How to get rid of dry, flaky skin? Layers. If there’s anything I’ve learned from K-Beauty, it’s about layering products in order to maintain a hydrated, dewy look throughout the day, even during these dark, cold months. And I think I’ve found some of the best winter layers that I’ve tried in a while!
You might have been blinded by the pink filling my instagram over recent months…SkinRx Lab have a lot to do with that. Back in November they sent me a big box full of their MadeCera products (PR samples, see my disclaimer for policies), and now that I’ve tested everything thoroughly, I can share my thoughts!
Who are SkinRx Lab?
SkinRx are a Korean online beauty mall, established in 2003, and in 2015 they launched their own beauty brand SkinRx Lab. They focus on trying to provide solutions to skin problems, taking into account modern environment and lifestyle factors. Here is their brand concept:
SKINRx LAB understands and analyzes various lifestyles of modern people such as environmental pollution, wrong eating habits, excessive diet, lack of sleep, stress, skin ∙plastic surgery, excessive work, twisted posture, exposure to electromagnetic waves, drinking and smoking, and takes new departures and performs inventive experiments for a clear prescription for the foregoing. SKINRx LAB also develops beauty items without price bubbles and suggests a clever beauty habits by discovering and using good raw materials.
Now onto the products! The MadeCera line is based on ‘protecting skin by strengthening skin barrier’. The toner was tested for three weeks in isolation; the cream for two weeks in isolation; and I’ve tried the mask 5 times. I’m still using all of the products, after finishing the testing periods.
MadeCera Essence Toner
Purpose and when to use:
To be used immediately after cleansing, for moisturising, soothing and brightening.
Packaging
Simple but gorgeous! I really love the black on pink, basic bottle with an easy dispenser.
Ingredients
Aqua (Water) Dipropylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Betaine, Lactobacillus Ferment, Curcuma Longa (Turmeric) Root Extract, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Dimethicone, Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer, Lauryl PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Cyclopentasiloxane, Polyquaternium 51, Ceramide NP, Hydrogenated Lecithin, PEG-10 Rapeseed Sterol, Glyceryl Stearate, Glycereth-20, Xanthan Gum, 1,2-Hexanediol, Phenoxyethanol, Tromethamine, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Ethylhexylglycerin, Asiaticoside, Madecassic Acid, Asiatic Acid, Madecassoside
There are lots of moisturising elements, brightening niacinamide, soothing turmeric extract, and madecassoside. Madecassoside is an ancient herbal remedy used for skin conditioning and to soothe skin, as well as having potential anti aging benefits.
Remember to check all products you use for your own skin triggers, and patch test first if you have sensitive skin!
Scent
I was going to write no scent, as I never smell anything when I apply, but after sticking my nose right into the bottle, I get a waft of a very faint medicinal type scent. So faint though, it’s not even really worth mentioning…
Texture and Application
The toner is classic Korean style- a thick milky liquid. I was concerned that, because I apply toner with my hands, the dispenser would make it hard to control the amount coming out. However this really isn’t a problem- it flows slowly and you can easily control it. I pour a small amount into my hands and pat in. It’s initially slightly sticky but fully absorbs within about one minute.
Performance
Okay this toner is for real. I’m so impressed. I’m going to be as bold as to say that of all of the toners I’ve used, and probably FTEs too, this feels the most moisturising. And the unique aspect of this toner for me, in comparison with other toners? I notice a significant difference in my skin when I don’t use it- it seems to work to keep my skin hydrated all day, and it’s immediately soothing and comforting on application. A fantastic base product for a moisturizing routine.
I’ve also noticed some subtle brightening effects, particularly across my cheeks. They seem to have developed what I can only describe as a translucent glow. It’s subtle, but definitely noticeable, and I’m all about that glow. Glow is life.
I would 100% repurchase this toner, particularly for a winter skincare routine.
MadeCera Cream
Purpose and when to use:
I use the cream at the last stage of moisturizing.
The purpose of the product is to strengthen the moisture barrier of skin, instantly moisturize, and also to provide brightening and anti-wrinkle benefits.
Packaging
The cream comes in a medical-type metal tube. I got a little worried that it would crease and puncture, but this hasn’t happened as of yet. I love tube creams- so much quicker and more hygienic than a tub.
Ingredients
Aqua, Glycerine, Butylene, Glycol, Betaine, Niacinamide 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, C14-28 Alkyl Acid, Stearyl Alcohol, Behenyl Alcohol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Arachidyl Alcohol, Arachidyl Glucoside, Cyclopentasiloxane, Diisostearyl Malate, Ceramide 3, PEG-10 Rapeseed Sterol, Glyceryl Stearate, Glycereth-20, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycosyl Trehalose, Panthenol, PEG-100 Stearate, Dimethicone, Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer, Lauryl PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Lanolin, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Squalane, Polysorbate 60, Allantoin, Xanthan Gum, Asiaticoside, Madecassic Acid, Asiatic Acid, Adenosine, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Madecassoside, Fragrance
Lots of moisturising elements here, as to be expected. Also lots of skin conditioning and healing ingredients. I was particularly attracted by the niacinamide (skin restoring and brightening), ceramide 3 (restoring skins moisture barrier), squalane (moisturising), allantoin (skin conditioning), and madecassoside (an ancient herbal remedy for skin conditioning, restoring and anti-aging).
Always check for your personal skin triggers.
Scent
Unlike the toner, this cream has a very distinct sweet smell. I find it a little too sweet, but it’s fine, and doesn’t stick around for too long once the product is absorbed.
Texture and Application
The texture is fairly thick and buttery, and feels gorgeous. It spreads easily and is enjoyable to massage into skin. I find that whilst it doesn’t feel sticky, it does take a while to fully absorb. It seems to sit on the surface for a wee while, which I think is why I think of it as more of an evening cream.
Performance
Initially I thought this was going to be too much for my normal/combo skin type. However after over three weeks daily testing, and over a months total general use, I haven’t noticed any breakouts, greasiness, closed comedones, or unhappiness with my skin because of this cream. It’s actually been fantastic, and has been continually saving me from flakiness around my nose and eyebrows, which are unfortunately usually a staple look for me at this time of year in Korea.
The reason I truly love this cream, is because of it’s apparent ability to ‘seal in’ moisture. Like I said, it tends to sit on the surface of the skin for a while after application, and I feel like it’s a fantastic last layer, ensuring the hydration and moisture from my essences, serums etc stays firmly within my skin, before it absorbs and further increases the moisture level of my skin.
If I apply a generous amount at night, it acts in a similar way to a sleeping pack, and my skin looks incredibly glowy and bouncy in the morning. During the day, using it in the morning maintains a soft and hydrated skin look all day, which is a total saver because a cushion base looks hideous when it starts to flake and crack.
It’s definitely achieved the purpose of helping to repair and maintain a strong skin barrier (I overdid it on my acids one night and this totally soothed and repaired my skin while I slept), and most importantly for me, good moisturising. I didn’t notice any specific brightening or anti-wrinkle changes to my skin, but that’s not really what I look for in a cream. That’s what my actives are meant to be doing!
I think this will be more of a seasonal product for me and my skin type, but another winning product!
MadeCera (Re-turn) Express Mask
This mask featured in my favourite skincare products of 2016, and for good reason!
Ingredients
Aqua (Water), Glycerin, Glycereth-26, Dipropylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethiconol, Curcuma Longa (Turmeric) Root Extract, Butylene Glycol, Lactobacillus Ferment, 1,2-Hexanediol, Beta-Glucan, Pentylene Glycol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Ceramide NP, PEG-10 Rapeseed Sterol, Glyceryl Stearate, Glycereth-20, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Tromethamine, Sodium Polyacrylate, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Trisodium EDTA, Fragrance, Asiaticoside, Madecassic Acid, Asiatic Acid, Madecassoside
Some of those listed are similar to the two products above, with moisturising, soothing, and skin restoring ingredients.
Material and Fit
This microfiber sheet isn’t the thinnest, but it’s thin enough to adhere well. It fits to all the contours of the face and doesn’t slide. It feels verrrry soft on skin- definitely one of the softest masks I’ve tried, and very comfortable. The fit is spot on for my face shape. It also seems to hold a lot of the creamy essence within the fibers, instead of on the surface of the material, resulting in very little dripping without skimpin’ on the essence, thank the lord (dripping is such a pain in the ass)!
Scent
The scent is a little odd. I honestly don’t know how to describe it. Slightly like fermented herbs? But it’s pretty faint, and I’ve actually come to like it, despite initially thinking it was a bit funky..!
Essence
The essence is where it’s at. It’s SO moisturising, without greasiness or heaviness, much like the rest of the line. It’s quite a nice runny, creamy consistency, but like I said it seems held in the fibers rather than dripping all over. Love it.
Performance
My skin feels fantastic afterwards. It’s very enjoyable to wear because of the fit and feel of the material, and the essence is deeply moisturising. My skin feels so plump, soft, and intensely moisturised. I used the Susee skin detecting device (kindly provided to me courtesy Amabie), to measure my skin immediately after cleansing, and then after wearing the sheet mask for 40 minutes.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
You can see that every area of my face hugely increased in moisture, and also, interestingly enough, the oil levels had decreased too. The results reflect how wonderful my face feels after using the mask!
Like the other products, I do feel like I’ll be reaching more for this mask during winter. I haven’t tested it during summer, but I generally look for more hydrating, light essences during humid hot times, rather than creamy and moisturizing. So far it has worked wonders in keeping my skin where it needs to be in terms of moisture and condition, and I’m totally sold on it’s ‘re-turn’ Rx properties.
Overall I am LOVING SkinRx Lab’s products. These three are just fabulous, and have totally surpassed my expectations. It’s taught me not to automatically cringe away from seemingly heavier products, because as these prove, they don’t always result in greasiness/closed comedones/breakouts!
For you lovely people in Korea, the good news is that LOHBS has just started stocking these products, yaaay. They’re also available on Coupang, and their own site SkinRx. For those of you abroad, I’ve seen SkinRx Lab products on Amazon, Cult Beauty, Ebay, Mochi Beaute, Urban Outfitters, amongst a few others! They seem pretty easily available which is great. Have you tried any of these? Would you like to?
4 Comments
This is such a great post. Your posts are so well written and clearly a lot of time is taken into writing these. These products sound great! I will try anything to fix my flakey dry skin! Thanks
Thank you, that really means a lot! I don’t generally have dry skin but damn the flakiness during Korean winter gets me, and these have hugely transformed that, I haven’t had it this year!
I’m trying to choose between this toner and essence and the G9 Skin one you wrote a review on! Which do you like best? What drew me towards wanting to purchase the white in milk toner was the lightening effect since I suffer from extreme PIH. Did you see the same or better results from using this toner or the other? Thank you so much for your great post!
Ah which do I like best…I actually use both at the same time because they have different functions for me. The G9 Skin toner definitely worked better for me for brightening and evening my skintone. But overall I think I prefer the consistency, feel, moisturizing and slight brightening effects of this one. But if you have extreme PIH maybe you’d prefer a brightening/evening one? So difficult for me to say!
And no problem, thanks for reading !