tosowoong propolis sparkle ampoule

this is the description from their website: an ampoule that skin effortlessly soaks up. made with 80% propolis, this lightweight ampoule hydrates and nourishes the skin without irritation since it's paraben free - perfect for sensitive skin. skin effortlessly soaks up the ampoule and leaves skin more vibrant and radiant. 

propolis is rich in minerals and a natural anti-inflammatory. it helps to both soothe and nourish the skin. citrus oils like bergamot, lemon, and lime help to tighten the pores and brighten skin tone. eucalyptus oil helps to gently exfoliate, removing dead skin cells to leave the skin soft and glowing.

skin concerns: acne, dark spots/ hyperpigmentation, dryness, dullness, oiliness, pores, redness, sensitivity.

eucalyptus: this botanical extract has been found to boost skin ceramide production, water-holding capacity, and skin barrier protection.

honey: this golden liquid produced by bees is anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory.

lemon fruit oil: this acts as a detoxifying agent that nourishes, cleanses, and exfoliates skin while clearing up skin issues such as oiliness and acne.

the packaging: it comes in a white box. there's a big yellow box with the name of the product at front, and some description in korean on the sides and back. inside, there's a big glass bottle with dropper to dispense the product. a bit description written at front but since it's a white text, it's quite hard to read since the bottle is transparent and the color of the serum is almost transparent as well. another description at the back of the bottle but everything is in korean. the bottle is quite big since it comes in 100 ml size, so it might affect the shipping cost. the dropper is quite long and you can control the amount of product you want to use. but i find that i have to pinch the dropper for a second or two if i want to get full dropper amount of product.

the scent: i think this one is scentless, but even if i could pick up some scent, probably it's natural scent of the ingredients and not added fragrance. 

the product: it's a gel-like serum consistency and it has yellowish tinge to it. though on my hand it would look almost transparent, but inside the bottle, there's a yellowish tinge to it. it spreads easily, and it's absorbed easily too. i use half to one pump for my whole face and neck. it takes a while to be absorbed, but just keep patting it. it doesn't leave sticky feeling afterward. i use this in the morning since sometimes i use retinol at night, so i put my brightening/ vitamin c serum in the morning out of habit. plus it's lightweight so it's not too much for my morning routine since my usual morning routine would only consisted of FTE/toner, essence/serum, emulsion and sunscreen. 

the result: i can feel it adds hydration for my skin, but compared to cosrx snail essence that i also use, this one feels more lightweight. i don't notice anything at first, but as i keep using this one, i notice that my skin is radiant in the morning. it brightens my skin tone a bit, especially since i've been inside my house most of the time. i don't notice any difference in my pores but i can see that it works just as well as my previous vitamin c serum. as for the anti inflammatory properties, i think it works okay in combination with cosrx snail essence. 

if your skin like propolis, then you'd like this one. it works well and it comes in a big size. though i still don't like that it comes in a glass bottle, but environmentally speaking, i think glass is better than plastic since here the recycling department is still underdeveloped. i think it would work well for all skin types, so even though you have oily skin, it's still pretty lightweight. for dry skin, of course you have to use other serum or essence since this one is not super moisturizing, so it might not be enough for your skin. but if you want something more powerful, something works faster than this, you might want to ditch this and opt for a potent vitamin c serum instead. this one works okay but slowly, so if you're not patient, then skip this. as for me, i think i'd put this in my maybe repurchase list. i do like it, but i want to try local vitamin c serums first. and i think snail essence and propolis sounds similar to snail bee venom, so i think i'd probably repurchase benton snail bee venom rather than buying separate snail and propolis serum.