The theme for last month's beauty purchases circled around sunscreens. While I have been pretty open to trying more "chemical" sun protection lately, the ones I picked up this time are of the "physical" variety. I just happened to be running low on the current sunscreens, but the overarching reason for the selection I made is because I am about to head on a cruise later today and the destinations specifically ban certain chemically organic ingredients (Oxybenzone and Octinoxate) for the health of corals. How would they check if everyone's sunscreens are safe or not is beyond me; at least I will feel less guilty about it in my heart and mind.
Etude House Sunprise Mild Airy Finish SPF 50+ PA+++
COSRX Shield Fit All Green Comfort Sun SPF 50+ PA++++
A'PIEU Madecassoside Sun Cream SPF 39 PA++
I scoured Sephora, drugstores, and most K-Beauty carrying stores in NYC to find these three "mineral" sunscreens that seemed to have the least amount of white cast. The Etude House one has been a long time favorite in the K-Beauty loving community but is, surprisingly, my first time trying it. The COSRX and A'PIEU ones seem to be recent launches yet both look very promising with the addition of the beloved Centella Asiatica. I will only bring the Etude House and COSRX sunscreens onto the cruise since they claim to have higher UVA and UVB coverage than the A'PIEU. Let's hope I apply and reapply well to avoid any major burning/skin damage whilst away.
A mist with only 6 ingredients, none of which is water, sounds almost too basic...too good to be effective. Yet this is kind of the norm, ingredients-wise, for Pyunkang Yul's hanbang (Korean herbal medicine) based products. Pyunkang Yul's Mist Toner is mainly a concotion of humectants and a single medicinal herb, coptis chinesis root. Its simplicity surprised me yet its effectiveness did not.
Ohlolly's description:
A cooling, incredibly hydrating and convenient misting toner made up of 91.9% coptis japonica root extract, a powerful antioxidant known for its anti-inflammatory, energizing and nourishing properties, Pyunkang Yul Mist Toner quickly absorbs to hydrate and refresh skin. Perfect as a toner in your regular skincare routine or as a mist anytime throughout the day (goes over makeup flawlessly). Made with only necessary ingredients, Pyunkang Yul is always free of artificial fragrances, dyes or irritants.
Best if:
- You easily get warm and sweaty
- Your skin tends to be shiny and oily
- You have enlarged pores and are prone to breakouts related to excess sebum
Directions
After cleansing, hold the bottle 7-8 inches away and spray. Follow with serum and moisturizer. Use as a mist to freshen up throughout the day.
Ingredients
COPTIS JAPONICA ROOT EXTRACT, 1,2-HEXANEDIOL, BUTYLENE GLYCOL, GLYCERIN, SODIUM HYALURONATE
Mist 200 ml / 6.7 oz
Pyunkang Yul (Korean retail): ₩18,000
YesStyle: USD $21.90
Style Korean: USD $19.80
Ohlolly: USD $19.00
oo35mm: USD $18.99
Mist 100 ml / 3.4 oz
Pyunkang Yul (Korean retail): ₩12,000
YesStyle: USD $13.90
Style Korean: USD $13.20
Ohlolly: USD $12.00
oo35mm: USD $11.99
Packaging
Like most products in the main Pyunkang Yul line, the lightweight and transparent spray bottle is deep blue in color with a black-accent spray nozzle. New bottles of mist come sealed with plastic shrink-wrap around the top only. I believe the larger 200ml sizes are sold with additional box packaging.
I love that the bottle is see-through, no surprise here; this allows me to see clearly how much product is left and which direction the long plastic suction tube is nestled in to easily spray every last drop out. The 100ml bottle is a great size—not too tall nor too wide for my small hands. The mist that comes out is very fine and even.
Color, Texture, Finish, & Scent
The liquid is colorless and orderless. It feels just like water—no tackiness, no residue. Skin doesn't become dewy or matte, just softer and more hydrated.
How I Apply
In-between skincare steps // Especially between cleansing and toning because I tend to wait a while before toner and my skin gets tight and dry during that time.
On my dry chapped hands // Helps relieve tightness I get during the cold weather without the residue like with lotion.
Thoughts & Recommendations
Herbal medicine is always a touchy subject. I can't say I am a believer but I will still give things a try now and again. Pyunkang Yul says coptis japonica root/coptis chinesis root supposedly is anti-inflammatory, soothing, and nourishing. The mist is loaded with humectants to help draw in moisture and keep it there. On paper it couldn't sound any better!
After using this mist along with a bunch of others around the same time, I can say the Pyunkang Yul Mist Toner was easily my favorite. My parched face and hands were instaneous relieved of tightness. It never irritated or stung my eyes if the toner happened to find its way there. Likewise, my skin hasn't reacted badly either.
The main differentiating factor between all the mists available is usually the spraying mechanize, which I am glad to say, actually sprays well and gives a nice cloud of liquid. Also, compared to other mists I have tried so far, Pyunkang Yul's mist in both the 100ml and 200ml sizes are a very generous amount for the marked price tag.
Whether I actually experienced any anti-infllammation benefits is debatable. As a hydrating mist to help relieve tightness in-between skincare steps or through the day, I think this is a solid inexpensive choice. For those looking for something with extra added skincare actives/special ingredients, it will probably be pretty lackluster. I can see those with sensitive skin would probably enjoy this as it has such minimal ingredients and lacks most irritants. While I say I would "repurchase in the future" a lot for products I like but never end up doing, the Mist Toner is most definitely going to be repurchased purely because it is the most effective AND affordable I have used thus far.
I have got to say, I am continuously impressed by each and every different cleansing balm I have tried so far. Aromatica's Orange Cleansing Sherbet wooed me with its impressive size and kept me hooked because of its effectiveness. While Aromatica is a new brand to me, this product alone and the brand's focus on high quality/toxin-free focus has me intrigued.
Aromatica's description:
AROMATICA's Orange Cleansing Sherbet removes impurities and all traces of make-up and balances oil production in the skin.
A sherbet type cleanser of fresh feeling leaves skin deeply cleansed, moisturized and soft.
Plant-derived canola oil and organic babassu seed oil allow the cleanser to dissolve grime and dead cells.
Directions
Apply a moderate amount of Orange Cleansing Sherbet to dry skin.
Gently massage using light circular movements and rinse well with warm water.
Ingredients
[CANOLA OIL] HELIANTHUS ANNUUS SEED OIL(CONDITIONER), SORBETH-30 TETRAOLEATE(PLANT-DERIVED EMULSIFYING AGENT), POLYETHYLENE(VISCOSITY CONTROLLING AGENT), [APRICOT KERNEL OIL] PRUNUS ARMENIACA KERNEL OIL(CONDITIONER), *[BABASSU SEED OIL] ORBIGNYA OLEIFERA SEED OIL, **LIMONENE, [YLANG-YLANG Oil] CANANGA ODORATA FLOWER OIL(CONDITIONER), [CEDARWOOD OIL] CEDRUS ATLANTICA WOOD OIL(SOOTHING AGENT), TOCOPHEROL, [SWEET ORANGE PEEL OIL] CITRUS AURANTIUM DULCIS (ORANGE) PEEL OIL(CONDITIONER), **BENZYL BENZOATE, **LINALOOL
*CERTIFIED ORGANIC **FROM NATURAL ESSENTIAL OILS
Balm 180 g / 6.7 oz
AROMATICA (Korean retail): ₩25,000
AROMATICA (American retail): USD $36.00
Peach & Lily: USD $35.00
Packaging
Note: Aromatica seems to have updated the labeling design for many, if not all, of their products. The Orange Cleansing Sherbet is not an exception. However, judging from the ingredients lists on the tub I have and the one listed on their website with the new label design both appear to be made of the same things and probably still have an identical formulation.
A tub of cleansing balm which comes in a sturdy wide, shallow, and opaque-white plastic jar sans box (at least that is how Peach & Lily presented it at their sample sale). It has a sole green security tape which connects the lid to the jar body. There is a reusable inner seal tab with an included golf club-like spatula.
Color, Texture, Finish, & Scent
A soft beige balm that scoops easily, spreads well, and melts with little to no effort. It kind of reminds of the consistency that coconut oil has when it isn't fully solidified. The "sherbet" balm emulsifies well; there isn't any residue left behind after fully rinsing. My face usually doesn't feel tight afterward either.
The one thing I could do without is the initially strong, almost artificial smelling, orange/citrus scent. I am reminded of household cleansers every time I use the cleansing balm. Judging by the ingredients the scent is definitely not because of any added "fragrance". It seems to come 100% from the fruit and plant oils/extracts (i.e. limonene, citrus aurantium dulcis peel oil, etc.). Luckily, the smell doesn't linger out of the jar in small quantities.
How I Apply
1. Scoop an appropriate amount (varies depending on how much makeup I had put on my face).
2. Massage it gently all over. Focus on crevices and areas with a higher concentration of colors.
3. Sometimes wet my hands a little and emulsify the balm.
4. Continuously splash my face with water to fully rinse dissolved makeup and balm away.
Thoughts & Recommendations
The Orange Cleansing Sherbet is by far one of the largest tubs of cleansing balm I have tried thus far. Most products in this category offer ~80-90ml. Anything above 100ml is pretty rare and generous. Aromatica's version has a whopping 180ml! I like that it is reasonably priced per ml too at ~$0.19/ml.
To no surprise, this cleansing balm is effective at removing my makeup at the end of the day. The photo above is of it trying to erase fresh makeup on a completely bare arm (in terms of having no skincare/body care). It cleanses gently and doesn't leave my face feeling stripped of moisture. I never broke out or reacted badly to the product either.
What is surprising would be the balm's short ingredients list (only 11 components) compared to other cleansing balms on the market. A good chunk of the 11 ingredients is essential oils which may not work for those with super sensitive skin. Aromatica doesn't do this for all their products but I appreciate that they list the general reasoning behind each ingredient for the Orange Cleansing Sherbet specifically on their website.
The two biggest changes I would love to see, in order for this to be my HG cleansing balm, would be a less scented product and a flip-top lid instead of the screw-on top. Otherwise, I think this is a solid choice for most skin types and a great value all-around. As always, I am placing this on my "Repurchase" list but I will probably continue to try other cleansing balms before that re-buy time comes.
