A couple of years ago, I was struggling with my skin shade - it was dull. It wasn't my only problem. Usually, foundation shades called "fair" or "porcelain" looked too orange or too brown to match my skin. Add post-acne scars and sensitive skin, and you get a combo which needs a good brightening solution. A K-beauty brand Bellflower released a new range of moisturizers. Bellflower Glutathione Power Brightening Cream is a solution based on Niacinamide, Arbutin, Phenylethyl Resorcinol, Vitamin C in SAP form and Glutathione. Is this the key to bright skin?
About Bellflower
Bellflower is a South Korean brand. The name of the brand can be translated from the flower language as sincerity or gratitude. Bellflower means Bellflower is focused on naturalism - it's a green brand with a clear mission - giving the best treatment to skin problems while removing artificial scents and colourants from the products. Consumers are being more aware of products, there's a huge group of people being allergic to artificial colourants and scents. The brand is quite new since it was released a couple of months ago.
Meet Bellflower
Since Bellflower is a young brand, the product range contains 5 different serum and 6 different moisturizers. Bellflower Hibiscus Anti-aging Serum is a serum based on Hibiscus, Niacinamide and Adenosine. This serum will help you with wrinkles and pigmentation. Bellflower Azulene Daily Calming Serum is based on Guaiazulene - thanks to this ingredient the serum's colour is blue. Bellflower Idebenone Brightening Serum is based on Idebenone, it is told to be brightening but it should work on wrinkles too. Bellflower Coconut Hydrating Serum is a serum based on Coconut Water and Sodium Hyaluronate and last but not least Bellflower Heartleaf Houttuynia Treatment Serum based on Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract and Rosemary Leaf Oil that should work the best for acne-prone skin. Bellflower Coconut Daily Moisture Cream is a moisturizing cream based on Coconut Oil. Bellflower Hibiscus Anti-Aging Gel Cream contains Hibiscus Extract, Adenosine and Collagen to help you fight with wrinkles. Bellflower Azulene Calming Overnight Cream is a blue cream based on Guaiazulene and Centella Asiatica. I expect that in 2020 Azulene will become a skincare trend due to its calming properties and blue colour that fits Pantone's Color Of The Year 2020. Bellflower Tamanu Oil Barrier Relief Cream is an option for acne-prone skin because Tamanu Oil and Niacinamide are helpful with healing the skin and fighting with acne. Bellflower Idebenone Glowing Face Cream mixes Idebenone with Niacinamide, Propolis and Vitamin C to brighten and smooth the skin. Last, but not least is Bellflower Glutathione Power Brightening Cream.
Bellflower Glutathione Power Brightening Cream - Packaging
Bellflower products have packaging that cannot be mistaken. The plastic tube looks more like a sunscreen tube than a cream. The design is simple - just like Bellflower's mission.
Bellflower Glutathione Power Brightening Cream - Texture & Scent
The scent is hard to describe, but it's not a heavy scent and you can't feel it on the skin. The texture is lightweight and creamy.
Bellflower Glutathione Power Brightening Cream - Ingredients
Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Water, Butylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Vinyl Dimethicone, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Caprylyl Methicone, 1,2-Hexanediol, Glyceryl Stearate SE, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Phenethyl Benzoate, Resorcinol, Water, Cetearyl Glucoside, Tromethamine, Palmitic Acid, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Stearic Acid, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Ethylhexylglycerin, Alcohol, Hydroxylated Lecithin, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA, Arbutin, Glutathione, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Glucose, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate, Panthenol, Pearl Extract, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Rubus Idaeus (Raspberry) Fruit Extract, Rubus Fruticosus (Blackberry) Fruit Extract, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract, Vaccinium Macrocarpon (Cranberry) Fruit Extract, Ribes Nigrum (Black Currant) Fruit Extract, Vaccinium Angustifolium (Blueberry) Fruit Extract, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Extract, Biotin, Pyridoxine, Folic Acid, Cyanocobalamin, Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Thiamine HCl, Linoleic Acid, Inositol
Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Water - people believe that rice water has brightening properties. Butylene Glycol is a moisturizer and solvent, but it's also alcohol. You see, not every alcohol in skincare is bad. Some of them have positive effects on your skin - just like Butylene Glycol which is a popular substance even in eco/green cosmetic products. Niacinamide is a miracle ingredient, it does lots of great work. Having problems with dark spots? Try Niacinamide! Acne? Niacinamide will be good for you too! Problems with skin barrier? Solve it with Niacinamide! Wrinkles? You might want to try Niacinamide as well. Sensitive skin might find Niacinamide bit problematic when it's mixed with Vitamin C or used in the same routine as Vitamin C, but I can't deny Niacinamide is a skincare treasure!
