Disclaimer: These are PR products gifted from Purito, but all honest thoughts and opinions provided in this review are my own.
If you are familiar with the brands Cosrx & IUNIK, then you’ll be happy with the addition of PURITO, a relatively new skincare brand launched in 2013. They are reminsicent of the other two brands because their primary focus is all on the product itself – being pure and natural without harsh chemicals. They let the ingredients and formula do the talking rather than fancy packaging and hyped marketing.
I can really get behind Purito’s brand philosphy which is summed up by the following:
- Safe and natural ingredients – they keep to using skincare ingredients that are classified as ‘safe grade’ under the EWG standards.
- Minimal chemical ingredients – eliminating preservatives, parabens, phenoxyethanol etc. They have also excluded 26 known ingredients that cause allergies and 20 other ingredients of concern.
- Ethical – as Purito are focused on being a natural brand, they are against animal-testing and practice an eco-lifestyle which respects nature.
- Simplified packaging – made from recycled paper, the low-key packaging helps reduce unnecessary costs which means more investment and focus goes into high quality ingredients.
Purito All in One Mild Pad and Buffet Serum
There are currently 5 products in total from the Purito Centella Green Level Line which include:
- Calming Toner
- All in One Mild Pad
- Buffet Serum
- Recovery Cream
- Eye Cream
PURITO Centella Green Level All in One Mild Pad:
First up, the All in One Mild Pad. If you aren’t familiar with cleansing/toning exfoliating pads, these have been increasingly popular and popping up with different brands in the past couple years. The most popular ones include Neogen Bio Peel Pads, the Cosrx Pimple Pads and Missha’s Super Aqua Peeling Pads.
What is it for?
This is typically used as the first step of your skincare routine after you have finished washing your face. These are used to wipe away any remaining residue/makeup that has been missed from cleansing, to allow a clear, clean canvas for your subsequent skincare products to pentrate and work more effectively. They are also predominantly used to gently exfoliate away the build up of dead skin cells and are a combination of physical and chemical exfoliation (check out this post here for the difference between the two). The pads can also be used in place of/as a toner and provide hydrating and calming benefits.
In addition, Purito also state their pads can be used in a variety of other ways such as a treatment spot patch, skin massage, wounded feet area, acne on chest, cleaning armpits to remove odour and even for cleaning your phone screens!
Packaging:
Packaged in a recycled cardboard box & comes with plastic tweezers
The inside of the box has cute illustrations that show all the different ways you can use these pads
Has a seal under the lid to help protect the pads – I always put this back on to ensure the they stay moist for longer
You get 70 pads stored in a lightweight plastic tub with a screw top lip. I love that it comes with a pair of plastic tweezers to help pick up the product. No other pads I’ve tried have come with them but it makes hygienic sense as the pads are packed tightly together and if you use your hands you ultimately end up touching and contaminating the rest of them still in the container. I also leave the tweezers inside the tub when I’m not using so it doesn’t get misplaced or dirty when not in use.
When/how to use?
Textured, rougher side of the pad which aids exfoliation
Smooth side
You will notice the pads have two different sides to them. One side is more texutured and bumpy. I go in with this first because it provides a little gentle physical exfoliation and helps to remove excess oil, sebum and flaky skin. (Make sure to avoid the delicate mouth and eye area because those areas shouldn’t be exposed to any sort of exfoliation). Then I flip the pad over to the smooth side and wipe over my face again just to sweep away the remaining residue to keep my skin texture smooth, calm and moisturised.
The All in One Mild Pad can be used twice a day morning and evening. It’s really up to you how often and when you use it. Sometimes I use it in the morning instead of toner or sometimes just in the evening after I have finished cleansing but before I go in with a toner. If your skin is sensitive you may want to start out with once a day only as it contains BHA (chemical exfoliator), which can take a bit of time before your skin gets accustomed to it (you may experience a slight tingling the first few times you use it). These pads do not contain AHA (which increases skin’s photosensitivity), so they are ok to use in the daytime but I would still always recommend applying sunscreen daily, if not at the very least, after using chemical exfoliants.
Ingredients:
Ingredients
These pads have a fantastic ingredients list; the most notable ones being:
- Centella asiatica extract (10%) – aka tiger grass, this is an ingredient I love to see in Korean beauty products as it calms down inflamed, irritated skin, improves skin texture, stimulates collagen and reduces pigmentation.
- Madecassic acid – repairs damaged, tired skin and reduces pigmentation
- Asiaticoside – helps with the skin’s balance of oil and water and stimulates collagen production
- Asiatic acid – strengthens skin barrier, has antioxidant effects and calms sensitive skin
- Tea tree oil – calming for irritated, blemish prone skin
- Licorice – surpresses production of melanin pigment and reduces appearance of hyperpigmentation
- BHA – a chemical exfoliant that works on the surface of your skin and deep into your pores to provide clear, even and smooth skin. It is oil soluble which makes it great for oily skin types and works to dimish blemishes, spots, clogged pores and blackheads.
Thoughts:
Tweezers are helpful for picking up a pad from the tub and much more hygienic than fingers
I love these Purito pads and they are probably my favourite compared to Cosrx and Missha (although I do really like them too). What most of these pads have in common is that they are focused on chemical exfoliation with the inclusion of AHA and BHA. However Purito pads not only provide chemical and manual exfoliation but they also sport a very beneficial ingredients list which is better targeted for people who have blemish-prone skin to prevent and treat.
In my opinion, that is what makes it stand out from the crowd of other exfoliating pads. They all essentially work the same way and do the same thing, but if someone is having a lot of trouble with their skin and I had to recommend one, I’d definitely say Purito just because its like throwing every acne-fighting ingredient you can think of which probably makes it that much more effective.
Purito also differs slightly in that they don’t include AHA like other pads. This is because they believe BHA is sufficient enough to remove dead skin cells and AHA would increase the stimulus of the skin, thereby making it more vulnerable and sensitive to external stimuli/UV rays. This in turn causes other problems down the line like photosensitivity, premature skin ageing etc., if you don’t sufficiently protect your skin after using AHA.
I think this also makes it more consumer-friendly because the average person is not usually familiar with AHA and the effect it has on your skin and how it should be used. It can be quite intimidating, but I feel these pads are made with everyone in mind – you don’t need to be a skincare expert to be able to comfortably and safely use them daily.
Contains 70 moist pads
The pads aren’t drenched in liquid but they are pre-soaked enough to leave a layer of moisture on your skin
A used pad – you can see the remaining dirt and makeup residue leftover on my skin after cleansing, that it has managed to pick up
I have personally been using this for close to two months and I enjoy using them because they are gentle enough on the skin so I don’t feel any harsh abrasion and can use them daily without any sensitivty or negative reaction. My skin is prone to redness, but the textured side of the pad doesn’t irritate my skin, yet it does a good job of removing traces of dirt and dead skin cells leftover from cleansing. They have a natural, light herbal smell that isn’t overbearing at all and provides light hydration.
I don’t really suffer from acne so I can’t say how effective these pads are in reducing or dealing with spots but if you have sensitive skin and don’t like using normal manual exfoliators then this is worth giving a try. One thing I would have to say about these pads, is that they don’t make my skin feel as soft and smooth as some other exfoliators I like to use; then again no other exfoliating pads have either so it’s not specific to just Purito. If you’re looking for a good, thorough scrub of your dead skin cells and want immediate results of smoother and softer skin, then you can’t really beat products like sugar scrubs, enzyme powders or peeling gels. Then again, exfoliating pads are more about the gradual and gentle exfoliation process (rather than drastic results), and maintaining good skin day after day so I wouldn’t say it’s inferior to other types or products, it really just depends on what your skin prefers and needs.
Where to buy – purchase from the Purito Ebay Store here for USD18.86 with free international shipping.
PURITO Centella Green Level Buffet Serum:
Purito Buffet Serum
What is it?
The Buffet Serum (which is also in the same Centella Green Level skincare line as the pads), contains much of the same ingredients but has a much higher concentration of centella asiatica (49%).
This claims to be a nutritional serum that protects the skin from the outer environment by soothing and reinforcing the skin barrier. It is ideal for sensitive skin.
The main features of this serum are:
- EWG Green Level ingredients
- Centella Asiatica Extract (49%)
- Palmitoyl Peptide Complex
- Asiaticoside + Asiatic Acid + Madecassic Acid
Other notable ingredients include niacinamide, green tea leaf extract, citrus and lavender oil, adenosine, sodium hyaluronate and ceramide NP.
The Buffet serum contains four peptides and adenosine which help prevent wrinkles. The ceramides, sodium hyaluronate and niacinamide will brighten and moisturise the skin and of course the centella asiatica, asiaticoside, asiatic acid and madecassic acid allievate damaged, irritated, inflamed and hyperpigmented skin.
Packaging:
Purito brand philosphy is detailed in both Korean and English on the inside of the recyclable cardboard packaging
The serum comes in a similar recyclable cardbox packaging and contained in a green plastic pump bottle with 60ml. I really like the pump because its very easy to dispense product out. The downside is the clear cap which seems to have developed cracks in it over time although I have never dropped it. I think it comes from the pressure of placing the cap back on everytime. It also doesn’t seem to click in place very tightly so it will fall off easily if you carried it in a bag.
Pump dispenser – 1-2 pumps needed per application
The packaging isn’t the best quality – cracks have developed within the cap over the span of 2 months
When/How to use:
This can be used both morning and night in your skincare routine, usually after toner, FTE and a lighter essence/serum, but before creams and oils. I use this twice a day and typically 1-1/2 pumps is sufficient for my entire face and neck. I rub together between my fingers and then spread over my face and gently pat it in until its absorbed.
Thoughts:
You can clearly see how much serum is remaining through the bottle
This is a great multi-functional, all in one serum. Like the all in one pad, it contains a host of amazing ingredients that target so many skin issues. If you don’t like using 3 or 4 different skincare products at one time, then this is a great all rounder. During the past couple months that I’ve been testing this, I haven’t been using it in conjunction with other treatment serum products and have definitely found this to be adequately hydrating and moisturising paired with my toner and moisturiser only. It does calm and soothe my skin from minor irritation and redness but if I have blemishes and dark spots, I haven’t noticed this serum making a difference. I would rely on this more as a preventative measure rather than a treatment for spots as it is very mild and gentle.
Looks like a fairy thick, slimey consistency that doesn’t run down your hand
Feels thinner and lighter as you rub the product in
Lightweight and easy to spread
Absorbs into skin very quickly – no tacky feeling
It has what looks like a fairly thick, non-runny gloopy consistency which is similar to the Cosrx snail essence if you’ve tried it. However, when you spread it out it’s thinner and more lightweight which means it absorbs easily into the skin without feely sticky or heavy. I can use this all year round because of how comfortable it feels. It has a herbal, refreshing scent that isn’t really discernable once its absorbed, but you are left with skin feeling refreshed and hydrated. You can quickly follow up with your next skincare step after applying this serum which makes it handy to use in the morning.
Overall, I think this is nice hydrating and calming serum which is perfect for sensitive skin but you may want something more potent and effective if you have more serious blemishes and scarring that you wish to treat. Also, as this contains no preservatives, make sure you use it up as quickly as possible because it will be more prone to going off, and smelling bad if stored for too long.
Where to buy – purchase from the Purito Ebay Store here for USD16.28 with free international shipping or at IBBI at a slightly cheaper price.
