Review: Blemish Spot Clearing Serum (COSRX)

This product was sent to me for review purposes. Please note that there is an affiliate code advertised.

If you have been following my hormonal acne adventures, then you’ll know that I’ve tried a lot of different formulations. Some have done nothing for me at all, and most only gave me mild relief from my breakouts. However, there has been one brand that has given me some of the best results.

This is COSRX, arguably one of the most popular indie kbeauty brands of the past few years. I used their Calming Liquid Mild and, with extended use, it actually completely stopped my monthly break outs. I’m definitely going to be repurchasing that but, for the sake of wanting to try something new, I got a different product from their AC Collection first.

I’ve been testing out the Blemish Spot Clearing Serum, which is a multifunction serum for acne care and skin recovery. Going into this review, I had very high hopes for this line and saw good short term results (which I will be discussing). From experience though, their products work best when they’re used for an extended time period so I will likely update my thoughts on this more once I finish the bottle.

This Blemish Spot Clearing Serum is available on BB Cosmetic for USD$18.99 – and you can also use my code for 5% off (QAL3F6ZA8YZ).

Before anything, let’s get into this review!

Product Description

The Blemish Spot Clearing Serum is described as a “total solution serum which clears all traces of acne, including red[ness], dark spots and scars.” Aside from being cruelty free and paraben free, it claims to help calm soothe, brighten and strength skin (amongst other things). For someone like myself who struggles from monthly break outs, something like this is really a dream come true.

The three functions of this serum include:

• Calming: For active break outs and red spots
• Clearing: For after acne and dark spots
• Recovery: For scarring and uneven skin texture

Key ingredients are as follows:

• CentellAC-Rx Complex: Contains Madecassic Acid (to protect and calm), Asiaticoside (to help keep skin transparent and clear) and Asiatic Acid (to strengthen skin barrier and help maintain skin balance).
• Niacinamide: Helps fade dark and red spots
• EGF: Helps to boost production of collagen and elastin (very important if you have scarring concerns like me), as well as increasing water retention
• Propolis: Protects skin from external factors (bacteria, free radicals and other pollutants that may trigger acne)
• Ceramide: To improve the skin barrier

Packaging

As with the rest of the COSRX AC Collection, the Blemish Spot Clearing Serum comes in a relatively sturdy white cardboard packaging. It has a slightly textured glossy finish which, from a design perspective, looks pretty good – I feel like this material gives it a more refined feel than straight glossy cardboard. The design of it is simple and basic – which is what I have come to love and appreciate from COSRX.

Opening it up, the serum is housed in a frosted clear plastic bottle with a white dropper cap. Again, the simplicity of the design is great and I like that it has an almost cosmeceutical sort of vibe. The transparent packaging is also appreciated because I like to see how much product I have left.

The quality of the plastic is good – it feels substantial to hold and isn’t flimsy nor heavy. The lid screws on smoothly and I have no issues with leakage. In fact, I actually brought this serum with me to Europe and had it in my beauty bag the entire time (in my checked in luggage) – no mess, no scratches or damage. Overall, I’m very happy with the packaging. It looks great, it’s practical and good quality.

Personal Experiences

The texture of this serum is very watery and lightweight. When applying it, you need to be careful to avoid the eye area (I’m not kidding – it stings). Aside from that though, the Blemish Spot Clearing Serum is easy and fast to use. The dropper (which usually only half fills) gives me the perfect amount for a full face application. I would usually drop it directly onto my face and then pat it. It’s thin, so absorbs quickly and with no tacky residue, making it easy to layer on other products on top.

It does have a tea tree scent (which likely comes from the Tea Tree Leaf Oil), which is something that I also noted with the Calming Liquid Mild. I personally find this quite pleasant and, since it also dissipates quickly, I enjoy it. For those who are sensitive though, this is something to keep in mind.

I incorporated this serum into my usual skincare routine at first (using it in conjunction with a number of other hydrating and soothing products). The results were subtle and gradual – at first, I wasn’t sure that it was actually doing anything for me but, for the longer than I used it, I noticed that my skin wasn’t breaking out as much and what I did get healed much faster.

When I went to Europe, I simplified my skincare routine a lot and essentially only used the Laneige Cream Skin Refiner, this Blemish Spot Clearing Serum and the May Coop Raw Moisturiser. Since I was travelling, I had expected to get a lot of stress and environmentally triggered break outs – while I did get a few, they all healed within a few days and left with no scarring.

In fact, after using this for the past two months, I don’t think I have had any further atrophic scarring. I really think that the AC Collection has saved my skin again but I will have to finish off the entire bottle to see if this can fully control my hormonal break out situation. So far, so good though!

Here’s the verdict!

SO WHAT IS IT?

A multi-function serum that cares for all stages of acne

THE GOOD

• Great functional packaging
• Light scent that dissipates on application
• Helps to calm redness
• Minimizing scarring (dark spots and atrophic)
• Speeds up skin recovery from break outs
• Lightweight with fast absorption
• No tacky residue

THE BAD

• Results aren’t instant; requires longterm use
• Doesn’t fully stop break outs

RATINGS

• PACKAGING | 5/5
• PRICE POINT | 4/5
• ABSORPTION | 5/5
• CALMING/SOOTHING | 4/5
• BRIGHTENING | 4/5
• HEALING | 5/5

OVERALL RATING? 9/10

WOULD I RECOMMEND?

Absolutely! After I used the toner, I have been super eager to try more from the AC Collection and I now have even more confidence that this entire range is a winner for me. If you find yourself drawn towards Centella based products then this would be one to check out – just don’t expect immediate results. When it comes to this formulation, patience is key.

WHERE TO GET IT FROM

The Blemish Spot Clearing Serum was gifted to me by BB Cosmetic for review so check out their website, where it is available for USD$18.99. At the time of writing, this product is out of stock so you’ll need to wait. Alternatively though, you can also check out the rest of the COSRX range because they carry everything from the AC Collection. Remember that you can also use my code for 5% off – QAL3F6ZA8YZ.

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