Surgi-w e. l. f. Hydrating Water Essence - 5.0fl. oz

I am really into skincare, especially Korean beauty methods and products. I was using Missha Time Revolution Essence (Intensive Moist), which runs about $32. I ran out of it before I could order another bottle, which takes a good bit of time since I order it from Korea. So in the meantime, I bought this.HONEY! This is what I call serendipity! It’s hard to believe, but the truth is that this $10 Elf essence feels 10x more moisturizing than the expensive Missha product.This got me to thinking, where else in my makeup and skincare routine am I being ripped off? What if I could replace my expensive stuff with products that cost significantly less?So I am now on a mission, and I’m sharing it publicly if any of you are curious. I made an Instagram account for it: @zissygold. I also have a Facebook page, Zissy Gold, in case you prefer that platform. Right now, I’m on a quest for the best inexpensive mascara, and I’ve bought over 30 different mascaras to try out. I refuse to spend $32 on a high-end mascara if I can find one for $5 that is even better. I’d rather put that money towards a vacation, myself.

This is a nice addition to my normal moisturizer. I started following some Instagram influencers who specialize in skincare and I got carried away. Too many new products in a short time. My skin is typically oily but I messed up my moisture barrier. My skin was uncharacteristically dry and sensitive. So I cut out almost every thing and focused on moisture. This helped to calm my skin and nurse it back to health. It's soothing upon application. It feels really nice on. I feel like my skin texture is smoother since I started using this. My skin tone is also more even but that could be attributed to other items in my routine. This was a nice introduction to essences. I'm going to buy a pricier version or two but if they aren't substantially better, I will definitely be back.

I had really high hopes for this product after reading the glowing reviews. I've used it for over 4 months now consistently, every night after my double cleansing routine and before any actives or moisturizers, but I just haven't noticed any changes. I have eczema and very dry skin that can be sensitive to some products. This product did not irritate my skin or make me break out. However, it also didn't make my skin any clearer or more hydrated. I always leave my face a little damp after washing, place 3 or 4 drops of the essence in my palms and pat into my face. It's a little viscous like other serums and feels a tiny bit sticky after absorption (which I don't mind at all). I like using it in my routine because it makes me feel *fancy* like I am pampering myself with an extra step, but to be honest, I haven't noticed any real effects of this product. A little does go a long way and I still have about 2/5 left after 4 months of use. I will continue using it until I run out and then I will likely try a different serum with more hyaluronic acid content.

I. Freaking. Love. This.I received an essence in my ipsy bag and the description was "the skin care step you never knew you needed". Yeah, okay ipsy🙄.I tried it and to my surprise, I immediately fell in love and went looking for an affordable essence before I ran out of the ipsy sample.I LOVE ALL ELF PRODUCTS but have never tried any of their skincare before this. The packaging feels very high-end. The essence itself is super nice - lightly moisturizing and a very light but refreshing scent. I use it morning and night, after cleaning and before any moisturizer. Love love love this stuff and I never want to be without it.

I realllllly wanted to love this...but it tore my skin up. I have been working so hard to build up my skin, and I heard about using essence as apart of the Korean face care system. Before I added this product, my skin was literally thriving. I used this product probably twice, MAYBE three times. But my face started feeling dry and miserable. I even started getting these little bumps that I hadn’t had before. I definitely know it is because of this product. My skins simply did not like it. However when I was using it, it felt so nice gliding across my skin, but the after effects are not worth it. Keep that in mind. Everyone is different, but I know I don’t have sensitive skin, and my face did not like this, so I can imagine what type of mess this product would do to someone with sensitive skin. Be cautious.