[REVIEW] COSRX NATURAL BHA SKIN RETURNING A-SOL ~ Complete My Seoul

"Natural BHA Skin Returning A-Sol is a skin-type solution product that solves the daunting problem of complex skin trouble with a combination of Propolis, AHA, natural BHA, and natural moisture-retention ingredients, as well as helping with control of sebum and clearing of dead skin cell.

Natural BHA Skin Returning A-Sol contains little oil, helping with managing sebum and pores, to give the skin cleanliness with no shine or trouble."

- COSRX

I bought this product after seeing people with amazing results because of this toner. I never used a product with 'propolis' before and never knew it was used in skincare until now. It has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties which will help troubled skin in general. This product sounds perfect because of its use of minimal ingredients (no fillers) and its effectiveness.

Before we go on with the review, I would like to say that my whole face was full of cysts and pimples without a clear indication why. I was breaking out after using the Innisfree pore mask, but as weeks passed my skin worsened (worse breakout in my life honestly).

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Claims :

Source : Jolse.com

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Directions :

"1. In mornings/evenings after facial wash spread thinly on the troubled areas, areas with much dead skin cell, and areas with much sebum.

2. Tap gently with fingertips to absorb."

- COSRX

The directions above are the ones given on the box. It's basically saying to use the product on troubled areas as a “spot treatment.” The gentle tapping may be unnecessary. You just need to have felt that the treatment was put on the area you want to focus on. Many people have been using this product as both a spot treatment either for specific areas or for the whole face. I'm using it for my whole face. Why? I'm breaking out way too much at the moment to be focusing on one area of my face and I hope this product will be a breakthrough product for me.

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Duration of use :

May 5th, 2015 ~ April 6th, 2015

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Application :

The consistency of the product resembles water. Putting this on does not leave a sticky or stinging feeling at all. It takes about one minute for my skin to absorb this product, and is not very drying compared to other BHA products (at least for me that is).

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Ingredients :

Source : Jolse.com

- some deeper explanation of a few ingredients -

Propolis Extract (60%), Alcohol, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Lactate, Lactic Acid, water, Glycolic Acid, Betaine Salicylate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Panthenol, Allantoin, Cassia Obtusifolia Seed Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Ethyl Hexanediol, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Oil

Propolis Extract : Propolis extract, the ingredient highest in concentration (60%), is ideal for use in acne treatments. Propolis, which is collected from honey bees and used to seal open spaces in hives, has antiseptic and healing properties. Studies have found that propolis is active against microorganisms, such as bacteria and viruses. Source

Lactic Acid & Glycolic Acid : These two ingredients are both alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs), which serve the purpose of removing dead skin cells from the skin. Thus, it can improve skin firmness, treat acne, improve the appearance of acne scars, and promoting smooth skin.

Betaine Salicylate : This chemical is the beta hydroxy acid (BHA) of the product. It is somewhat similar to salicylic acid in terms of the fact they are both pH-dependent. They penetrate the pore and assist in unclogging them. This is preferred for oily/acne-prone skin type, but other skin types can benefit from it as well. 1% of its ingredient is active in the formulation.

Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Oil : Known for its disinfecting properties, this ingredient has been known to be effective in fighting bacteria that cause acne. This ingredient also serves to provide the fragrance of the product.

A bit more clarification on the BHA and AHA in the formulation of the product : Even though this product specifically states 'BHA' in its name, it contains both BHA and AHA. In the formulation, the BHA is the betaine salicylate, and the AHAs are the lactic and glycolic acid. The amount of BHA in the formulation is 1%, while the AHA's is 2% (information retrieved by the official COSRX staff). As you can see, the product has a higher concentration of AHA compared to the BHA. This is because the AHA ingredients in the toner helps to remove dead skin cells before the BHA can penetrate the skin in order to reduce acne. AHA is just the second ingredient to help BHA permeate well in order to boost the effects.

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Scent :

This product smells like tea tree. It’s mild and not too overpowering. The first time I used tea tree I was disgusted with its strong scent. But as time went on, I started to love the smell. Personally, I enjoy the smell.

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pH Level :
4.30 (according to Wishtrend)

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Moisture Test :

Before

After 10 minutes

I found it strange that it slightly increased my skin's moisture, which made me test it about five times more. It was still around that percentage every time I tested it. I could tell that the product didn't dry me out, but I didn't realize it somewhat moisturized me skin.

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Thoughts :

In all honesty, this product has reached holy grail level for me. I stated in the beginning that I was going through a very big (and painful) breakout that kept on getting worse and worse. I've been getting pimples in areas of my face where I have never broken out before (on the forehead especially). I kept getting pimples and huge cysts on my temples that kept growing. The cysts would swell up each time I washed my face. The routine that had helped me not break out for months was now useless for me and I felt like I was just wasting my products since it wasn't helping me. My beloved BHA and AHA has been doing nothing for me at all. After going to get facial extractions because of my Innisfree breakout, I still broke out after one week. The week right after my facial I wasn't breaking out at all. After that one week my skin worsened. I couldn't pinpoint what I was doing which was causing this which is why it felt useless for me to continue to with my skincare routine.. I couldn't change what was causing me to break out.

This product was the only change in my skincare routine. After one day of using this product, it flattened all my acne and reduced redness. My cysts and pimples on my forehead flattened so much. I felt all my skin troubles flattened when washing my face. I never believed in the products that would dramatically change your skin after one day, but this changed that. I stopped using this for a week and my acne has continued to be shrinking so much. I quit using my original BHA and AHA toners since then. Even though this product has been a holy grail for me, my face is left with a horizon of scars (which is much better than than acne IMO). I honestly don't mind scars since they fade pretty fast for me. My nose has also experienced results. My pores and blackheads have reduced tremendously after just a few uses.

Honestly, I hate to add on to a hype, but this product is just amazing. Its incredible formulation has been able to help my skin so much in such a short time period. This product finally gave me the magical results. I am just speechless at how effective this product is for me. One thing buyers should be cautious about is the high alcohol content if you are sensitive to it. My skin is definitely not sensitive and I did not experience my skin becoming terribly dry.

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