Review: Calming Cicatree Pad & Green Tea Moist PHA Gauze Peeling Pad (Neogen)

This product was sent to me for review purposes. Please note that affiliate links are used.

If you’ve been a fan of Neogen for a while, then you have certainly come across their pad products before – particular their exfoliating peeling pads. I first came across them on YouTube and ended up falling in love with the original wine formula… but you know what got me excited about all over again? The reformulation!

This actually happened back in 2020 and, in addition to a much improved packaging design, all of their pads have been improved and are now certified Clean Beauty – meaning no animal testing, artificial fragrances, colouring, or alcohol! This change happened for the entire line but, for the sake of this review, I’ll be discussing the Calming Cicatree Pad and Green Tea Moist PHA Gauze Peeling Pad today.

These are both available at StyleKorean, so pop on over there if you want to pick them up! Before all of that though, lets get into this review!

Calming Cicatree Pad | USD$18 (On sale from USD$20)

The first ones that I tried out at the Calming Cicatree Pads, which I had also used in the past. It is described as a microfiber pad containing enriching ingredients to gently exfoliate whilst also leaving skin moist and smoothed.

In comparison to the original (which was PHA only), this new formula has added LHA, Teatree Extract and Zinc (which explains the change of the name from the ‘Cica Pad’ to ‘Cicatree Pad’). It’s a great option for people with sensitive or acne prone skin.

Some key ingredients include:

• Centella Asiatica Extract: To calm inflammation, speed up wound healing, and improve circulation
• Madecassoside: Soothes redness, itchiness, and inflammation
• Sodium Hyaluronate: Helps restore moisture and improves the appearance of wrinkles and skin texture
• Allantoin: Improves moisture absorption

Each tub contains a total of 90 pads, making this great value as well. This is great for daily sue and I usually only need one per application.

Packaging & Material

The new ‘renewal’ type comes in a tinted plastic tub. The shape is quite similar to the original but the semi-opaque material allows you to see inside as well. It’s quite sturdy and stacks well. I also think that thew new design looks a lot sleeker and professional, fitting in with Neogen’s brand image.

Opening it up, you will find that these pads are thin and have an embossed texture. When actually using the pads, I recall that old version used to have a gel-like film over the top, whilst the essence is fully absorbed here (see my old review here). I think that the actual formula in this renewal version is more watery too, meaning that the pad will naturally absorb and hold more (it’s very saturated for something so thin).

Comparing the two, I think that the packaging is quite similar. There are some design enhancements and perhaps changes in the texture of the essence, but the pad itself isn’t much different.

Personal Experiences

This pad does a great job with hydrating and calming my skin. I really enjoy using this in the mornings because the essence fully absorbs without any residue – it performs well beneath make up, helping to keep skin softened and moisturised throughout the day. It’s also a good option for your evening routine during the hotter seasons.

That being said though, I didn’t see huge differences between the old and new version – even with the formula changing so much. The main reason I would prefer this new version is because it no longer has the gel-like texture over the top. This is a great daily product, especially for people with sensitive skin.

Here’s the verdict!

SO WHAT IS IT?

A daily-use exfoliating pad with calming and hydration benefits

THE GOOD

• Generous tub (90 pads)
• Sleek and well designed packaging, with a semi-opaque tub to see inside
• Minimal to no scent
• No residue and absorbs well
• Leaves skin feeling smooth and soft
• Hydrates skin and soothes redness
• Highly saturated pads (no gel-like film)
• Gentle and suitable for daily use

THE BAD

• Not a dramatic difference from new to renewal version

RATINGS

• PRICE POINT | 4/5
• PACKAGING | 5/5
• SCENT | 5/5
• EXFOLIATION | 3/5
• HYDRATION | 5/5
• SOOTHING | 4/5

OVERALL RATING? 8.7/10

THOUGHTS? Conclusively, I think that this is a great product and I would especially recommend this to people with sensitive skin. However, let me clarify my ratings first:

I actually think this new renewal version is just as good, if not better, than the original. However, after reading my review of the old version, I think that I had rated the original too high to begin with. Within the 3 years in between my reviewing of these two products, I’ve had the opportunity to try out so many new formulas and products. In the grand scheme of things, this is simple not the most impressive anymore (even though it’s still a very good product).

