When my journey with skincare has started essences were hard to find. None of the brands besides Korean brands had a product like this. Sioris My First Essener is a product that can be your first essence in your skincare routine or a first sustainable product that will improve your routine and beauty stash.
I knew about Sioris before because once this brand started to show up in media they had an amazing aesthetic. I'm not surprised why Sioris is available at Bemused Korea since it fits the BMK Team's vision - an eco-friendly product made out of good ingredients with positive meaning for the skin. And yes, this post is made out in collaboration with Be Mused Korea, but as always I share with you my honest opinion. I've never had a bad experience with products from this online shop since the BMK Team tests products for at least two months. I respect that a lot since our skin has something called "Skin-turn over cycle".
The skin-turn over cycle takes on average 28 days and with age, it goes slower, it's a time in which new skin cell is brought to the deeper layers of the skin and transform until it gets to the surface of the skin and then dies. It's the simplest way you can think about this process without all the keratinocytes and corneocytes terms (aka professional terms). That's why I believe the BMK Team does a great job - I started to test products for more than a month until I share the review. I do share posts quicker sometimes like with Some By Mi first impression posts or if the products don't work for me (sometimes like Belif Cleansing Oil I do not publish posts about them or I share reviews of them on Picky).
Anyway, have you ever wondered what sustainability means and why so many brands use this term? I'm a multilingual person, and still, I had lots of issues with translating sustainability even at my regular work. A few months ago I worked with a translator who literally sent me an email telling me "I'm a translator, not a marketer, translate your eco-friendly stuff yourself". The thing is that I myself don't feel like a marketer since when I work on projects, I mostly use my knowledge from medical school and university as well as research papers, I'm not good at creating slogans or at least I'm not feeling like I can create ones. My degree helps me a lot in translating some terms. I always believed that sustainability means "well-balanced" or "equal" and yes, if you check the translation of sustainability, you can usually see well-balanced as a result of sustainability in other languages, but somehow in Polish, you can see that on Wikipedia it means "chances of survival". It's not a new term but I feel like when I read about sustainability in Polish, I understand less about this topic than when I read about it in other languages.
I grew up in a very green place, my school was almost in the middle of the forest and ecology was one of the most important things which we had to learn about, then I went to middle school where ecology was one of the classes and then I switched to language class at different school due to bullying. Still, even at new school and then high school, we had to learn a lot about gardening and stuff. I'm not kidding, I even got a technical degree in landscape architecture. Still, I believe that I learned more about ecological solutions that I can use in garden planning from Ikea than any school I went to. Thankfully, cosmetic chemistry at my university taught me more about packaging and formulas than any other place, still, I believe I got more to learn about. I might not be the best person to tell you about sustainability and why you should try Sioris in terms of ecology, but I still hope this review can be helpful for some.
About Sioris
Sioris is not the newest brand on the market, it already gained popularity all around the world. The brand creates formulas from natural ingredients, what matters for Sioris is creating no harm for skin and nature. The brand likes to use seasonal ingredients. All the products from Sioris are Vegan-friendly and they usually come in eco-friendly packaging (tiny note, if you buy from big stores - not every big store has changed the way of preparing orders for shipping to be more sustainable).
The name Sioris is a combination of words simple and original. The brand's slogan is "the simple way to harness the freshness of nature". I find it surprising how well Sioris deal with distribution since the brand doesn't distribute products older than one year to make sure that every client will get the freshest product available. It's important when your products have fewer preservatives and ingredients that make formulas stay fresh longer. Eco-friendly preservatives exist, I wasn't able to check all Sioris formulas, but even Citric Acid or Butylene Glycol - it's a nice moisturizer and solvent, but it works as a preservative if you use it in the right concentration.
What is an Essener?
The name Essener stand for Essence and Toner. Both toner and essence are products that can help with your skin moisture. Back in the day, we used toner to balance the skin while now many cleansers have pH 5.5 aka the best pH for the skin since the skin has similar pH. In my case, when I use cleansers with a pH over 6, I usually can spot more acne. Toners now are not a thing that has to be in your routine, same with essences, but I still enjoy having them in my routine. Essences can be hydrating, but usually, they are liquid but well-concentrated solutions to boost your routine. Sioris created Essener which allows you to skip one of your routine steps - you got one product that is the equivalent of two products - a toner and essence.
