Where to purchase: Yesstyle: LINK / Stylevana: LINK / Beauty Within: LINK / Beauty Bay: LINK
Price: £15.81
Volume: 30ml
Made in: South Korea
What is it + What does it do?: A 10% Ginseng Root Extract (Emollient) and 2% (0.02%) Retinal (Well-ageing) Eye cream to help improve the look of fine lines / wrinkles around the eye + Moisturise the skin.
Aims to: Reduce Fine Lines + Wrinkles / Increase Elasticity / Moisturise the eye skin.
Supposedly Good for: All Skin Types
What I think: Combination Skins could use this (particularly in the summer) but Dry-Combination, Normal and Dry Skin Types may prefer this texture. Sensitive skins may also use this.
Vegan?: Yes.
Cruelty Free?: Yes.
Malesezzia Suitable?: No.
EU-Allergen Safe?: Yes.
How long does it last after opening?: 12 Months.
Packaging: Plastic tube with a cap (hygienic and good for travel). This has a pump mechanism (easy to dispense and doesn’t spill all over the place).
Directions: ”Pump an adequate amount of product onto the finger and apply the product, tapping around the eye area to increase absorption” (From the Website).
Note: You can also apply 1-2 pumps on the face (Like the AHC Eye Creams for the Face).
How I use it: I apply this in the PM (would be too emollient/thick for the daytime so instead, I use the Byoma Eye Gel). I apply 1/2 a pump onto the finger before dabbing on/around the eyes. Note: A little goes a LONG way and I always end up accidentally applying too much (you can put the remainder on your smile lines etc).
Key Ingredients: 2% Retinal Liposome (Reduces Fine Lines + Wrinkles) + 10% Ginseng Root Extract (Emollient).
Why Retinal?: As in this study (LINK); Retinal (Vitamin A Derivative) only needs 1 conversion to become Retinoic Acid on the skin (which can be used by the skin), whereas Retinol needs 2 conversions i.e. Retinol –> Retinal –> Retinoic Acid. Therefore using Retinal should be more fast and efficient (and effective than retinol at reducing fine lines + wrinkles) as more should be absorbed into the skin.
What is Retinal Liposome?: Retinal that is broken down into smaller pieces and then stabilised by being enclosed (surrounded) in liposomes (see diagram below) that can be more efficiently delivered into and used by the skin, as it reduces Retinal breakdown (penetrates the skin more effectively). It also reduces the potential for skin irritation. Oils and Natural lipids are also added (hence why this is emollient and good for dry skins).
As you can see in the diagram above, the Nutrient (replace Vitamin C with Retinal) is delivered into the skin, enclosed in a liposome.
Is Retinal more effective than Retinol?: According to Chemist Confessions; a study was shown where 0.5% of both Retinal and Retinol were tested on fine lines/wrinkles, and the effect after a few weeks, seemed to be the same. Of course, there needs to be more studies (as encapsulated Retinal is a new technology). However, as of right now, there’s not too much difference. Which means you don’t need to jump to use Retinal, as long as you are using either in a well-ageing routine, they can both be effective.
Other Key Ingredients: Niacinamide (Brightening + Sebum-regulating) / Hyaluronic Acid (Hydrating) / Adenosine (Wound healing + Anti-inflammatory ) / Cholesterol + Ceramide NP + Macadamia OIl (Emollients) / Syn-Coll (Tripeptide) that is meant to improve skin texture and firmness (reference).
Full Ingredients: Water, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, 1,2-Hexanediol, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Niacinamide, Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sorbitan Olivate, Cetearyl Olivate, Butylene Glycol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Tromethamine, Carbomer, Glyceryl Stearate, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Extract, Dextrin, Cholesterol, Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate, Disodum EDTA, Retinal, Brassica Campestris (Rapeseed) Sterols, Phytosteryl/Behenyl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate, Silica, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopherol, Aluminum/Magnesium Hydroxide Stearate, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-t-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Ceramide NP, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5
NOTE: The Incidecoder have a full ingredient breakdown HERE
Texture: The brand states this has a ‘Nourishing texture gives smooth application and leaves a non-sticky silky finish.’ – I would agree that this is very nourishing (emollient / fatty) and is not sticky.
Sticky?: No.
Greasy?: Yes this is slightly greasy and moreso emollient (see the swatch video below)
Balls up?: No.
As you can see, this is a yellow-tinted cream (due to the Retinal) and is emollient (feels like softened butter) and melts onto (not into) the skin.
It’s smooth and easy to spread this product around.
