Hi! I co-wrote this review with my friend, Mandee, since I wanted all of you to get a glimpse on how this moisturizer feels like on two different skin types: normal-oily combination (my skin type) and dry/sensitive (Mandee’s).
Overall
Kath: This is yet another Korean product I discovered (and now, love) thanks to hours of browsing through the Sephora app! Before this product, I’ve been using Glossier’s Priming Moisturizer for quite some time now but I wanted to try something more lightweight since I read it’s better for people with oily skin to have a gel-type moisturizer since most gel-type moisturizers have high water content and that’s what our skin needs: to balance out the oiliness and not leave our skin feeling greasy afterwards. Oily skin doesn’t instantly mean it’s more moisturized or softer, it still needs that hydration.
This water based moisturizer has a good formula since it doesn’t feel greasy on the skin. Some people say this product is not enough to be a winter moisturizer but surprisingly, it worked perfectly fine for my skin but it could also be because I still end my night routine with my Jose Maran Argan Oil afterwards!
Mandee: Okay, I need to give credit where credit is due. I never would have had the chance to try the Aqua Bomb if Kath didn’t bring a jar home for me during her last visit to Manila… and my skin is now forever indebted to her. This is, by far, one of the best moisturizers I’ve tried in years!
Price
Kath: This moisturizer comes in various sizes but the one I have is the 25 ml/0.84 fl. oz. and it is $22.00 on Sephora. However, I recently found out that it is way cheaper if you get it through Amazon, especially if you’re a Prime member. I just restocked mine for $18.99. See below for a price guide I made.
It is definitely on the pricier side but if it helps, this is the dupe for the Tatcha’s water cream. This 25 ml is a good “beginner’s size” on if you’re just trying this product out. If it works out, you can work your way up to the 100 ml size. Depending on how often and how much you use per day, I can say this size (25 ml) can last up to two months. A little goes a long way with this product, it’s thick at first but when you apply it on the face, it’s just like water.
Mandee: Kath bought me the 25 ml/0.84 fl. oz. jar, and I’ve been using it day and night for about two months now. It’s relatively pricey, considering I probably only have enough to last me another month or so. I believe the brand also recently released tube versions of this product, but I think it’s only sold in Korea and a few online retail stores.
Ingredients
Kath: A huge plus for me with this product is the fact that it’s vegan, so it’s cruelty free! I’ve been more conscious and more responsible with the things I buy nowadays and I believe in supporting companies who promote using natural ingredients, being cruelty free and have ethical standards as well and this brand is one of them.
I love the consistency too as I mentioned, it is a gel-type moisturizer. Belif takes its pride and joy with this product as its formula is made up of these known ingredients: Lady’s mantle, an antioxidant rich plant which helps fight off free radicals, Malachite, which helps neutralize free radical activity, Plantin, creates moisture seal on the skin and Oat Husk, which attracts moisture.
Mandee: At first, I was a little concerned about the denatured alcohol being one of the top ingredients on the list since I have dry, sensitive skin, but it worked well enough for me set aside my worries. I mean, I highly doubt people would rave about this so much if it were causing their skin more harm than good.
Full List of Ingredients:
Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycerin, Methl Trimethicone, Alcohol Denat, Dimethicone, Cyclopentasiloxane, 1,2-Hexanediol, Malakite Extract, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, PEG/PPG/Polybutylene Glycol-8/5/3 Glycerin, Alchemilla Vulgaris Leaf Extract*, Equisetum Arvense Leaf Extract*, Stellaria Media (Chickweed) Extract*, Urtica Dioica (Nettle) Leaf Extract*, Plantago Lanceolata Leaf Extract*, Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Extract**, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract**, Nepeta Cataria Extract**, Rubus Idaeus (Raspberry) Leaf Extract**, Baptisia Tinctoria Root Extract**, Dimethiconol, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Sodium Acrylate/Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Dimethylacrylamide Crosspolymer, Isohexadecane, Polysorbate 60, Ceramide 3, Cholesterol, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Phenl Trimethicone, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Panthenol, Squalane, Triethylhexanoin, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, PEG-150, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, C14-22 Alcohols, Arachidyl Glucoside, Hydrogenated Lecithin, PEG-100 Stearate, Stearic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, Carbomer, Tromethamine, Trisodium EDTA, Fragrance+, Citronellol, Limonene, Citral, Geraniol, Linalool. *Napiers aqua formula. **Napiers original formula. +Fragrances of natural origin.
Effectiveness
Kath: I highly recommend this product especially for people who has normal-oily skin. It has a minty cool sensation every time I try to apply it so if you’re into that kind of sensation, then this product will be great for you. It doesn’t leave my skin feeling greasy at all! What I love most about it is that it gives my skin that supple, dewy glow, not cooking oil greasiness if you know what I mean.
Mandee: It definitely delivered with regards to its promise of increasing the skin’s moisture levels. There are so many moisturizers I’ve tried that just sit on the surface of the skin, but this isn’t one of those. My skin still feels soft and supple even after double cleansing and patting it dry.
The Aqua Bomb does my skin well in both Australian and Philippine summers, and doesn’t break me out at all. I love this so much that I completely ditched the other oils I was using in my regimen to make way for this. I’ve also worn this under a full face of make-up, and everything stayed in place for a good 15 hours or so. I have yet to see if this holds up just as well during Melbourne’s colder months, though.
Verdict
Kath: Definitely worth the splurge!
Mandee: Worth the splurge, of course! I really can’t say enough good things about this product. I just need to find an online Australian stockist because Belif isn’t in MECCA or Sephora AU… yet.
Disclaimer: This isn’t a sponsored post. I’m just doing this for the love of skin care but of course, I’m very open to sponsorships (who in the world is not?!) if you’re interested. It’ll be my pleasure!