Cetearyl Alcohol even if sounds bit scary, it's good alcohol. It's oil-soluble fatty alcohol. It's a great emollient and emulsifier. Glycerin is one of the most popular humectants in skincare. There's a huge number of myths around glycerin like it can clog your skin. It doesn't clog your pores, but too much glycerin can make a sticky layer on the skin and even make your skin dryer than before due to TEWL (Transepidermal Water Loss). Still, it's an ingredient which we want to see in formulas. Caprylyl Methicone is an emollient, and 1,2-Hexanediol is a solvent. Glyceryl Stearate SE is an ingredient that gives me lots of different feelings. The 'SE' part stands for self-emulsifying. It's a good emollient and emulsifier, but my problem with this substance is the clogging - it's a personal thing, but some solutions with Glyceryl Stearate SE likes to clog my skin. Cetyl Ethylhexanoate is an oily emollient. Hydrogenated Polyisobutene is a synthetic emollient, it usually leaves your skin almost dry.
Phenethyl Benzoate is a fragrance ingredient. It gives a rose scent to the formula.
Resorcinol
Water is an ingredient which you can find in almost every product, it's purpose in products is easy - it's a solvent. Palmitic Acid is just another ingredient I'm not a fan of. It's an oily emollient, but also an emulsifier. In my case, Palmitic Acid and Stearic Acid clog my pores in some formulas. Talking about Stearic Acid, you can find it in this formula too. Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer is a thickener and stabilizer. Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride is an emollient. It's a combination of coconut oil and glycerin which makes mild, gentle and delicate emollient. It thickens the formula, but it also makes skin feel smooth in touch. Ethylhexylglycerin is a preservative.
Usually, when people see Alcohol in skincare, they treat it as the worst thing that exists. The fact is that Alcohol has a positive and negative meaning for our skin. It all depends on the amount of Alcohol. One of the main reasons why companies use this ingredient in their products is better penetration of the skin, thanks to Alcohol substance gets deeper than when it's used on its own. We can't deny that Alcohol kills microorganism and bacteria. It's a long topic, but if you ever search for alcohol to sanitize your hands or makeup brushes - search of Isopropyl Alcohol in 70% solutions, they are more effective than 95% versions. Adenosine is another cool ingredient. It speeds up the healing process and repairs the skin barrier. It's great for inflamed skin and it might have a positive effect on skin elasticity. Arbutin is one of my favourite skincare ingredients. Arbutin is derived from bearberry and it has a long story of use in traditional medicine - not only Chinese medicine, but the use in different places is very similar - it is used to help with urinary problems (please do not try at home, I still recommend you checking urinary problems with a specialist) or to speed up the wound healing process. Arbutin in skincare helps with pigmentation. Glutathione is the main star in this composition - at least that's what Bellflower claims. It's an antioxidant with rising popularity. This ingredient is very popular in countries like the Philippines as a skin whitening substance. You can use it on the skin, but you can find some clinics offer oral treatments or injections. I would recommend staying away from injections (not only Glutathione injections) and be careful with supplements/oral treatments. Glutathione should help you with pigmentation and melasma. I think you can find better ingredients and treatments than Glutathione ones to brighten the pigmentation.
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate and Hydrogenated Lecithin are emulsifiers. Glucose is a sugar which you should know, but maybe not as a skincare ingredient. When I think of glucose, I think of diabetes. People with this disorder have problems with glucose levels in the blood and they need to control it. You might not even know how many people around you - not only old people, have to deal with different types of diabetes. Glucose in skincare works as a humectant. Panthenol is nothing else than Pro-vitamin B5, a soothing moisturizer with positive meaning to the skin barrier. It speeds up the healing process. Does Pearl Extract do anything for your skin? Pearl Extract is an antioxidant, but there's a different ingredient which should make you happy.
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate aka SAP is a stable form of Vitamin C which I love. Neogen Real Vita C serum has based on this ingredient. This antioxidant helps me a lot with pigmentation - especially if you add niacinamide and use them both at the same time, even if this mix is not the best for sensitive skin. This form might also help with acne in small concentration.
