Review: From Nature Age Intense Treatment Essence

It can be overwhelming, the sheer abundance of first essences on the market. Practically every Korean brand offers a variation on the theme, from the dizzying heights of absurd luxury (Amore Pacific Vintage Single Extract Essence, for example), to the cheerfully downmarketed From Nature Age Intense Treatment Essence at the local Emart, one of many iterations of SK-II that might catch your eye while shopping for groceries and socks, priced gently enough to make a glow-inducing, mildly acidic post-cleansing hydration step accessible to everyone. The formula is brief and to the point, but the important ingredients (galactomyces ferment, niacinamide, and humectants) front the list.

INGREDIENTS    galactomyces ferment filtrate, niacinamide (2%), water, adenosine, sodium hyaluronate, butylene glycol, Portulaca oleracea extract, Ipomoea hederacea seed extract, Paeonia albiflora flower extract, saccharomyces/Angelica dahurica root ferment filtrate, ethylhexylglycerin, phenoxyethanol, chlorophenesin

From Nature Age Intense Treatment Essence is housed in the conventional manner for first essences: a frosted glass bottle with silver accents. It smells faintly of yeast, which dissipates quickly, but is otherwise unscented. The texture is optimal for a first essence—watery, a touch of slippery humectants, quick absorption—and it dries down to a slightly tacky finish that one expects from a moderately humectant formula. This means that, on dehydrated skin, it penetrates a little deeper, absorbs better, hydrates a bit more. If you're more severely dehydrated, or live in a dry climate, you'll still need to layer on products targeted at dehydration, but this forms a nice base. It's also brightening. Perhaps not as much as the Swanicoco, but more than the Hanyul and BRTC. What makes the From Nature appealing is the balance it strikes: the niacinamide-rich formula competently hydrates and brightens, and isn't onerously priced.

It leaves the skin nicely hydrated, not too tacky.

Does this make From Nature my perfect first essence? Not quite. I didn't quite finish my full run with this product; one out of five products will irritate my skin, and this was one of them. (Years ago, I reacted to SKII, and since then I've always been wary of galactomyces. I'll avoid it from now on.) Since sensitivity is entirely individual, this ought not dissuade anyone else from trying what appears to be a good product in all other respects.


AFTERTHOUGHTS

• PROS Inexpensive. Easy to find at Emart. Moderate hydration. Moderate brightening. Respectable amount of niacinamide.
• CONS None, really. It irritated my skin, but that's down to personal triggers.
• UNIQUE FEATURES None, but it simultaneously satisfies a number of criteria well: sometimes a well rounded performance is noteworthy.

DETAILS
RRP for From Nature Age Intense Treatment Essence is ₩19,800 for 150mL or ₩30,000 for 340mL (a plastic bottle with a pump), but typically goes on sale for 50-60% off. It's also worth looking around for 1+1 deals; two 150mL-bottles for ₩18,000 make this an economical purchase indeed. I bought mine at the Emart near Guro Digital Complex for ₩12,900.

Review: BRTC The First Ampoule Essence

I was primarily drawn to BRTC The First Ampoule Essence for featuring a rice ferment and niacinamide, much like Hanyul Rice Essential Skin Softener. I find their effects comparable—they brighten to roughly the same degree, albeit not as much as Swanicoco Fermentation Care—but BRTC has no alcohol, no added fragrance, and somewhat unexpectedly, no humectants. There's a handful of ferments, white tea and Korean dandelion extract, niacinamide, and some plant-derived antioxidants/anti-irritants, but it's a brief ingredients list.

INGREDIENTS    lactobacillus/brown rice ferment filtrate, Camellia sinensis leaf extract, Taraxacum platycarpum extract, niacinamide, PEG/PPG-17/6 copolymer, galactomyces ferment filtrate, lactobacillus/Eriodictyon californicum ferment filtrate, allantoin, adenosine, dipotassium glycyrrhizate, disodium EDTA, Centaurea cyanus flower extract, Borago officinalis extract, Lavandula angustifolia extract, Chamomilla recutita (matricaria) flower/leaf extract, Hyacinthus orientalis extract, Salvia sclarea extract

The First Ampoule Essence is practically scentless; there is perhaps a very faint whiff of fermented rice, but this quickly dissipates, and none of the flower waters are detectable. It comes in a frosted glass bottle with navy and silver lettering, simple and conventional packaging for first essences, with demarcations running along one side, each notch indicating a single-day's volume of use. However, I tend to use only just enough to spread a thin layer over my face once, and only once, because the deceptively watery texture dries down to a surprisingly emollient, silky finish (see below) that feels more moisturizing than hydrating. This is a true first essence; unlike others of that ilk, it does not double as a hydrating toner. On my skin, I feel it's necessary to follow up with a product that's specifically aimed at dehydration. This is a minor inconvenience if you already follow a multi-step routine, but if your aim is to keep it simple this—or any other first essence, for that matter—is probably not the product for you.

On the one hand, I find BRTC well suited to wintertime use, as my skin could certainly benefit from a little extra nourishment, a little extra glow. I do not know how it would fare in summertime, or on oilier skin types. On the other hand, it's a finicky product best suited to a complicated routine. It's best applied with a cotton pad, then patted in and allowed to absorb for a few minutes, followed by a hydrating toner or serum. As yet, I've not noticed any reactions; perhaps an isolated whitehead or two.

Overall, BRTC The First Ampoule Essence evokes mild approval. It gives me no cause for concern, and it's competent in its role as a brightening, niacinamide-enriched first treatment essence, but it's not remarkable enough to differentiate it from its competition.


AFTERTHOUGHTS
BRTC The First Ampoule Essence

• PROS Alcohol free. Fragrance-free and almost scentless. Feels nourishing on dry skin, but takes a little longer to absorb.
• CONS Due to the emollient feel, may be unsuited to oilier skins. Not hydrating enough; would require layering with hydrating products if dehydration is an issue. BRTC is available offline at select LOHB, Watson's, and Olive Young, but only selected products.
• UNIQUE FEATURES None. Looks great on paper, however.

DETAILS
Available in 150ml for ₩38,000, 310mL for ₩68,000. It is often on sale, however, for half price. I got mine off Gmarket for ₩22,800.

Review: Swanicoco Fermentation Care Skintoner

If you're looking for radiant, dewy, bouncy skin straight out of a skincare advertisement, Swanicoco Fermentation Care Skintoner is most glow-boosting softener I've yet encountered, with an ingredients list that hits you like a actives-led serum. (Indeed, my preferred method of use is to pair it with the Fermentation Care Serum, as the effects only intensify when layered.)

INGREDIENTS (Skintoner)    aspergillus/rice ferment filtrate, Centaurea cyanus flower water, tissue-cultured wild ginseng extract, butylene glycol, human oligopeptide-1, hydrolyzed collagen, sodium hyaluronate, niacinamide, saccharomyces/Viscum album ferment filtrate, saccharomyces/Imperata cylindrica root ferment filtrate, lactobacillus/soybean ferment filtrate, lactobacillus/Rhus semialata gall extract ferment filtrate, glycerin, 1,2-hexanediol, Saussurea involucrata extract, caffeoyl tripeptide-1, polysorbate 60, caprylic/capric triglyceride, allantoin, tocopheryl acetate, carbomer, arginine, Centella asiatica leaf extract, lactobacillus/Bambusa vulgaris shoot/Glycyrrhiza glabra root/Luffa cylindrica fruit/Morus alba root/Oueraria lobata root ferment filtrate, Camellia sinensis seed oil, Magnolia kobus bark extract, Scutellaria baicalensis root extract, Polygonum cuspidatum root extract, green tea/black tea/white tea/pu'er tea extract, rosemary leaf extract, Chamomilla recutita (matricaria) leaf extract, Citrus grandis fruit extract, Thujopsis dolabrata branch extract

INGREDIENTS (Serum)    aspergillus/rice ferment filtrate, human oligopeptide-1, tissue-cultured wild ginseng extract, astaxanthin, sodium hyaluronate, butylene glycol, caffeoyl tripeptide-1, sh-Octapeptide-4, nicotinoyl tripeptide-1, lactobacillus/soybean ferment extract, saccharomyces/Viscum album extract, saccharomyces/Imperata cylindrica root extract, Aloe barbadensis leaf extract, ceramide 1, saccharomyces/Asparagus cochinchinensis root/Lycium chinense root/Ophiopogon japonicus root/Panax ginseng root/Poria cocos/Rehmannia glutinosa root ferment filtrate, niacinamide, 1,2-hexanediol, saccharomyces/Lycium chinense fruit/Rehmannia glutonoa root/Cuscuta chinensis fruit/Cistanche deserticoloa/Zanthoxylum piperitum fruit/Chrysanthemum morifolium fruit/Poria cocos/Cinnamomum cassia ferment filtrate, polysorbate 50, allantoin, carbomer, hydrolyzed elastin, arginine, Magnolia kobus bark extract, Camellia sinensis leaf extract, Scutellaria baicalensis root extract, Rhus semialata gall extract, Polygonum cuspidatum root extract, Saccharomyces/Angelic dahurica root ferment filtrate, Glycyrrhiza glabra root extract, adenosine, Rosmarinus officinalis leaft extract, Chamomilla recutita (matricaria) leaf extract, Citrus grandis fruit extract, Thujopsis dolabrata branch extract, Rosa damescena flower oil

It's certainly true to name. There's an abundance of ferments here, plus reassuringly top-heavy doses of ginseng, EGF, humectants like collagen and sodium hyaluronate, and niacinamide—all without alcohol or silicones. Fermentation is a metabolic process in which bacteria or yeast break down substrates, theoretically making the nutrients more readily absorbed by the skin, thereby enhancing the inherent benefits of the extract. As a bonus, ferments are naturally acidic.

On drier, dehydrated skin types, the texture is ideal for the 7Skin Method: a thickened water, absorbs quickly at initial application and reaches saturation point before it becomes unbearably sticky. The Serum is marginally thicker in viscosity, but, without much in the way of fillers, absorbs as easily as the Skintoner. However, because Swanicoco is priced higher (and works best when layered with the serum or emulsion), I prefer not to use it for 7Skin. It's not, in any case, designed with the purpose of hydration in mind; Fermentation Care seems better categorized as a brightening, antioxidant-rich 'first essence', and in that role it is highly effective. Only a small amount is required to achieve luminosity, though I was not as lucky as vanity rex and did not experience any lightening of hyperpigmentation. Personally, I use two or three layers of the Skintoner, one layer of the Serum, then follow up with a hydrating toner, an emulsion, a sunscreen or an occlusive cream... and so forth.

Gel-like water Skintoner at left; slightly higher viscosity Serum at right.

The fragrance is green apple with notes of an aldehydic rose. Fermentation Care comes in a ultra-reflective silver airless pump bottle. While I recognize the practicality of an airless pump, I nevertheless find it something of an eyesore.

As with all complex ingredients lists, approach with caution if you have reactive skin: I notice my skin warms up ever so slightly upon initial application, presumably from the ginseng, and with continued use microcomedones start simmering beneath my skin, surfacing in the presence of another irritant, such as hot shower water. It's anyone's guess which ingredient among so many is the culprit, but this is a risk anyone with sensitive skin takes, and does not detract from the quality of the formulation itself.


AFTERTHOUGHTS
    SWANICOCO Fermentation Care Skintoner

• PROS: Available at select locations in Seoul. Alcohol free. Texture is ideal for layering, starting to become sticky after four. Multiple, multiple ferments; extremely brightening.
• CONS: RRP isn't unreasonable, but Swanicoco does not appear to run sales as frequently as other brands, so I would consider this pricey, allayed by the sense of paying for quality ingredients and formulation. Moderate at hydration; may need to follow up with a more hydrating toner. Fragrance. Alas, I found this too irritating.
• UNIQUE FEATURES: So many beautiful ingredients. Worth reiterating: extremely brightening. The previous name for this product appears to be 산삼배양근; it is currently 퍼멘테이션 케어.

DETAILS
Swanicoco Fermentation Care Skintoner is 120mL for $38, available at W2Beauty. I bought mine at the Ewha location (I think there is also a store near Gangnam station) for ₩35,000.

Spotlight On: Hanyul Rice Essential Skin Softener

The one that started it all. The Hanyul Rice Essential Skin Softener was my gateway to the 7Skin Method.

What I've discovered is that, with sufficient hydration, my skin tends to sort itself out. Excepting the arid winter months, I've become less drier and sensitive than before. (Incorporating niacinamide, with its barrier-repairing, ceramide-production inducing, photocarcinogenesis-inhibiting, melanin-formation-suppressing, anti-inflammatory, etcetera functions, has also helped enormously.) It may take a lot of layering to get there, but 7Skin works. Dehydration is better addressed by several light layers than a single heavy one, though I've never found it necessary to go full seven layers. Additionally, it opens up the possibility of maximizing the first product in your routine. Not only is it the first layer, in full and direct contact with the skin, it's also a product you use in high amounts, so theoretically it's possible to read specific benefits by simply changing formulas.

This has sparked an odyssey for my perfect 7Skin toner, as the Hanyul is not ideal. The texture is too thick and serum-like, and becomes quite sticky when layered, plus it features alcohol rather high up on the ingredients list. On the other hand, the combination of niacinamide, ferments, and humectants is effective at brightening and keeping the skin hydrated. Like any good first essence, it immediately perks up dull, tired-looking skin.

INGREDIENTS (2017 FORMULATION)    water, alcohol, PEG/PPG-16/6 copolymer, glycereth-26, butylene glycol, niacinamide, monascus/rice ferment, lactobacillus/soybean ferment extract, saccharomyces/barley seed ferment filtrate, sodium hyaluronate, angelica acutiloba root extract, cnidium officinale root extract, soybean seed extract, glycerin, glyceryl polymethacrylate, dextrin, bis-PEG-18 methyl ether dimethyl silane, adenosine, ethylhexylglycerin, carbomer, theobroma cacao extract, tromethamine, PPG-13-decyltetradeceth-24, disodium EDTA, phenoxyethanol, fragrance

The fragrance is a pleasant powdery floral, with hints of rice wine. The shape of the bottle is a nod to the traditional clay pots (옹기) used in the fermentation of foods in Korean cuisine, but in translucent mauve ombré glass—aesthetically, neither here nor there for me. Additionally, Hanyul is everywhere in Korea, and Aritaum frequently runs sales on this bestseller: 200mL for ~₩20,000, reasonably priced for someone who ploughs through a bottle a month. The issue is primarily, then, a matter of texture, and the less-than-ideal inclusion of alcohol; it's been formulated this way, I presume, to compensate for the almost sticky, heavy texture of rice extract, and make it more pleasant on the skin. With the positives outweighing the negatives, it's been hard to find better.

These are the products I'd categorize as "niacinamide/ferments-based brightening first essences".
I've accumulated far more: for calming irritation, hydration only, ceramide-based. -_-'

This is just the beginning. I've got a dozen or so products for the purposes of experimentation and review. Considering the popularity of the 7Skin Method, I have to imagine it has proved equally effective for others when dealing with dehydration, and just as tricky finding the right toner for the job. Hopefully I'll find something that answers this burning desire for the perfectly layerable, brightening, hydrating, soothing, but not-too-pricey-and-hard-to-get water-based solution.


AFTERTHOUGHTS

    HANYUL Rice Essential Skin Softener

• PROS: Accessibility and price point (within Korea). Aesthetics are a non-issue. Multiple ferments; brightens well. In spite of the alcohol, I find it hydrating and not drying; likely the alcohol was deemed necessary to cut through the humectants and fermented rice extract.
• CONS: Texture is thick, and becomes sticky after one layer. Alcohol. Fragrance.
• UNIQUE FEATURES: Jeon JiHyun sparked a craze for this product. It's the jack-of-all-trades, master-of-none product so far in my search for the ideal 7Skin Toner.

DETAILS
Hanyul is 150mL for $35, available at Aritaum, 200mL for ₩37,000, but I frequently find it on sale.

What Is A 'Neutral' Product?

I'm a firm believer in the psychological pleasures of beauty products. Sometimes, I want to treat myself to a luxurious product, to satisfy the lust we often feel as consumers for something new, something extravagant, something precious, something rare and hard-to-find. Often, however, I lose focus and the once-exciting treasure is not sought out for repurchase. Over the years I've come to the conclusion that when it comes to high-turnover products like skincare—quickly used up, quickly repurchased—I prefer my most-loved essential products to be boring. Neutral.

If I had no other skincare, I would be fine. I do have more, of course. =)

If your aim is simply to take good care of your skin, then finding a core routine of reliable products is all that's required. If you enjoy experimentation, you still need neutral products to fall back on, as a point of comparison for your skin's preferences. My 'neutral' cleanser is not my Tata Harper Refreshing Cleanser, and I know this, in spite of its heavenly fragrance of grapefruit and neroli, the creamy warm pink hue, the gentle purification from pink clay and willow bark, the bottle like summer sunshine filtered by a tree spreading its green branches above you; it's my Bioderma Atoderm Ultra-Nourishing Shower Oil, which you can buy in a colossal 1L size and offers little in the way of romance. It's a cleanser, in sum. A very good, simple formula, and an economical option for dry, sensitive skin. This isn't to claim that one is superior to the other—in fact both feature coco-glucoside as their main detergent—there's room in our skincare routines, surely, for both frivolous luxuries as well as boring, utilitarian products. However, for a routine to work, it does need to be built on a foundation of neutral products. The option to experiment is always there; it's harder to find the basics.

Some signs that a product is a neutral product:

• FORMULA   Typically (but not always) a simple, minimalist formula designed for most skin types including sensitive. Or, a product that you know well, and can be sure of how your skin reacts.
• PERFORMANCE   Reliable to the point it no longer requires much thought to use. It's always in the background, performing faithfully. Ingredients lists are a start, but they don't necessarily determine how they perform on the skin, so this differs somewhat from formula.
• LIFESTYLE   Integrates well into your routine and plays well with other products. Often this is where texture comes into play.
• ACCESSIBILITY   Skincare, unlike eyeshadow palettes, are high-turnover products and require frequent repurchases. Personally, I love the thrill of the hunt when it comes to experimenting, but strangely loathe the hassle when making repurchases. As such, I prefer to buy within the domestic market (currently South Korea). The beauty industry is rife with copycats, so you can often find products that are similar to each other; for example I don't necessarily consider Heimish All Clean Balm the best makeup-removing initial cleanse on the market, but it is a good product that I can find easily without too much expense.
• PRICE POINT   Again, because skincare tends to be high turnover, the pricing becomes a factor when it comes time to repurchase. For me, that's between ₩10,000–₩50,000, depending on its kind.
• CONSUMER HABITS   If you've repurchased it or have a stockpile of backups, that's an obvious sign. It's not always possible to avoid ordering online; something critical like sunscreen or a specialized treatment may prove more elusive when it comes to finding the right formula.
• COMPETITION   It becomes a standard by which you measure other products. If you enjoy experimenting with skincare, that core routine gives you clarity: drop after drop, Product X was enjoyable, but at the end of the bottle (or jar), you think, "Well, it's not quite as nice as old faithful Product Y." This makes dabbling in luxury products less burdensome, in my opinion, since you are not looking for commitment.

Most of my own 'neutral' products are fairly bland but well made utilitarian products and, though best suited for drier skin, I can recommend without much reservation: Bioderma Atoderm Ultra-Nourishing Shower Oil, Bifesta Eye Make Up Remover, Heimish All Clean Balm, Freeplus Moist Care Lotion 2, Etude House Soon Jung 10-Free Moist Emulsion/Atopalm MLE Cream/Huxley More Than Moist, and Sun Bears Super Strong Plus SPF50/PA++++. One is a treatment; Paula's Choice 1% Retinol is fairly aggressive, so this is one to consider carefully before introducing it into your routine.