[ disclaimer: some products received complementary for an honest & unbiased review. blog post contains affiliate links ]
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So, several months ago, Memebox USA released an amazing skin care line by Labiotte ~ whose previous products that I knew about were those cute wine bottle shaped lipsticks and tints that actually contain wine extracts! The Lotus Total Recovery line contains lotus ingredients, which is an ingredient that I am really getting into now, as it works well for my skin type. It had a full line ~ cleanser, softener (toner), essence, emulsion, eye cream and face cream. I purchased the softener and then Memebox sent me the eye cream for review purposes. I have been using these items for a couple of months now.
Skin Type and Issues: Oily, blemish prone skin, aging concerns ~ hyper pigmentation (sun damage and acne scarring), fine lines and wrinkles.
Why Lotus?
Nelumbo nucifera (lotus) is one of those ingredients, like soybean and snail slime, that barring allergies, seems to work on all skin types. Lotus flower and root are full of antioxidants to help with aging ~ antioxidants help combat free radicals and reverse some of the damage caused by it, such as hyper-pigmenation, fine lines and wrinkles. Lotus is fantastic for those who are struggling with oily, blemish prone or clogged/large pores, as it purifies your skin ~ your pores will look smaller and tighter and since lotus contains AHA (alpha hydroxy acids), it will help gently exfoliate your skin, removing excess dirt, debris and oil, unclogging pores and stimulating cellular renewal.
Lotus not only hydrates your skin and refines the texture to a more smoother finish, it makes your skin feel refreshed. It is rich in minerals, such as iron, copper and potassium to help restore health and glow to your skin, while reducing swelling. It also contains flavonoids, amino acids, essential fatty acids and the big antioxidant, vitamin C and proteins which will help firm and tighten your skin over time. Lotus has multi-purpose benefits ~ it is an astringent, an emollient, with anti-bacterial, antimicrobial and anti-fungal proprieties, so it will keep your skin clean, moisturized and healthy. ¹NCBI research ²NCBI research
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The Labiotte Lotus Total Recovery line has what they call a “Lotus Complex“, which contains a combination of the Lotus root, root water, flower, flower seeds, germs and leaves.
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The packaging on the Lotus Total Recovery line is just amazing ~ it reminds me of art deco with its clean lines and highly mirrored finishes. They are all in a matte silver container that has been “squared off” and the lids and rims of these jars and bottles are a highly polished silver tone finish. They are very sturdy and look really classy in my bathroom ~ too classy!!
Labiotte Lotus Total Recovery Softener
Besides lotus extracts, this contains some skin lovin’ ingredients: niacinamide is a powerful antioxidant that acts as an anti-inflammatory, improves your skin elasticity, enhance the skin barrier function and also it helps to even out skin tone and reduce post-inflammatory hyper-pigmentation. Chamomile can calm down the skin and relieve redness effectively as it has antioxidant, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. It helps to relieve skin issues and irritations because it soothes and lessens swelling and redness, while healing skin and stimulating cellular renewal. Linseed (flaxseed) will help reduce the appearance of pores, improve the elasticity and enhance moisture. Hibiscus is anti-oxidant rich, helping combat free radicals to prevent and reverse damage caused by external stresses such as dust, pollution, UV rays. It contains saponins, a natural cleanser and an organic acid, which will help in removing dead skin cells. Hibiscus is also an anti-bacterial and will prevent infections and speed up wound healing, which is important if you suffer from blemishes, rashes and other skin issues.
This also contains lactobacillus, the “good bacteria”. Fermented ingredients are a passion of mine ~ I’ve been chatting them up for almost two years now!! I am glad to see more and more brands and bloggers talk about fermented ingredients and their benefits. Ingredients that have been fermented create “good bacteria” and it produces lactic acid, which is an AHA, along with B vitamins, amino acids, essential fatty acids and enzymes. Fermentation will help break down the ingredients, which will help your skin absorb them more quickly, effectively and more deeply into your skin layer, as they are smaller. What this means is that your skin will now be able to benefit from these concentrated, potent ingredients, hydrating, moisturizing and nourishing your skin. AHA, in both lactic acid and enzymes, will help exfoliate your skin gently, removing dead skin cells, smoothing and improving your skin texture and its tone, as it can help lighten hyper-pigmentation caused by both sun damage and acne scarring, while brightening and evening out your skin tone.
