T’else TeaTox Skincare Line Review

Bemused Korea, an online K-Beauty store which specializes in indie and new innovative brands, sent me some products from the T’else Kombucha Teatox line to test out and review. T’else is a vegan Korean skincare brand and I have used this products over the past summer. This review is way overdue!

Skin Type/Concerns: oily, blemish prone, dehydrated, aging concerns, pores, fine lines/wrinkles, hyper-pigmentation

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

Kombucha tea extract is actually fermented black tea (camellia sinensis leaf extract + saccharomyces ferment filtrate), full of both pre and pro biotics. Fermented black tea is full of antioxidant catechin, helping to improve the clarity of your skin ~ think zit healing, pore care, skin texture ~ think smoothing, softening and elasticity, while its pre botiotics polyphenols help with anti-aging concerns, repairing and rejuvenating the skin. T’else uses the Slow Decoction Extraction Method, which takes 2 weeks. In Assam, India, young black tea leaves are harvested by hand picking the leaves and dried with plenty of sunlight and wind. The dried black tea leaves are then brewed for 5 minutes in 194°F temperature, which minimizes the loss of nutrients Only the most fragrant tea leaves and yeast are brewed first in water to prepare them for maturation. The jar containing the brewed tea and yeast is now buried under soil and is fermented for two weeks. After 2 weeks, the fermented black tea, kombucha, is extracted and stored without any artificial additives.

image from t’else

These three products also contain a lot of hydrating humectants, starting with the GOAT~ glycerin and a quartet of hyaluronic acids of differing molecular weight, so they can attract and lock in moisture from the outer layer and inner layers of skin: sodium hyaluronate, hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid, hydroxypropyltrimonium hyaluronate and sodium acetylated hyaluronate. High molecular weight helps build your skin’s moisture barrier, medium molecular weight help keep moisture in your skin while low molecular weight deeply moisturizes into your skin.

Niacinamide, vitamin B3, 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. Adenosine is yeast derived, anti-wrinkle and anti-inflammatory ingredient.

If you are sensitive to essential oils, these products do contain essential oils with bergamot, orange peel, clary sage, tangerine and lemongrass.

Kombucha Teatox Essence contains 74% kombucha and also has amino acid arginine, which is an anti-oxidant, promoting collagen production to help heal and combat aging skin. It also helps guard against the formation of wrinkles and loss of skin firmness. Calendula, pot marigold, has one of the longest histories of usage of any herb in skin care. This is herb is not to be confused with the flower marigold and it helps heal chapped and irritated skin. It stimulates wound and burn healing and it helps reduce dermatitis. Calendula gets much of its healing properties from its high levels of carotenoids, which is similar to Vitamin A.

Bifida ferment lysate is a probiotic ingredient that is very popular in skincare products. The claims are that it works as a DNA repair agent when applied to your skin. Bifida lysate helps 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. Lactobacillus ferment is a probiotic and fermented ingredients in skin care products are highly moisturizing and also have antibacterial properties, which is why my blemish-prone skin loves it so much.

Ingredients: camellia sinensis leaf extract, saccharomyces ferment filtrate, butylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, glycerin, methyl gluceth-20, 1,2-hexanediol, niacinamide, pentylene glycol, sodium hyaluronate, hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid, hydroxypropyltrimonium hyaluronate, sodium acetylated hyaluronate, bifida ferment filtrate, lactobacillus ferment, lactobacillus ferment lysate, calendula officinalis flower extract, polyglyceryl-10 laurate, acrylates/C10-30 alkyl acrylate crosspolymer, adenosine, water, citric acid, arginine, ethylhexylglycerin, citrus aurantium bergamia (bergamot) fruit oil, citrus aurantium dulcis (orange) peel oil, salvia sclarea (clary) oil, citrus reticulata(tangerine) peel extract, cymbopogon martini oil cosDNA

This essence/toner comes in a tall 150 mL glass bottle with a label that comes off pretty quickly ~ that is why my bottle isn’t labeled, as it fell off a long time ago! The toner has a mildly acidic pH level of 5, which makes it very skin friendly. It has a slightly thicker-than-water texture with a little or no scent, despite the essential oils.

I found this essence/toner to be very hydrating and soothing on my skin. Out of the three items in this Kombucha Teatox line, the essence/toner is my favorite as it provides clarity to my skin, providing ample moisture without feeling greasy or tacky, and it doesn’t clog my pores. My skin is supple and soft and it does help sooth and reduce redness.

Kombucha Teatox Ampoule has a lot going for it, with all of the key ingredients, 60% kombucha as well as amino acid, anti-aging arginine and another amino acid ~ betaine, a humectant and anti-irritant, providing silky smooth skin while soothing and calming skin. Melia azadirachta (neem) has antiseptic properties and will help control blemishes and help them while holy basil reduces inflammation, clears blemishes and can lighten hyper-pigmentation. Turmeric is a popular ingredient for blemish control, as it has both anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties. Turmeric soothes blemishes and heals acne, while reducing redness and swelling. Corallina officinalis is a red algae and has exfoliating benefits, removing dead skin cells and also antioxidant benefits, to prevent free radical damage.

