The latest trend in Korean skincare is all about strengthening skin's barrier to achieve that glow from within.
But how do we provide sufficient nutrient the skin without overdoing it?
I may, or may not have discovered their secret, and it is all down to the usage of ampoules.
I was introduced to this exciting skincare category by a Korean Skincare brand called SHO.
SHO is a Korean skincare brand that combines beauty treatment and science. SHO currently produces two star-products, the ampoule and ampoule mask, both of which are made from a range of fine ingredients. These two products are designed to work hand-in-hand to give busy women the effect of high-quality treatment at the beauty center at the comfort of their own home.
SHO prides themselves as a natural and safe skincare brand where all of their products are produced in the best cosmetic manufacturer in Korea (ISO certified) under a strict standard. All of their products are free from harmful ingredients such as Triethanolamine, Benzophenone, Mineral oil, Sulfate, Paraben, and Acrylamide, making their product safe to be used even by pregnant women.
So what is ampoule and where should ampoule be used in a skincare regime?
I am sure many of you are familiar with serum, and most of you are already incorporating serum in your skincare regime.
While to put in simply, ampoule = serum, but more potent.
How so?
Ampoule is much more concentrated, akin to a booster shot.
Ampoule contains a higher amount of active ingredients and is only used for a finite amount of time.
Despite its high concentration in contrast to serum, somehow they do come in a lightweight consistency which absorbs into the skin immediately to provide a long-lasting effect.
And ampoules help to restore the balance of the skin.
SHO ampoule is, however, is designed as a daily use ampoule, you can just swap out your serum with SHO ampoule to complete your skincare regime.
SHO Ampoule is 3X more effective and more easily absorbed by the skin compared to normal serums, which is why it has taken the world by storm since it's launched.
Today, 10 bottles of SHO ampoule is sold per minute globally.
That's how much people swear by it.
There are 4 different types of ampoules available from SHO and my pick to target my skin concern like rough and flaky skin was the:
Recommended for: Rough, Flaky and Aging Skin
The active ingredients in the ampoule consist of:
- Peptide is one of the most fascinating skincare ingredients today and its benefit on the skin is backed by scientific evidence.
Basically, peptides have the ability to communicate with the skin and work with what the skin needs to promote healthier skin cells. In case you haven't already known, peptides are the smaller units of proteins, and collagen is essentially a form of protein, which is an integral component of firm and youthful looking skin.
By supplying the building blocks of collagen to the skin, it aids in collagen production.
The ongoing research behind Peptides in skincare has also demonstrated that peptides are capable of addressing multiple concerns such as with wrinkles, loss of firmness, discolorations, dehydration, and dullness.
- Hydrolysed marine originated collagen composite which is small enough to penetrate into the deep layers of the skin and is more readily absorbed by the skin, and the result? Plumper looking skin.
- Adenosine components - A yeast-derived ingredient that is great as skin soothing and skin-restoring agent. Adenosine has proven anti-wrinkle benefits due to its ability to energize skin’s surface to improve the appearance of wrinkle and skin elasticity
- Portulaca Oleracea Extract - Soothing, antimicrobial and source of antioxidants
- Elastin - To improve skin's elasticity and resilience, which lack of thereof is often associated with sagging skin around the eyes, jawline, and neck.
- Hyaluronic acid - plumps skin and keeps the skin well moistured
How to:
After toner
Apply appropriate amount, tap to promote absorption.
Follow up with a moisturiser.
Or make it the last step depends on your skin condition.
Thoughts on the SHO Wrinkle Lift Peptide ampoule:
It is very easy to dispense and control the amount of usage thanks to its dropper design.
The content is also kept hygienic with the stopper at the opening of the bottle, minimising the contact of active ingredients with air or surrounding.
It comes in a tin container, which can help protect the product from sunlight, which as we all know have the potential to break down active compounds.
A generous amount of product (50ml) for an appropriate price tag.
The product has a light floral scent to it and I am not complaining.
