Review: Kojie San Kojic Acid Soap

Note: This post has been edited on 04/11/2015 with additional information and pictures.

I've been using Kojie San on and off for the past 5 years. I've only used this brand because in the past, it was difficult to find a mainstream brand of kojic acid. When I last went to Watsons, it was the only soap that listed kojic acid as the first ingredient.

While the picture below shows the Kojie San soap for P50, I've previously bought the bigger versions for cheaper at P120 for 3.

Kojie San Whitening Soap

In the back, you can see the expiration date quite easily, along with the ingredients list. I find the box quite strange.

Ingredients: Kojic Acid, Sweet Orange, VCO, Glycerine, Vegetable Extract and Vitamin C.

As you can see, Kojic acid is really what you get when you buy this product, the sweet orange probably acting as a preservative for this product. It also acts as a pleasant orange scent for the duration of application. It washes of quite easily, so don't be afraid to use a second wash or lotion after it.

 For those who don't know, here's a bit about kojic acid: it's an acid that's capable of inhibiting melanin, or dark spots, on the skin. It's antibacterial, but its safety has been determined at concentrations of 1%, and any further use can cause sensitivity. Unfortunately, kojic acid at that level won't cause any skin lightening. It is not considered to be carcinogenic.

Kojie San Soap Box Ingredients

I've found that this product, is very good at cleaning the face and skin: I've found that even a henna tattoo stays on half as long when I use kojic acid. Long term use leads to increased succeptibility to minor cuts and abrasions, probably due to increased skin fragility. However, short term use is already irritating on sensitive areas such as the face and groin so it's best to wash it of as quickly as possible after lathering it on these places. It's fine on the thicker parts of my skin. Also, while my face gets a bit red if I leave it on longer than a few seconds, I don't break out from it.

On another note, a lot of leave-on kojic acid products are currently in the Philippine market. I'm not comfortable leaving something like this on my skin though.

Tips:  Don't use this product more than once a day, and moisturize straight after. You might feel a stinging sensation right after application, due to the fact that you are peeling your skin.  Thus, you should use a sunblock religiously if you decide to use this or any other peeling/whitening product.

Kojie San Kojic Acid Soap

While I don't have much experience with whitening products, I've noticed that using this soap has kept me from darkening during summer, as compared to when I use other, non-whitening soaps. I tend to use a bar of this every summer just to keep from changing my skin color. I also end up using a bar of this every 4 months, especially when my face is breaking out severely (due to its antibacterial properties - trying to control the bacterial spread of P. acnes). However, using this for too long will actually irritate my face even more so I tend to stop after 2 weeks and finish the bar for just my body. I have found that it does lighten my acne scars, though slowly compared to chemical peels from my dermatologist.

How does this compare with other whitening products? It doesn't work as well as hydroquinone but better than, though more harsh than papaya soap.

What I dislike most about this soap is that it melts easily! I used to cut a bar in half to keep it from melting quite so quickly. I buy the smaller versions if I'm too lazy to cut. Keep it away from possible sources of water and it will last around 4 weeks of heavy use.

Let's recap.

Yays

• antibacterial - may help control acne
• cleaning
• whitening - effect on both normal skin and post-acne scars
• inexpensive

Nays

• can be irritating (drying or stinging)
• melts easily
• Not for long term use

Hays

• Do not leave on sensitive areas for more than a few seconds
• Use a moisturizer after
• Use a sunblock after

Okays

• Those interested in skin whitening
• Those who are acne prone should check for a reaction first
• Not for sensitive skin

Buy Again? Yes. Unless I get a definitive report I'll probably continue purchasing this product. I'd switch if I found a cheaper one with near the same ingredient list though.

It's a long weekend for me! This Monday, aside from the Starbucks promo, CBTL also has a special treat for Swirl Card holders: Get half of the Moroccan Mint Tea Latte from 3-5 pm as the last of their Thank You for 50 promos.

I'm kind of torn as to which one I'll probably get...

Happy weekend everyone!
-SS

Review: Bath & Body Works Sheer Freesia Body Lotion

Okay. I'm too lazy to list all the ingredients, but the first are water, glycerin, petrolatum, cetyl alcohol, cetearyl alcohol, dimethicone and fragrance. This is probably where all the moisturizing and scent come from. However, they do list these as pampering ingredients:

Conditioning Aloe Vera
Protective Grape Seed Extract
Nourishing Vitamin E & C

While I don't think these ingredients do anything at the amounts they probably are in (note that they all come after fragrance), it might have an effect... I haven't felt anything other than the standard moisturizing I get from other lotions.

