Unboxing Beauty

Disclaimer:  This product was received complementary from W2Beauty.com, all opinions and thoughts are my own.

I totally love Benton products ~ Their Snail Bee Essence and Snail Bee sheet masks are products I am never without.  I am currently using their Aloe line this summer and then Benton HAD to come out with a new line ~ Fermentation!  Oh yeah, the offspring of my love of fermented ingredients and Benton has come to fruition.   I was given the opportunity to try both Fermented Benton products from W2Beauty to review.  I love how the new items do not interfere with their other products, so you can use Snail Bee, Aloe and now Fermentation.  I will be reviewing the eye cream in the next few weeks, but this review is about the Fermentation Essence.

My skin type and concerns:  oily, aging, blemish prone, hyper-pigmentation issues, clogged pores, fine lines and wrinkles

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There are two types of essences ~ the first type is a traditional essence ~ it is thicker than water and is used somewhere between the toner and moisturizer steps.   Think of Benton Snail Bee High Content Essence and they are very similar to serums.  In fact, I use those types of essences interchangeably with serums.  Benton Fermentation Essence is not that type of essence, but what is considered to be a First Essence, Treatment Essence  and/or Treatment Toners ~ these are very watery concentrated formulas, very nutrient-enriched and it preps your skin, while providing benefits that will help reduce/prevent fine lines and wrinkles, dull and uneven skin tones.    These are boosters and provide an instant shot of hydration and nutrients to your skin and prep your skin to accept your other skincare products.

Some of the more famous (but I have never used) first essences are SK-II Facial Treatment Essence and Missha impossible long name Time Revolution The First Treatment Essence.  I personally have used Goodal Waterest Tone Up First Essence and I love it, but that formula is discontinued, so I am on the hunt for another First Essence.

This is full of nourishing anti-aging ingredients ~ I love it!

• Galactomyces are fermented yeast filtrates and are highly moisturizing as well as being a powerful anti-oxidant.  They help fight free radicals and reverse and slow down the aging process in your skin, by reducing the appearance of existing fine lines and wrinkles while preventing new ones and also by brightening and evening out your skin tone by fading hyper-pigmentation spots.  It also controls cell turnover and oiliness

• Bifida Ferment Lysate is being used in skincare more often and the claims are that it works as a DNA repair agent when applied to your skin, although there is no study to prove those specific claims ~ however there is a study about it helping with skin sensitivity (study).  Bifida lysate is the fermented result of bifida and it should help revitalize skin so it is clear and radiant, increase hydration and prevent dehydrated, rough skin.   It should also firm and restore elasticity to your skin while strengthening your skin barrier to help prevent damage from environmental factors.

• Glycerin (1%) helps with healing of wounds, is an humectant, sealing in moisture, maintains the skin’s water balance on an intercellular level, which makes the skin look healthy, moist (not dry and scaly), soft to touch, and is also an emollient, leaving your skin looking radiant and supple

• Sodium Hyaluronate  is an intensive moisturizing ingredient which bonds water to keep skin hydrated.   It is a natural substance found in the human body and it made up of amino and uronic acids, and helps retain 100 to 1,000 times its own water weight in our skin cells

• Adenosine is yeast derived providing anti-wrinkle and anti-inflammatory benefits.

• rh-Oligopeptide-1 AKA Epidermal Growth Factor(EGF)  will help stimulate cell renewal to produce collagen, helping nourish and slow down the aging of your skin.  It also speeds up wound healing, which makes it an excellent ingredient if you suffer from blemishes.

• Ceramides are an oily wax that is found naturally in your skin will help retain water and moisture in your skin, as well restoring and repairing your skin’s barrier and help with cell regulation.  As we age, we create less ceramides, which will result in wrinkles and dry skin, which is why many anti-aging skin care products include ceramides in their ingredients. 

• Aloe Vera is a powerful moisturizer that doesn’t leave your skin feeling oily or greasy. It soothes, treats inflammation, helps speed up skin healing and also has a plethora of antioxidants ~ beta-carotene, Vitamin C and Vitamin E, which help improve your skin’s firmness and keeps your skin moist and hydrated. It also contains over 75 different nutritious ingredients, including minerals, enzymes, amino acids, salicylic acid and much more.