A little goes a really long way. It's malleable and watery texture makes spreading the product across the face really easy without having to use a ton of the product.
As SHO claimed, this product does absorb into the skin quickly, despite being thicker in consistency in comparison to the serums I am used to.
It also doesn't ball up when I layer it under moisturiser, great for subsequent makeup application.
There are also ways you could maximise the use of ampoules:
For those who want to increase the hydration/dewiness of their foundation,
or if you want to sheer out your foundation to provide the iconic glass skin base,
you could also add in a few drops of the ampoule into your foundation/bb cushion,
mix them up and apply it onto your skin.
Not only does it provide an incredible dewy look to your base makeup,
the soothing and repairing property also keep your skin protected throughout the day.
Left: foundation alone; Right: Foundation + SHO Peptide Ampoule
As my skin as been behaving lately, I have seen myself gravitating towards foundation with a sheer coverage.
But all of my foundation has a medium to full coverage, so I have decided to amp up the glow with the SHO peptide ampoule.
For all the dry skin gals out there though, this may be a great way to personalise your foundation if you think that your foundation is drying your skin out.
Depending on how sheer and how dewy you want your skin to look, you can add in how much or little ampoule to your desire.
I used quite a generous amount of it because I adore the glass skin look on the skin, I think it looks youthful and healthy.
And it really does a great job at sheering out the foundation without disrupting with the longevity or consistency of my foundation.
If anything, it glides on even smoother and gives me a healthier look!
Another thing to note is that, by customising this way, it's generally safer for those with sensitive skin, because some of the high moisture content foundations out there use mineral oils which would clog up your pores.
Adding these ampoules provides you an extra layer of hydration with a peace of mind.
Also, if you have been experiencing waking up to dry and scaly skin after sleeping in an air-conditioned room for the night, you could also consider mixing a few drops of the ampoule into your favourite moisturiser and apply an appropriate layer all over your skin like you would a sleeping mask.
This way, your moisturiser would help to seal in all the moisture and avoid transepidermal water loss whilst the ampoule repair your skin by continuously supplying nutrients to your skin throughout the night.
Left: Moisturiser + Ampoule ; Right: Moisturiser alone.
As I have oily skin,
I personally find that using the ampoule as my serum/moisturiser all-in-one step before my sun protection is more than sufficient to keep my skin hydrated throughout the day and it keeps my skin from getting too oily throughout the day.
As it has a rather thick consistency, I find that it locks in the moisture pretty for the day and I love the dew it gives.
However, in the evening, I have been loving mixing the ampoule with my own moisturiser and use it like a sleeping mask at night.
I would use a 1:1 ratio but you could customise to your skin needs.
And I am pretty sure you could tell from the picture,
it added so much dew and moisture to the skin!
I love piling up the moisture at night, but I hate how it would clog my pores because of my oily skin nature.
And this combo actually works really well for me!
Because of how hydrated my skin is, I don't wake up with extra oil all over my skin and my skin looked like it's gotten a rejuvenation overnight, it appears poreless and it's smooth to the touch!
SHO Real Barrier Madeca Ampoule mask - Soothing RM159 (27ml x 7 pcs)
For those who want to increase the hydration/dewiness of their foundation,
or if you want to sheer out your foundation to provide the iconic glass skin base,
you could also add in a few drops of the ampoule into your foundation/bb cushion,
mix them up and apply it onto your skin.
Not only does it provide an incredible dewy look to your base makeup,
the soothing and repairing property also keep your skin protected throughout the day.
As my skin as been behaving lately, I have seen myself gravitating towards foundation with a sheer coverage.
But all of my foundation has a medium to full coverage, so I have decided to amp up the glow with the SHO peptide ampoule.
For all the dry skin gals out there though, this may be a great way to personalise your foundation if you think that your foundation is drying your skin out.
Depending on how sheer and how dewy you want your skin to look, you can add in how much or little ampoule to your desire.
I used quite a generous amount of it because I adore the glass skin look on the skin, I think it looks youthful and healthy.
