COSRX Galactomyces 95 Tone Balancing Essence - 100 ml

I have been using SK-II treatment essence for over a decade and i was so happy when i heard this may be a dupe. All the money i can save if this is true. I used up 3/4 of this cosrx to give it a fair chance and i am sorry but this is NOT a dupe whatsoever. First the texture is a lot more viscous like a serum whereas SK-II is liquidy like a toner, though it shouldn't be used as a toner, as a lot of people mistakenly do. So i am not fond of the texture but since it is still cold weather here, that's ok for me. It unfortunately didnt do much for me at all. I didn't see any improvements on pores, hyperpigmentation or redness. I really was very disappointed. With SK-II, i saw big help with all the three concerns especially pores and hyperpigmentation. Its expensive so ... MoreI have been using SK-II treatment essence for over a decade and i was so happy when i heard this may be a dupe. All the money i can save if this is true. I used up 3/4 of this cosrx to give it a fair chance and i am sorry but this is NOT a dupe whatsoever. First the texture is a lot more viscous like a serum whereas SK-II is liquidy like a toner, though it shouldn't be used as a toner, as a lot of people mistakenly do. So i am not fond of the texture but since it is still cold weather here, that's ok for me. It unfortunately didnt do much for me at all. I didn't see any improvements on pores, hyperpigmentation or redness. I really was very disappointed. With SK-II, i saw big help with all the three concerns especially pores and hyperpigmentation. Its expensive so the past year i only use it when my sensitive skin acts up and needs calming. It really helps restore balance for me. I was skeptical but hopeful. Unfortunately this is a big no for me. It's just a regular galactomyces serum. Yes Pitera is a also a yeast (galactomyces) but its a trademarked secret. They tested i think over 350 strains of this yeast until they formulated their own combination. So it's a bold thing when people i see online say oh this product has 5% more galactomyces (90%vs.95%) when you are most definetely NOT comparing same species of the same genus. As a serum, it is also just ok. Great ingredients but results not much compared to a lot of the other serums out there in the same price range. Cosrx is a mix feeling territory for me. Too many of their products perform below my expectations for this much hype.

Caused breakouts

I decided to try this essence as I was searching for less pricey alternatives to Manyo Factory's Galac Niacin 2.0 Essence. This essence is only a few dollars less than Manyo's, but comes with twice as much product. Since Manyo's essence had worked so well for my skin, I hadn't expected to run into any issues with this essence, since many of the ingredients are similar. However, after the first week or so of using this, I noticed whiteheads and a few painful cysts popping up. I struggle with hormonal acne and have super sensitive skin, so can never be immediately sure whether it's a product or just my skin. I continued usage for about another week before finally pausing for about two weeks, during which my skin began to clear up. I then tried to incorporate this ... MoreI decided to try this essence as I was searching for less pricey alternatives to Manyo Factory's Galac Niacin 2.0 Essence. This essence is only a few dollars less than Manyo's, but comes with twice as much product. Since Manyo's essence had worked so well for my skin, I hadn't expected to run into any issues with this essence, since many of the ingredients are similar. However, after the first week or so of using this, I noticed whiteheads and a few painful cysts popping up. I struggle with hormonal acne and have super sensitive skin, so can never be immediately sure whether it's a product or just my skin. I continued usage for about another week before finally pausing for about two weeks, during which my skin began to clear up. I then tried to incorporate this essence into my routine again this past week, and am already noticing whiteheads and cysts reappearing, so am stopping right away.I'm still not quite sure why this one didn't work out for me, but I'm still looking forward to try other products from Cosrx!

Excellent for very dehydrated sensitive skin that does not tolerate hyaluronic acid well.

So my skin is very dehydrated and i do not tolerate hyaluronic acid well but I heard galactomyces could be as a replacement. At first I was not impressed and it seemed to not work. But when I paired it with Dear, Klairs, Daily Skin Softening Water, 16.9 fl oz (500 ml) it really started shining. So apparently the AHA-s in Dear, Klairs, Daily Skin Softening Water work really well toghether with galactomyces to keep skin hydrated.At first I would layer galactomyces 3 times and use 3 pumps each time after 3 to 4 layers Dear, Klairs, Daily Skin Softening Water. Very annoying I know but if you have very dehydrated skin like me you know the struggle. But very quickly i needed to do less and less layers and now I use 2 layers of Dear, Klairs, Daily Skin Softening Water and ... MoreSo my skin is very dehydrated and i do not tolerate hyaluronic acid well but I heard galactomyces could be as a replacement. At first I was not impressed and it seemed to not work. But when I paired it with Dear, Klairs, Daily Skin Softening Water, 16.9 fl oz (500 ml) it really started shining. So apparently the AHA-s in Dear, Klairs, Daily Skin Softening Water work really well toghether with galactomyces to keep skin hydrated.At first I would layer galactomyces 3 times and use 3 pumps each time after 3 to 4 layers Dear, Klairs, Daily Skin Softening Water. Very annoying I know but if you have very dehydrated skin like me you know the struggle. But very quickly i needed to do less and less layers and now I use 2 layers of Dear, Klairs, Daily Skin Softening Water and 1 layer of 2 pumps galactomyces.I use it every morning and my skin is also much smoother. No irritation around the eyes. Now my skin is also very well hydrated.It might be the best combo for dehydrated skin. Recommend them both together.