• Betaine is an amino acid that acts as an humectant and control the water/oil balance in the skin while moisturizing and strengthening your skin barrier.  It will help tone and firm your skin so it has more elasticity and can smooth out wrinkles and fine lines.  As an anti-inflammatory, it will help reduce irritation and does not have any stickiness when applied to the skin. 

Ingredients: Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Water, Glycerin (1%), Butylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Adenosine, Sodium Hyaluronate, rh-Oligopeptide-1, Ceramide NP, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Betaine, Panthenol, Allantoin, Althaea Rosea Flower Extract, Zanthoxylum Piperitum Fruit Extract, Pulsatilla Koreana Extract, Usnea Barbata (Lichen) Extract, Arginine, Xanthan Gum cosDNA.com analysis 

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This highly concentrated fermented goodness is in a 100 mL bottle with a pump applicator.   My initial confusion over this item was because of the pump, and thought it was a traditional essence, but once I pumped out the product, I knew this was a First Essence.

The main ingredients are yeasty ferments, so it will help restore the balance in your skin as well deeply hydrating without an oily residue.  I was concerned a bit with ceramides in the ingredient list, as products that usually contain that leave a film on my face.  However, this watery essence does not leave any sticky or tacky residue, nor does it leave a film on my face.  It is colorless and has no scent either ~ I love that Benton didn’t add perfumes to this product, as so many brands love adding heavy florals or baby-powder scents.    This essence just soaks into my skin, rapid absorption and it is like it was never there ~ like a fantastic house guest!!

Benton claims that Fermentation Essence will moisturize, brighten, soften and tone your skin while helping to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

Usage

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So, based on Benton’s suggestion, you are to use this product as the first step after cleansing.  Since I am a rebel and have tons of toners, I use it after my normal toner step.  I do not use a cotton pad, but I place the product in the palm of my hand and apply to my face that way.  I feel that the cotton pad uses more of the product than my skin!  I have also read that people like to put First Essences in a mist bottle and that would work as well. As I stated earlier, this is very fast absorbing and hydrating, without a sticky or filmy residue. I find that I just slather this on my face and neck, because it feels so refreshing on my skin.

Other stuff

How moisturizing is this essence?  Well, on average, I have found it temporarily increased my oil/moisture levels by eighty percent.   Applying this product on your face is like dunking your face in water ~ but it is so fast absorbing that I was a bit surprised that it registered that high.  

Since Benton claims that the pH level of this essence is 6, I wanted to test it out myself.  I found that it was closer to 6.5 ~ the olive green square was not quite a 7, but it wasn’t a solid 6 either.   This is acceptable for me, as there are no claims by Benton that this is a pH balance essence.  It is still slightly acidic at 6.5 and for many people this is a good level to use.

Final Thoughts

I really love this first essence.  It is very different from my favorite discontinued Goodal Waterest essence, but the simplicity of the ingredients combined with its amazing hydrating properties, make this a winner.  It made my skin feel softer, smoother and it helped with the overall skin tone clarity for me.  I felt that when I used this, my skin looked more vibrant and brighter.   It doesn’t cause any blemishes for me, nor does it contribute to my oil production.   I have oily skin, so I layer a lot of products and Benton Fermentation Essence fits in my skin care routine easily, as it is fast absorbing, not requiring a lot of time between steps.  I shouldn’t be surprised that I love this item ~ Benton usually gets 100% top marks for me~ the exception is their foaming cleanser ~ and Fermentation Essence does deliver for me.  I have already purchased another bottle, that is how much confidence I have in this product. 

Have you tried Benton’s Fermentation series yet?  Which item have you tried ~ the essence or eye cream?  Or will you purchase this item?  Let me know in the comments below ~ I am always interested in my reader’s thoughts!

Where To Purchase

W2Beauty carries the 100  mL Benton Fermentation Essence (click here to purchase) for $26.70  and that includes shipping and free samples!   They also have the Fermentation Eye Cream as well, if you are looking to round out the collection (btw ~ I love the eye cream too!)  

If you never ordered from W2Beauty before, use my referral link (click here) or use my sponsor code 0811226902 and get a $5.00 coupon for your first purchase!

Look for my review on the eye cream in a few weeks!

[ this product was complementary for review purposes ~ all opinions are my own and are unbiased.  Blog post contains referral link ]