And it really does a great job at sheering out the foundation without disrupting with the longevity or consistency of my foundation.
If anything, it glides on even smoother and gives me a healthier look!
Another thing to note is that, by customising this way, it's generally safer for those with sensitive skin, because some of the high moisture content foundations out there use mineral oils which would clog up your pores.
Adding these ampoules provides you an extra layer of hydration with a peace of mind.
Also, if you have been experiencing waking up to dry and scaly skin after sleeping in an air-conditioned room for the night, you could also consider mixing a few drops of the ampoule into your favourite moisturiser and apply an appropriate layer all over your skin like you would a sleeping mask.
As I have oily skin,
I personally find that using the ampoule as my serum/moisturiser all-in-one step before my sun protection is more than sufficient to keep my skin hydrated throughout the day and it keeps my skin from getting too oily throughout the day.
As it has a rather thick consistency, I find that it locks in the moisture pretty for the day and I love the dew it gives.
However, in the evening, I have been loving mixing the ampoule with my own moisturiser and use it like a sleeping mask at night.
I would use a 1:1 ratio but you could customise to your skin needs.
And I am pretty sure you could tell from the picture,
it added so much dew and moisture to the skin!
I love piling up the moisture at night, but I hate how it would clog my pores because of my oily skin nature.
And this combo actually works really well for me!
Because of how hydrated my skin is, I don't wake up with extra oil all over my skin and my skin looked like it's gotten a rejuvenation overnight, it appears poreless and it's smooth to the touch!
Recommended for: Dry, Irritated and Sensitive Skin
•It contains the active ingredient of Centella Asiatica, madecassoside. Madecassoside is highly popular in Korea for its immense soothing benefit on the skin. It has the ability to reduce redness, sooth inflamed skin (including acne) and any sensitivities caused by external stimuli, repair skin barrier as well as stimulate collagen production to revitalise skin texture.
• Pomegranate, Rosa Centifolia Flower Water and Carthamus Tinctorius Flower Extract, which are active ingredients rich in anti-oxidants and filled with red vital energy, as well as highly anti-inflammatory.
This treatment mask provides immediate skin calming effect while restoring healthy skin barrier.
Unlike the conventional masks available in the market which are suitable for daily use, this is a Treatment Mask.
Each mask contains 27ml of ampoule to provide ample moisture and visible results in just one application.
These masks are also made from organic cupra sheets which are hypoallergenic and highly adherent to the skin.
First of all, I cannot stress how much I love these sheet masks!
It adheres really well onto my skin and stays put despite densely packed with ampoule!
And what surprised me is that, as it is sheet mask soaked with ampoule,
the content isn't watery, it is more viscous, almost akin to a gel, but a tad more watery in comparison to a gel, I would say the texture is similar to the ampoule.
Because of its thicker consistency, I personally actually love using it cause it tends not to drip everywhere and it also evaporates much slower in comparison to normal sheet masks.
It means, my face is really taking in all the goodness while the mask is on, and not having to compete with evaporation to drinks up the nutrients!
I even get to walk around and get some work done with these sheet masks on, ideal for any woman with busy schedule who always claims to not have enough time for skin pampering session.
Besides, it really does come with a ton of ampoule in each packet!
After retrieving the mask from the packet, I still have so much ampoule left.
So what I did was, I slather on a thick layer, and I make sure to pour a little by little onto the sheet masks every 5 minutes to ensure that my mask gets the most benefit out of this masking session.
At the end of each week, after a week of make up and stress on, I had been anticipating for my face mask session to pull myself back together.
It has the ability to bring my exhausted skin back to life!
In just one usage (20mins), my redness was greatly reduced, my skin is instantly bouncier and plumper, with an incredible glow!
Fine lines associated with dryness (especially around my forehead my eye area) were greatly reduced and with consistent usage. Even D was in awe how glowy my skin looked in just one masking session!
I have also been experiencing less breakout thanks to its incredible calming properties!
