Your Opinion: The GLOSSiest Beauty Panel Reports - The Gloss Magazine

Your Opinion: The GLOSSiest Beauty Panel Reports

Our independent testers tried out Seoulista’s Fresh Skin Facial Mist and here’s their honest, unbiased feedback …

We sent out a beauty product to 50 of our independent beauty panellists: the Seoulista Fresh Skin Facial Mist (€14.95). There’s no sponsorship or marketing involved: here’s what they had to say …

THE PANEL The age of testers ranged from under 20 to over 70 years old, with the majority aged 30-50. The majority used the product daily for up to three weeks; most used it twice a day after cleansing, as per the bottle directions, while others used it additionally to “refresh” or “relax” skin during the day, or to refresh make-up. Most testers had used a facial mist before: 68 per cent of respondents. Previous brands tried include Avene Thermal Spring Water, Caudalie Beauty Elixir and Irish brand Pestle & Mortar.

THE BRAND SAYS Seoulista Beauty describe the Facial Mist as an innovative solution to daily mask wearing – a one-step treatment spray which hydrates and refreshes dry or irritated skin, even acne-prone. Ingredients include Centella Asiastica (Cica) and panthenol to help reduce inflammation, and antioxidants to help suppress bacteria.

WHAT THEY LOVED

Nearly all panellists enjoyed using the Mist in general, and common responses were: “It was very refreshing to use … I felt that it calmed blemishes on my cheeks in the morning.” “I used it morning and evening, I was very impressed with it. It was so hydrating and calming.” “It was a permanent fixture at my work from home desk.” “It was very easy to incorporate it into my daily moisturising routine as it absorbed straight away.”

The majority found it calming and soothing (51 per cent), good for “waking up” the face. “I used it twice a day for the past 17 days and it was quite a nice texture on my skin and was absorbed quite easily. It was quite soothing when I put it on …”. More than half of testers found it helped to calm or soothe their skin. “It was light on my face and moisturising. I used it in place of moisturiser a few nights and my skin was soft and bright the next day.” First-time mist user Sharon loved it: “I would absolutely recommend it – I had no expectations for this product as thought it was a gimmick, but now would not be without it. Can’t wait to be able to travel again as it will be amazing for dehydrated post-flight skin.”

None of the panellists experienced any irritation issues with the product, even those struggling with irritated, acne-prone or dry skin. Indeed, overall people with tricky skin seemed to get best results, which is what it’s designed for. “My skin is clear and hydrated after using this product for two weeks. I have sensitive skin and I had no negative reactions to it.” One panellist aged 20-30 with acne-prone skin found that “when using the mist my skin did not break out at all.” Only one tester stopped using it as their skin felt a bit dry after first use: “My skin is used to mainly organic products which might explain the slight blotchiness.” Emma, who has dehydrated skin and some signs of maskne, found it “impressive – hydrating and calming.” It converted a few first-time mist users: “Blemishes did calm after use … I hadn’t used a mist before and would buy again as it’s light and refreshing on my skin.”

Panellists also liked the cruelty-free aspect, the natural ingredients and the absence of added synthetic perfume. “My skin agreed with the product and it was pleasant to use.”

“I liked the fact that the mist felt refreshing when used in the morning after cleansing, and that my moisturiser glided on after use. I also liked the versatility of this product. I tried it in a number of different ways and it worked well with most of these; for example, I used it at night after cleansing, following the mist with Tan Luxe hyaluronic drops and it worked perfectly. I had been worried that mixing these products might have caused streaking but it didn’t. I particularly liked using the mist after cleansing, toning and moisturising in the evening (rather than after cleansing but before moisturiser), as I found my skin felt plumper in the morning after using it this way.”

Several testers used it after make-up which worked very well and was refreshing: “I loved using it after make-up as it gave my foundation a dewier appearance which I really like, particularly in spring/summer.” Amy says: “I really liked using it straight after applying my make-up, I looked up the website and it recommended using it after applying make-up to give it a nice sheen finish and it definitely worked. But it didn’t say anything about doing that on the packaging.” Another noted: “I enjoyed using it to feel refreshed or perk my make-up up. (It made my highlighter visible from outer space!”

“I thought it was the perfect size and would consider buying an extra one to have on the go in my handbag … It definitely made my skin feel plumper, softer and more hydrated … I also have quite sensitive skin and it definitely helped in calming it. I think it would make a lovely gift as well.” Several said they would keep a bottle in their bag or on their desk as a “pick me up”, and “in my onboard beauty bag whenever I fly again, as it is so hydrating and refreshing.”

NOT SO KEEN

The most common comment was that testers would prefer a natural scent of some kind, though they did appreciate the lack of (skin-drying) perfume in the formula. “Somehow the packaging leads the buyer to expect a fresh scent,” reported Jenny. The majority agreed that a discernible scent adds something – “I think it helps to create a ‘spa like’ home experience” said one – and that they would pay a bit more for one that featured a natural scent – Caudalie, with its natural fragrance, was a popular choice that several name-checked. “I didn’t really get any fragrance from the product when I sprayed it and I think even a slightly stronger fragrance would make a lovely addition. However, this was the only minor thing I could fault about the product and overall, I would definitely buy it again.”

Several testers felt that the spray came out too strongly for a facial mist, with one describing it like a “jet spray” and too powerful. The nozzle seems to be prone to blocking, which affects the force of the spray. “The spray-out could be finer, it’s a heavy burst that leaves the skin wet,” thought Jenny, and she was one of many. Spraying from further back worked for some.

“In order to get an even mist I had to hold the bottle at a bigger distance from my face, meaning a good portion of product was wasted on my hairline/clothes. I had better results when I just sprayed it into my hands and patted on like an essence, which made the mist function a bit redundant.”

“It comes out more like a spray than a mist which is not ideal when you are spraying anything near your eyes. I actually ended up spraying it onto my hands / cotton pads and then dabbing my face instead.”

“The distribution of the mist was quite concentrated, not like other mists so instead of simply spritzing, I sprayed and spread it with my fingertips over my face.”

Some felt their routines were full enough without an extra product: “I thought it was actually quite sticky on my face afterwards and it didn’t sink in seamlessly. I felt along with all the other products that I was using, it didn’t hold a place in my skincare routine.”

Several would consider using the mist to cool skin in the summer, though found further benefits were limited: “My skin is a little dry at the moment and the facial mist didn’t really do anything to help that.” Another tester: “I honestly didn’t feel I got any benefit from it, there was no noticeable difference to my skin texture.”

While several liked the convenient bottle size – “It would be ideal for throwing into a bag for the beach or travelling for quick light calming hydration on the go …” – a few noted that “it’s half the size of other mists I would regularly buy for about the same price.”

“I have enjoyed using other Seoulista products in the past, so I was excited when this facial mist arrived. … My skin agreed with the product and it was pleasant to use. I think I remember seeing glycerin was high up the ingredients list, which is nice (but Seoulista don’t seem to list the ingredients of their products online).” This panellist also prefers a bigger bottle and considers that others she has bought are better value for a similar effect.

WOULD THEY BUY IT?

The conclusion in numbers: more than 50 per cent of respondents found that the Seoulista Beauty Fresh Skin Facial Mist helped to calm or soothe their skin, with 36.6 per cent saying they didn’t notice a difference. The majority (78 per cent) thought it was good value at €14.95, while 58.5 per cent would buy it again. Only one tester actively disliked using the Mist and was disappointed in it overall.

In general, those with irritated skin saw the best results: Bridget says “I think it is very good value and would use it especially if my skin flares up.” Regina thought this would best suit someone with dry, sensitive or irritated skin since it was refreshing; Margaret agreed: “It was lovely and refreshing to use … I expect it might be of most use to people having problems with maskne.” Another tester with “itchy” skin found it calmed her skin after a week of using. Phil said: “It’s perfect as a cooling agent over make-up except I felt the nozzle was a little too generous compared to others I’ve tried. I loaned it to a friend as she was suffering a skin breakout and she loved it.”

“It’s an easy lightweight product to have in your bag and I would buy it again. I have already recommended it to a friend.”

“In my opinion this isn’t a beauty essential, but for the price range it is an extra treat that isn’t very expensive and very nice to use, especially when the weather is warmer as I found it very cooling.”

NEED TO KNOW

Shake well before use. Spray directly onto cleansed skin (before any other skincare). Hold at arms-length for a lighter spray. It’s vegan and cruelty-free, and the brand is created and tested by dermatologists.

Available from www.seoulistabeauty.com and from pharmacies nationwide, €14.95.

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