Cosrx are easily one of my favorite K-beauty brands. I’ve been using their products continually for 5 years, love their formulas, get on well with the Cosrx staff (I even interviewed Hye-Young back in the day), and I will always recommend the Cosrx Snail Essence to anyone who will listen.
Two of their other products I love the most are their BHA Blackhead Power Liquid and their AHA 7 Whitehead Power Liquid. So when they released this newest acid formulations and sent the Calming Liquid Intensive to me in PR, I was totally down to test it out. After 3 months of use, I’m happy to now share my full review.
What is it?
The calming liquid is an exfoliating toner containing 2 AHA (lactic & glycolic acid) and 1 BHA ingredient (betaine salicylate). It is deemed an acne solution for calming, clearing and recovering skin. There is also a “mild calming liquid” for those with more sensitive skin.
Because of the acid ingredients, I have been using this product immediately after cleansing on bare skin. This is where I place any AHA or BHA product (if I’m using two separate acids, then BHA first). I let it sit on my skin for around 10 minutes before moving onto hydrating toners and the rest of my routine.
Although I don’t have acne, I wanted to use the liquid to see how it would help control the excess sebum and sebaceous filaments I get across my nose, to help deal with the pesky little pimples I experience, and to work on the rough texture I get. I tried the Purito combined acid this year and my skin LOVED it, so I was interested to see if I’d get the same results here.
Ingredients
Propolis Extract, Alcohol, Butylene Glycol, Sodium lactate, Dimethyl Sulfone, Betaine, Lactic Acid,1,2-Hexanediol, Glycolic Acid, Water, Betaine Salicylate, Cassia Obtusifolia Seed Extract, Panthenol, Allantoin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Polysorbate 60, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Zinc PCA, Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Oil, Ethyl Hexanediol, Asiaticoside, Asiatic acid, Madecassic acid
Texture & Scent
The texture is slightly thicker than water and easy to apply with either hands or a cotton pad. It feels really nice on the skin and does have some slip, which leaves skin feeling hydrated and slightly moisturized. I’m guessing this is because Propolis Extract is the first ingredient- my skin really enjoys propolis products in general. I’d say it’s the nicest texture of any acid product I own!
The scent …hmmm. When I first started testing, I literally could not stand the scent. Absolutely hated it and I didn’t even know if I could stick out the testing period because I found the scent so overwhelming. It smelled very earthy to me and lingered throughout my whole routine. But here’s the strange thing, either I’ve become accustomed to it, or the scent has definitely faded slightly and changed. Now all I smell is tea tree. It’s not terrible. So maybe I’m just desensitized to it now, but I definitely wanted to mention my evolving thoughts on that!
Overall Thoughts & Results
Over time, this has definitely helped with sebum control, but certainly not controlled it the way the BHA Blackhead Power Liquid does. It reduces the oiliness but doesn’t leave my pores looking clearer. And I was really hoping it would. I can say that the liquid has helped when I’ve been breaking out- the pimples have 100% healed faster by using this toner on a daily basis during the breakout and healing process, which I can appreciate. Combine that with the Cosrx pimple patches, and the breakouts I experience (not major but still there) have been much more manageable. And in fairness, this is what the product is advertised to do.
My biggest disappointment was that I was hoping the glycolic acid would really help with my skin texture the way their AHA 7 product does. I haven’t found that it helps with my texture at all unfortunately. I experienced the same tingling when I first started using it as I did with their AHA and The Ordinary Glycolic Toner, so I did expect some effect. But one of the main reasons why I feel like I’m not seeing the “intensive” results I was hoping for, is the pH. Before I started, I didn’t realize that the pH of this product is between 4 and 5. And this is too high for either an AHA or BHA to work super effectively. It helps keep the product gentle, but unfortunately for me, my skin needs the strong stuff. All of the other acid products I’ve mentioned that my skin loves are pH 4 at the highest, so it makes sense that those work more effectively for me.
I have very mixed thoughts about this product. Do I think it’s a good toner for balancing skin and helping with breakout control? Yes, definitely. Is it an effective AHA/BHA chemical exfoliation option for my skin? No. Or at least not compared to the Cosrx BHA and AHA liquids, nor compared to The Ordinary Glycolic Acid Toning Solution or the Purito ABP Triple Synergy Liquid. This falls behind all of those in the chemical exfoliation department unfortunately and left me feeling quite underwhelmed.
Ultimately, I think this is probably a great option for those who want an exfoliating toner that really help with breakouts. But, not enough for those looking for a serious chemical exfoliation experience. I will continue to purchase the BHA Blackhead Power Liquid and the AHA 7 Whitehead Power Liquid for my skin needs. These 2 formulations are some of Cosrx’ best creations, and they will be the products I continue to recommend those looking for exfoliation treatments.
Have you tried this yet? Would love to hear how other people in the community have found it- I haven’t seen many reviews!
