The first chemical exfoliant I ever used in my skincare journey.
Why? Before Liah Yoo and Krave Beauty, the thought of acid scared me. I didn’t know much about it so I stick with physical scrubs and mind you wasn’t a pleasant experience.
Taken from the Krave Beauty website: “Glycolic acid (a type of Alpha Hydroxy Acid) is an effective chemical exfoliant that gently resurfaces skin texture and prevents clogged pores. With regular use, this nudges your skin’s cellular turnover slowly, fading the appearance of hyperpigmentation, sun damage, and fine lines.“
This review is long overdue as I’m already on my second bottle which was generously gifted by Krave Beauty Korea, on Instagram @kravebeauty_kr. They gifted me with a full set of their products (before their new cream was made to the public)! Huge thanks to Jisoo from Krave Beauty Korea and the whole fam!
Packaging
If you have used their Matcha Hemp Hydrating Cleanser, they have the same concept on the packaging. It’s really well-thought off from the colors to the labels and information. The bottle itself is hard plastic with a metal-looking aluminum plastic cap. The bottle can be recycled as a small vase for your desk vanity.
Texture and Scent
Some people have the first impression that this is a hydrating toner, but no, this is an exfoliation toner with active ingredients on it. The texture is watery and is green translucent. For the scent, the best to describe this is like a mix of the old drying toners plus a hint of the dark leafy ingredients. (I suck in describing scents)
Pricing
I find ways just to purchase Krave Beauty products. They’re only shipping to South Korea, U.S.A., and only recently are shipping to Singapore and Malaysia. They are working to ship worldwide soon but your girl can’t wait so I look for other ways. They retail at USD 25.00, not bad for a 200 ml size!
Ingredients
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Water, Water, Butylene glycol, Brassica Oleracea Acephala Leaf (Kale) Extract, Glycolic acid (5.25%), 1,2-Hexanediol, Potassium Hydroxide, Glycerin, Spinacia Oleracea (Spinach) Leaf Extract, Carum Petroselinum (Parsley) Extract, Chlorella Minutissima Extract, Malus Domestica Fruit (Green Apple) Extract, Panthenol (Vitamin B5), Betaine Salicylate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Allantoin, Pseudozyma Epicola/Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil/Glucose/Yeast Extract Ferment Filtrate, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Bacillus/Folic acid/Soybean ferment extract, Coptis Japonica Root Extract, Malachite Extract, Polysorbate80, Disodium EDTA
Glycolic Acid (5.25%) – chemical exfoliant that smoothens skin texture and removes dead skin cells preventing clogged pores
Antioxidants – Kale, Spinach, and Parsley
Humectants – Aloe, Panthenol (Vitamin B5), and Sodium Hyaluronate
Soothing – Allantoin
My Experience
It’s recommended to use this at night, twice or thrice a week. But it really depends on you and how your skin really craves it! For me, I used this once a week in the first few weeks. I felt a stinging sensation on my cheek area where it’s more acne and blemish-prone. The stinging dissipates after a few minutes. My skin went red the first time I used it, but my skin felt softer and the texture smoothen! It went like that after a few weeks of use and eventually the stinging went away. Don’t worry, the redness disappears in the morning and it gives me that glow!
According to Krave Beauty, Kale-Lalu-yAHA is a “Skin resurfacing exfoliator that kicks your dead skin cells to the curb, revealing youthful, healthier skin while also feeding it delicious antioxidants from dark, leafy greens. Kiss good-bye to the appearance of discoloration, sun damage, and fine lines with regular use.“
So far I’ve only used this product with Glycolic Acid so I couldn’t compare it to anything. But, I do know this worked wonders on me for someone who’s a beginner in chemical exfoliants! I use this after cleansing on dry skin. I use it with cotton pads as I’m not comfortable with using my palms. It smoothens my skin right away and it preps my skin for the next products in my routine! I believe the humectants did a really great job of keeping my skin hydrated after using it. My skin did not have any bad reaction from it except the redness and the stinging in the first few weeks. It helped and kept my acne and pimples at bay when I continuously used this. I also noticed my skin glowed after finishing the whole product which lasted me for 5 months. It also has brightened the areas of my uneven skin tone, especially in my forehead area!
It didn’t do much on the fine lines but if I religiously use it with the new bottle I have I might see the effects. I don’t have visible fine lines in my face (in my mid-20s) but my neck does, so I’ll work more on the neck area for this! (So I’ll update this one after a few months)
Will I repurchase it? Yes! Even though I sometimes forget to exfoliate I know when I need one I’d always reach for this product!
Since this is a gentle AHA exfoliant, I’d recommend this for those with sensitive skin too (I myself have sensitive skin)! It’s a gentle start if you’re new to chemical exfoliants.
PRODUCT RATING 5/5 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌕; it’s an amazing product!
- Keeps acne and pimples at bay
- Smoothens my skin texture
- Hydrates my skin and preps my skin for the next skincare products
- Glowing and radiant skin
Disclaimer: I have already bought their products before they sent me the free gifts. All thoughts and opinions expressed herein are my own and not influenced by the brand itself.
Related Products: KRAVE BEAUTY MATCHA HEMP HYDRATING CLEANSER [PRODUCT REVIEW]
Who is KraveBeauty?
KRAVE BEAUTY is a beauty brand from South Korea founded by Liah Yoo. They launched their first product (Matcha Hemp Hydrating Cleanser) last December 12, 2017 (if I’m not mistaken). KraveBeauty products are vegan-friendly, cruelty-free, essential-oils free, fragrance-free, and colorant-free.
“We’re a skincare company that sells a cleanser while telling you to cleanse less. WHAT? I know, how ironic, right? Are we non-profit? No. We have bills to pay. We just believe that being transparent wouldn’t compromise the company’s growth.
We’re good people, with good intention, a nerdy friend who’s looking out for you–starting from your skin.
A bit more about us? Our brand was founded by beauty influencer, Liah Yoo, to fight the ineffective yet conventional skincare routine that has trained you to apply more than what your skin actually needs.
It’s simple. We tell the truth to make your skin to its top-notch shape, and we create skincare products that work with your skin, not against it. “
– Krave Beauty (www.kravebeauty.com)
Leave a Reply