Hi, guys! Here's my review of the Milky Jelly Toning Essence from Half Moon Eyes! I got this toner inside my Althea Super Food box, and I've been using it ever since. I'm almost done with my bottle so I think it's time to finally share my thoughts! Here we go~

About Milky Jelly Toning Essence

What: Half Moon Eyes Milky Jelly Toning Essence, 180ml
Where I Got It: Available at Althea for 750 Php (with cotton pads)

"Did you know that Cleopatra loved figs for her ever-lasting beauty? Rich in fiber, minerals and polyphenols, figs' antioxidant properties not only clarifies your skin but also prevents skin aging."

How to Use:

(1) After cleansing, dab small amount on a cotton pad and pat into skin. It will remove dead cells and hydrate skin. (2) Take a different container and use it as a mist! (3) Before makeup or night care, soak a mask sheet with the toner and instantly refresh your skin!

This product boasts of being three in one (toner, booster & essence) at the same time. It claims it can refine, balance and hydrate the skin and is suitable for all skin types. You can also use this product in three different ways! This can be used as a toner, as a face mist or as a face mask.

Ingredients:

Water, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Water, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ficus Carica Fruit Extract, Silica, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Allantoin, Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Water, Adansonia Digitata Fruit Extract, Ginkgo Biloba Nut Extract, Morus Alba Fruit Extract, Punica Granatum Fruit Extract, Illicium Verum Fruit Extract, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Sorbitol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Trideceth-10, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Fragrance

This product is literally called "Milky Jelly Toning Essence Fig and Silica Powder" so I like that the fig extract and silica comes 4th and 5th in the ingredient list. That's pretty high enough for me.

Figs are rich in antioxidants and is used for anti-aging while the silica powder is for covering up pores and controlling sebum. Aside from fig, this also contains extracts from pomegranate, mulberry and gingko nuts. Tea tree leaf water is also added to soothe and alleviate skin conditions.

Here's a Cosdna analysis of the ingredients:

Ingredient analysis from Cosdna

CosDNA tagged PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Phenoxyethanol and Fragrance as moderate risk. Butylene glycol is also tagged as a minor acne trigger. There's a lot of alcohol (ingredients ending in -ol) but don't worry since these alcohols are not drying and are usually added as a moisturizer/emollient. Of course, please check the ingredients first and don't use if you are allergic or sensitive to any of the ingredients.

First Impressions

New bottles should have this thin plastic wrap

The bottle is made of very sturdy thick plastic. I like it. It's the type that you can certainly reuse. You're supposed to get a box of cotton pads if you purchase this but since I got mine bundled in a beauty kit, I didn't receive it.

Front and back.
The writing on the back is all in Korean.

The stopper is sealed with silver foil.

Pic 1 - it behaves like water
Pic 2 - it dries matte

The silica powder settles on the bottom so you have to shake it every time you use it. The result is a cloudy watery solution that dries and gets absorbed easily. Just a heads up, this toner is fragranced. You may dislike it if you avoid products with added fragrance. I find it okay. The scent is light and fresh and smells very pleasant to me. It lingers for a bit until I put other product layers on top.

Multi-Functional Beauty Item

Since this is touted as a 3 in 1 product, of course, I'm gonna try it in the methods suggested.

As A Toner

I wet a cotton pad and applied it on my face after cleansing. It's very refreshing and cooling but it doesn't sting. It also removed product leftovers that I didn't manage to wash off. I say it's effective as a pH balancing toner since it got rid of that squeaky feeling left after using a facial wash. But of course, we need to verify that, don't we?

Yup. Looks like the pH is in between 5 to 6.

According to my digital pH tester, the pH is 5.1.

The result is 5.1 and it falls within our skin's normal pH range (between 4.2 - 5.6 pH). This is definitely a skin balancing toner. *thumbs up* I also noticed that this really helped a lot in oil control. My face does not get oily easily compared to before. I love using this in the morning because of its oil-reducing properties.

As A Face Mist

I decanted some of the product in a clear spritz bottle so I can use it as a face mist. I used it during noon time or whenever I need a quick pick me up. It definitely works - it's very refreshing and good to use if you want to cool down a little bit.

However, note that you should probably use an atomizer that makes a very fine mist. I used a regular spritzer and the large droplets melted my makeup. If you care about aesthetics, you may also want to choose an opaque bottle. My younger brother commented I looked like I'm spraying dishwater on my face because of the cloudy solution. xD

As A Face Mask

I poured some of the toning essence in this container and took out a compressed sheet mask.

Added more until the mask was drenched in the solution

Selfie time lol

I stuck it on my face for at least 10 minutes. The result is almost the same like the other methods (cooling, oil control, skin balancing) EXCEPT this made my skin feel extra soft. I love the hydration boost it gave me without making my face sticky.

I would do this all the time tbh but this method uses a lot of product. The container above is 20 ml. I filled it halfway but I have to add more to make sure the mask is soaked. Remember this bottle is only 180 ml - it would probably only last a couple of weeks if used as a mask. I estimate it's good for 2-3 months if you just use it as a regular toner.

3-Skin, 5-Skin, 7-Skin Method

The latest skincare trend in South Korea is the 7-Skin method. If you haven't heard of it yet, it's where you layer a toner (called skin in SK) SEVEN times in succession for super packed hydration. Some people only do up to three times, some five times - I think it depends on the toner you use.

Well, you know me, I just have to try it! I poured drops of this toner on my hand and then dabbed it on my face. After it dried, I patted on another layer. Dry and repeat.

So... do I recommend this toner for 7-Skin? Yes, but only up to three layers. After the third layer, I get the mask results detailed above. My skin is soft to touch, looks matte and not sticky at all.

I kept piling it on but I have to stop after the fifth layer because my hand and face felt stiff. I don't know how else to describe it - my skin still feel hydrated but I can't move my face. It feels tight and kinda numb, like I got injected with anesthesia (dentist flashbacks lol). I suspect it is because of the silica powder. By layering the toner, I also unwittingly packed the silica on my face. It's not a pleasant sensation. So yeah, up to 3 layers only! I think oily-skinned people will benefit from this the most since it's mattifying.

Will I repurchase?

Yes, this is a joy to use. I mainly use this as a toner but it's so cool that I can also use this in other ways! Love the matte look it gives me without being stripping. Would recommend this especially to people with oily skin. It's definitely worth trying out.

And that's it for my review. Have you tried this Toning Essence? What do you think of it? Know other multi-use beauty items? Share it with me! Thanks and until next time~

Interested? I got mine from Althea. It's available for 750 Php (approx 15 USD). If you want to check it out, here's the direct product link:  http://ph.althea.kr/milky-jelly-tonning-essence (Althea PH link)

Connect with Half Moon Eyes:
Website: http://www.halfmooneyes.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hi.hmoe.bye
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hi.hme/

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Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post. The item featured is bought with my own money. This review is based on my own experience and opinions. What works for me may not work for you and vice versa.

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Hi, guys! If you read my last review, you'd know my skin purged a lot due to a product I'm using. I expected the pimples to crop up but it's kinda exhausting to have pimples on your face, right? I want the purging process to finish faster. And then I remember I have this Acne Warrior Soap in my stash so I got it out. Such a perfect time to test this!

Just a short intro: Skin Genie is a local Philippine brand offering a range of whitening and anti-aging products. They claim their products are safe and gentle even for the most sensitive skin. They are known for their ACV-based products but they have other lines as well. You can check out their selection here. I love their Black Fluffy Mallows Scrub!

About the Soap

What: Skin Genie Acne Warrior Soap, 135g
Price: Php 150 at Skin Genie

Product Description: 
🔹 Cures acne, whiteheads and blackheads. 🔹 Anti Acne. 🔹 Shrinks pores. 🔹 Erase acne marks. 🔹 Antibacterial. 🔹 Gentle. 🔹 Controls oil. 🔹 Soothes skin. 🔹 Antioxidant.

That's honestly a lot of claims. I'm not expecting much tbh but if this soap clears up my skin in just a few days, I'm gonna be so impressed.

The packaging is simple and minimal. Just a plastic cover with a cardboard label. On one side is the directions for use, while the other side has the list of ingredients.

Directions:
Apply to damp skin and massage into a light foaming lather for 1-2 minutes to get the maximum effect. Rinse with warm water and dry.

Ingredients:
Saponified Oils of Coconut, Palm Oil, Olive Oil, Love Plant Oil, Calendula Extract, Neem Oil Extract, Fruit Acids, Apple Extract, Glycerin from Coconut

I always clog and breakout out from coconut oil, palm oil and olive oil so it seems counterintuitive to me to even include these ingredients in an acne-fighting soap. I only have a general idea of how the soap-making process works but hopefully, the oils got saponified and transformed.

About the other ingredients, the soap seems well-formulated. The pimple-fighting ingredient here is the Neem Oil Extract. Glycerin and calendula is for moisturization while the fruit acids is for exfoliation. Here's a CosDNA analysis of the ingredients.

Olive oil and calendula are tagged as potential acne triggers. The acne rating is low on CosDNA but each of us reacts to ingredients differently so make sure to do your own research first and don't use if you are allergic to any of the ingredients.

First Impressions

First of all, the soap smells good! There's no fragrance listed so I guess the smell comes from the plant extracts itself. The scent is very mild and subtle.

I estimated this cut will last me 7 days or so.

I only cut a small portion because I think two weeks is a reasonable amount of time to test it's effectiveness. Breakouts normally heal within one to two weeks for me so this soap must be able to shorten that time.

It doesn't bubble a lot. I only managed to get the pic above by using the soap very generously. The resulting lather is soft and smooth and it's very effective in cleaning. It totally removed all oils on my face. Make sure to moisturize because it can be drying.

pH test result = between 7.0-7.5 pH

Low pH cleansers (between 4.2 - 5.6 pH) are usually recommended so it won't disrupt our skin's acid mantle. (Read here why.) However, I did a little bit of digging and found out that in soapmaking, the recommended pH for the soap to be safe is between 7 to 10. As you can see above, the pH of this soap is somewhere between 7-7.5. Since the pH is unavoidable, I suggest using a skin balancing toner after.

I used it on my face and body every morning and night. I expected the portion I cut to last about 7 days, but it actually lasted more than two weeks! It doesn't melt fast.

So... Results?

This is the breakout in my right cheek. See the four little pimples in a line? It looks like I got a constellation on my face 😂

Day 1 - pic taken in the afternoon. Used the soap at night (1st use)
Day 2 - pic taken at night (3rd use)

By the second day, you can clearly see the improvement in my skin condition. My pimples were a lot calmer and they have shrunk in size. I didn't take any pics of the third day, but the pimples were healing nicely.

Like I said earlier, this soap can be drying and sure enough, during the fourth day, there was some peeling going on. I decided to help a little bit by using a pore brush to exfoliate all the dead skin cells. So far so good, right? However, what I did next is very idiotic. I applied/wiped Secret Key Lemon Peeling Pad on top! *cringe*

I have already physically exfoliated and by using the peeling pad (chemical exfoliation), my skin was not happy. It immediately reacted by getting terribly itchy! I tried to bear it for a few seconds but it was awful. I washed it off my face as quickly as I can. Physical or chemical, don't over-exfoliate! Trust me! Just look at the damage below.

Day 4 - shiny, dry skin
Day 5 - the damage can be seen better here

The pics are taken immediately after washing. My skin looks shiny but it is very dry, no oil at all. Tiny bumps also surfaced. Looks like I burned my face, yikes. I pampered my skin afterwards with lots of hydrating layers. The damage is more apparent the next day. It is very rough to the touch. Not Skin Genie's fault but I'm just showing you why my progress is back to zero. :/

Day 6 - new tiny bumps
Day 8 - the area is already healed

My skin is still irritated on Day 6 and you can see tiny new bumps that wasn't there before. Good thing the original 4 pimples already healed. It left scars. 😑 I just continued using the soap twice a day. By Day 8, all the pimples were gone and I just need to deal with the aftermath.

Effective? Hell yeah! If I didn't mess up, I bet the whole process will take shorter than 8 days. The pimples shrunk and healed within 2-3 days after use. Here's a side by side comparison:

Will I Repurchase/Recommend This Soap?

Yes! I'm gonna use this again whenever I'm purging or have breakouts. The price is very reasonable and it definitely works for me. If you have acne, I think this is worth trying out but please, please proceed with caution. Our results may vary.

By the way, ThankYourSkin compiled a list of sneaky things that may be causing you acne. It includes all possible acne triggers I can think of (from diet to skincare, makeup, clothes, environment, etc)! It's a great resource to check if you feel like you already did everything.

Hope this review helped! Tried this soap already? What are your thoughts on it?

Check out Skin Genie:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SkinGeniePH/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skingenie/

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Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post. The item featured is bought with my own money. This review is based on my own experience and opinions. What works for me may not work for you and vice versa.

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Hi, guys!

Ever since I've discovered AB skincare, I've been reading up a lot about AHAs/BHAs. This is my first foray into the land of actives and gotta get some knowledge, you know, because this stuff is not to be taken lightly. I'm thinking of getting something relatively mild and the CosRX One Step Pimple Pad first came to mind. However, I put a rain check on that because something conveniently came my way!

This Secret Key Lemon Sparkling Peeling Pad came as part of my Althea Pore Care box! I was so happy. Read more to see how this worked out for me.

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Hi, I'm back with another post! This time, I'm gonna review Paradiso, a soap from The Beauty Bask. 

For those who are new to this brand, The Beauty Bask Urban Organics is a multi-benefit skincare line made with ECOCERT-certified organic ingredients. Their formulations are curated to reboot your skin from chemically-laden products and provide protection plus rejuvenation from city pollution, sun and stress of the urban lifestyle.

The brand is still growing. As of now, they only have four soap blocks: Himalayan Renegade, Mr. & Mrs. Androgynous, Paradiso and lastly, Amongst The Stars. The also have two beauty oils (available in 17ml or 30ml): Purveyor of the Lush and Chasing Daydreams.

My Beauty Bask Haul

I had the chance to try a sample of Himalayan Renegade (one of their soap bars) through Saladbox late last year. I loved it, so of course, I bought the full-size bar. 😍 From the remaining soap selection, Mr & Mrs Androgynous and Paradiso also caught my eyes. I'll make separate reviews as soon as I have used up each item so watch out for it! Ms. Kristen (the owner) kindly gave me Purveyor of the Lush as a gift because of a shipping mishap. So generous! Will also review the beauty oil but for now, let's proceed to Paradiso!

About Paradiso

What: Paradiso Multi-Benefit Beauty Soap Block, 100g

Price and Where: Php 208 at The Beauty Bask

Product Description:

What better way to start and end your day with a whiff of PARADISO?😍 The scent of this #BeautyBlock is so thrilling you just can't get enough lather! Besides, who would have thought those beautiful Birds of Paradise Flowers will help brighten your skin and fade away scars? 

Paradiso is a potent brightening and PH balancing beauty soap block in a sunset tinge beautifully blended with some exotic flower power and crushed seeds + a crisp fruity scent with gentle skin renewing properties brought about by its natural and certified organic ingredients. Clinically proven actives target pigmentations and help clear skin by reducing scarring while working at a cellular level to increase cell renewal so your skin is radiant despite exposure to sun, stress and pollution. This feels like paradise on a beauty block to spruce up both your daily pace, staycations and travel escapades!

Ingredients: 

Pure vegetable glycerin base, Birds of Paradise Flowers, Grapefruit, Tomato Seeds, Cranberry, Licorice Roots

Instructions:

Lather with water between hands and apply generously to face and /or body. Lather directly on skin for mild exfoliation. Leave in a little longer if your skin is not sensitive. Rinse off. Smells good enough to be sniffed on all day and gentle enough to be used as needed daily.

First Impressions

The soaps were neatly wrapped with bubble and came inside a black drawstring bag. The packaging is simple and uncomplicated. It's wrapped with plastic with a label providing the name and ingredients.

the soap has a 2-year shelf life starting from the manufacturing date

The soap has manufacturing and expiry dates printed on one of the sides. I think that's cool since other soaps don't even provide those.

Regarding scent, I really can't pinpoint what it smells like. Something fruity and floral, but not really? I don't know have a lot of fragrance vocab but just know this soap smells sooo good.

The Beauty Bask logo is engraved on one side.

The soap itself is a semi-transparent orange bar with tomato seeds pressed on it. The narrow sides are seedless. 

Experience

This soap bubbles really easily. You can work the lather even more to create finer, creamier foam. I used on my face and body every day and I applied very generously. Despite that, this 100g soap lasted for a whole month. 

these are regular looking suds but you can definitely work the lather more

This is a very moisturizing soap. I like the rich, creamy lather. It did a good job of making me feel clean without feeling like I've stripped everything away. My skin feels soft and hydrated after.

Just a slight warning: the tomato seeds can be too rough for the face. It's great to use as a scrub for the whole body, but for the face, I just use a towel or my hands. Take note that the seeds are just pressed on top. It is not mixed with the soap itself. After about two weeks, all the seeds have fallen off from daily use.

Performance

This soap block has three main claims: Brighten + Renew + Clarify

During the time I used this, I didn't use any whitening/brightening products for my face and body. After a month, there is no significant change in my skin tone. I also haven't seen any of my pimple scars fading, even if just a little. :(

I can't vouch for the soap's renewing and clarifying properties since I didn't have any active pimples during the time I used this. One thing is for sure, I didn't break out using this soap.

Will I repurchase? 

I wanted to love Paradiso since I loved Himalayan Renegade, but I have to say no. Sure, it is a very moisturizing soap, but at Php 208 per bar, I expected more results. This product just didn't work for me. Hopefully, the next soap will!


Til next time~

Check out The Beauty Bask products at:
Website: www.thebeautybask.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebeautybask/

Follow me for updates!
Twitter: https://twitter.com/teptns
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Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post. I bought the item with my own money. This review is based on my own experience and honest opinion. Remember that what works for me may not work for you and vice versa.

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