Lotus Complex Breakdown: 995 ppm Lotus Root Water, 0.2 ppm Lotus Root Extract, 0.2 ppm Lotus Seed Extract, 0.2 ppm Lotus Flower Extract, 0.2 ppm Lotus Leaf Extract, 0.2 ppm Lotus Germ Extract
Ingredients: Water, Curcuma Longa (Turmeric) Root Extract, Butylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Cetearyl Alcohol, Pentylene Glycol, Lactobacillus Ferment, Linum Usitatissimum (Linseed) Seed Extract, Nelumbo Nucifera Root Water(995ppm), Eclipta Prostrata Extract, Tilia Europaea Flower Extract, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract, Nelumbo Nucifera Root Extract(0.2ppm), Nelumbo Nucifera Seed Extract(0.2ppm), Nelumbium Speciosum Flower Extract(0.2ppm), Nelumbo Nucifera Leaf Extract(0.2ppm), Nelumbo Nucifera Germ Extract(0.2ppm), Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Pancratium Maritimum Extract, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, 1,2-Hexanediol, Octyldodeceth- 16, Glycerin, Polyquaternium-51, Adenosine, Polyglyceryl-2 Caprate, Lecithin, Lysolecithin, Brassica Campestris (Rapeseed) Sterols, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Arachidyl Glucoside, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid, Alcohol, Arachidyl Alcohol, Behenyl Alcohol, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Fragrance cosDNA analysis
So, despite its name, this is a toner ~ and it really is amazing with all of its hydrating, moisturizing 10% fermented formula. I honestly think this is more of a first essence than a toner at this point, even though it isn’t as watery as most first essences. A first essence means it would go on your skin before your other products and will help prep your skin to effectively absorb and boost your other skin care products. The softener and foam cleanser are the only two products that contain Lactobacillus ferment, by the way. The scent is a very delicate and light warm yet fresh floral, which I assume is lotus flowers. The scent disappears quickly, so it is not heavily perfumed. This toner is so soft and plush ~ how can a watery product be soft and plush, you ask? It just feels that way ~ it is thicker than water, but it isn’t a gel or anything like that. It has a texture to it that is a bit slimy, which is due to Lotus’ natural mucin. It just glides onto my skin and there is a water droplet effect while it is absorbing into my thirsty skin. When I first used this, I wasn’t sure if it would absorb nicely into my skin, but as I patted it gently, it just disappeared, leaving my skin feeling so soft, so smooth and hydrated. The photos below show how it absorbs so quickly into my skin.
There is no tacky residue or sticky feeling with this and I have not had any adverse reaction to it on my skin. For those interested in pH levels, this is mildly acidic at 5 to 5.5 so it does have exfoliating benefits. 
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Labiotte Lotus Total Recovery Eye Cream
This eye cream also contains niacinamide and Vitamin C, which will help brighten and lighten dark circles. This not only contains chamomile to help soothe and reduce inflammation, but calendula as well. Calendula has one of the longest histories of usage of any herb in skin care. This is herb (not to be confused with the flower marigold) helps heal chapped and irritated skin. It stimulates wound and burn healing and it helps reduce dermatitits. Calendula gets much of its healing properties from its high levels of carotenoids which is similar to Vitamin A . This has some moisturizing and nourishing ingredients with shea butter, vegetable and macadamia seed oils. An important anti-aging ingredient is also included ~ ceramides. These are lipids (fats) which are important in helping to repair and protect your moisture barrier. They will keep your skin hydrated and plump as they retain water. Ceramides are found naturally in your body and you lose the ability to produce as you age, so adding them to skincare products helps with anti-aging.
Lotus Complex Breakdown: 995 ppm Lotus Root Water, 1 ppm Lotus Root Extract, 1 ppm Lotus Seed Extract, 1 ppm Lotus Flower Extract, 1 ppm Lotus Leaf Extract, 1 ppm Lotus Germ Extract
Ingredients: Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Petrolatum, Divinyldimethicone/Dimethicone Copolymer, Glyceryl Stearate, Niacinamide, Beeswax, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Polysorbate 60, 1,2-Hexanediol, Nelumbo Nucifera Root Water (995ppm), Eclipta Prostrata Extract, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Extract, Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Pancratium Maritimum Extract, Nelumbo Nucifera Root Extract (1ppm), Nelumbo Nucifera Seed Extract(1ppm), Nelumbium Speciosum Flower Extract(1ppm), Nelumbo Nucifera Leaf Extract (1ppm), Nelumbo Nucifera Germ Extract (1ppm), Tilia Europaea Flower Extract, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract, PEG-100 Stearate, Dimethicone, Polyacrylate-13, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Polyisobutene, Cetearyl Glucoside, Caprylyl Glycol, C12-13 pareth-3, C12-13 pareth-23, Ethylhexylglycerin, Polysorbate 20, Adenosine, Polyglyceryl-2 Caprate, Sorbitan Isostearate, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Dextrin, Lecithin, Lysolecithin, Brassica Campestris (Rapeseed) Sterols, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Ceramide-3, Phytosphingosine, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Alcohol, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, Fragrance cosDNA analysis
This cream has the same light and delicate warm, slightly spicy scent as the toner ~ it looks really thick and dense in the jar, but as I take a little bit (and a little bit is all you really need with this cream), it has almost a chiffon texture and melts directly into my skin. It just spreads so smoothly and quickly on my skin before being absorbed so you don’t have to worry about tugging on your skin or pilling of the cream, which happens when an eye cream doesn’t really absorb well into your skin (side eye to Whamisa). There is no tacky or sticky residue when I use this.
