astalift the serum - brightening

when i went to japan to watch coldplay, it was right after i went to korea, so i had a bag full of skincare and makeup already. i also made a mistake while in japan. i intended to go to cosme store, but i ended up at ainz tulpe so i didn't see many products that pique my interest. however, i spotted mini size products of astalift. the full size ones are very pricey, so the mini size gives me the chance to try it before committing to full size. i am actually interested in the red ones, but i knew i didn't need them so i tried their brightening serum instead. 

this is the translated description from their marketplace page: newest product from the serum series, astalift the serum brightening comes with exclusive liposome technology from FUJIFILM that helps maximize active ingredients delivery to the targeted skin layers thoroughly. the serum brightening also uses main ingredients that have been proven scientifically to take care inflammation and brighten the skin. this serum helps protect the skin from the inside, inhibit melanin production which is the cause of dark spots, fade dark spots in 4 weeks, make skin look bright and healthy.

active ingredients:

- to brighten skin: tranexamic acid, stearyl glycyrrhetinic acid

- to inhibit melanocyte growth: sanguisorba officinalis (great burnet root extract)

- to protect skin from oxidation damage: vitamin c derivative

astalift the serum brightening can be used day and night after lotion. press 2 pumps onto your palm and spread it around gently to the whole face.

recommendation: maximize soothing and cooling effect from the serum brightening texture by keeping it in the refrigerator (don't keep the product in the freezer).

the packaging: it comes in a reddish pink metallic box with description at the back in japanese. there's a picture of the full size product at front, just beside the picture of the mini size product. the serum itself comes in a pink-white plastic tube and it's a bit metallic as well. there's a small spout to dispense the product. the mini size comes in 8 ml which is not much for a serum, especially if you follow the direction at the back. fyi, some japanese brand gives recommendation on how much you should use for each product. they give visual at the back of the box, so it's easy to follow the instruction, but with this 8 ml, i think i'll just finish this in two uses if i follow it to the T. 

the scent: this one smells fragrant but no overly annoying. in fact, i quite like the scent. it's a bit uplifting and relaxing. however, if you're sensitive to fragrance, you might want to skip this one.

the product: it's a white lotion-like serum. it's easy to spread around but not overly runny that it comes out dripping from the tube. as i've said, i don't follow the recommendation mainly because i found that i don't need that much for my whole face and neck. since i use less, i'm able to use this for a few days, almost a week or so? 

the result: it's moisturizing for a brightening serum but still feels lightweight. it works well with my other skincare products and i don't have any problem with my sunscreen. since i use this less than two weeks, i can't say anything about the brightening effect. however, i do notice that it makes my complexion look more radiant. so i believe if i keep using it, it will definitely help brightening my skin.

i do like this serum. it's lightweight, it works well with my other skincare products and the scent is heavenly. however, this serum is quite pricey. even though i like this, i'm still not sure about the price though. however, if you think you like a brightening serum that's lightweight and has light floral scent, then you could give this a go if you have the budget. i think it'll be suitable for all skin type. even though i bought this in japan, they're available here as well, but maybe the price will be slightly more expensive than in japan.