kombucha, tea, or me?
Foreword
As our treasure hunt for the best KBeauty products continues, I want to bring a new brand to your attention. Ladies and gentlemen, please meet T'else - a unique kombucha-enriched skincare line that will be the star of today's post.
Curious? Then please keep on scrolling
My Skin: dry, sensitive.
About the Products
As you guys know, kombucha is a fermented and often sweetened tea drink with a lot of health benefits. Regarding skincare, kombucha is believed to be more potent than Vitamin C and Vitamin E combined, which makes it a wonderful source of antioxidants. All of the T'else products contain between 60% to 74% kombucha derived from black tea that promises to clear pores, delay aging, and make your skin happier and glowier.
All of the products mentioned in this post are cruelty-free🐇 and vegan🌱
The Essence
T'else Kombucha Teatox Essence (36 USD; Made in Korea) - is described as a hybrid between toner and essence that delivers instant hydration and boost of antioxidants beneficial for your skin's texture and appearance. It is also enriched with various molecular sizes of Hyaluronic Acid (to penetrate multiple skin layers) and Niacinamide (aka Vitamin B3 known for its soothing and brightening purposes).
This T'else product contains a generous amount of 150 ml/ 5 fl oz and comes in a beautiful glass bottle. The consistency is on a liquidy/watery side, so my recommendation would be to apply it with your hands vs. cotton rounds to avoid product waste. The Kombucha Teatox Essence has a barely noticeable, faint sweet tea scent which fully disappears once the liquid gets absorbed. Although slightly tinted (from the natural ingredients), it sets clear.
I love Korean toners. I see a big difference in my skin when I use them, as it becomes more supple, bouncy, and hydrated. The Kombucha Teatox Essence is one of the nicest formulations I got a chance to try thus far. My skin just drinks it up. Even on my most "irritated" days, this formula helps calm and soothe it. I love how other products layer on top of this essence and find that it keeps my skin well moisturized throughout the day. The formulation seems to be well-balanced and non-aggravating even for sensitive skin types. Can be used both during your AM or PM routines.
final thoughts
No matter what your skin type is, if you are looking for a toner that will help keep your complexion clear and hydrated, as well as create a nice occlusive layer for other skincare to go on top of, I think you will be quite happy with the Kombucha Teatox Essence. Particularly great for people that want to kiss dehydration goodbye. It is definitely in my top three at the moment and I give it A+.
The Ampoule
T'else Kombucha Teatox Ampoule (34 USD; Made in Korea) - is described as an ampoule serum that enhances skin radiance, evens out skin tone, and gently clears dead cells. Aside from Kombucha, Hyaluronic Acids, and Niacinamide other highlighted ingredients are Arginine (an amino acid that helps build protein) and Turmeric both of which should help strengthen skin elasticity and restore moisture. Overall, this formula offers a lot of anti-aging benefits.
The consistency of this serum is quite honey gel-like, yet without being sticky, gloppy, or thick. It glides on the skin with ease and leaves a dreamy glow behind. I must add that, similarly to the Kombucha Teatox Essence, this product too feels quite lightweight and has great absorbency.
The Kombucha Teatox Ampoule is 30 ml/ 1.1 fl oz of juicy nectar in a glass bottle. It layers well with other serums or can be used by itself. I find that it leaves a lovely glow behind and keeps skin feeling bouncy and well moisturized all day long. I like the fact that it contains Niacinamide because it helps improve the lipid barrier over time, hence your skin will retain more moisture as a result and become resilient to outside aggressors. And with Arginine as its sidekick, you really can't ask for more.
final thoughts
Although I can't yet vouch for the visible anti-aging benefits that this serum is promising to give over time, I will say that it restores the skin barrier, heals any ongoing scarring or blemishes, and helps fade spots or fresh post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. I am not sure how much time it would take to fade older spots, but it does help prevent the new ones from forming which is already a big relief. All in all, a wonderful formula that gets A.
The Cream
T'else Kombucha Teatox Cream (36 USD; Made in Korea) - is described as a dewy gel cream that provides deep moisture, firms skin, and boosts glow. Packed with beneficial antioxidants, it also contains Meadowfoam Seed Oil (antioxidants, moisture), Triple Hyaluronic Acids, and Niacinamide. You get 50 ml / 1.7 fl oz of product here.
Now, if you have dry skin and love potent cream formulations, you are going to fall for this one. Unlike most gel-moisturizes, this one is reasonably denser in consistency (not at all watery). I would place the Kombucha Teatox Cream in a league of rich creams if I am very honest. Because if rich gel-cream texture existed, this would be a perfect example of it.
Having said that, little goes a long way with this product. Being as dry as Sahara, I make sure to be mindful of how much I use, because it is easy to go overboard. The Kombucha Teatox Cream feels lightweight, glides on like a silky mousse, and keeps skin feeling nourished and protected. I use it as part of my AM skincare routine and it behaves quite well underneath sunscreen and makeup. Skin feels instantly supple and cared for. I have noticed a massive improvement in my texture, as I now have little to no dry patches and my skin is noticeably plump.
final thoughts
I missed not having this cream around when I was on vacation recently. As much as I love recyclable packaging, traveling with glass products can add extra weight to your luggage, so my Kombucha Teatox Cream stayed at home. When I returned, I could not be happier to have it back in my life. Skin got a bit worse without some of the actives that I typically use as part of my skincare regimen (Retinol, and Vitamin C to name a few). Generally speaking, having the whole T'else trio back helped heal irritations and calm down travel (plane, sun, new diet etc.) breakouts within a week.
Having said that, I think this cream is A+ amazing. Particularly for those of you with drier or dehydrated skin types. If you are combination/oily, I would suggest going for something lighter in consistency like 107 Every Day Plump Hydro Cream (reviewed here).
More online:
bemusedkorea.com (World)
PR samples; full disclaimer here