- As you can see, when spreading this out fully, a translucent layer forms on top of the skin as this takes slightly longer than a watery gel or gel cream to absorb fully into the skin.
Swatch Comparison: No Product (Left) VS Product (Right)
- I wanted to note, this (below) is what happened when I rubbed the product again. It did not absorb immediately in to the skin, and instead, formed a translucent texture on top of the skin; showing the products doesn’t absorb or disappear immediately, and first forms a lighter sheen on top of the skin before eventually disappearing/absorbing minutes later.
Does this Sting if the Skin has been Irritated / Sensitised by Shaving/Heavy Retinol Use?: No.
Summer or Winter?: Oilier Skins: Winter (PM) / Dry Skins: All-year.
Layerable?: Yes (doesn’t ball up).
Video Swatch:
- As you can see, this has the same sort of texture as softened butter. It’s soft, creamy and emollient and melts into the skin, almost turning into an oil with the way it lightens in texture the more you rub this into the skin and it softens due to the skin’s temperature.
Fragrance?: Fragrance + EO Free (this smells like Retinol. It’s not a strong scent and dissipates).
Good Under Makeup?: I wouldn’t recommend it as the emollient nature of this cream means it sort of sits on top of the skin and might break up your concealer/powder on top (especially if you have oilier skin).
How long have I been using this?: 3 Months.
Will I use until Completion?: Due to the inclusion of Retinal- yes. Not so much due to the texture.
How Long will that take?: Another ~3 Months.
The Effect?: Short Term: Moisturised Eye Area. Long Term: I haven’t noticed a huge change/difference to the eye area (but I have noticed an improvement in the texture), but perhaps someone in their 40s/50s would notice more of a change. I trust the efficacy of Retinal however, so I suspect this has been maintaining the overall appearance of the delicate skin around the eye in a well-ageing fashion.
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What I like:
- Sturdy, easy-to-use and travel-with packaging
- Cruelty-Free
- Moisturising
- Contains Liposomal Retinal + Syn-Coll (Good for well-ageing)
- Fragrance + EO Free
- Lightweight
- Did not sting / irritate
What I don’t like:
- A bit too emollient (fatty) for my oily-combination skin (takes a while to settle and absorb into the skin)
Overall Rating and Conclusion: 4 (nearly 3.9) /5 – I like the ingredients and I appreciate the use of both Retinal and Syn-Coll (2 well-ageing ingredients) in this formula. This is definitely moisturising and I appreciate that this is cruelty-free and fragrance + EO Free. My biggest issue is the texture of this product; it’s a bit too emollient for me, but I could imagine Dry and more Mature skin types really enjoying the ”fattiness” of this cream.
Would I repurchase?: I am undecided. I like the inclusion of Retinal and Syn-Coll, so if I repurchased, it would be due to those ingredients, and not so much the fatty texture of this cream.
Dupe: In terms of a similar texture (i.e. very emollient): The Paula’s Choice – Clinical Ceramide Enriched Firming Eye Cream (Swatches + Review HERE) is excellent as it contains a plethora of brightening and well-ageing ingredients (like Retinol + Vitamin C). It is also kind of thick like this Beauty of Joseon eye cream, but I find that it absorbs slightly better.
Available at: Paula’s Choice: LINK / Sephora: LINK
- The La Roche Posay – Redermic Retinol Firming Eye Cream (Swatches + Review HERE) – I personally prefer the texture of this more (more lightweight, faster-absorbing and less emollient/greasy), hence why I put it in my favourites.
Available at: La Roche Posay: LINK / Skin Store: LINK / Cult Beauty: LINK
- The Inkey List – Retinol Eye Cream is a 3% Vitalease™ (Retinol): Stabilized retinoid compound, a slow-release formula that helps to avoid irritation often associated with retinols.
Available at: The Inkey List: LINK / Sephora: LINK / Beauty Bay: LINK
My Skin Type: I am acne prone and have slightly dehydrated combo skin. My skin is usually tight where the cheeks and eye area is and the outer parts of my face. My T zone is oily. My skin isn’t a fan of thick/heavy formulas so I opt for lightweight formulas to prevent it from clogging up. My skin doesn’t like essential oils either and I try to avoid fragrance when I can.
Disclaimer: I am a skincare enthusiast and not a skin expert. I am not qualified to give out dermatological advice. This type of advice should only be given by a medical practitioner. Upon trying / using any of the reviewed products on the blog, please follow the manufacturer’s instructions and warnings and please seek medical advice if needed.
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