[Removed as many pronouns as possible in hopes the subreddit will finally let them post this]
After a positive first experience with Yehwadam (https://www.reddit.com/r/AsianBeauty/s/HVwe89E4t5) decided to go all in with their Hwansaenggo Radiance line. This line is targeted towards aging skin with hyperpigmentation concerns.
Will be reviewing the full sizes of toner, emulsion, and cream, plus the mini size of the serum. Also got 4 sample sachets each of the serum and eye cream from the Hwansaenggo Ultimate Rejuvenating line (the purple one), so first impressions of those will be at the end.
Skin type: normal to oily, sensitive and acne-prone. Temperate climate.
OVERALL THOUGHTS: Yehwadam continues to be a brand nicely suited to sensitive skin, despite the long list of ingredients. Never experienced any irritation or discomfort with the Radiance line products, although occasionally experienced some tingling with the Ultimate (purple) line serum. Using these products for a month and think there is a brightening effect, but it's much subtler than hoped; have not seen a difference in fine lines yet (to be fair, have not seen a difference in my fine lines with any product ever tried). The textures of these products are overall wonderful, they feel rich and nourishing but they do not leave a greasy finish on normal-to-oily skin.
TONER (full size)
First of all, this bottle is HEAVY. It's a weighted frosted glass bottle that could be classified as a weapon. Dropped it once and it cracked the bathroom tile 😨. The packaging has a pump, which is very appreciated, although the pump is a bit too short to be perfectly comfortable (but I am nitpicking here). The toner is slightly viscous, transparent-yellowish in color, and contains tiny shimmer particles that are invisible once applied but do look very cute (these may be gold particles, as gold is listed in the ingredients). The scent is moderate but not offensive, and grassy-herbal. It applies beautifully, the viscosity means it doesn't drip everywhere but it still has a lot of slide and doesn't grip your skin at all. It sinks in quickly and leaves no particular finish.
SERUM (mini)
The serum is creamy, pale yellow, and also contains the teeny tiny shimmer particles, although not as much as the toner. The scent is the same as the toner's, but lighter. From memory the Radiance serum seems to be slightly lighter in texture and slightly less moisturizing than the serum from the Heaven-grade Ginseng line. It still provides a nice thin layer of of hydration/moisture and absorbs quickly, leaving a moderately glowy finish.
EMULSION (full size)
The emulsion is contained in a frosted glass pump bottle like the toner. It is pale yellow, fluid in texture, and has a very light scent. It is the most "oily" out of the set, and it takes a little while to sink into skin. It's nicely moisturizing, and normal skin types can do a couple layers of this in the evening and skip the cream, which is very economical (at least in summer!). Still have the emulsion from the Heaven-grade Ginseng line, and can directly compare them: the Ginseng emulsion is more fluid in texture, has a milder scent, and takes a little longer to sink into skin.
CREAM (full size)
The cream has the mildest scent out of all the products. It is fairly stiff to the touch, less of a gel-cream than most AB creams, but spreads very easily and sinks into skin quickly. It is less oily than the emulsion and leaves a satin finish.
Ultimate Rejuvenating (purple line) samples
The eye cream is a beautiful rich but not balmy texture and has a light green/floral scent which is actually really pleasant and reminds of freshly cut flowers. It has a very slightly glowy finish and worked well under makeup. The serum has the same floral fragrance, but more intense, and contains the same tiny shimmer particles as the radiance toner. It has a slightly more "stringy" texture that reminds of snail mucin (although not nearly as stringy as snail mucin) and a slightly more satin finish compared to the Radiance serum. It made their face slightly itchy at first, maybe because of the fragrance, but the itchiness faded within ~10min. Would be interested to try full sizes of both of these products.
Would repurchase? YES. There's not a single product in this line that wouldn't happily repurchase. However, would only get the cream on a nice sale, because while it's really nice, don't know that it's worth 50€. Also wish there were refills available for these, cause it makes no sense to throw away these beautiful heavy bottles every couple of months.
by alkemicalgold