Sioris My First Essener - Packaging
The bottle of Sioris My First Essener came to me in a paper box. Both paper box and glass bottle fit Sioris' aesthetics. The label on the packaging can be removed with water - it dissolves in water, the bottle can be recycled.
Sioris My First Essener - Texture & Scent
I'm surprised since Sioris My First Essener is thicker than I expected it to be. It's not as liquid as toner, but it reminds me of Korean toners - the thick ones which I find the most moisturizing for my skin. The scent is natural, I can smell some tea and rose, still, the scent is very subtle.
Sioris My First Essener - Ingredients
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Water, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Betaine, Polyglutamic Acid, Artemisia Princeps Leaf Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid, Sclerotium Gum, Citric Acid
Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extract is an antioxidant with enormous popularity and use. You can use it as a moisturizer for both dry and oily skin or as an acne treatment due to its antibacterial properties. Maybe you fight with wrinkles, and you need support? It's an antioxidant, and it can repair your skin after the damage made by UV light (since UVA is helping your skin in aging) and free radicals. Even sensitive skin is a fan of this soothing humectant. Water hides in a cosmetic product under names such as Aqua or Eau. It's a solvent, but it's not your regular drinking water. If we want to use water in skincare products, we need to make sure this water is clean and free from minerals, any microorganisms or other substances. Usually, water makes up the majority of the content of the product. Glycerin or Glycerol is a humectant. Its origin can be natural or synthetic - depending on the product. It protects TEWL (transepidermal water loss) and naturally occurs in the skin. It's one of the NMFs - natural moisturizing factors. It's practical in haircare. Glycerin won't clog your skin or irritate it just the opposite - it protects your skin from irritation. Pentylene Glycol is a humectant with antimicrobial properties. Butylene Glycol is a common ingredient in products. It's not only a solvent. We use butylene glycol because it helps with the penetration of active ingredients, protects products from drying and moisturizes skin and hair. This ingredient can prevent hair loss and make your hair stronger. Rosa Damascena Flower Water is a hydrosol derived from a hybrid rose - it's a combination of rosa gallica, rosa moschata and probably rosa fedtschenkoan. It has calming properties. Rosa Damascena Flower Water can be used for sensitive skin. Betaine is an amino acid. In skincare products, we use it for its moisturizing properties. Betaine keeps the water balance of the skin. It e wrinkles appear less visible, and it soothes irritated skin. In haircare, betaine doesn't only moisturize the hair. It makes hair soft and shiny. Betaine in cosmetics usually comes from sweet beetroots. It naturally occurs in skin and hair. Polyglutamic Acid is a big moisturizing molecule.
Artemisia Princeps Leaf Extract should be quite known to you if you are following K-beauty skincare trends. In 2019 we had a massive number of new products inspired by Mugwort. Artemisia comes in many different forms. Artemisia Princeps is called Japanese Mugwort, but also Korean Mugwort. For me, this ingredient will always remind me of Korea because of "The Legend Of Dangun”. Artemisia has wide use in culinary, but does Artemisia work for the skin? We still have a lot to learn about Mugwort, we need more research to find out if Artemisia has a positive or negative meaning to the skin. It is told that it can be moisturizing, good for acne-prone skin but most sensitive skin. Sodium Hyaluronate is a salt form of a popular Natural Moisturizing Factor - Hyaluronic Acid. Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid is a low weight humectant. It's a form of natural moisturizing factor that occurs in our skin - Hyaluronic Acid. The smaller the molecule is, the better it works. Hyaluronic Acid is an ingredient that everyone knows, and lately, European brands seem to be obsessed with it. Hyaluronic Acid is an ingredient that naturally occurs in our skin, and people usually think it's a wonderful moisturizer - the answer to dry skin. We have to remember that HA in skincare comes in a few different forms - a low molecule or high molecule, the smaller the molecule is, the easier is the penetration of the product. Usually, low molecule HA costs more, and you can barely even see the product with HA and information on the molecular weight of the Hyaluronic Acid. Some people might get reactions to HA - my skin gets dehydrated when I use HA serums, sometimes I have to deal with redness or even acne after using HA serums, but acne, redness, skin sensitivity, and other reactions to the skin are personal. One product can work for you, but it won't work for your friend - same with ingredients. Sclerotium Gum is a thickener. Citric acid is an AHA (alpha hydroxy acid). It's a delicate exfoliant and a buffering ingredient - it adjusts the pH of the formula.
