Benton has been a pretty hyped up brand in
the Korean-skincare blogosphere this last year, and finally after months of
testing and deliberating I can finally present this review. Seriously, it took
me five months. It took me so long that Benton have already released a whole
new range of products to their line! Before
I go into the individual reviews, so I don't repeat myself too much, I
just wanted to note some key ingredients that are present in all these
products, unless otherwise stated of course:
Aloe Leaf Water
Instead of purified water Benton have used
aloe leaf water instead. Aloe is an anti-inflammatory and is great for soothing
and treating damaged and acne prone skin. It’s very hydrating, and contains
natural anti-aging properties to help delay fine lines and wrinkles.
Snail Secretion Filtrate
Researches have found that, structurally,
snail skin is very similar to human skin, and contains compounds
(glyconconjugates) which are packed with proteins, peptides, anti-oxidants and
anti-inflammatories to help repair damaged skin. Some of these properties
include: Allantoin, which stimulates cell regeneration,
sooth irritated skin and moisturises. Collagen and Elastin, which gives the skin 'bounce'. Loss of
collagen means a reduction in moisture and elasticity, which basically means
'hello wrinkles'. Collagen production slows down a lot faster in women than
men, and this is another factor as to why we age faster than they do (damn
them).
*None of these products contain parabens,
alcohol or artificial fragrances or colourings, and just like most South Korean
brands, Benton do not test on animals.
Aloe BHA Skin Toner
This is probably the nicest toner I have
ever used. But there's nothing 'toner'ish about it. It doesn't strip or tighten
the skin, its main purpose is to soothe and moisturise which is exactly what it
does. My skin feels so soft after using this. Aside from the two key
ingredients, aloe leaf water and snail secretion, this toner also has some
sasylic acid in it to help fight blemishes. I definitely noticed any spots I
had reduced greatly while using this toner. The only negative thing about
this is the 'spritz'. It’s more of a squirt than a spray, so I've resolved to
use the palms of my hands to pat this on my face.
Snail Bee High Content Essence
This essence can be used after the BHA
toner, or in place of it. It comes out as a gel, and absorbs into the skin
almost instantly. It's not very moisturising, as the packaging suggests, but it
makes the skin feel super soft and supple. This essence contains a more concentrated form of snail secretion to help fight acne and aging
as well. I don’t know about the aging part, but I feel my skin has a lot more
elasticity or ‘bounce’ after I use this.
Aloe Propolis Soothing Gel
This is the third step in the benton range
and look, it's another gel! This one can be used as a moisturiser, and it
definitely lives up to its claims for providing sufficient moisture. I actually
found this gel too moisturising for my face, and ended up using it to soothe my
sensitive legs after shaving, so I guess you could say it's a multi-purpose
product.
Snail Bee High Content Steam Cream
Finally we've come to the final product
and it's a steam cream! I've never tried a steam cream before, and for anyone
who doesn't know, don't expect a dramatic poof of steam when you first open it,
it's just the process in which the formula is emulsified. The cream itself
looks quite light and watery but it's extremely moisturising, and can feel
somewhat thick and sticky on the skin for a while afterwards. Oily skin, steer
clear! This is a moisturiser for dryer skin types. I had a lot of problems with
this cream in summer when my skin was oozing gallons of oil every minute, it
was just too heavy and I suffered a lot of breakouts, but in the cooler seasons
(when my skin can get quite dry) this works amazingly! Not only does it keep
the dryness away but it also fights acne and makes my skin feel incredibly soft
and bouncy. However, the heavy after feeling may be a drawback for some
people. Another problem I found, just like the toner, is the packaging.
I've found the bottom of my tub has shattered. It hasn't broken apart yet, but
I have to be extremely careful with how I handle it. Has anyone else had this
problem? I guess it doesn’t really matter anymore because Benton have already
fixed the problem by switching the tub for a tube, which I prefer in my
opinion, it's a lot more hygienic.
For someone who cares a lot about
aesthetics, I love the minimalist design and even though the bottles are
plastic they do look very sophisticated. The pump bottles are very handy,
hygienic and disperse the perfect amount of product, minus the toner, which
just seems to go everywhere. I really enjoyed this range, there was a little
bit of disappointment with the Aloe Gel & Steam Cream but overall I had
really good results, but it definitely took a while for me to see the benefits.
So if you are thinking of purchasing these products, don’t expect to see life
changing results overnight.
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