To attain maximal results, I have actually been layering the SHO Real Barrier Madeca Ampoule mask over the SHO Wrinkle Lift Peptide ampoule!
When paired together, these 2 products perform better than they do separately, with each item enhancing the best qualities of the other. It's a skincare match made in heaven!
The ampoule takes care of the hydration in the deeper layers of the skin while the sheet masks takes care of the upper layers of the dermis to achieve oil and moisture balance and thus healthy skin inside out.
I used to think that oily skin gal like me should only worry about controlling the oil but boy was I wrong.
Once my skin's moisture level is balanced and the deepest layer of my skin is well hydrated, my sebum production has been largely reduced and my skin appeared plump and healthy looking overall.
If your skin has been lacking lustre or if you haven't found any solution to tame your red, parched and sensitive skin, you should consider giving these products a whirl!
These products are absolutely great for sensitive skin and is backed by research,
so users can use these products with a peace of mind.
Each mask contains 27ml of ampoule to provide ample moisture and visible results in just one application.
These masks are also made from organic cupra sheets which are hypoallergenic and highly adherent to the skin.
According to their surveys carried out, most users have seen drastic difference on their skin in as little as one usage.
Most people observed sebum production decrease by 60% and moisture level increased by 46% in just after one usage.
I've been using this mask once a week and have found that it's been working incredibly well with my skin type!Most people observed sebum production decrease by 60% and moisture level increased by 46% in just after one usage.
First of all, I cannot stress how much I love these sheet masks!
And what surprised me is that, as it is sheet mask soaked with ampoule,
the content isn't watery, it is more viscous, almost akin to a gel, but a tad more watery in comparison to a gel, I would say the texture is similar to the ampoule.
Because of its thicker consistency, I personally actually love using it cause it tends not to drip everywhere and it also evaporates much slower in comparison to normal sheet masks.
It means, my face is really taking in all the goodness while the mask is on, and not having to compete with evaporation to drinks up the nutrients!
I even get to walk around and get some work done with these sheet masks on, ideal for any woman with busy schedule who always claims to not have enough time for skin pampering session.
Besides, it really does come with a ton of ampoule in each packet!
So what I did was, I slather on a thick layer, and I make sure to pour a little by little onto the sheet masks every 5 minutes to ensure that my mask gets the most benefit out of this masking session.
At the end of each week, after a week of make up and stress on, I had been anticipating for my face mask session to pull myself back together.
It has the ability to bring my exhausted skin back to life!
In just one usage (20mins), my redness was greatly reduced, my skin is instantly bouncier and plumper, with an incredible glow!
Fine lines associated with dryness (especially around my forehead my eye area) were greatly reduced and with consistent usage. Even D was in awe how glowy my skin looked in just one masking session!
I have also been experiencing less breakout thanks to its incredible calming properties!
To attain maximal results, I have actually been layering the SHO Real Barrier Madeca Ampoule mask over the SHO Wrinkle Lift Peptide ampoule!
When paired together, these 2 products perform better than they do separately, with each item enhancing the best qualities of the other. It's a skincare match made in heaven!
The ampoule takes care of the hydration in the deeper layers of the skin while the sheet masks takes care of the upper layers of the dermis to achieve oil and moisture balance and thus healthy skin inside out.
I used to think that oily skin gal like me should only worry about controlling the oil but boy was I wrong.
Once my skin's moisture level is balanced and the deepest layer of my skin is well hydrated, my sebum production has been largely reduced and my skin appeared plump and healthy looking overall.
If your skin has been lacking lustre or if you haven't found any solution to tame your red, parched and sensitive skin, you should consider giving these products a whirl!
These products are absolutely great for sensitive skin and is backed by research,
so users can use these products with a peace of mind.
SHO products are available at:
SHO Malaysia FB https://www.facebook.com/shomalaysia/
SHO Malaysia FB https://www.facebook.com/shomalaysia/
SHO Malaysia IG https://www.instagram.com/shomalaysia/
and 50 selected Sasa stores
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