Rubus Idaeus (Raspberry) Fruit Extract is a Raspberry extract. Raspberries are a source of vitamins such as vitamin C, it's a soothing antioxidant. Rubus Fruticosus (Blackberry) Fruit Extract is nothing else than Blackberry Extract, it's also a source of vitamin C and it's used as astringent. Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract is an acai extract, people believe that acai is a powerful antioxidant. This product is full of fruit extracts which are not as powerful as Biotin. You might hear a lot about Biotin use for hair. People call it Vitamin H or Vitamin B7, it's a supplement that prevents hair loss. Why you can find it in a skincare product? Because it helps with skin condition too - vitamins and minerals are essential to maintain our health. Pyridoxine is also a vitamin - Vitamin B6 and Folic Acid is an ingredient which you might know as a supplement. It's a Vitamin B9, usually, women take it during the pregnancy. Cyanocobalamin is a form of Vitamin B12. If you've got oily skin then I got bad news - it might break you out. Tocopherol (Vitamin E) is an antioxidant. It's a good moisturizer.
How does Bellflower Glutathione Power Brightening Cream work?
To be honest, I was a bit worried if I should try this cream or not. It's not because of glutathione, but niacinamide and SAP in one formula. If you have sensitive skin, niacinamide and vitamin C in one product or even one routine might sensitize your skin. First two weeks were awesome, my face is normally very pale - I just wanted to focus on redness and pigmentation. I felt like my skin is not as red as usually and the moisture level is good - my skin is a combination type. This time was awesome until two weeks passed - my skin started to react to ingredients in the formula, my skin got red and it looked bit inflamed even if it didn't hurt. I just felt that my skin got warmer and red. I've decided to take a break for a week. My skin quickly went to normal with a little help of Cica, but once I started to use Bellflower Glutathione Power Brightening Cream once again - problem came back. I believe this cream can be helpful with brightening the skin (not whitening!), but not on sensitive skin.
How much does Bellflower Glutathione Power Brightening Cream cost?
Bellflower Glutathione Power Brightening Cream costs 17$ for 60 ml. You can get it from Bellflower's website. The price is quite affordable.
Other Bellflower creams
Bellflower cream series is not only Bellflower Glutathione Power Brightening Cream. The choice is bigger
Bellflower Coconut Daily Moisture Cream
Bellflower had coconut moisture ampoule before and lots of people liked it. I guess if your skin is dry you'll love it. For acne-prone skin, Coconut Oil might be a problem.
Water, Tremella Fuciformis (Mushroom) Extract, Prunus Armeniaca (Apricot) Kernel Oil, Pinus Densiflora Leaf Extract, Perilla Ocymoides Leaf Extract, Lonicera Japonica (Honeysuckle) Flower Extract, Honey Extract, Glycerin, Disodium EDTA, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Fruit Extract, Citrus Paradisi (Grapefruit) Peel Oil, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Cetearyl Glucoside, Cetearyl Alcohol, Carbomer, Camellia Japonica Seed Oil, Butylene Glycol, PEG-8 Beeswax, Arginine, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Acorus Calamus Root Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol
Besides Coconut Oil, this formula contains Coconut Fruit Extract and Glycerin. I find this formula more simple than other Bellflower Creams.
Bellflower Coconut Daily Moisture Cream costs 14$ for 60 ml. It's the same series as Bellflower Coconut Hydrating Serum (20$/50ml).
Bellflower Hibiscus Anti-Aging Gel Cream
I got this cream from Joahbox, but I still didn't open it. I might open it soon and update you on this topic. The main ingredients in this formula are Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract (5000ppm), Adenosine and Collagen. It should give your skin an anti-aging effect.
Water, Camellia Japonica Seed Oil, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Prunus Armeniaca (Apricot) Kernel Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract, Lonicera Japonica (Honeysuckle) Flower Extract, Cetearyl Glucoside, Arginine, Carbomer, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Tremella Fuciformis Extract, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA, Wheat Amino Acids, Acorus Calamus Root Extract, Perilla Ocymoides Leaf Extract, Rosa Centifolia Flower Water, Caprylyl Glycol, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Natto Gum, Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract
I'm not sure about Wheat Amino Acids since my skin might react to wheat, but Natto Gum and Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 is a good choice that can help with the condition of the skin and elasticity. Hydrolyzed Collagen works more like a film on the surface of the skin that prevents skin from dehydration than an ingredient to increase the elasticity and firmness levels of the skin.
Bellflower Hibiscus Anti-Aging Gel Cream costs 15$ for 60 ml. You can get Bellflower Hibiscus Anti-aging Serum for 24$ (50ml).
