Unboxing Beauty

Even USA TV and Online Shops are getting into K-Beauty!  The Home Shopping Network (HSN) is now carrying Korean brands for skincare and makeup, including beloved brands like Chosungah22 and Neogen, along newer ones like Surmedic ~ part of the Neogen family  ~ and D’Care, from D-Brand.  I was fortunate enough to receive two products for review purposes from the D’Care line, that is full of anti-aging peptides and hydrating ingredients

Skin type/concerns:  Oily, aging, blemish prone, pores, hyper-pigmentation, fine lines and wrinkles. 

I received these products complementary to review and was not paid.  All reviews are my own honest opinion and  I never have been asked to write copy for a brand.  This blog post might contain promo codes, affiliate and referral links, which using my links will help generate a small commission that helps support my blog at no extra cost to you.

Key Ingredients

The Face Up Double S series contains some shared ingredients.  They both contain 11 peptides:  There are five neuropeptides sh-octapeptide-4, sh-decapeptide-7, sh-oligopeptide-9, sh-pentapeptide-19 and nonapeptide-1 for anti-aging, aiding and speeding up wound healing and reducing redness and inflammation.   Acetyl hexapeptide-8, which helps bind water to your skin, helps regenerate skin cells and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles; Copper tripeptide-1 aids in the production of glycosaminoglycans (GAGS) which help support and maintain the production of collagen and elastin, making your skin firm and retain moisture; Palmitoyl pentapeptide-4 for lifting and elasticity and  nicotinoyl tripeptide-1 is soothing as it has strong anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits, as well as cell detoxifying properties. Palmitoyl tripeptide-1 is used for anti-aging, wrinkle treatments as well promoting skin repair and restore itself. Hexapeptide-9 is used as an anti-aging ingredient that helps reduce wrinkles as it is claimed that it can promote and aid in creating collagen.  So enough about peptides!! 

Five types of humectant hyaluronic acids: hyaluronic acid, hydrolyzed sodium hyaluronate, hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid, sodium hyaluronate and low molecule sodium hyaluronate. These hydrating ingredients  will help attract moisture and deeply improve hydration to your skin.   

This also contains botanicals such as mugwort (artemisia princeps, wormwood) is an herb that grows in Korea, Japan and China and has been used in traditional Asian medicine for centuries.  Its primary benefit is as an anti-inflammatory and it is quite soothing and gentle on the skin.  It helps heal skin wounds, such as blemishes, as it has anti-bacterial and anti fungal properties and it is a topical anesthetic.  Oryza sativa (rice) is an antioxidants that help preserve skin elasticity and protect against free radical damage. Rice extracts are also an anti-inflammatory and help reduce hyper-pigmentation, allowing your skin tone to be even and brighter. Sesame seed contains essential fatty acids ~ oleic, stearic, linoleic and palmitic ~ along with vitamins E and K.  It is a great anti-inflammatory, anti-aging ingredient, keeping skin clear and healthy with its detox benefits. 

Garlic has anti-inflammatory, antiseptic and antimicrobial properties due to allicin, a sulphurous compound.  It helps fight blemishes and heal them quickly.  Phaseolus radiatus (mung bean) contains copper, which is a powerful anti-aging ingredient ~ it helps reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and hyper-pigmentation. It has cooling and brightening properties and it is also an anti-inflammatory, helping to reduce puffiness.

This even has honey, fantastic ingredient ~ it has antibacterial properties, that can speed up healing in your skin ~ think acne, rashes, cuts ~ and prevent additional infection. The wonderful texture of honey will keep moisture close to your skin, which makes for a glowing and radiant complexion.  

Face Up Double S Facial Essence  This is so beautiful ~ this golden essence has “peptide” threads that will break up and absorb into your skin.  Along with the Key Ingredients listed above, this also has soothing centella and chamomile, along with astringent witch hazel and anti-inflammatory, antiseptic and antibacterial eucalyptus.

It comes in a tall clear bottle with a pin hole applicator.  The essence is slightly viscous, but it is not sticky or greasy.  It does have a perfumed scent to it ~ it reminds me of a fruity perfume smell to it ~ it isn’t that bad, but it is scented.  This does contain alcohol in it, in case  you have sensitivities to it.   

This has a pH level of about a 5, which is actually quite surprising ~ I didn’t think that this slick, bouncy essence would have a mildly acidic pH level, so it will bring back balance to your skin’s pH levels.  I found that this absorbed nicely onto my skin without a oily or tacky residue ~ a lot of peptide products do seem to cause a bit of a filmy feeling, but this product does not.  I would say it is oily skin friendly with hydrating properties as it increased my moisture levels by 50% initially with a 32% reduction in oil levels.  My skin felt cool, soft and supple with a nice glow that wasn’t too dewy.