Excellent!

i learnt from other channels that it is a replacement of a similar product of an expensive Japanese brand. the price of this one is only 1/5 of the expensive brand. At the time i found this product on iHerbs it was out of stock so i waited for about 2 weeks for it to back to stock.I have been using it for 3 weeks before i give this review. First, it has a pump so it is easy to get the right amount you want. Second, the size is 100ml, not too big to carry while traveling and can last a very long time. Third, it does not have any scent which l like. To sum up, it is gentle on my skin and not irritating. i used it twice a day. i did see that it makes my skin softer and smoother (during the past 3 weeks i kept on using other skin care products as usual and only added ... Morei learnt from other channels that it is a replacement of a similar product of an expensive Japanese brand. the price of this one is only 1/5 of the expensive brand. At the time i found this product on iHerbs it was out of stock so i waited for about 2 weeks for it to back to stock.I have been using it for 3 weeks before i give this review. First, it has a pump so it is easy to get the right amount you want. Second, the size is 100ml, not too big to carry while traveling and can last a very long time. Third, it does not have any scent which l like. To sum up, it is gentle on my skin and not irritating. i used it twice a day. i did see that it makes my skin softer and smoother (during the past 3 weeks i kept on using other skin care products as usual and only added this essence to my skin care routine so any improvement shown on my skin should be purely the results of this essence). Am waiting to see other effects like fairer complexion, lighter pigmentation and alike.

Helped clear my skin

I am turning 38 this year. I would have break outs/blemishes that turned dark. It took only a few weeks to notice that my skin was clearing up. I only use 5 steps in my daily am/pm routine now. This is my staple toner/essence after using a gentle cleanser. 2 pumps and it would cover my face and neck. Then vitamin E cream after essence is somewhat absorbed followed by vitamin C serum. I always put on tinted sun block (spf 30-50) in the morning and sunblock at night before going to bed.I have clear skin now. I think this product was a game changer for me as I was using everything else before with Dermalogica retinol oil for my breakouts but I don't breakout anymore only occasional hormonal breakouts not severe like before.I wanted to purchase SK-ii but it was so ... MoreI am turning 38 this year. I would have break outs/blemishes that turned dark. It took only a few weeks to notice that my skin was clearing up. I only use 5 steps in my daily am/pm routine now. This is my staple toner/essence after using a gentle cleanser. 2 pumps and it would cover my face and neck. Then vitamin E cream after essence is somewhat absorbed followed by vitamin C serum. I always put on tinted sun block (spf 30-50) in the morning and sunblock at night before going to bed.I have clear skin now. I think this product was a game changer for me as I was using everything else before with Dermalogica retinol oil for my breakouts but I don't breakout anymore only occasional hormonal breakouts not severe like before.I wanted to purchase SK-ii but it was so expensive so I bought this product to test out fermented product on my skin for a fraction of the cost. I'm just now almost done with my first bottle and it lasted me 5 months of using it twice a day. I am ecstatic that it turned out well for me and I will definitely buy this product over and over again and hope that Cosrx doesn't discontinue this wonderful product.

Holy grail

Well since this is my second bottle, I figured I might as well write something nice about it. This is basically my holy grail product that I will order once I run low on a bottle. It softened and improved the brightness of my skin so much that even if I go without 8 hours of sleep, my skin still looks great, soft, supple, not dull at all. It did fade a little bit of my hyperpigmentation/age spots, but only after long term (I'm talking months) of use. Even then, the hyperpigmentation/sun spots haven't gone away. They're just fainter. Overall, I love it. I have sensitive skin so when I find something that works, I hold onto it for dear life. This works for me. It doesn't have a smell, doesn't give me a rash, doesn't make my skin oily, and doesn't break me out. My only ... MoreWell since this is my second bottle, I figured I might as well write something nice about it. This is basically my holy grail product that I will order once I run low on a bottle. It softened and improved the brightness of my skin so much that even if I go without 8 hours of sleep, my skin still looks great, soft, supple, not dull at all. It did fade a little bit of my hyperpigmentation/age spots, but only after long term (I'm talking months) of use. Even then, the hyperpigmentation/sun spots haven't gone away. They're just fainter. Overall, I love it. I have sensitive skin so when I find something that works, I hold onto it for dear life. This works for me. It doesn't have a smell, doesn't give me a rash, doesn't make my skin oily, and doesn't break me out. My only semi complaint is that it's kind of sticky but I usually apply it at night and then moisturize on top. In the morning, everything is fine.

The love of my life

I think this is the product I rebought most in my life. I have very sensitive skin, acne and rosacea, so it's so hard to find a product that actually works for me and doesn't make things worse. Even the ones that are supposed to work for me don't always do that and the more product with long ingredients list I use, usually things are just worse then. So for a long time this was a staple of my routine, especially during summer when I only want a light essence on my face. I think it makes my skin brighter and it just glows when I use it consistently. I don't know if the ferment is doing anything to prevent aging, but my skin on my face doesn't agree with retinol, so this is my second best bet. I stopped using it for a while, because I got a product from a local store ... MoreI think this is the product I rebought most in my life. I have very sensitive skin, acne and rosacea, so it's so hard to find a product that actually works for me and doesn't make things worse. Even the ones that are supposed to work for me don't always do that and the more product with long ingredients list I use, usually things are just worse then. So for a long time this was a staple of my routine, especially during summer when I only want a light essence on my face. I think it makes my skin brighter and it just glows when I use it consistently. I don't know if the ferment is doing anything to prevent aging, but my skin on my face doesn't agree with retinol, so this is my second best bet. I stopped using it for a while, because I got a product from a local store and I don't want to use both of them at the same time, but I might go back to this, I always miss it lol