Hi guys! It’s me! Your super-inconsistent blogger! Heh.. Anyway, I was just looking through my site and saw this post that I had reserved and saved way back in the year 2017! *inserts horror face emoji* Yup, so that’s why you see this product Stratia’s Soft Touch in its previous packaging! Anyway, I thought that since I had taken photos and have already finished this product, maybe I could give you guys a proper review.
Stratia’s Soft Touch AHA is claimed to be a hyper-gentle, highly effective exfoliant that sloughs off dead skin cells to help reveal smoother, clearer skin. Although AHAs are excellent in dissolving the intercellular “glue” between dead cells on the surface of your skin and revealing the smooth, bright skin underneath, many AHAs can also cause significant irritation and redness, especially to those with sensitive skin. However, the AHA included in this product (Mandelic Acid) is the exception. It is a much larger molecule than glycolic acid, so it doesn’t penetrate the skin as deeply and therefore causes significantly less irritation. Soft Touch AHA has 10% mandelic acid, along with skin-soothers like aloe, chamomile, and allantoin to give you bright, smooth skin with the least amount of irritation possible.
In a nutshell, Soft Touch AHA is a very gentle AHA product especially formulated for sensitive skins.
I usually use this product in the mornings straight after cleansing. True to its claims, it is very gentle and has never caused any stinging sensation to my skin. But guess what?! After a few weeks into using this product, my skin was the smoothest that it could ever be.. What kinda sorcery is this, Alli?? *Alli is the founder of Stratia Skin*
Anyway, to cut it short, I think that practically all skin types (except if you are truly super sensitive, then maybe do a patch test first?) can benefit from having this product in your skincare regime. In fact, I find that even on days when I use tretinoin, my skin is still able to tolerate this product. So if you are looking for an exfoliant but is scared to try one (just in case your face melts off), I think that this is a safe bet!
Where can you find it?
You can purchase it from their official website. It retails at US$16 (50ml sized).
I first learnt of the Amorepacific Vintage Single Extract Essence while I was watching Gothamista’s video in which she used this essence in her morning skincare routine during the summer of last year. When I saw this product, I was attracted to it immediately and knew that I’ve gotta get it (Do you believe in lust at first sight? That’s how I felt about this product!). However, I went online to search for reviews on it and couldn’t find much information (probably because it’s kinda a new product). My lust for it also kinda stalled when I saw its price on Sephora (US$145 for 120ml!).
Literally my reaction when I saw its price!
Like the handsome stranger that you met briefly on the train ride during the morning rush hour, the memories and the feelings of that encounter with this product got pushed to the back of my mind as months passed by. It wasn’t until September last year (in 2017) that my friend asked me if I wanted anything from Korea as she had another friend who’s going there for a holiday. Immediately I thought of this product and asked her to haul one from Lotte Duty Free shop for me.
If you just look at its ingredients list as above, you’ll note that this product is basically made out of glycerin (a humectant) and green tea extract (a strong antioxidant).
How does the Amorepacific Vintage Single Extract Essence fare?
Amorepacific’s Vintage Single Extract Essence is described as a skin-enhancing essence sourced from single extract, antioxidant-rich green tea that has been naturally fermented and aged to pre-tox and purify skin before ageing occurs. The antioxidant-rich green tea was harvested from AMOREPACIFIC’s Dolsongi tea garden on Jeju island. The handpicked leaves used to create the original single extract are fermented for 50 days, aged in traditional Korean earthenware for another 50 days and extracted for 24 hours, using the patented Full Body Extraction, to create a concentrated skin superfood. The fermentation process really maximises the potency of the EGCG (Epigallocatechin Gallate) in this green tea extract. EGCG is a powerful antioxidant which protect cells from damage.
See the video below from Amorepacific on this product! I swear this advertisement is so effective and makes me want to rush out to buy it immediately!
Even though I’ve had this product for around 6 months, I only really started cranking down to using it seriously around the end of January this year (2018) since I was using the Sulwhasoo First Care Serum previously. So I’ve been using this product both in my day and night skincare routines for around 1.5 months and I’m ready to share my thoughts of this product with you.
Amorepacific’s Vintage Single Extract Essence is similar to a First Care Essence/ Serum in that you’ll need to use it in the first step after cleansing your face. For the first 2 weeks that I was using this product, I only pour out a few drops from the glass bottle and pat it into my skin. However, I later decanted it into a plastic spray bottle to spray it all over my face instead. There are 2 main reasons why I do so. Firstly, the product is extremely liquid, almost water-like, and I would find it seeping out through the gaps of my fingers. D*mn if I’m gonna let my floor gain all these anti-ageing super anti-oxidant benefits instead of my skin! Secondly, my 3 year-old daughter is now extremely curious about the “magic” potions that her mama keeps on the dressing table. She likes to pretend that she’s using them the same way as her mama does. To my absolute shock and horror, I caught her trying to shake the glass bottle of this particular product (that costs US$128/ US$145 a bottle, mind you!). For my own peace of mind and my daughter’s safety (in case she breaks the bottle and gets cut by the glass shards), I decided to decant it instead.
