Hansaeng Cosmetics Rin Bi-gyeol Yun Essence Review

The Korean skin care regimen is a lengthy and tedious routine that can be quite texting for an average person. However, these carefully applied products and steps have been quite a worldwide hit since Korean ladies seem to have achieved ageless beauty with it. Charlotte Cho of Soko Glam wrote quite an informative post in Into the Gloss on the 10 Step Korean Skincare Routine.
Quickly, here's a run down of the 10 Step Korean Skincare Routine based from Charlotte's list and then we'll head on to the review of the day.

1. EYE MAKEUP REMOVAL
2. CLEANSE
3. EXFOLIATE
4. REFRESH (TONING)
5. ESSENCE (SERUM)
6. AMPOULE
7. SHEET MASK
8. EYE CREAM
9. MOISTURIZER (EMULSION/LOTION)
10. NIGHT CREAM

That's too many steps don't you think? If you do follow this routine on the daily it would probably take you a good 30 minutes to an hour to finish this. I personally do 5 or 6 of the steps on the daily if I have makeup on during the day but if I'm having a no makeup day then I would only do 3 or 4 steps. 
My skin care routine have been varying lately since I've been trying out a lot of skin care products and also, for the month of August and September I've been breaking out like crazy. I normally get a pimple only during the time of the month but since my travel to California a month ago, I've been breaking out here and there every couple of days. I've also noticed more texture on my skin so I'm trying to build up a good skin care routine to help clear everything up.
One of the products that I was sent for this month was the Hansaeng Cosmetics Rin Bi-gyeol Yun Essence. An essence is basically a serum. Serum, some may argue, is totally different than essences since Korean skin care brands actually do come out with products labeled serum and essence separately. Well, the serum is more concentrated and usually is applied after toning (another added step to the already long 10-Step Skin Care Routine). The essence on the other hand, is a lightweight and less concentrated version of it but is still packed with active ingredients to help address skin issues like cellular rejuvenation, brightening, anti-wrinkle, etc. 

The Rin Bi-gyeol Yun Essence is a proud hanbang cosmetic which means it is a beauty product that contains ingredients derived from traditional Korean medicine. Among the almost endless list of ingredients here are some that might be quite familiar: licorice, black cohosh, black sesame, angelica gigas root, paeonia lactiflora, mulberry root, niacinamide, fermented ginseng, sodium hyaluronate, and macadamia seed oil. The combination of these ingredients claims to balance the oil and moisture of the skin, has anti-wrinkle and anti-aging properties, brightens and moisturizes the skin.

The bottle is quite lovely and weighty. It has a nice look and feel to it with the chrome cap and neck and the mustard color bottle encased in glass. Loving the convenience that the pump provides too! 

All I need is one pump of this essence for my entire face. The first thing I've noticed about this essence is that it is very opaque in color and has a thicker consistency than most of the essences I've encountered. I've established above that an essence is essentially a lightweight version of a serum but I honestly think this particular product can be categorized as a serum itself. Most essences also has a clear to cloudy color and has a slippery texture but the Rin Bi-gyeol Yun Essence feels more like a lotion. Another thing I've noted about this essence is that it doesn't sink into the skin like most essences, rather, it sits on top of the skin. I'm not going to say it feels unpleasant since it really doesn't bother me, although some may not feel comfortable about that sensation because it does feel very rich and heavy.

Another thing to note about this product is the scent. It has a strong a very strong flowery perfume smell which, to me, was a little overbearing. It would not be a huge deal if you don't mind strong scents but this is just something to keep in mind. I personally am not a huge fan of strong flowery scent and would rather have a fresh water, clean scent or a citrus scent in my skin care products.

I firmly believe that this product should be marketed as a serum instead of an essence (although they are the same but to avoid further confusion with all these Korean skin care steps and products). I'm not sure if the Rin Bi-gyeol Yun line from Hansaeng Cosmetics has a serum product in the market but this essence definitely is very close to a serum formula rather than the typical essence formula. 
I would say I had a good experience with this product although it would not be on the top of my list for essences. The Rin Bi-gyeol Yun Essence's rich formula does provide the skin with great hydration. I honestly think that you can skip the rest of the other skin care steps after using this product since it is intensely hydrating. I've used this product for a good 3 weeks and I still haven't seen quite amazing results although I did notice brightening effects. I started using this after my vacation from California and I was so tanned at that time but I've noticed whitening and brightening effects within two weeks of using this since my face is now 2 to 3 shades lighter than the rest of my body. 
The Hansaeng Cosmetics Rin Bi-gyeol Yun essence retails for 26,000 KRW ($26). For an essence I think the price is just right since you get an ample amount of product in a bottle at 50ml. 
For sure I'm going to continue using this product and incorporate it with my new skin care routine that I've been testing out lately. Would you try out this product? How many steps are there in your skin care routine? I would love to know so please write them down below. ^^
*This product was sent to me for review but as always, my reviews are honest and based on my own opinions and experience.
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