Ingredients: camellia sinensis leaf extract, saccharomyces ferment filtrate, butylene glycol, propanediol, glycerin, niacinamide, triethyl citrate, 1,2 hexanediol, water/aqua, dipropylene glycol, sodium hyaluronate, hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid, hydroxypropyltrimonium hyaluronate, sodium acetylated hyaluronate, betaine, xanthan gum, polyglyceryl 10 laurate, acrylates/C10 30 alkyl acrylate crosspolymer, adenosine, arginine, ethylhexylglycerin, malt extract, melia azadirachta leaf extract, melia azadirachta flower extract, curcuma longa (turmeric) root extract, ocimum sanctum leaf extract, corallina officinalis extract, citrus aurantium bergamia (bergamot) fruit oil, citrus aurantium dulcis (orange) peel oil, salvia sclarea (clary) oil, citrus reticulata (tangerine) peel extract, cymbopogon martini oil cosDNA

This ampoule comes in a 30 mL, slightly frosted glass bottle with a glass pipette for an applicator. I was a bit frustrated with the applicator as it had a hard time picking up the product. The ampoule has a gel-like texture and it is very dewy and very moist. It really didn’t have a scent to it, so I just wonder why T’else added in all of those essential oils in the first place, as they really aren’t needed.

This ampoule was just too dewy and thick for my oily, dehydrated skin. I found that it “sat” on my skin and left a very glowy, slightly tacky residue that had issues pilling when I applied other skincare over it. I would up using this at nighttime, as I don’t care if my skin looks and feels sticky. My skin was very soft, supple and felt smooth in the morning, but as I really wanted to use this during the day as well, I found that I didn’t reach for this product as much as I wanted too.

I feel if you have combination or drier skin, you will love this, but for my oily skin, it really just didn’t work out. A plus side is that despite its rich and sticky texture, my skin never was clogged with it. The neem and tumeric really did their job here as blemish busters.

Kombucha Teatox Cream contains 53% kombucha this also has the blemish busting, anti-inflammatory ingredients of neem, holy basil and tumeric along with nourishing yet oily-skin friendly meadowfoam seed oil. Limnanthes alba (meadowfoam) oil has excellent anti-oxidant and skin softening properties and benefits. It has rich texture that helps with your skin’s barrier and locks in your skin’s moisture, preventing dryness. Meadowfoam seed oil has an almost dry texture to i t, very emollient without being heavy or greasy. It contains long-chain fatty acids which absorb more quickly into the skin, is non-comedogenic and is great for oily, sensitive or blemish prone skin types.

This also has shea butter in it, which means it will really help dehydrated or dry skin, as it locks in moisture and create balanced skin. Shea butter also contains a rich source of concentrated natural vitamins and fatty acids, which will help repair your skin. Dimethicones are not necessarily BAD ingredients, it all depends on what you are using it for and the formula. Dimethicone helps provide moisture and a silky smooth texture while creating a protective film/barrier on your skin. Allantoin moisturizes, exfoliates and softens skin, making it look smooth and refined, while reducing and relieving irritation

Ingredients: camellia sinensis leaf extract, saccharomyces ferment filtrate, hydrogenated polydecene, butylene glycol, glycerin, propanediol, niacinamide, limnanthes alba (meadowfoam) seed oil, hydroxypropyl starch phosphate, cetearyl alcohol, 1,2 hexanediol, butyrospermum parkii (shea) butter, methyl gluceth 20, vinyl dimethicone, water, cetearyl olivate, polyglyceryl 10 stearate, sorbitan olivate, sodium hyaluronate, myristoyl/palmitoyl oxostearamide/arachamide MEA, sorbitan stearate, hydrogenated lecithin, coco caprylate/caprate, glyceryl stearate, triheptanoin, tocopherol, acrylates/C10 30 alkyl acrylate crosspolymer, C9 12alkane, dilinoleic acid/butanediol copolymer, euphorbia cerifera (candelilla) wax, allantoin, melia azadirachta leaf extract, disodium EDTA, melia azadirachta flower extract, curcuma longa (turmeric) root extract, adenosine, castor oil/Iipdi copolymer, biosaccharide gum 1, sorbitan laurate, ocimum sanctum leaf extract, polyphosphorylcholine glycol acrylate, dipropylene glycol, glyceryl caprylate, sodium levulinate, sodium anisate, citrus aurantium bergamia (bergamot) fruit oil, corallina officinalis extract, hydroxyethylcellulose, acetyl dipeptide 1 cetyl ester, hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid , hydroxypropyltrimonium hyaluronate, citrus aurantium dulcis (orange) peel oil, salvia sclarea (clary) oil, citrus reticulata (tangerine) peel extract, cymbopogon martini oil, sodium acetylated hyaluronate cosDNA

This comes in a standard looking 50 mL glass pot. This is a gel-cream, meaning that it it isn’t stiff and thick like a regular cream, but it isn’t gelly like aloe vera, nor liquidy like a lotion. It is a medium weight cream in a light butter shade ~ again no fragrance that I can detect. This also has candelilla wax, so I did find that this cream sat on my face, with a slightly sticky finish. Based on that, I used it as a night cream.

In the morning, everything was absorbed, my skin was moisturized, plumped up and had a nice radiance to it. It didn’t clog my pores and I didn’t experience any irritation. This is the type of cream where I would say a little goes a long way, as it is so nourishing, plus on my oily skin, it was sticky. Just like the ampoule, I think that combination and dry skin types can use this during the daytime.

Where to Purchase

Bemused Korea carries T’else products. My favorite is the Essence and I love the Cream as a night time treatment. I think combination and dry skin types will enjoy all three products.