Ingredients: Water, Butylene Glycol, Dipropylene Glycol, Alcohol, sh-Decapeptide-7, sh-Octapeptide -4, sh-Oligopeptide-9, sh-Pentapeptide-19, Erythritol, Dimethyl Sulfone, Dipotassium Glyrrhizate, Panthenol, Carbomer, Polysorbate 80, Hyaluronic acid, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Sodium Polyacrylate, Arginine, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Slane, 1,2-Hexanediol, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Extract, Phaseolus Angularis Seed Extract, Honey Extract, Allium Sativum (Garlic) Bulb Extract, Artemisia Princeps Extract, Sesamum Indicum (Sesame) Seed Extract, Gossypium Herbaceum(Cotton) Flower Extract, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Extract, Phaseolus Radiatus Seed Extract, Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Flower Extract, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Mica (CI 77019), Titanium Dioxide  (CI 77891), Calcium  Algnate, Gellan Gum, Agar, Phenoxyethanol, Propylene Glycol, Caprylyl Gycol,, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Copper Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Hexapeptide-9, Nonapeptide-1, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Citrus Junos Fruit Extract, Hamamelis Virginiana (Witch Hazel) Extract, Chamomila Recutita (Matricaria) Extract, Disodium EDTA, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Allantoin, Carmel, Fragrance cosDNA

D’Care Face Up Double S Anti-Aging Serum This is a cool container ~ it has a dual chamber deliver system.  One side contains the liquid hyaluronic acids while the other side contains the lightweight lotiony cream base.   Along with the Key Ingredients, this serum also contains brightening niacinamide and licorice with moisturizing collagen.

After removing the bright gold cap, you can see that this has a pump applicator with two openings.  This pump is tricky, due to the actual ingredients.  The lotiony side is fine when I tilt and pump it out ~ that drops nicely into my hand. It’s the other side, with the runny and slightly slimey liquid hyaluronic acid ~ that dribbles down the container instead of landing on my hand.  I learned to turn this container completely upside down and pump onto my hand that way.   I recommend pumping this into the palm of your hand and mixing it there.  I don’t know why they split the two compounds apart, as they don’t really say ~ I mean, it it’s just HA and a cream base ~ it’s not like it has actives or something.  It does make for a cool presentation, however. 

This has the same type of scent as the essence with that perfume-y fruit scent.  The texture of the two products mixed together is viscous, like snail slime, with a slick feel to it, with no greasiness.  However, it does absorb quickly into my skin, moisturizing it initially by 70% with a reduction of oil levels by 28%.   My skin feels VERY supply and smooth, plumped up and there is no tacky, dewy or sticky finish. 

Ingredients: Water, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Butylene Glycol, C13-15 Alkane, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Niacinamide, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Glycerin, Phenyl Trimethicone, Hydrogenated Polydecene, sh-Decapeptide-7, sh-Octapeptide -4, sh-Oligopeptide-9, sh-Pentapeptide-19, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Cetearyl Alcohol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Glyceryl Stearate, Petrolatum, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Copper Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Hexapeptide-9, Nonapeptide-1, PPG-26-Buteth -26, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Extract, Phaseolus Angularis Seed Extract, Honey Extract, Allium Sativum (Garlic) Bulb Extract, Artemisia Princeps Extract, Sesamum Indicum (Sesame) Seed Extract, Gossypium Herbaceum (Cotton) Flower Extract, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Extract, Phaseolus Radiatus Seed Extract, Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Flower Extract, Adenosine, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Disodium EDTA, Carbomer, Sodium Polyacrylate, Fragrance, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Xanthan Gum, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane cosDNA 

Final Thoughts 

These two D’Care Face Up Double S products are very oily to oily/combo skin friendly.  They provide hydration, softness and a supple feel to my skin.  I did not experience any breakouts or skin issues with these two products and my skin looked fresh, but not dewy.  I didn’t find that they lifted or tightened anything, however, for a peptide skincare line.  Instead, I would use these as a hydration and softening step ~ for those who might be new to skincare, an essence and serum are not replacements for your moisturizer step, whether that is a lotion or cream moisturizer.  This line is good for all skin types, but please note that after you apply these products, you need to apply a moisturizer.  Some things that people may not like is the scent ~ I am not overly sensitive to scents unless they are floral, so this perfumed fruity scent didn’t bother me, but it is strong.  The other issue is the price tag on the serum ~ at $62.00, I do think that is steep.  The essence is more reasonably priced, however I did enjoy both of these products.  

Where To Purchase

HSN carries the D’Care line in the USA.  Currently, they are sold out of these two products, but HSN is really good at getting products back in stock.  They have a Beauty Spy Show coming up on April 9, 2019, so hopefully, these products will be shown then. 

• Face Up Double S Facial Essence 4.73 fl. oz $38.00
• Face Up Double S Anti-Aging Serum 1.52 fl. oz $62.00 

You can use eBates at HSN!!  eBates allows you to earn money when you spend money!  Use my referral link to earn $10.00 with your first purchase using eBates.  Since I joined eBates a few years ago, I have received over $2000.00 back in cash!! 

 

[ disclaimer: products received for review purposes.  blog post contains referral link ]