SK-II Stempower Essence Review - Two Months Impression

On my return to Australia, I purchased a bottle of the SK-II Stempower Essence from Pudong International Airport, Shanghai. I paid RMB829 for a 30ml bottle, which is equivalent to roughly AUD$150.

I have been a loyal fan of SK-II for over 3 years now, ever since my first bottle of the famous Facial Treatment Essence. The Facial Treatment Essence and the Cellunimation Essence have been my all-time favourites and staples in my daily skincare routine. Therefore I have no hesitation to try the stempower essence.

Here is a little description of the essence from the SK-II Singapore website:

"New SK-II Stempower Essence contains the new ingredient Stem-Acanax-ES, which boosts your inner resilience to give you poreless bouncy skin."

This essence is relatively new and only being officially launched in Singapore around mid-year this year I believe. Hence, there are still limited information on the web so far.  

Package

The essence is housed in the signature SK-II red glass bottle, with a plastic dropper, just like the Cellumination essence. This is super hygienic and prevents bacteria from our hands getting into the product. The dropper also controls how much product that gets dispensed, thus, not wasting any product (as it's really expensive!).

The glass bottle is sturdy and heavy, and will not be travel-friendly.

Texture

It's a semi-transparent gel-liquid consistency with no visible shimmer. The consistency is thicker than the Cellumination essence, but is still very runny. 

The product is extremely easy to spread and blend on the skin. One to one and a half drop is enough for the whole face. The product is so smooth (almost slippery) and spreadable that you can massage your face while applying the essence.

When first applied, your skin feels quite tacky. If you then gently pat your face for a minute or two, the product will be fully absorbed and leave your face feeling moisturised with a little bit of sheen.

My skin is combination - normal cheeks and oily t-zone. This essence is not heavy on my skin. Applying this alone after Facial Treatment Essence provides adequate moisturisation for the night. If you have drier skin, it is best to follow with a cream or lotion to lock in the moisture. 

Effects so-far

As I stated earlier, my skin is combination with oily t-zone. I don't really have serious acne  pigmentation or any visible wrinkles for now. My main concerns are dullness on the face, pores on my nose and black/whiteheads. 

I use the stempower essence every alternating night and I don't apply this in the morning as I think it will be too heavy under my makeup for my combination skin. 

This essence, in my opinion, is not a miracle-worker which is what I expect. I have only used this for two months in alternating nights and hence have not seen full or visible results to-date. I believe for any skincare product, a three-month period with daily application is required for a product to show any visible results, and therefore I do not consider the fact that I have not seen drastic results as a con for this essence. 

However, after my two-months experience, my impressions of this product are:

- the texture is very nice and elegant;
- it plumps up the skin slightly after application;
- it provides adequate moisture for my combination skin;
- it leaves the skin feeling soft and smooth after application;
- it leaves a healthy sheen on the skin after application;

- it doesn't break me out.


I hope to finish my 30ml bottle and write an updated review to discuss whether the stempower essence lives up to its claim of 'poreless bouncy skin' and it's price-wise justified.

Skincare Routine that Keeps you Blackheads Free

I guess many ladies out there are like myself, who have a constant battle with unsightly blackheads on the face. I have combination skin - normal on cheeks and slightly oily on my T-zone, and I suffer from blackheads on my nose and milias on the side of my nose quite significantly. 

Ever since my teenage years, I have always been on the search for a miracle product that will clear my blackheads and milias away. But the truth is, there is no miracle here. No single product/method will get rid of those nasty little heads completely and forever. However, over the recent years, I have found a combination of products/techniques that have kept my blackheads and milias at bay. So I would like to share the products/techniques that work for me today.

Cleansing

Keeping your face as clean as possible is the no.1 step when you want no blackheads. No product will work when it is applied to a dirty face full of makeup and sebum! Therefore, cleansing your face by using a makeup remover for your face and eye makeups, then followed by a gentle facial cleanser is a crucial step. 

