The world of K-Beauty has introduced me to some
interesting ingredients: propolis, birds nests, galactomyces, snails, starfish, fermented soybeans, fermented everything, and most recently: camellia oil. Ok it doesn't sound as jazzy as the others but it's one I've heard good things about (the wisdom of of ahjumeonis and obasamas). It seems to be a well-known but fairly uncommon ingredient - except in Tatcha products which cost serious $$. Like $28 for
a sheet mask. Enter Blossom Jeju!
100%
Camellia Seed Oil
Packaging & Texture
The Oil comes in a glass amber dropper bottle which protects
it from degradation in sunlight. (The sort of thing that Klairs serum should have been packaged in...)
I use
the Oil as
the last step in my night routine. It
absorbs well but not fully so I wouldn't use it during the day unless you can really rock that oily sheen.
Ingredients
100% cold pressed camellia seed oil
Camellia seed oil is a powerful
antioxidant rich in Omegas 3, 6 and 9; fatty acids, which help improve skin
elasticity; Vitamin E and polyphenols, which protect the skin from free radical
damage.
By comparison, the Camellia Soombi Essence Oil contains 73.09% Camellia japonica seed oil and the Pink Camellia Soombi Essence Serum contains 62.40% Camellia japonica flower extract. The mixture of oils would probably be more effective than using camellia seed oil alone, but I didn't want to chance them because olive oil gives me breakouts :(
Results
Antioxidant serums are kinda hard to
review because they’re one of those things that work without necessarily
showing visible results. My skin hasn't dramatically transformed in the few weeks I’ve been using the Oil, but it does
leave my skin feeling soft and supple after use and healthy and glowy looking in the
morning.
Pink
Camellia Soombi Blooming Flower Toner
I think I'm in the minority when I say the lotion/essence
step is my favourite part of my skincare routine. I like watery textures and layering different products to get the
benefit of different ingredients, like hyaluronic acid, CoQ10,
galactomyces, green tea, rose water, grape water ...
Packaging & Texture
Look at that beautiful bottle! ᕙ( * •̀ ᗜ •́ * )ᕗ The
lotion is dispensed via a small hole in the top and it's easy to control how much comes out. The texture is slightly more viscous than water (similar to the Gokujyun lotion) and absorbs easily.
Smell
(Nado smeelllll~) Whereas the Oil is almost odourless, the Toner is VERY strongly scented. It's a bit too perfumey for my liking and the thought of diligently patting a crapload of perfume into my skin is a little concerning. I can't figure out why the smell is so strong when 'fragrance' is right at the end of the list. You'd think the answer was staring me in the face with 82.82% camellia flowers, but camellias don't smell. Donno.
Ingredients
Camellia Japonica Flower Extract (82.82%), Pentylene Glycol,
Glycerin, Propanediol, Niacinamide, Water, Akebia Quinata Extract (Chocolate Vine), Panthenol,
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Caprylyl Glycol, Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate, Xanthan
Gum, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract, Betaine, Sorbitol, Adenosine,
Sorbitan Caprylate, Arginine, Opuntia Ficus-Indica Fruit Extract [Sicilian Prickly Pear], Centella
Asiatica Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract [Green Tea], Polygonum Cuspidatum Root
Extract [Japanese Knotweed], Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Trehalose, Hyaluronic Acid, Aloe
Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Levulinic Acid, Bioflavonoids, Brassica Oleracea
Italica (Broccoli) Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract,
Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Leaf Extract, Citrus Unshiu Peel Extract [Satsuma],
Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Skin Extract, Hizikia Fusiforme Extract [Hiziki], Pyrus Malus
(Apple) Fruit Extract, Silybum Marianum Extract [Milk Thistle], Vaccinium Angustifolium
(Blueberry) Fruit Extract, Yeast Beta-Glucan, Fragrance
Camellia Japonica Flower Extract
One
of the reasons I chose the Pink Toner over the Camellia Soombi Toner
from
the Hydration & Nutrition range (yellow bottle) was for the high
percentage of Camellia japonica flower extract (82.82%) compared to 76.36% Camellia japonica flower water in the yellow toner.
If my two line analysis of the antioxidant properties of Camellia seed oil didn't impress you, I found a paper on the antioxidant effect, here. Yeah science!
Niacinamide
Lightens hyperpigmentation and brightens skintone. The Camellia Soombi Toner doesn't contain niacinamide which was another reason to chose the Pink Soombi Toner. I have a few products with niacinamide (Missha FTE, Black Snails, Placenta 45) and they seem to be working well so I'm always happy to add more niacinamide to my routine!
Akebia Quinata Extract (Chocolate Vine)
Provides an an anti-ageing effect through anti-glycation (stops the breakdown of collagen).
Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract
Known for it's anti-inflammatory and brightening effect.
Adenosine
Promotes the production of collagen.
Antioxidants
This Toner is packed FULL of anti-oxidant plant extracts. I ran them through Beautypedia because I don't speak plant and was impressed to find they all had a 'best' or 'good' rating, except for your 'average' rosemary and satsuma.
Hydrating Ingredients
[Listed in blue:] Glycerin, panthenol, sorbitol, hyaluronic acid (humectants), trehalose and Aloe barbadensis leaf extract (water-binding ingredients). Humectants draw water to the skin to give effective surface hydration.
I don't give ratings to products, but this one deserves a 0/10 for its ingredients! ♡
Results
The Toner leaves my skin feeling hydrated and luminous but as a standalone product I don't think it's made a noticeable difference in lightening my PIH.
Overall Impressions
All in all I'm very happy with these products. When you wake up, wash your face and look like you've applied make-up, you know something is working right!
Where to Buy
I bought my goodies directly from Blossom Jeju, linked below:
