안녕하세요! Annyeong-haseyo!*
About time we continue our beauty world tour. This time, I decided to go far away and have a look at Korea. Korean beauty products have taken the international beauty scene by storm.
Korean beauty is just so enticing with their colorful and playful packaging as well as their innovative concepts (the cushion foundations, the lip tints, bubble masks etc.) However, you might already know the challenge to find their green gems. Some brands, such as Innisfree are marketed as ‘natural’ but they still contain silicones and fragrances. At this stage, the only standout seems to be Whamisa. Whamisa is a Korean pioneer “natural” skincare brand (over 10 years in the business). They are cruelty-free, against animal testing, with a signature fermentation process. Whamisa products are BDIH certified : free of mineral oils, parabens, silicones, synthetic preservatives, chemical emollients, artificial fragrances, and colors.
Aesthetically, the Damask rose petal mist is appealing, with a clear packaging allowing rose petals flowers to appear. It’s very cute and girly. A detail worth mentioning though is that the spraying mechanism functions perfectly, with one spritz dispenses sufficient amount of product, evenly. My only “critique” is that a glass would have been more eco. Whamisa’s toners are packaged in frosted glass, so the mists seem to be the exception.
Now onto the product itself: the base is aloe vera. There are contradicting views about aloe vera, while some argue that it has miraculous healing properties – (rich in nutrients, polysaccharides, vitamins, essential minerals and said to “speed up skin cell reproduction by as much as eight times and penetrate the epidermis four times faster than water“) – others claim that there are not enough scientific evidence to back it up. Aloe vera can also be taken internally, but I can’t speak for its benefits since I’ve only had one of these aloe vera juices that you can find in Asian markets and restaurants. I’m only able to speak on its effect in skincare and from my personal experience, aloe vera has proven to be really effective as an after-sun treatment as well as for congested and inflamed skin. As a result, I was very excited to see it coming first in the ingredient list. The feeling I get with Aloe vera, and subsequently, the Whamisa Damask rose mist, is an instant refreshing sensation. As you can see, this is not a simple rose spray, but a botanical mist packed with antioxidants, astringents and emollients. Asian skincare has a tendency to focus on skincare with brightening effects, which is why the presence of licorice root in the Whamisa mist does not come as a surprise.
The sensation is addictive because the formula is light and not sticky at all. It is absorbed in the blink of an eye. Every time I’d spray it all over my face, I could feel the tension go away and my skin refreshed. It’s soft, soothing and it doesn’t leave you with a ‘film’ on. The scent is subtle, not overpowering. This is the perfect quick fix for tight and dull skin, a wondrous desk companion to keep your skin plump and hydrated. I did not expect to enjoy it as much as I did, but it’s effortlessly efficient. It has certainly piqued my curiosity to try more Asian skincare products.
Would I recommend it? Absolutely, if you have no issues with any of the ingredients listed. I know that some can experience sensitivities to alcohol (which comes in a 4th position) but I did not have any troubles.
Price: EUR. 29.00 for 80 mL.
Ingredients:*Aloe Maculata Leaf Extract, Rosa Damascena Flower, Caulerpa Lentillifera Extract, *Alcohol ,*Rosa Damascena Flower Extract, *Helichrysum Arenarium Flower Extract, *Lactobacillus/Chrysanthemum Sinense Flower Ferment Filtrate,*Lactobacillus/Nelumbium Speciosum Flower ferment Filtrate, *Lactobacillus/Dandelion Leaf/Root Extract Ferment Filtrate, Bellis Perennis (Daisy) Flower Extract, Magnolia Kobus Flower Extract, Lilium Tigrinum Extract, Iris Versicolor Extract, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Rosa Rugosa Flower Extract, *Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract, **Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, **Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract, **Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract Licorice, ***Propanediol , Natto Gum, Xanthan Gum, Cyamopsis Tetragonoloba (Guar) Gum, Geranium Maculatum Oil, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia (Bergamot) Fruit Oil, Rosa Damascena Flower Oil *Certified Organically Grown **Natural Preservative ***
Recently, I stumbled upon this video showcasing a Korean model’s beauty routine fusing face massage, acupressure, and beauty products. To me, this gives you an idea of Korean beauty and in extenso, the Asian beauty approach.
The awesome news is that Whamisa is available in Europe! Honeysu is the place to shop for Korean beauty products. Karine E. Silva, the lovely founder of Honeysu is often traveling to Korea to discover the latest K-beauty innovations. Honeysu offers free shipping to the European Union, Switzerland, and Norway on all orders above €50.
Part 2 of this review featuring the hydrogel sheet masks will pop up on The Peridot, as I’m working on a beauty series.
What is your experience with Korean beauty? Have you tried Whamisa? Any other Korean brands you would recommend?
*Hello in Korean
**sent to me for review consideration, all opinions my own
2 Comments
Omg yeeeees. Whamisa is such a hard brand to look for, especially in Europe and UK! I was in Seoul in the summer but totally didn’t have enough time to actually hunt down Whamisa products. I’ve heard SO MUCh good things about the mist, and it seems heavenly. Their masks are also supposed to be amazing too…
Hi Cherie! Absolutely, I remember trying to get some Whamisa products several years ago, but I could not get them sent over to where I live. Glad that Honeysu stocks them now. I hope you get to try the mist and masks soon. xx