Please do not use all-in-one facial cleanser that claims to remove your makeup on a day-to-day basis. Those cleansers are for particular occasions when you don't have access to your makeup remover, such as when you are travelling or staying over at someone's place.

If your budget allows, a Clarisonic is highly recommended.

Based on my personal experience, using a Clarisonic is more effective than using your hands when it comes to cleaning your face and reducing the amount of blackheads you get. A full sized Clarisonic is quite expensive (I have the pro-version which I bought for about AUD$299), however, a Clarisonic Mia is more affordable and the price is more reasonable (AUD$99). I use the sensitive head brush and cleanse my face with it on almost a nightly basis. I pair a gentle gel facial cleanser (Paula's Choice Hydralight One Step Cleanser) with the Clarisonic after I completely remove my makeup. By using the Clarisonic, it ensures that my face is as clean and makeup-free as possible before I apply my skincare goodies.

Exfoliants

The next product that I find particularly helpful to tackling blackheads and milias is exfoliants - AHAs and BHAs. If you are unsure of what they are, please check out Paula's Choice website which has a good amount of information of what they are and how they work. Please Click Here to go to the site.

I use BHA or Salicylic Acid on most nights of the week and AHA or glycolic acid once or twice a week (Paula's Choice 2% BHA liquid and 10% AHA treatment). Using a BHA product on a regular basis can exfoliate the dead skin cells on the surface of the skin as well as inside the pores, thus assists in cell-turnover and reducing the amount of blackheads/whiteheads you get. The thing that I love most about a combination of BHA and AHA usage on a regular basis is that it helps to clear a significant amount of whiteheads and milias on my face and prevent me getting new ones.

B.liv Off with those Heads

The Off with those Heads by B.liv is fantastic product. It claims to remove blackheads and whiteheads, unclog pores and provide gentle exfoliation. 

This is one of the products that I swear by when it comes to blackheads. While the Clarisonic and the BHA/AHA help to cleanse, exfoliate the skin and reduce the amount of blackheads you get considerably, Off with those Heads is the only product I try that actually softens the blackheads, which in turn makes the extraction process much easier. After using it for over 2 weeks, I notice that my blackheads were softened a lot, and some even turned into a liquid-sebum form when I squeezed my nose a little. This makes my life a lot more easier when I use the blemish extractor to remove my blackheads as the gunk inside the pores are softened, so I only need to place my extractor over the blackhead and press very gently and the blackhead will come out effortlessly. 

Blemish Extractor

When it comes to removing blackheads, the only effective way I find is physical extractor - that is using either a blemish extractor or some sort of pore strips. I don't recommend using pore strips as it tears the skin and can leave glue residue when not cleaned property. The pore strips can also miss some of the smaller blackheads or head-to-reach corners of the nose. Therefore, I recommend using the blemish extractor. 

However, don't go crazy and use the extractor everyday. If you cleanse your face property, use a BHA/AHA exfoliant and the B.liv product, you only need to extract your blackheads once in 2 weeks or even a month  or longer depending on your skin type. It is also very important to apply gentle pressure when extracting and if the blackhead doesn't come out in 2 tries, then leave it be there. Keep trying will only damage the skin and can lead to scarring. If you have a pinkish-red mark after you extract with the blemish extractor, then you know you press too hard. Also steaming your face with a bowl of hot water and large towel covering your head for a few minutes will help the extraction process to be easier.

Clay Masks

Finally clay masks. Incorporate clay masks into your skincare routine by doing it once a week or every 2 weeks. It is a nice little add-on to ensure the dirts and excessive sebum are removed.

Last but not least provide your face with adequate moisturisation. Your face will be dry from all the cleansing and exfoliating, so it is essential to introduce moisture back to your skin again.

By using the products/techniques mentioned above in combination, I have significantly less blackheads/whiteheads/milias and have much clearer skin.