Kicho Phyto Natural Total Essence & Moisture Cream

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Korean skin care is getting more and more popular these days, isn’t it? I notice many beauty bloggers delving into k-beauty, and large national retailers stocking popular brands like Amore Pacific, Dr. Jart+, and Sulwhasoo. Today I am excited to introduce two more products I’ve been testing lately from a brand I raved about a few weeks ago!

To remind you, Kicho is a high-end Korean brand that markets their products for 20-30 year-old men and women. Their treatments are aimed to provide basic skin care [“kicho” means “basic” in Korean] that will effectively stave off the first signs of aging. The brand utilizes only the best botanical ingredients and extracts in their non-irritating formulas, that work tirelessly to soothe, moisturize, brighten, and protecting the skin from the elements and other environmental factors.

Cupidrop, the official distributor of Kicho in the US, sent me four products to try. I previously shared my thoughts on the lip balm and the low-pH cleanser in this post, and today the spotlights are on: Phyto Natural Total Essence and Phyto Natural Moisture Cream that I’ve been testing for the past four weeks.

Kicho Phyto Natural Total Essence is described as a daily treatment that can improve the skin’s texture, nourish, brighten, and reduce the appearance of fine lines. By looking at the ingredient list I noticed that it contains 44!!! different natural plant extracts and oils, which is more than I’ve ever seen in a single skin care product. Ever. The bottle might look simple, dare I say “basic”, but the product inside is anything but; it’s definitely a creme de la creme of facial serums for young skin. Some noteworthy ingredients include:

• Niacinamide, also known as Vitamin B3 and Nicotinic Acid is currently one of the best anti-aging ingredients in skin care. It’s proven to fade skin discolorations from acne scars and prolonged sun exposure, and improve skin’s elasticity. Niacinamide products must always be accompanied by SPF.
• Soy Phyto Placenta Water is one of those quirky ingredients that Korean beauty companies love to include in their products. Kicho says this one is a great moisturizer and will help brighten and improve skin’s texture.
• Hyaluronic Acid is a widely used moisturizing active ingredient. One molecule of HA can hold 10 molecules of water!
• Adenosine is a great anti-inflammatory ingredient that supports healthy cellular activity by acting as the energy source [literally food for your skin].
• Soluble Collagen acts as a water-binding agent that helps the skin stay moisturized longer, and also promotes the process of collagen formation.

Ingredients – CosDNA: Water, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Alcohol, Butylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Betaine, Polyquaternium-51, Phellinus Linteus Extract, Arctium Lappa Root Extract, Piper Methysticum Leaf/Root/Stem Extract, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Pueraria Thunbergiana Root Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract, Paeonia Lactiflora Root Extract, Cnidium Officinale Root Extract, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Seed Extract, Pisum Sativum (Pea) Extract, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Phytoplacenta Extract, Phaseolus Vulgaris (Kidney Bean) Seed Extract, Origanum Vulgare Leaf Extract, Canavalia Gladiata Seed Extract, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Seed Extract, Chamaecyparis Obtusa Leaf Extract, Salix Alba (Willow) Bark Extract, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Camellia Japonica Leaf Extract, Eruca Sativa Leaf Extract, Triticum Vulgare (Wheat) Sprout Extract, Brassica Oleracea Italica (Broccoli) Sprout Extract, Medicago Sativa (Alfalfa) Leaf Extract, Lactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract, Cinnamomum Cassia Bark Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Soluble Collagen, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Citrus Limon (Lemon) Peel Oil, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia (Bergamot) Fruit Oil, Citrus Grandis (Grapefruit) Peel Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Peel Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Cedrus Atlantica Bark Oil, Cananga Odorata Flower Oil, Cymbopogon Nardus (Citronella) Oil, Illicium Verum (Anise) Fruit/Seed Oil, Eugenia Caryophyllus (Clove) Leaf Oil, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil, Jasminum Officinale (Jasmine) Oil, Santalum Album (Sandalwood) Oil, Ferula Galbaniflua (Galbanum) Resin Oil, Rose Flower Oil, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, 1,2-Hexanediol, Pentylene Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Coceth-7, Peg-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Ppg-1-Peg-9 Lauryl Glycol Ether, Bisabolol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, Carbomer, Tromethamine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Disodium Edta, Sodium Polyacrylate, Pvm/Ma Copolymer, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Sucrose Distearate, Panthenol, Ceramide 3, Folic Acid, Cholesterol, Raffinose, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Phenoxyethanol

If you clicked on the CosDNA analysis link above, you probably noticed that this essence has a couple minor potential irritants, so it boils down to how sensitive your skin is to certain preservatives. I personally think they’re necessary in products that contain so many natural oils and extracts, otherwise the shelf life would be miserably short.

Phyto Natural Total Essence comes in a tall white plastic airtight pump bottle, which is ideal for a product with that many botanicals – we don’t want them oxidizing on us. The consistency looks like a little murky, but mostly clear gel, and has no discernible fragrance. My nose did catch a very faint trace of something herbal, but I think to most people it will smell like nothing at all.

The essence is highly concentrated, so one-two pumps is all it takes to thoroughly cover both the face and the neck. It spreads easily, and absorbs right away, leaving a moisturizing layer behind. It doesn’t make the skin feel sticky, though, but it’s definitely not traceless.

“Essence” is a new term in Western skin care vocabulary, but they are widely used in the East as part of Asian 10-step routine [yep, I’m not exaggerating]. Basically, depending on the thickness of the product, essences are used after serums and prior to moisturizers. I hope that makes sense!

My final verdict: After four weeks of daily use I could see my skin looking more plump and youthful, radiating with that healthy natural glow. As my acne scars are slowly fading, I believe introducing this essence to my routine was one of the main triggers responsible for the improvement. If I had to pick cons, I would say the Alcohol in the formula would be my main concern. While it’s listed at the top of the ingredient list, the actual percentage can’t be very high, because I could barely even smell it, but I know it can be irritating for sensitive skin types, so keep that in mind.

The next product I tried was Kicho Phyto Natural Moisture Cream. Since I am using a different nighttime moisturizer, I applied this one only in the AM after the essence and before the sunscreen. Kicho describes it as a potent hydrating treatment that will keep the skin moist and supple throughout the day. Considering how well the essence from the same line fared, I was really looking forward to incorporating this cream into my daily routine!

Just like the essence, Phyto Natural Moisture Cream is loaded with plant extracts and oils, and here are just some of them:

• Phytosqualane is a plant-derived antioxidant that’s used in cosmetics as an emollient. It also helps repair the skin, so you can often find it in very rich creams, serums, and lip balms.
• Soybean Ferment Extract – Fermented cosmetics are crazy popular in Korea right now, and rightfully so! Fermented plant extracts are perfect for conditioning the skin and improving its elasticity.
• Adenosine, Niacinamide, Hyaluronic Acid, Soluble Collagen, Soy Phyto Placenta Water – I wrote about them above!

Ingredients – CosDNA: Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Glycerin, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate, Butylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin), Hydrogenated Polydecene, Dimethicone, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, C14-22 Alcohols, Betaine, Phytosqualane, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Phellinus Linteus Extract, Arctium Lappa Root Extract, Piper Methysticum Leaf/Root/Stem Extract, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Pueraria Thunbergiana Root Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract, Paeonia Lactiflora Root Extract, Cnidium Officinale Root Extract, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Seed Extract, Pisum Sativum (Pea) Extract, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Phytoplacenta Extract, Phaseolus Vulgaris (Kidney Bean) Seed Extract, Origanum Vulgare Leaf Extract, Canavalia Gladiata Seed Extract, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Seed Extract, Chamaecyparis Obtusa Leaf Extract, Salix Alba (Willow) Bark Extract, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Camellia Japonica Leaf Extract, Eruca Sativa Leaf Extract, Triticum Vulgare (Wheat) Sprout Extract, Brassica Oleracea Italica (Broccoli) Sprout Extract, Medicago Sativa (Alfalfa) Leaf Extract, Lactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract, Cinnamomum Cassia Bark Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Soluble Collagen, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Citrus Limon (Lemon) Peel Oil, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia (Bergamot) Fruit Oil, Citrus Grandis (Grapefruit) Peel Oil, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Peel Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Cedrus Atlantica Bark Oil, Cananga Odorata Flower Oil, Cymbopogon Nardus (Citronella) Oil, Illicium Verum (Anise) Fruit/Seed Oil, Eugenia Caryophyllus (Clove) Leaf Oil, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil, Jasminum Officinale (Jasmine) Oil, Santalum Album (Sandalwood) Oil, Ferula Galbaniflua (Galbanum) Resin Oil, Rose Flower Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, Peg-100 Stearate, Squalane, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, 1,2-Hexanediol, Polysorbate 60, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Laureth-4, Laureth-23, Adenosine, Bisabolol, Panthenol, Xanthan Gum, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Sucrose Distearate, Ceramide 3, Folic Acid, Cholesterol, Raffinose, Tromethamine, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Phenoxyethanol

CosDNA analysis reveals two acne triggers – Laureth-4 and Laureth-23, which are used as emulsifiers, so if your skin is sensitive to ingredients with “eth” at the end, you might want to skip this one. Aside from those two the formula doesn’t contain any major irritants, and considering the total number of the ingredients, I’d say that’s a good sign.

The cream comes in a large round plastic jar with a small clear spoon spatula to scoop out the product. Since jar packaging is not the most sanitary way of using beauty products, utilizing that scoop is the best way to reduce the risk of cross-contamination from finger dipping.

Phyto Natural Moisture Cream has a rich creamy texture, that almost feels like a balm on the skin. Like the essence, it has a very faint herbal fragrance, which is nearly untraceable, so it should work well for scent-sensitive people. Despite its thicker texture, spreading it is not an issue at all, since the formula is quite emollient: I used a dime-sized amount for my face and neck, and that amount was just perfect.

Immediately after the application my face feels comfortable and soothed, and as the company promised, the hydration really does last all day. Niacinamide is pretty high up on the ingredient list, and it definitely played a big part in helping me get rid of acne scars on my cheeks and chin – my skin looks considerably better now than it did a few months ago.

My final verdict: I really enjoyed using this moisturizer! Along with the serum, it gradually improved the hyper-pigmentation on my cheeks and chin, and helped keep my skin plump and hydrated. As much as I like it, I feel like I should save it for the colder months, because it might be too rich for Summer, although someone with dry skin can use it all year round I bet. There are two main cons here – jar packaging, that may put the product at risk of oxidation and cross-contamination from constant finger-dipping, and two potential acne triggers in the formula.

WHERE TO BUY:

• Phyto Natural Total Essence – $78 USD for 1.35 fl. oz. Available at Cupidrop.
• Phyto Natural Moisture Cream – $70 USD for 1.69 fl. oz. Available at Cupidrop.

The special value offer is still available at Cupidrop – get this Back to Basics Value Set for $200 instead of $240. Sign up for their newsletter to receive a 15% discount on your first purchase. If a full set is not your thing, Cupidrop also sells travel sizes of many Kicho products at very reasonable prices.

Have you tried Korean skin care before? What is your favorite moisturizer? Do you use products in jar packaging? Let me know in the comments below!

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