Let me start this review with the same disclaimer my esthetician gave me when she recommended these products: the serum is HORRIBLY named and she's repeatedly suggested they change it, but no such luck. Like a lot of Asian "whitening" products, the "bleaching" serum is meant to lighten hyperpigmentation, whether from age spots, sun spots, or healing acne scars (which is why I'm trying it). She did not recommend using it all over my face but only in the specific places where I've broken out and I'm working to lighten any brown spots. Ok? I'm sorry it sounds so terrible but... here we are.

Phew.

Now that we're over that hurdle, let's get down to business. For months I've been working to find a new SPF, knowing that I needed to wear one everyday, but my oily, medium complexion, skin makes this a hard thing to find. If a product doesn't a have a white cast or break me out, it ends up leaving me oily as hell and in the middle of a humid DC summer I just can't have that.  I wasn't able to try this on my face before I bought it, but I swatched it on my arm and liked the way it quickly absorbed into the skin without anything sticky or shiny on the surface. And at ~$35 for 3.2oz it's significantly less expensive than the La Prairie moisturizer I used last year so I thought I'd give it a shot.

Final thoughts? Generally feeling quite positive about this! It does the same thing on my face that it did on my arm, absoring quickly with no white cast. I also feel like it's doing something to control my oily skin because my foundation and blush are staying on my face better, especially on my chin where I always have the most issues. Unfortunately it has a really strong bubble gum smell, which I can detect even after I've rubbed it in, though thankfully not after I've applied foundation.

Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars



The bleach serum is a bit harder to judge. It has a good percentage (2%) of hydroquinone, along with a mix of glycolic acid and azelic acid, all working to exfoliate the top layer of skin and reduce inflammation. Good stuff right? I haven't been using it long enough to say definitively, but I do think it's helping and since I'm not experiencing any new breakouts I'm happy enough to keep using it. Especially because again, at the $35 price point, as a spot treatment this little bottle is guaranteed to last me a loooooong time.

Final Thoughts? Also positive! It's got a nice texture, goes on clear and doesn't seem to be reacting badly to anything else in my routine. Sadly this does have the same strong bubblegum scent but I use so little (& I only apply this at night) that it doesn't bother me much.

Score: 4 out of 5 stars.