I had been waiting for so long to try this thing so out, please, excuse my excitement! This is the first product that I’ve tried from SU:M37 and it’s been raved about by so many other bloggers. I cleanse my face rather religiously because I do wear make up at least five days a week, so I want to make sure that my skin is well cleaned at the end of the day (because no one likes clogged pores or break outs). Generally, my skin is on the dry side and is easily stripped by cleansers, so I look for something that cleans well but still leaves my skin soft and fresh – not irritated.
I would usually do a two step cleanse (with my Etude House sherbet cleanser to begin with) but I have been testing this one by itself as well, just to see how it works. Overall, I’m pretty impressed and I can see why people love this so much.
This was sent to me for review by StyleKorean, who have been so generous with their endless support for me! Remember to check them out if you’re wanting to buy this or anything else – they’ve got an amazing range.
And with that, on with the review!
So SU:M37 is a Korean premium brand, meaning that you won’t be seeing this as a roadshop in Edae. To find their products in Korea, you’ll have to be visiting department stores (or, as I usually do, the Duty Free) – for this reason, their products are definitely more expensive than the others but are also aimed at an older age group. Their brand focuses on naturally fermented products with no artificial fragrances, colouring or synthetic preservatives; this reflects in their name which is derived from the word 숨 (Meaning ‘Breath,’ though all of my Taeyeon fans will already know that… right?) and with ’37’ being the optimal fermentation temperature. That’s all really cool and all, but let’s really look at this product.
The product that I’ll be reviewing is their much raved about Miracle Rose Cleansing Stick, which is a stick type cleanser containing real rose petals. According to StyleKorean: “This cleanser was one of 2014 Beauty Award Winners.” The product effectively and gently removes make up, smells great and is perfect for travel.
“Aside from clarifying the pores, this cleansing stick also supplies nutrients into the skin to improve its texture and complexion. It is highly recommended for those who suffer from oily and sensitive skin as this also has a sebum-controlling formula and soothing effect. Contains fermented damask rose extract.”
The packaging is quite simple in a metallic box. Personally, I think that the design is quite old-fashioned and dated, but it’s still pretty. I think it makes sense though, since the brand is aimed towards an older audience – as a gift, I think that this would be suitable for parents, possibly older sisters… over 30, perhaps? It’s definitely not a trend item though and that reflects in the packaging. In a way, it’s a good thing – the packaging reflects the price tag, haha!
The instructions on the side are all in Korean but the illustrations are clear enough not to need words. Basically, you first wet your face (or go into the shower as I do) and twist up the product – around 1cm is a suitable amount. This can be applied straight to your face and then rubbed in for it to foam. For the sake of this review, I tested it by both applying straight to my face and to my palm before application.
When you open the box, below is the tube. I think that this stick-type design is so great! I like to travel a lot so it’s very frustrating to carry around my cleansers and such. They’re often big, take up too much space and, because they are liquids, can’t be put in hand-carry luggages either.
SU:M37 have fixed this problem by bringing out a product that is not only light, small and easy to carry around – it’s also in a solid form! I’m going on a trip to Japan next year so, provided that I don’t finish this before then, I’ll 100% be bringing this along instead of my 150 packets of sample cleansers.
The tube design is very functional and looks elegant too. I really like it. It’s made of a pretty sturdy plastic and the bottom dial (to push it up) is really smooth and easy to use – even with wet hands. My only complaint is that, when it’s applied straight to the face, you can be left with a pretty messy tube off the sides. This is easily fixed by running it under the shower water to clean it, but always feels like a waste to me – especially since this isn’t very cheap either.
The lid clicks on easily and is also removed completely (in that it isn’t connected off the side like a usual cap). It’s a bit easier to lose because of that and you do have to put it down somewhere when you’re using it – rather than a big issue though, it’s more of a minor annoyance. This is most likely done for a functional reason though.
And then it’s to the actual product and my first impression was that wow this smelt strong! It definitely smells a lot like roses so, if you’re sensitive to scents, you may have to give this one a miss. It’s very intense and, as someone who has hayfever, I nearly sneezed smelling it. Once you use it in the shower or with water though, it does weaken a lot – which is a good thing.
At first, I was worried that the presence of the roses would cause a reaction as I’m allergic to flower pollen (I didn’t think about that before I asked StyleKorean about reviewing this… I’m an idiot) but I’m really glad that it didn’t give me any negative effects! I’m guessing it is because they use the fermented petals and not the entire flower, hence not the part that gives me allergies.
The product is definitely a mild cleanser as stated and, after use, my skin does feel very cleaned but also soft. There is also ‘dragging’ of the skin afterwards, meaning that my own oils haven’t been completely stripped – so it’s definitely a good thing.
I did realise that you have to use quite a lot of it to get a decent foam happening though, which I was a little disappointed with. This foaming happened better when I apply it straight to my face and then rub in circular motions – when I apply it on my hand first, the foaming is gone by the time I transfer it.
The stick form is really handy and perfect for travelling, though it does make it harder to apply in smaller areas (like the nose and nose bridge) so you really have to apply lots on the cheeks and then spread it out when you’re rubbing it. It’s a bit annoying, once again, but isn’t a major issue.
Here’s the final verdict!
SO WHAT IS IT?
A stick type mild cleanser using fermented damask rose extract
THE GOOD
- Light and easy to carry around
- Stick form (avoiding liquid limitations during travel)
- Smells really great
- Natural ingredients
- Gentle on the skin
- Cleans well and does not strip skin
- Ease of use
- Elegant and functional packaging
- Sturdy packaging
THE BAD
- Can be hard to apply
- Doesn’t foam a lot
- Design is a little bit dated but suitable for audience
- Strong scent
- Detachable lid
WOULD I REPURCHASE?
I definitely really like this product and I would want to purchase it for gifts too. Whether I will continue to use it though… I’m a little bit conflicted with.The price isn’t ridiculous, but it is comparatively expensive to what I can get from roadshop brands and I’m unsure whether it made enough of a difference to my usual cleansing routine for me to keep buying.
I think that it will definitely come down to price and, if I do have the money to spend that much on it, I will continue to buy it because it is very effective and easy to use. I might limit the usage to travel though as I do know other cleansers that do just as good of a job (though, perhaps, don’t smell as lovely).
WHERE TO GET IT FROM
The Miracle Rose Cleansing Stick is at StyleKorean for USD$21.97 – 16% off the full price of USD$26.17. Click their name to go to their homepage or, alternatively, click the below banner to go straight to the product page:
