Review: Missha Near Skin Eco Ceramide Liquid

I started using Missha's Near Skin Eco Ceramide Liquid back in February when my skin was the worst it's been since I came to Korea. I've mentioned it before so I won't go into great detail, but the winter left my skin chronically dry and I was constantly battling breakouts. I began changing my skincare routine in attempt to find something that would work for me. I hadn't used a toner before so I walked into Missha and asked a sales associate for a toner and I walked out with the Near Skin Eco Ceramide Liquid, which was a new addition to the Near Skin line at the time. Actually I was a little confused when I left. I know my Korean isn't that great but I definitely asked for a toner (and the word for it in Korean, toneo, is close enough that there wouldn't be any confusion) but what I left with was a creamy liquid, something that in my eye is something that seems more like an emulsion or particularly thin moisturizer/lotion.

I wasn't sure whether the sales associate was just trying to sell a new item (I imagine they have sales quotas xD) or whether she really thought this would help. Either way, I figured I had nothing to lose so I gave it a shot.

The bottle describes the product as a "high moisturizing and occlusive skin conditioning effect for dry and sensitive skin". It's meant to improve the strength of the outer layers of skin, prevent the loss of moisture, and to double as a toner and an essence.

The ingredient list as some skincare all-stars such as Glycerin (which I've gone into detail about recently), Sodium Hyaluronate, which is found naturally in the skin but depletes as we age and helps hold in moisture for firmer skin, and of course there's the product's namesake, Ceramide NP. Our skin is 50% ceramides and they help the skin retain its moisture and repair its cells.

There were also some red flag ingredients: Lemon Peel Oil, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil (Bergamot orange), and Citrus Aurantifolia Oil (Key lime) all are potentially irritating for the skin, though I didn't have any particular reaction to these ingredients.

Missha's Near Skin Eco Ceramide Liquid, like the Near Skin Pro Vitamin Liquid that was released concurrently, is packaged in what looks like a retro glass medicine bottle. Unscrew the cap, turn the bottle upside down and give it a few shakes to dispense the product. One downside to the packaging, however is that the product inevitably dries and clumps up along the rim of the cap.

The directions say to apply the product right after you wash your face, but now that I've been experimenting with my skincare routine in attempt to reduce the oiliness that has come with the summer, I've also used it after Missha's The First Treatment Essence as a lotion before applying sunscreen.

I like this product. It has a light citrus scent and it's good to layer under a cream in the winter but in the summer it's generally all the moisture I need, save for some trouble spots that need something a little heavier. My skin feels soft and smooth after I apply it and the feeling lasts most of the day. I've been using The First Treatment Essence, the Near Skin Eco Ceramide Liquid, and a sunscreen and for once my combination skin does not feel annoyingly unbalanced. Let's hope that this feeling can last through the summer XD ...As for whether or not this has the pH level one would expect from a toner--I think I would need a pH testing kit to know for sure.

A 120 ml bottle goes for 17,800₩ ($15). It's not for sale yet on the Missha US site but maybe if it's popular enough in Korea it will make it to the site one day.

My ratings Price: 4/5. One bottle can easily last me 4 months, so I consider it well worth the price. Effectiveness: 4/5. This gives me a good amount of moisture that lasts several hours.

Packaging: 2/5. While the packaging looks nice, it's not easy to dispense and the constant clumping around the rim of the cap is a nuisance. Overall: 3.5/5. Repurchase. Yes. Though I would still like to find a more traditional toner.

TL;DR Not what I was expecting from a toner but surprisingly I like this product anyway.

Have you done a pH test of your cosmetics? Which method do you use? Let me know in the comments below ^^

#review #missha #nearskin #ecoceramide #ecoceramideliquid #toner #koreanskincare #asianbeauty