It’s time for some skincare talk! I mostly review make up and cosmetics on my blog (because I have a really short attention span and like to play with colours every day) but I do like to make some room for a bit of skincare – especially because that’s what kbeauty is best known for.
Lately, I have noticed that I developed a few sunspots on my face (even with my regular sunscreen and SPF application) – this can either be genetic, which is highly likely, or because of the super harsh sun here in Australia. For that reason, I’ve been on the look out for whitening products to work on lightening pigmentation on my skin. I have used Vitamin C serums before and seen it work on my mother, but it was at the expense of really thinning out her skin, so I decided to try something else.
Instead, BB Cosmetic sent me a sleeping pack from Innisfree – the Whitening Pore Sleeping Pack. According to the description, this product helps to improve skin tone, dark spots and work towards a ‘transparent’ skin texture. So, I tested this out at night for a pretty long time before going to write this and – while it did improve my skin in some ways – it also didn’t target my dark spots as I wanted it to do.
Remember to check out BB Cosmetic to get your hands on these (or any other products from Innisfree). they have free international shipping with no minimum purchase, and you can also get an additional 8% off with my code (which I don’t make money from, but will bring down that cart total): QAL3F6ZA8YZ
Read on for the full review!
The main ingredient of the Whitening Pore Sleeping Pack is extract of Jeju tangerine, containing 6 types of citrus flavonoids. It also contains deep brightening capsules while help to exfoliate skin cells and increase turnover overnight, which results in a brightened and smoother complexion in the morning. As a sleeping mask, this product is meant to be applied in a thick layer over night and then washed off in the morning (don’t keep it on or you will have a sticky face for the rest of the day – and possibly pimples).
As with all (or most) of Innisfree products, they definitely boast natural Jeju ingredients and put emphasis on skin hydration and purity. This similar idea is carried over in their packaging, which is printed with soy ink and is better for the environment – if that’s your sort of thing. In general, I like the colour of the box and their logo on the top.
When you open it up, the sleeping pack comes in a simple white tub with a matte finish. I like the simplicity of the design and it’s quite sturdy; there was no mess or spillage during postage – and this parcel had a particularly rough trip. However, I did notice that the lid is a little bit hard to screw on straight and had a tendency to get stuck lopsided at times, so I have to be a bit careful. That is probably the only complaint I have about it. It also has an inside lid for hygiene and neatness, which has a little lever to lift.
The pack comes in a 100mL tub and it’s pretty generous! I don’t usually apply a very thick layer of it (as it would get all over my pillow when I sleep), but I am still quite generous and I think that it’ll take me a while to get through.
And above is the tub open and below is it on my hand! Actually, when I first read the description of this, I didn’t expect there to be actual particles inside of it – thinking back, I should have expected it but I didn’t, so that was a bit of a surprise. The mask has a light and pleasant citrus scent, which is mostly undetectable once it’s applied so I really like it!
When you’re applying it on your face, you have to gently massage it in circles to break the ‘capsules’. I actually find them a bit hard to work with and I often have little stubborn bits that I can’t quite break open. I did try to break it on my hand first, before application, but I felt like my complexion didn’t have the same brightened look – which makes sense, since the particles are there to exfoliate. It does so quite gently and, although I see very visible brightening the next day, I don’t feel any abrasion on the skin so I think that this would be suitable for sensitive skin.
When I washed it off the next morning, my skin was very hydrated and it was definitely brightened. I also noticed that my pores were tightened, but this wasn’t too dramatic. However, over the testing period, I didn’t see any noticeable change in my dark spots at all. While this is good for one-off brightening and revitalising the skin, I was unable to notice any longer term effects – that is, I had to keep using it every night to maintain the benefits.
Overall, I did like the product but I don’t think that it works for melanin reduction or sun spots. I had a lovely effect the next day, but I had to keep using it. The benefits to my skin was definitely only surface level – that I noticed, anyway. I will likely continue to use this though, especially since it manages to perk up my skin so dramatically overnight. This would be particularly good when you have a special event.
And here’s the final verdict!
THE GOOD
- Sturdy and clean packaging
- Pleasant and light scent
- Natural ingredients
- Very visible brightening effect overnight
- Hydrating and slightly refines pores
- Non-abrasive, light exfoliation
THE BAD
- No spatula
- No visible long-term effects
- No visible dark spot reduction
- ‘Capsules’ can be hard to ‘pop’
RATINGS
- PACKAGING | 3/5
- PRICE POINT | 5/5
- SCENT | 5/5
- BRIGHTENING | 5/5
- WHITENING | 1/5
- HYDRATION | 4/5
OVERALL RATING? 7.7/10
WOULD I RECOMMEND?
If you’re after a brighter and hydrated, fresh complexion then this sleeping mask is most definitely going to be your best friend. It smells great and has great immediate benefits – it’s also pretty affordable and I always trust Innisfree when it comes to skincare. However, if you are after something to lighten pigmention on your skin, then I don’t think that this will do the job for you. It’s a good product, but it doesn’t deliver everything it promises, so I think that my recommendation would depend on what your personal needs are.
WHERE TO GET IT FROM
If you’re interested in trying out the Whitening Pore Sleeping Mask (selling for USD$18.26) or any other Innisfree products, head over to BB Cosmetic who were so generous in sending me over a bunch of products to review. They have free shipping, 10% credit back for SNS reviews and, of course, you can use my code for 8% off! I don’t make any money from it, but you do save a bit, which is always nice: QAL3F6ZA8YZ
