Fresh Skinlab is about affordable and portable skincare

Skincare

Sep 24

When I was in high school and makeup was forbidden, my classmates and I got our beauty kick by being extra enthusiastic about skincare. During lunch breaks, face washes, moisturizers, and lip balms were whipped out of school bags and shared or traded. We only had our student allowances then so purchases were carefully budgeted. If only it were available then, we would’ve appreciated the compact and inexpensive skincare products of Fresh Skinlab!

Fresh actually has a wide range of personal care products available in Watsons. I’ve spotted hair packs, shampoo, and even breath spray! I was most drawn to the Korean-made skincare though, and I tested four of their spot treatments for two weeks.

The Lightening Gel (P179 for 10ml) is an overnight treatment/brightening serum conveniently contained in a rollerball bottle. It claims to produce results after 3 weeks of use. Both the rollerball and the formula have a pleasant albeit temporary cooling effect on the skin. True to its claim, I did notice fading of the pimple-caused dark spots on my chin in just 2 weeks!

While pimples are active though, it's best to reach for something like the Acne Care Lotion (P179 for 10ml). It's housed in a slim tube with doe foot applicator. The formula, containing tea tree extract and niacinamide, is supposed to be applied 3 or more times a day. Unfortunately, I doubt that my dry skin could handle that, so I stuck with once a day. Also, using the doe foot directly on pimples seems terribly unsanitary, so this type of applicator isn’t as convenient as it seems. However, it did feel like my smaller zits were effectively zapped after just 2 to 3 days. This also has that distinct tea tree oil scent.

To address fine eye wrinkles, the Lifting Eye Gel (P179 for 10ml) is a clear, watery gel with a slanted tube applicator that can go under makeup. I don’t detect any scent, and it absorbs quickly without leaving any trace of greasiness. There is barely any tackiness at all. The gel formula is probably more ideal on oily skin types though, as I feel like creamier formulas would fit in better with my dry skin and fine undereye lines.

Finally, there’s the Pore Reducing Cream (P179 for 10ml) that is meant as a skin refining primer. Like the eye gel, it is also dispensed via a slanted tube applicator. There is a mild fruity-herbal scent that I don’t really mind. It also has a satiny finish as opposed to a flat matte one. I didn’t notice any pore reduction, but I think this would suit oily and combination skin types for some very light hydration.

If I had to pick a favorite from the four, my vote goes to the Lightening Gel for producing the most obvious results in the two short weeks that I’ve been using it! I also like how portable all four products are, in addition to having student-friendly prices. If you have dry-skin like me, be sure to use these products together with a moisturizer as these aren't sufficient sources of hydration.