Review: Heating Gel Pore Brush (Tosowoong)

Just to clarify, I had really high hopes for this product so even though I say that I’m kind of disappointed, it isn’t because it’s a terrible product. It works, just not how I wanted it to.

I had never used anything from Tosowoong before but had heard really great things about the brand so, when I came across this on My Korean Makeup, I decided that I had to try it. The product is a pore cleanser with a gel product and an attached brush, making usage fast and simple. I had actually searched it up online as well and hadn’t found any other reviews for it, so I was hoping that I would discover a new, wonderful product for you guys to use but… unfortunately, not.

Read on for my experience and thoughts about this Tosowoong product. I received this product to review from My Korean Makeup and you can check out their website to purchase this (or anything else).

The product comes in a pretty simple, white box. I was hoping that there would be some instructions in English (or in simple enough language that I could understand) but I didn’t find any so I have a quick google online. Basically, you press the button to dispense the gel product and use the brush to clean your pores. You’re meant to use this for around five minutes.

The main problem I had with this product is that it’s called a Heating Gel. I was already surprised when I opened the box and the product (as seen below) is not electric. I figured that the gel had heating effects so I tried a few different ways of using it but… really didn’t see any heating effect.

On the plus side, the plastic packaging for the product is actually really sturdy and light too, so it’d perfect for travel. The attached brush means that you won’t need to bring any extra accessories either. It’s easy to dispense and, since the button is a bit slower, it’s rather hard to use too much product. It’s quick to squeeze out more when you are using it.

The brush (as shown below) gives your skin a nice massage. It’s a bit soft so it will be good for those with more sensitive skin – as you don’t want to irritate it. Personally, I would have preferred if the bristles were a little harder, as I wanted to get a more intense scrub. Overall, it was okay.

The product dispenses from the middle of the brush, so you don’t waste any of it either. It’s easy to clean and store, so I would give this product pretty good ratings for it’s packaging alone. Although it is rounded, the bottle stands easily so I just keep it by my bathroom side.

So I tried a few different ways of getting the gel to ‘heat’ – I tried to scrub/brush it in the same spot for a few minutes at a time, I wet it with hot water, I applied the gel and waited five minutes before using the brush too. In all three instances, I only managed to achieve a slight warmth (if I exhaled… so it was my own breath).

I had hoped that the heating function would help to open up pores while the gel cleansed but, after all my testing, I still couldn’t get that to work! To be honest, I’m convinced that they mis-named this.

Overall, it did clean my pores though it wasn’t as dramatic as when I use my volcanic pore clay mask. It left my skin soft and fresh, I’m just disappointed that it wasn’t a heating gel like promised. I would recommend this product for those with more sensitive skin who want a light, gentle pore cleanser.

SO WHAT IS IT?

A cleansing gel with an attached pore cleansing brush

THE GOOD

• Sturdy and simple packing
• Light for travel
• Stands easily
• Easy to dispense and use
• Cleans pores and skin gently
• Minimal to no scent
• No sticky residue or adverse effects

THE BAD

• Does not heat
• Brush is too soft for me
• Gentle cleanser (mostly suitable for sensitive skin)

WOULD I REPURCHASE?

I had high hopes for this product but, as you can see from my review, I won’t be repurchasing it. I think I will keep it to use as a pore cleanser when I travel, but I would prefer to use my clay mask at home. I’ll test some other Tosowoong products in the future, but it’s really a no from me. I would only recommend this for people who want very gentle cleansing products.

WHERE TO GET IT FROM

You can get this at My Korean Makeup. Click the banner below to check them out:

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