Bellflower Azulene Calming Overnight Cream
The main star here is Guaiazulene in the companion of Centella Asiatica Extract, Houttuynia Cordata Extract and Camellia Japonica Seed Oil. This version should be ideal for sensitive skin.
Water, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Glycerin, Camellia Japonica Seed Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil, PEG-8 Beeswax, Butylene Glycol, Glycol Stearate SE, 1,2-Hexanediol, Stearic Acid, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Lonicera Japonica (Honeysuckle) Flower Extract, Honey Extract, Cetearyl Glucoside, Arginine, Centella Asiatica Extract, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Carbomer, Citrus Paradisi (Grapefruit) Peel Oil, Tremella Fuciformis (Mushroom) Extract, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Guaiazulene Sulfonate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Acorus Calamus Root Extract, Perilla Ocymoides Leaf Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Centella Asiatica Extract is an ingredient that stays in skincare trend. Lots of ingredients used in skincare have a long history of use in medicine. This ingredient isn't different because Centella is a part of Ayurveda, a traditional (or if you prefer - alternative) medicine used by people for ages. Nowadays we associate it with India. Centella is a herb mainly used in skincare for its healing properties. It speeds up the healing process, that's why acne-prone skin loves it. My only problem is that - it took me a while to find Sodium Guaiazulene Sulfonate in this product.
Bellflower Azulene Calming Overnight Cream costs15$ for 60ml. You can also get Bellflower Azulene Daily Calming Serum (50ml) for $24.
Bellflower Tamanu Oil Barrier Relief Cream
3% Tamanu Oil with Niacinamide, Adenosine and Rosa Canina Fruit Oil seems like an ideal option for acne-prone skin. The reason why I didn't choose this cream is the fact that I'm still not 100% sure if I'm sensitive to Tamanu Oil or not (since I'm allergic to peanuts and I might get cross-reaction).
Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Vegetable Oil, Phenyl Trimethicone, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Niacinamide, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Calophyllum Inophyllum Seed Oil, Sorbitan Olivate, Cetearyl Olivate, Glyceryl Stearate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia (Bergamot) Fruit Oil, Vinyl Dimethicone, Caprylyl Glycol, Arginine, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Allantoin, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, Adenosine, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Amber Powder, Solanum Melongena (Eggplant) Fruit Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Curcuma Longa (Turmeric) Root Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil
Tamanu Oil aka Calophyllum Inophyllum Seed Oil is a popular oil used to cure acne, even if it's oleic linoleic ratio says different - it works on acne! It has antibacterial and soothing properties. Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate is another ingredient interesting in this formula, it's liquorice - great moisturizer with soothing properties. It can be helpful for acne-prone skin.
Bellflower Tamanu Oil Barrier Relief Cream costs 17$/60ml and there's no tamanu serum, but Bellflower released Heartleaf Houttuynia Treatment Serum year ago, both products have some ingredients and green theme in common.
Check Bellflower Heartleaf Houttuynia Treatment Serum review
Bellflower Idebenone Glowing Face Cream
This cream is all about Niacinamide, Idebenone, Propolis Extract and Rice Extract.
Water, Prunus Armeniaca (Apricot) Kernel Oil, Glycerin, Camellia Japonica Seed Oil, Niacinamide, Sodium Chloride, Butylene Glycol, Lonicera Japonica (Honeysuckle) Flower Extract, Cetearyl Alcohol, Propolis Extract, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Acorus Calamus Root Extract, Perilla Ocymoides Leaf Extract, Hydroxydecyl Ubiquinone, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Sterols, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil, PPG-26-Buteth-26, Panthenol, Caprylyl Glycol, Aniba Rosaeodora (Rosewood) Wood Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Oil, Foeniculum Vulgare (Fennel) Oil, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Copper Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Hexapeptide-9, Nonapeptide-1
This formula is full of peptides - they all should help with wrinkles and skin condition. I'm not a fan of Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil. But I'm happy to see in this formula Ascorbic Acid. Idebenone is hidden under the name Hydroxydecyl Ubiquinone and it's a synthetic form of Coenzyme Q10. It's not only moisturizer. Bellflower released Idebenone serum almost a year ago. Bellflower Idebenone Brightening Serum review is on the blog.
Bellflower Idebenone Glowing Face Cream costs $15 for 60 ml.
Overall, the new series of cream is really interesting and everyone can find a product that will fit each skin type and skin problem.
Let me know which version seems to be the most interesting for you.
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*** This post was made in collaboration with Bellflower, even though it still shows my personal opinion on the topic and product**
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