What I love about B&BW is that their lotions mostly smell really good.  As you can see, this one is nearly gone. It's a very feminine flowery scent and it lasts for quite a bit. You can actually go out without perfume on a date night with this product. On the other hand, I feel that the scent is not as strong as Victoria's Secret lotions - nor quite as sensual? (brand imaging works sometimes). Honestly though, I prefer this over VS because of the less "girly" packaging. It's also easier to hold because of the curved, textured top.

Another nice thing is that you can see how much product you have and the slit-cap makes dispensing easy. While it is less contaminated than a screw cap, it's not as good as a pump-top apparently (performing around a flip-cap's level). However, pump top products, if they don't have a cover, tend to spill as I tend to throw them on the bed, which is where the former two have an advantage. Yes, sometimes, packaging does matter.

The consistency is neither heavy nor light. It takes a couple of minutes to sink into the skin but does not leave a greasy feeling. Then again, don't expect this lotion to do anything other than keep you moisturized and smelling like a freesia.

Since this is not a local product, it could be considered expensive compared to some lotions or depending on your supplier. However, I have a lot of B&BW stuff thanks to my mom and my sis on their trips. B&BW tends to go on sale a lot. Out of the ones I've been rotating right now, the list of what I prefer from most to least and why:

1. Sheer Freesia - girly, good for going out
2. Country Apple - fruity, for feeling good coz I love apples! I like the pinkish red color the lotion.
3. Twilight Woods - a bit too strong for me, apply sparingly
4. Coconut Lime Verbena - not fond of coconut so I use this as a hand lotion

The sad thing is that they tend to discontinue scents, so if you fall in love with one, you might think of hoarding these products. I'm not really in love with any of them, luckily.

Frequent hand washing is one of the best things you can do to prevent spreading germs/illnesses/whatever. But hands tend to get dry easily if you do this. Use a (hand) lotion when you can to keep them soft and silky!

Internet At Last!

After 9 hours of following up, I finally have internet! So I'd like to just post some things that make me happy: Macarons, Coffee and Both. Note that my name isn't Carol. ^^

The Mocha Cookie Crumble Frappucino is really good! Starbucks has a BOGO promo for June 24, 2013. Check out their Philippine Facebook page for details.

Globe Rant

I am so frustrated with Globe right now. While they're all really nice, nothing seems to ever get done. I've just spend two hours to come to nothing regarding my problem.

5 Nice Things About Globe*... Not
*on broadband application

1. If you are on hold, then they will come back to you - Ok. This is not exactly a lie since they do eventually return, but it was taking a while. I asked someone inside the store if I was still on hold, and he said yes. Unfortunately, after another 30 minutes, he said that no- it got disconnected. I wasted around an hour holding a dead phone simply because I did not trust my instict that a phone with no music on hold was dead.

2. They will get back to you promptly - Nope. Not at all. Which has spewed a whole lot of follow ups that have all come to nothing. A word of advice, don't try their hotline. It's near useless. I just had many frustrating rounds of repeating everything about my case, only to get transferred again and again and again to end up with a - I'm sorry, this is all I can do. I will reply in 24 hours (which... hasn't happened).

3. You can use their customer service to get good service - if ever you get there. At the most convenient times for me, Globe is woefully packed and the line can take up to an hour. I tried using other measures given to me but the lines were perpetually busy.

4. You can follow-up in another globe store - apparently not. Globe can't cross communicate unless via email, so if you need something follow-ed up, you need to do it in the store you applied it or wait at least 24 hours for the other end to reply. Else your service is routed through the hotline (see above) which cannot communicate directly with another globe store anyway.

5. They can deal with your concerns - I've just spent two hours of my life with no one able to help me. I was told to go to the branch I originally applied in, when during my application process and my first follow-up (at the branch I did apply in) I asked and was explicitly told that I could use the hotline or the globe closest to me to follow up. Liars.

It's come to nothing. Nice people, but absolute shite when it comes to actual problem solving. It's very funny how my requests were met promptly when I was inquiring but it seems I have been dropped as soon as I have made a commitment.

Life, huh.

Edit: Saturday: June 15, 2013

Still another two hours in globe. Still nothing. All the regrets.

This is already four times worse than the last Sun trouble. Gah!!!!

End:

I now have Internet. I have given around 9 hours of my life to Globe. While I wouldn't recommend their service, I am now enjoying their product. Let's hope I'd have nothing to complain about in that aspect.