I have been using this essence for about 6 months now and since I’m fast approaching its end, its probably a good opportunity to share my thoughts on it.

This is the first product I’ve tried from Simplistic Skin Care. I was browsing around lilacandberries.com, a k-beauty online store based in Sydney.  I couldn’t find much information about Simplistic but from what I can gather from the website, they are a company which focusses on using natural ingredients (vegan) and without harmful substances in their products. They only make products which they feel can be used in the daily lives of people, so no gimmicky products here.

Please keep on reading if you are interested in hearing more about this essence.

Cost

$49 AUD, purchased from liliacandberries.com 

Ingredients (from lilacandberries.com)

Amaranthus Hypochondriacus Seed Extract, Butylene Glycol, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Glycerin, Niacinamide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Glutathione, Pinus Radiata Bark Extract, Beta-Glucan, Allantoin, Trehalose, Sodium Hyaluronate, Polyglutamic Acid, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Soy Isoflavones, Centella Asiatica Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA

Claims

This essence claims to:

– speeds up wound healing, soothes and calms skin
– locking in natural moisture and helps repair your moisture barrier\
– helps to moisturize and exfoliate old skin cells by penetrating to the deepest layers of your skin
– maintains your skin’s water balance which makes your skin appear healthy, moist, radiant and supple.
– evens out your skin’s texture
– soothes and anti inflammations
– improves skin’s elasticity
– reduces pigmentation and scars
– promotes collagen for a more radiant and flawless complexion
– soothes and calms your skin’s redness

Packaging

This is what attracted me to the product. The flask like yet medicinal look of it with the wooden cap was unique. Normally essences are commonly housed in cylindrical shaped glass bottles. I thought this would be frosted glass but its actually sturdy plastic. The cap is faux wood and gives it a natural effect. The label is minimal and modern, reflecting what the company stands for. I’m actually glad it’s plastic because it can be knocked about in a suitcase. I took it with me on holidays over Christmas and it was fuss free.

How to use

On the back there are three illustrated steps in korean which I can’t understand. However, the illustrations are pretty self explanatory and if you are an experienced essence user, then it’s the same principles.

I always use it the same way as I would use any essence. I would pour two or three drops into my palm, rub my hands together and gently pat my face for absorption. Sometimes I would follow with another layer but generally it would only be one because I have a few more steps to do in my routine. You could use a cotton pad if you were in a hurry but I wouldn’t recommend it since you waste some of the product.

Consistency

Its consistency is runny. It has an intended amber tinge to it which doesn’t translate once applied. Because it’s so runny I would recommend only using a few drops (2-3) at a time and layering if you want to add more.

Scent

Zero fragrance so great for sensitive skin.

Final thoughts

Rating: 3/5 (it's ok but will not repurchase)

As mentioned at the start of this post, I’m almost at the end of the bottle and I’m not sad about it. Which is a bit of shame since there are some really nice ingredients in this product.

I like the packaging and the fact that it’s fragrance free and didn’t break me out. However I didn’t really see much of an effect on my skin over time. 6 months is fair amount of time to test something too and I did use this twice a day consistently. The claims seem quite extensive which is what sparked my curiosity in the first place. If anything, I did feel that my face felt and looked slightly more hydrated but that’s about it. I didn’t see any real brightening of dark spots or my skin texture being more even etc.

The first essence I used is the cult favourite Missha FTE (intensive moist) and with that one I could see immediate brightening and skin evening results. If I were to choose which one to repurchase, it would be the Missha one. They are also similarly priced and are both 150ml.

Have you tried anything from this line? Let me know what you think 🙂 Also if you have any essence recommendations for me, please let me know in the comments.