYCERYL TRIISOSTEARATE, CARBOMER, ALCOHOL DENAT, 1,2-HEXANEDIOL, GLYCERIN, PEG-60 HYDROGENATED CASTOR OIL, BUTYLENE GLYCOL, CENTELLA ASIATICA EXTRACT, PAEONIA SUFFRUTICOSA ROOT EXTRACT, PURIFIED WATER, CHAMOMILLA RECUTITA (MATRICARIA) FLOWER EXTRACT, CITRUS AURANTIUM BERGAMIA (BERGAMOT) FRUIT OIL, GLYCERYL CAPRYLATE, OLIVE OIL, ETHYLHEXYLGLYCERIN, CITRUS GRANDIS (GRAPEFRUIT) PEEL OIL, LAVENDER OIL, PELARGONIUM GRAVEOLENS FLOWER OIL, ORYZA SATIVA (RICE) BRAN EXTRACT, GLYCINE MAX (SOYBEAN) SEED EXTRACT, ORYZA SATIVA (RICE) EXTRACT, BARLEY EXTRACT, AVENA SATIVA (OAT) KERNEL EXTRACT, SESAMUM INDICUM SEED EXTRACT, MUNG BEAN EXTRACT, TRITICUM VULGARE (WHEAT) SEED EXTRACT, JUGLANS REGIA (WALNUT) SEED EXTRACT, AVENA SATIVA (OAT) MEAL EXTRACT, RED BEAN EXTRACT, JOB'S TEARS SEED EXTRACT, GREEN TEA EXTRACT, PORTULACA OLERACEA EXTRACT, SALIX NIGRA (WILLOW) BARK EXTRACT, ALOE BARBADENSIS LEAF EXTRACT, COPAIBA BALSAM RESIN, JASMINE OIL, SAGE OIL, ROSE OIL, ELETTARIA CARDAMOMUM SEED OIL

aprilskin.com (KR retail): ₩2,000/ea
En.aprilskin.com: USD $2.00/ea
BBCosmetic: USD $13.21/for 5

Packaging

Each double-sided scrubbing pad comes individually packaged that needs to be torn open, like sheet mask pouches. The pads come pre-soaked in the exfoliating ingredients. The slit is roomy enough for two of my fingers to fit inside. I did find it a tad too spacious; as I rubbed the pad across my face and in circular motions, my fingers bunched up to one side only.

The white side of the pad is supposedly made of 100% cotton but it isn't very soft (not like cotton used for toners). It has more of a thin paper feel (similar to those fancy Japanese oil blotting sheets).

The blue side is textured and feels much softer in comparison to the other side of the pad.

Ingredients

AprilSkin puts a lot of emphasis on the fact that the Magic Snow Pad contains lactobacillus or milk ferment filtrate. I am not 100% sure if this is the same as lactic acid; Google search explains it as a bacteria that has the ability to produce lactic acid (body-wise) and an anti-inflammatory (skin-wise).

The pads also contain a good variety of plant extracts and essential oils, as do many other K-Beauty goodies do. What sets this product apart is the inclusion of the 10-grain extracts that I assume help with the exfoliation process.

I am not sure what in the composition of the Magic Snow Pad is responsible for it, but there is a layer of a white substance that is supposed to be applied with the white cotton side of the pad. Even though most of this stuff sticks to the packaging, there was still enough on the pad itself to scrub my entire face.

Alcohol denat. is in the formula somewhere. People sensitive to that do be cautious.

Color, Texture, & Scent

The white substance I mentioned earlier pills up as it is scrubbed—the more scrubbing, the finer the pills become. Whether or not there is dead skin in there is debatable for me. Whatever the white stuff is, it is soft and almost clumpy, wet paper-like.

The pad has a very strong smell that is somewhat familiar but I can't quite place a finger on what exactly the smell is. Since there isn't any added fragrance in the ingredients list, it should be due to the blend of extracts and oils in the formulation. The scent definitely lingers as long as the product is on the face; I didn't really notice it once I rinsed.

How I Apply

After I cleansed and air-dried my face, I swiped first with the white side of the pad. When it seemed like the white substance was distributed equally, I started to work the pad in circular motions and began exfoliating. Since I didn't like how stiff the white portion of the pad was, I quickly switched over to exfoliate with the blue textured side instead. I paid closer attention to spots where I know I am more prone to flakes and dry patches (corners of my mouth, chin, nose, between the eyebrows, and cheeks).

Thoughts & Recommendations

If there was one thing I wasn't expecting, it would be that the Magic Snow Pad is actually a gommage type exfoliator. I just assumed that something with lactobacillus in a pad form would automatically be an AHA serum infused product (something like the A'Pieu Aqua Peeling Cotton Swab but in a cotton pad form). While I have nothing against gommage peeling gels, I am not sure this vehicle is the best choice. A majority of the chunky stuff that did the pilling stubbornly stuck onto the pouch and wasn't easy to scoop out. *Fair Warning: Please, please use this over a sink! Avoid the mess of cleaning up tiny product + skin pills off the floor.

My skin did feel a little sensitive to the touch after the scrubbing, but nothing too alarming. It also seemed softer and smoother—a feeling that lasted throughout the next day. While I think it did help rid a lot of dead skin on my face, I don't think it helped remove it all. I still noticed patches and flakes amongst my makeup as the day progressed. The patches were smaller than normal but not completely nonexistent.

I also didn't feel dry or tight after using the exfoliating pad; that was a feeling I was familiar with when I used a bunch of other gommage type products in the past.

For the price of each individual packet and lack of a perfect exfoliation, I don't think I would repurchase the AprilSkin Magic Snow Pad. At the very least, not as my regular exfoliator. It is nice to take on trips though. If I were to rely on this only to remove my dead skin, my wallet would burst into tears and my garbage bin would be very full. This product didn't suck. It just isn't the perfect best one for me.