The cream almost has a pinkish hue to it, but it doesn’t have any color once it is applied to my skin. My skin area under my eyes does look more “youthful” as it does seem to soften my fine lines and wrinkles nicely. Until I smile ~ I do have laugh lines and I don’t mind them that much!! It is those lines that show up when I am not smiling that bother me and this cream seems to take care of that nicely. This may not look to be moisturizing based on my skin analyzer test ~ it shows that it increased my moisture level by about 23%, but I can feel how moist and soft my skin is.
Is my skin tighter and firmer under my eye area? I am never sure what that means ~ maybe because I do not think my skin is that loose under my eyes. It doesn’t provide an eye lift or anything like that, but it also doesn’t cause puffiness or swelling. Some eye creams do cause the skin to puff up based on the water content. I do not have dark circles, so I cannot vouch for its claims of brightening the skin tone under my eyes.
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Final Thoughts
So far, I really like this line from Labiotte. The Softener is really amazing ~ it hydrates and soothes, and my skin feels so much more refined and soft when I use it. I haven’t noticed any lightening of my hyper-pigmentation, but my skin does feel clean and refreshed. The Eye Cream is actually not a bad product at all ~ I do like using it and it will last me a long time, as it is so moisturizing that I don’t really need a lot of it. I do use it both in the morning and evening and I do feel it helps soften my fine lines and wrinkles, but it isn’t permanent. I don’t have issues with dark circles, so I cannot speak to brightening that area, but I do like how this absorbs quickly and doesn’t just sit on my skin ~I have used some eye creams that do that and it is messy. I will use this until I am done with it, but it isn’t my HG. The Softener on the other hand ~ well, I just purchased 2 more bottles of it at Memebox, as they are having a fabulous year end blow out sale! I have been looking for a replacement for my beloved and now discontinued Innisfree Soybean Energy Essence [Light] ~ and I think I have found it! This line did come back in stock for the Holiday Season, but it quickly sold out. There are only three products right now at Memebox in this Lotus Total Recovery Line ~ the softener, facial cream and a travel kit, which includes the softener, emulsion, essence and face cream.
MOAR products to test and review!
I hope that they bring back the full line soon at Memebox, as they just sent me the rest of the line to review, as I am a Memebox Ambassador. I have an emulsion, essence, face cream and cleanser now to use! I think I will try the essence and cleanser first. I have a bonus giveaway on my IG feed that will run until January 7th, 2017! I purchased the Labiotte Lotus Total Recovery Travel Kit and am giving that away ~ USA and International readers welcome. To enter, just hop on over to my IG feed here and follow the instructions!
Where To Purchase
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I am not sure why this is in such limited supply ~ this line is fairly new as it came out in 2016. For USA residents, you can find them at Memebox if it isn’t sold out. If you are interested in this line, you should email Memebox at hi@memebox.com and ask them to restock it. Honestly, Memebox had such great prices too, so I am hoping they restock soon.
- Labiotte Lotus Total Recovery Softener ~ currently at a blow out price!!
- Labiotte Lotus Total Recovery Eye Cream (currently sold out)
Savings at Memebox
- Save 20% off your first order at Memebox with my referral link
- Save 10% off all purchases with HOLIDAY10 promo code ~ expires 1/1/2017
For my International readers, you can find the Lotus Total Recovery line at
- Beauty Box Korea ~ They currently carry the full line here. I have ordered from this shop before and they are very good.
- eBay ~ There is a selection of Labiotte Lotus items at eBay for sale here.
- Labiotte Korea Website ~ Use the Search tool here and enter in 로터스, which is lotus. You can use a shipping service and I recommend Korean Buddy ~ I have used them many times and have been very pleased with their service. If this is the first time using them, tell them I sent you (https://beautyfindsforme.wordpress.com) and you will receive 50% off their normal handling fee!
Unboxing Beauty 