This post contains affiliate links. Product provided by Stylevana.
Kbeauty market is bursting at the seams with products, and sometimes the only way to stand out is to invent something brand new (or at least present it as a brand new concept). I remember when Blithe first released its splash masks and pressed serums, and how the sjuncare world went crazy for them. It’s been a couple of years since these products came out, and I finally decided to try one for myself.
Blithe Pressed Serum Crystal Iceplant promises to soothe, cool, and replenish the skin. The star ingredient is ice plant extract, but there are also evening primrose, arrowroot, and salicis cortex extracts to balance oil production. A full (and very long) list of ingredients is provided at the end of the review. This serum is available on Amazon, YesStyle (reward code KBHOBBIT), Stylevana (discount code INF10KBH), Jolse, iHerb (code CWN6107), StyleKorean, and eBay.
How to use
Apply after cleansing
Gently pat in
Follow with the rest of your routine
I prefer to use a toner and / or a watery essences first, followed by the Blithe serum, and then the rest of my evening skincare. The best thing is to try different ways and see what works best for your skin.
The main ingredient - mesembryanthemum crystallinum (ice plant) - is rich in antioxidants and may help with irritation and inflammation while protecting the skin from free radicals. It’s also a humectant that helps with moisture levels and supports a healthy barrier function. I haven’t seen a product with this as a star ingredient until now.
The serum has a watery/gel texture and is very easy to spread. My combination skin absorbs it quickly - there’s no stickiness or oiliness. I use this at night, but I think it would work fine in the morning as well. I notice a very faint, fresh scent but I have to basically dip my nose in the jar to smell it. It doesn’t linger.
My impressions
The marketing of this product is genius. Pressed serum? It could have easily been named “serum” and put into a pump bottle. But would that have caught my eye? Probably not. There are so many brands and serums…
The product is good, and I enjoy using it. Also, packaging it in a twist top jar really shows off the color and texture of the contents (and makes for good photos, in my opinion). It’s aesthetically more pleasing than a bottle, even though I typically prefer air tight packaging whenever possible, for practical reasons.
Because the texture is so light, Blithe Pressed Serum is great for layering. For example, last night I started with a watery toner and an essence, then used this serum, and then applied another, thicker serum on top. Lastly, I sealed everything in with moisturizer. This morning, my face is extra hydrated and the fine lines are plumped. Someone with very oily skin (or me in the summer) might like the effortless hydration of just this serum combined with a light moisturizer. The customization possibilities are endless.
My last note is if you are planning to use this for soothing very irritated skin, be mindful of a plethora of plant ingredients. While long ingredient lists aren’t an issue by default, if your barrier is already compromised, you are opening yourself up for potentially reacting to something - and it would be hard to identify the culprit among dozens of possibilities. Blithe Iceplant serum contains several essential oils, which could be irritating to sensitive skin. Spot testing is always a good idea. I personally had no issues whatsoever.
Overall, it’s a good product with genius marketing.
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Blithe Pressed Serum Crystal Iceplant ingredients: Mesembryanthemum Crystallinum (Ice Plant) Extract (63%), Water, Butylene Glycol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Glycereth-26, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, Cyclohexasiloxane, Saccharomyces/Viscum Album (Mistletoe) Ferment Extract, Lactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract, Saccharomyces/Imperata Cylindrica Root Ferment Extract, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Polyglutamic Acid, Selaginella Tamariscina Extract, Cuscuta Australis Seed Extract, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Eucalyptus Globulus (Tasmanian Blue Gum) Leaf Extract, Pueraria Lobata (Kudzu) Root Extract, Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract, Oenothera Biennis (Evening Primrose) Flower Extract, Pinus Palustris (Longleaf Pine) Leaf Extract, Melia Azadirachta (Neem) Leaf Extract, Melia Azadirachta (Neem) Flower Extract, Coccinia Indica (Ivy Gourd) Fruit Extract, Solanum Melongena (Eggplant) Fruit Extract, Amber Powder, Curcuma Longa (Turmeric) Root Extract, Ocimum Sanctum (Holy Basil) Leaf Extract, Moringa Pterygosperma Seed Oil, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Candida Bombicola/Glucose/Methyl Rapeseedate Ferment, Argania Spinosa (Argan) Kernel Oil, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Citrus Limon (Lemon) Peel Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil, Citrus Aurantifolia (Lime) Oil, Eucalyptus Globulus (Eucalyptus) Leaf Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Oil, Juniperus Mexicana Oil, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens (Geranium) Flower Oil, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer, Polyurethane-39, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Allantoin, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Potassium Hydroxide, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA