This product was purchased with shopping credits I was gifted by Althea Korea. I selected products myself and was not obligated to write this review. Affiliate links are not used in this post.
With all of these insane break outs that I’ve been getting lately (which only gets worse when I’m at that time of the month), this seemed like the perfect time to finally try out the spot treatment from Onsaemeein. This is called their Magic Solution Skin Powder and I bought it from Althea as part of my birthday order: I received some credit to use in my birthday month as part of their Althea Angels community but did end up overspending because that’s what I do.
It’s actually been a month since I had the product but I had been holding back because I wasn’t sure how to use it. I’m completely new to these skin powder treatments so there was a bit of a learning curve when I learnt how to use this. I think that it’s a handy thing to have around and, as I use it more, I’m learning the best way to apply. However, this is definitely not a replacement for regular skin care and is better as an ’emergency’ product for random break outs. This will not be suitable for people with problematic skin, if that makes sense.
Let me try to break down the pros and cons of this product. I don’t have photos of the application, as it is a little too messy (and I am embarrassed of my face), but I hope you find this useful either way.
Product Description
This skin powder is an anti-acne product designed to spot treat break outs through the use of multiple proven ingredients (Salicylic Acid and Witch Hazel exact being the most prominent, while it is my first time coming across Dryopteris Crassirhizoma Extract). According to the Althea product description, “This “magical” solution comes with a powder right at the bottom, topped up with an anti-bacterial solution at the top to really get treat blemishes, making them dry up and go away ASAP.”
The website also lists three benefits from the product, but I feel that the main benefit is that it helps to dry out pimples. I don’t notice any of these other benefits, but I will put there here anyway in case other people do:
- Brightens darkness
- Improves elasticity of the skin
- Plumps up fine lines
Packaging
The brand Onsaemeein is one of the more affordable Korean brands: the Magic Solution Skin Powder is only USD$8.50 on the Althea website, which is a really great price! Because of that though, the packaging does reflect it.
The product comes housed in a white glossy finish box with a very simple design. The logo is printed on the top and the box is also sealed with a silver sticker. It doesn’t exactly look cheap, but it’s obviously not a luxury product either – I think that the quality and design of it can be improved but considering the price point, I’m satisfied with it.
Opening it up, the packaging of the product is also very simple and basic. The Magic Solution Skin Powder comes in a glass bottle with the same design printed on it and a black cap. There is no actual seal for the bottle when you first open it and the bottle is also quite heavy, so this isn’t a product that suits travel. In fact, it would also be difficult to impossible to decant, as you would need a balance of the powder and the liquid. I tend to keep this product on my vanity, sitting still so as not to disturb it.
That being said, the cap does screw on pretty tightly and I have not had any issues with it leaking or spilling.
Personal Experiences
The directions for this product state that you should use it with the powder and anti-bacterial liquid separated – that is, do not shake or mix the two. Instead, you can just take a cotton bud and dip it in, picking up both of the layers to then spot treat.
At first, I tried to pick up the product and drag it along the side in an attempt to get more powder, but I actually learnt that it is more effective to dip in vertically and then pull the cotton bud back out straight and quickly. It also applies best if you dab the cotton bud point onto the blemish instead of the side, as it gives fuller coverage of the problem area.
I used this on a handful of pimples that I’ve had for around a week or two, apply once every night or so – I did vary my routine a bit depending on how my skin was feeling. The product most definitely helps to dry out pimples, draining the smaller ones and also greatly reducing the appearance of larger pimples even overnight.
That being said, the product is very drying – it also stings a bit when you apply it too because of the anti-bacterial liquid. Although it helps with the pimples, it also dries out the skin around it a lot, which can cause any active pimples to peel and can actually make any broken skin (from popped pimples etc) worse – especially if you use it for a few days.
For this reason, I don’t recommend it for people with problem skin and a lot of breakouts, because I can imagine that it would be really damaging on your skin to use it consistently. People with sensitive skin will also likely find this too harsh.
I feel that this is a product best reserved for occasional spot treatments and I wouldn’t use it for too many days in a row. Using a good day moisturiser afterwards would also help.
So, here’s the verdict!
SO WHAT IS IT?
A spot treatment for pimples and acne that has powder and an anti-bacterial solution to help dry out break outs
THE GOOD
- No leak or spillage – sturdy packaging
- Visibly reduces pimples and acne overnight
- Easy and fast to apply as last step of skincare
- Very affordable and you only need a small amount
THE BAD
- Boring packaging design
- There’s a learning curve to application
- Not suitable for travel and can’t decant
- Dries out skin a lot and is not suitable for daily use
- Did not notice any other mentioned skincare benefits
RATINGS
- PACKAGING | 3/5
- PRICE POINT | 5/5
- REDUCING ACNE | 4/5
- HYDRATION | 0/5
OVERALL RATING? 6/10
WOULD I RECOMMEND?
I think that the Magic Solution Skin Powder isn’t perfect – there are definitely a lot of downsides to the product that I would be weighing up before I use it. However, it is effective in reducing pimples and I would likely keep having it on my vanity. It will not become an essential for me, but is something that I could use in emergencies.
As for recommending it, I would recommend people to try this out if they have some break outs but to also test it out slowly. I feel like this would work better on certain skin types and that over-application (like I accidentally did) can have adverse effects.
WHERE TO GET IT FROM
I got the Magic Solution Skin Powder from Althea for USD$8.50 – which is a great price. They also have free shipping within the US for orders over USD$50. For those like me who are outside of the states, they have flat shipping rates for orders below and over fifty – just follow here.