Anyway, as I was saying, the product is extremely liquid and it smells of tea (like duh!). I literally feel like I’m spraying my face with tea everytime I use this product. My initial impressions of this product was that it is lightly hydrating, softening and seems to help boost the absorption rate of my subsequent skincare. To be honest, I didn’t really see much results for the initial 2 weeks that I was using this product. I was just enjoying the sensorial experience of using this product. After 4 weeks, I find that my skin was significantly softer. I wanted to test if this new texture of my skin was due to this product so I stop using it for a few days just to see if there would be a difference. I noticed that although my skin still looks relatively ok, the feel of it was really quite different. Although my skin still feels smooth, it didn’t quite have the velvety softness that it had before.
However, the pressing question is this: is the difference in the softness of the skin a big enough factor for me to repurchase, considering its price? To be honest, I’m not certain either. Currently, I’ve got 3 new essences in my stash that I’ve not tried out yet. I’m not sure if the performance of those essence would be better than this essence but, they are certainly cheaper than the Amorepacific one. To date however, it is the best essence that I’ve used before. I might do a comparison post of all the essences that I’ve tried sometime in the future.
Where can you find it?
I asked a friend to purchase it from Korea. It retails at US$128 (120ml sized) at Lotte Duty Free shops.
In my previous review for the DCL Detoxifying Clay Mask (Read full review here!), I had mentioned that the mask was a free gift (GWP – gift with purchase) that was given to me as part of the promotions running on Cult Beauty for the launch of DCL brand on their website. The product that I was actually purchasing is this – DCL C Scape High Potency Night Booster 30. Now that I’ve had it for around 3 months, I think I’m ready to tell you guys about my experience with this product.
As usual, ingredients for the product are listed below:
How does the DCL C Scape High Potency Night Booster 30 fare?
DCL’s C Scape High Potency Night Booster claims to be a collagen-boosting dynamo formulated with a 30% concentration of L-ascorbic acid, plus a ground breaking Vitamin C complex that are gently released into skin both immediately and over time for maximum efficacy and absorption. Advanced technology strengthens skin’s other structural components to improve elasticity and help fend off lines and wrinkles. Intense hydrators deeply moisturise, as antioxidants valiantly safeguard skin from environmental assailants. Meanwhile, focused brighteners even out skin tone creating a healthier, more radiant and beautifully uniform complexion. TLDR; it’s a dedicated Vitamin C serum with a 30% concentration.
I bought this product solely based on Caroline Hirons’ recommendation. If you have read some of my previous posts, maybe you would know that one of my problems that I hoped to correct for my skin is the PIH marks that were left over after my hormonal acne subside each month. I’ve found that those marks on my face do not really respond to my constant use of acids or retinol. Only by diligently using Vitamin C serums do I see a slight improvement. Therefore, I’m constantly on the lookout for great Vitamin C products that would help me.
First of all, this product is an anhydrous formulae (meaning that it does not contain any water) which greatly aids in the stability of the Vitamin C and prevent it from oxidising so fast. My main beef with quite a lot of Vitamin C serums is that they oxidise so quickly! Although you could prolong their shelf life by placing them in the fridge, sometimes you just want your products kept where you can grab them easily. Therefore the fact that this product is kept stable by eliminating water (which is the main cause of oxidisation for Vitamin C products) wins quite a lot of points with me.
The moment this product reached me, I slather it on my face that very night. The product itself is a white gritty cream (very unlike most watery type of Vitamin C serums) and I felt a strong tingling sensation when I applied it. Because the texture of this product is so thick and gritty, I find that I could only layer a moisturiser over it and call it a night. If you want to layer a lot of subsequent products over it, you will have “rolling” and this product will just flake away. The next morning, I was blown away by how bright and clear my skin looks! I thought that I had found the perfect Vitamin C serum!
Unfortunately, after trying this product on and off for 3 months, I find that it’s just not suitable for my skin for a very simple reason. This product makes my skin break out! Although I was blown away by its results the first night, subsequent uses saw my cheeks and forehead break out in tiny little bumps. I knew my skin well enough to recognise that it’s a sign that this product does not agree with my skin. I tried again on and off over the next 3 months without much success. It’s always the same pattern. I would see great brightening effects the first night and yet with subsequent uses, I would always find my skin breaking out in places where I normally don’t. You know, I wanted to like it so much, or even love it because it’s quite expensive and my mama didn’t raise no quitter! However, as with all skincare, your mileage will vary (YMWV) and not all skincare will work for your specific skin type. You just need to experiment to find out what your skin likes or dislikes. Therefore, I’m not going to bash this product because I could totally see it working for someone else. Sadly, that person is not me!
Where can you find it?
I bought this product from Cult Beauty Online. It retails at £108.00 (30ml sized).
Engineering Beauty 