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Green Tea Moist PHA Gauze Peeling | USD$22.50 (On sale from USD$25)

If you’re after a combination of both a physical and chemical exfoliant, it’s hard to pass up on the Green Tea Moist PHA Gauze Peeling Pads. This actually uses a patented triple structure cotton pad (the ‘peeling pad’ which has one exfoliating gauze side (to remove dead skin calls and impurities), as well as a soft embossed side to moisturise and soothe skin.

Compared to the original, this one has a number of new ingredients – it uses a combination of PHA, AHA, BHA and LHA. Other ingredients include Green Tea, Tea Tree extract, Aquaxyl and Biomimetic Fluid Tears™ (an ingredient that “acts as an anti-inflammatory, protective, nourishing and moisturizing agent” (source)).

Some key ingredients include:

• Green Tea Leaf Extract: Rich in anti-oxidant and anti-aging properties to improve skin health
• Butylene Glycol: Contains conditioning agents that soften skin texture
• Aloe Vera Extract: Locks in moisture and speeds up healing processes

As this is one of their gauze pads, each tub contains only 30 pads – which seems like a lot less than the Calming Cicatree Pads. However, it is recommended for use only every 2-3 days so will last you around three months.

Packaging & Material

The packaging for all of Neogen’s pad products are now pretty much the same – which I think is great. You can read my old review of the Bio-Peel Gauze Peeling Wine for an idea of what the old version looked like. The original design looked great, but was also heavy and somewhat bulky – two issues which they have fixed with this new tub! This new design is lighter, slightly more compact and also more cohesive across the range.

Opening it up, you will find the stack of gauze pads. This is the triple layered design with the two different textures – pictured below. Comparatively, I think that these have absorbed the essence a lot better. They feel a lot more saturation and don’t have any excess essence at the bottom.

To use these pads:

• Step 1: Use the gauze side and rub the face in circular motions, helping to lift dead skin whilst also treating with the essence – you will be able to physically see the dead skin cells on the cause.
• Step 2: Flip over the pad and swipe over your skip with the embossed side. This will fully apply the essence and clean up any left over dead skin cells.

Personal Experiences

I loved the gauze pads from the moment I first tried them, so naturally knew that I would love these too. As per the recommendations, I used these every second night and loved the results. My skin felt so soft and refreshed.

Compared to the original gauze pads, these are quite similar – I don’t physically see any difference between them aside from these being more saturated. As per my original review, I just washed that they could made the ‘opening’ a little wider.

Formula wise, I hadn’t used the original before to compare. However, I found that these really delivered on its soothing and moisturising claims. The gauze fabric can be a bit abrasive at times (so I always recommend to use a gentle pressure), but it’s easily soothed over with the green tea essence. All in all, I’m very happy with these!

Here’s the verdict!

SO WHAT IS IT?

A triple layered exfoliation pad with a green tea essence to moisturise and soothe

THE GOOD

• Now more affordable than before!
• Lightweight and sturdy packaging
• Semi-opaque to see inside
• Light, fresh scent
• Even more saturated then the original, but with no excessive essence
• Physical exfoliation but does not irritate skin
• Easy to use with immediate effects
• Very effective in softening and refreshing skin

THE BAD

• Opening is too small

RATINGS

• PRICE POINT | 4/5
• PACKAGING | 5/5
• SCENT | 5/5
• EXFOLIATION | 5/5
• HYDRATION | 5/5
• SOOTHING | 4/5

OVERALL RATING? 9.3/10

THOUGHTS? I love these and would definitely repurchase. Compared to the original, the packaging design was a definitely improvement and I also noticed that the price has been brought down – it’s now only USD$25 at full price (and currently on sale for USD$22.50), which makes it much more affordable as a biweekly exfoliant.

I would be highly recommending these (or any of the similar variants) especially for people with fast-paced lifestyles. These are so easy and fuss-free to use, and the immediate effects mean that they can even be used right before any important event.

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Out of the two products, my clear favourite would be the Green Tea Moist PHA Gauze Peeling Pads. I personally don’t see a lot of difference between the variations but this is because I’m more focused on the exfoliation benefits. If you’re checking it out, I would just see which ingredients are best targeted towards your skin concerns and go for that – they aren’t different enough to need to try them all (but hey, I might do that anyway).

If you’re keen on these, make sure to pop on over to StyleKorean where the Calming Cicatree Pads is just USD$18 (on sale from USD$20) and the Green Tea Moist PHA Gauze Peeling Pads is selling for USD$22.50 (on sale from USD$25).

You can also check out the main Neogen brand page to see everything that they have on offer.

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