How does Sioris My First Essener work?
Before I share with you my experience, we have to talk a bit about the formula. Sioris keeps working on the products, that's why the brand has improved the formula of Sioris My First Essener - right now the new formula has 42% of organic green tea leaves (389 leaves) and 1% of artemisia extract (mugwort extract). Sioris added Xanthan Gum to stabilize the formula. It's good to add that green tea leaves are certified. The leaves are extracted at low temperatures to provide the most benefits you can get from fresh leaves of green tea. The Polyglutamic Acid in this formula is derived from soybeans.
Sioris My First Essener is not my first product from Sioris, since I have a mini version of the rose mist. I was surprised with how aesthetically pleasing this brand is but at the same how interesting can be a formula made out of 14 ingredients. I can even add, very simple ingredients, but sometimes simple solutions are the best and there are few brands that prove that. One of these brands is Sioris. The texture is not very bubbly until you shake it. It's a thick toner & essence mix with one big moisturizing molecule to help your skin gain moisture and balance. My skin type is a combo skin type but during the winter it gets a bit dehydrated and easily irritated - it's nothing weird since during winter we usually use heating and the whole change of the season can end up with some dehydration (on the other hand, during summertime skin has fewer problems with acne due to temperature). By the way, do you know that even JYP recommended Sioris My First Essener?
My routine with Sioris My First Essener looks simple - I got for cleansing then Sioris My First Essener. Depends if it's morning or evening, in the morning I follow with a serum, eye cream, moisturizer and sunscreen. During the evening routine - sometimes I use acid solution next or serum, eye cream and moisturizer. I do skip toner when I use Sioris My First Essener because I don't feel like my skin at the moment needs more moisture. I do sometimes use Squalane Oil in my routine since my skin enjoys it and it's easier to massage your skin with this oil. The glass bottle is one of the reasons why I enjoy this product, it has a tiny element that helps with the application of the product. It's not the easiest thing to apply this product on your hand since the formula is thick, but still, I feel like Sioris My First Essener is a good fit in my routine and if you don't like routine with many steps or you are similar to me - my evening routine starts at 4 am while morning one 8 am or even 12 pm or 3 pm (yes, my sleeping schedule is a mess). It's been like 3 or 4 months and I'm not even in the middle of the bottle - I'm surprised how a small amount of this formula is enough to give your skin lots of moisture.
Sioris My First Essener can be used for toner masks. How to do a toner mask? Sadly, I couldn't find Rayon pads at Be Mused Korea, but many Korean brands sell pads that you can easily soak in toner or essence and shred into 4-5 pieces or they sell thin pads but the material is stronger than in regular cotton pads. Using these pads to soak in toner/essence and then leaving them for a few minutes on your skin is a solution that we call a "toner mask".
It's good to mention that when you buy Sioris My First Essener you're doing good things for the environment. For every sold bottle of Sioris My First Essener, Sioris donates 1,000KRW to the Forest Of Life which is 1/3 of the cost that is needed to plant one tree. Sioris also shares 1% of domestic sales to the Forest Of Life. I have to say, I appreciate Sioris for sharing the information about the pH of this product, Sioris My First Essener has a pH of 5.12.
Where to buy Sioris My First Essener?
I got Sioris My First Essener from Be Mused Korea, right now it costs right now $27.20 for 100ml, the regular cost is $32 for 100 ml. Thankfully, Be Mused Korea shared with me a special code that you can use to save 15% off on your order with code KHE15.
Overall, I feel like I might end up purchasing products from Sioris next time I'll need a moisturizer or other product in my rout1ine since my experience with the brand and My First Essener is better than I expected.
Have you ever tried Sioris?
*** This post was made in a collaboration with Be Mused Korea even though it still shows my personal, honest opinion on the topic and product. This post contains affiliate links. Affiliate links help me pay for domain and stuff related to blogging. ***
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