skintific 2% salicylic acid anti acne serum

disclaimer: i bought this before the whole chaos regarding project S came out. so far, skintific products are just so-so to me, so when i made the purchase, i've promised myself that this will be my last purchase from them. so probably you won't be seeing more skintific reviews here. anyway, i was hesitant right before using this serum because one of my friend had bad experience with this serum. i had a feeling that this one wouldn't agree much with my feeling either. but still.. i've already bought it, so i didn't want to waste it and try it anyway.

this is the description from their website (the canada one): formulated with 2% salicylic acid using ACSD technology that encapsulated the salicylic acid with AGP hence releasing the actives slowly into the skin, preventing irritation while working optimally for the skin. boost the acne healing process with active ingredients, such as pionin and centella as fast as 3 days. contains 4% niacinamide, ceramide and also peptide, this serum prevent future acne formation and prevent any acne scars. targeting acne, this serum still keep the skin moisturized and hydrated with hyaluronic acid. formulated without any SLS, alcohol, paraben, mineral oil, vegan and cruelty free.

hero ingredients:

- 2% ACSD salicylic acid: golden ratio of 2% salicylic acid that works fast and effective but still gentle for the skin.

- pionin: kills acne causing bacteria and prevent acne scars formation by inhibiting melanin production.

- centella: calms inflamed skin and speed up the acne healing process.

- niacinamide: have anti inflammatory nature to control oil and help to brighten up the skin.

- ceramide: repair and maintain skin barrier.

- peptide: reduce inflammation and stimulates collagen production.

- hyaluronic acid: gives full hydration to the skin without making skin oily or greasy.

the packaging: it comes in a light green box with description and ingredients list printed on the back and sides of the box. there's no explanation about where it was manufactured, unlike their previous products. however, it has added sticker label with indonesian description that clearly stated that it's imported and the company name is clearly foreign. the bottle is a see-through green plastic bottle with white pump head that is covered by another transparent plastic cap. the serum comes in 20 ml which is a standard size for a local brand serum. there's no other description on the bottle. the pump works well, even though the opening looks really small. i can control the amount that i want to use by controlling how much i push the pump head.

the scent: this one doesn't have added fragrance, but it does have that slightly acidic scent, which is usual for acid serum like this one.

the product: the serum is a transparent gel type serum, but somehow in the bottle it looks a bit greenish. anyway, even though it's a gel type serum, it's quite runny so it's easy to pump it out using the pump head. i usually put it on my palm before spreading it around my face. however, lately, i've been focusing on area that needs extra care. like T-zone and my cheeks, which usually get acne or has problem with oil. 

the result: at first, i hate this serum. i don't see how it helps with my skin condition. at that time, my skin condition was not good. i have breakouts here and there, and this serum didn't seem to help with the case. however, as i changed my routine and also started using sheet mask again, i started to notice the difference. even though this serum can't help preventing the acne, in combination with BHA toner that i use, this serum reduce oil production, thus i don't have any problem with my makeup melting as much as before. and somehow, after using regular sheet mask again, the dryness problem that come when i se this serum regularly, even though i use it every other day, vanish. in fact, i start to notice quick recovery in my acnes.

overall, if you have problem with acne, i do think you should use this with extra caution. it can be a bit drying if you're careful. even though it feels moisturizing, it still dries your skin after quite some time. i think it would benefit oily skin rather than dry skin. price wise and availability wise, skintific is everywhere, so you won't have any problem finding it and it's really affordable. however, there's this project S drama that you need to think about. let me remind you that skintific is not a local brand, so it's really up to you. as for me, i won't repurchase this one. i think my skin reacts to BHA toner better than BHA serum. but i won't say ever. if i do need it someday, i think i'll try something else and not this one.