The Botanical Tone Up Cream and Sun Cream From The Pure Lotus, is the perfect pair chocked full of antioxidants that will leave your skin wanting more! Find out more from Falak Amaar, aka The Brush Master, on what makes these lotus products so special.
Since the beginning of time, there has been a certain (unfair) societal expectation of how a girl should look and how she should take care of herself. This has at times even extended to the shaming of those with lazy skincare habits or women who “don’t put in enough effort” into their appearance.
In the fast paced world that we live in today, we don’t always have enough hours to get ourselves ready for the world even as we still want to look our very best. Hence, the expectation should be for our skincare and cosmetic products to work for us, quickly and efficiently.
Well, today, I celebrate the fact that less can be more! I was recently introduced to the Botanical Tone Up Cream and Botanical Sun Cream SPF 50+ PA+++ from The Pure Lotus, a clean beauty brand from Jeju, South Korea, and this dynamic duo really did impress!
While sun creams or sunscreens need little introduction, Tone Up Creams, which have been around for a while, was something that I rarely used or thought about. But used right, they are handy all-round products that are useful to have around.
So...What Are Tone Up Creams?
The Kbeauty industry is famous for introducing the world to new makeup and skincare concepts and borne out of that innovativeness comes Tone Up Creams. They have been around for several years already but aren’t particularly popular here in South East Asia probably because many of us don’t understand where it fits in our daily routines.
Combining makeup and skincare benefits, Tone Up Creams straddle the worlds of skincare and cosmetics and possess some of the lightening and brightening effects of foundations and makeup bases with a variety of skincare benefits such as anti-ageing and wrinkle treatment effects.
They can be best described as either the last step of your skincare routine to brighten and even your complexion for the natural “no-makeup” look or as the first step of your makeup routine as the first layer before your primer or makeup base.
Containing brightening and anti-ageing ingredients such as Niacinamide, Adenosine, Centella Asiatica and other skincare actives, Tone Up Creams do not just cosmetically brighten your skin but actually help treat and prevent hyperpigmentation, uneven skintone and other skin concerns and that is why they straddle both the skincare and makeup categories.
The Pure Lotus Botanical Tone Up Cream
Like all the other products from The Pure Lotus, the Botanical Tone Up Cream comes in a 50ml tube that is wrapped in a beautiful paper box, designed by famed Jeju lotus artist, Kang Myeongsun, that just invites you to try them out.
I tried reading the instructions on the box but it was all in Korean so I just decided to see what it actually does and…. I have STOPPED using my foundation during the day!!
The Tone Up Cream has a light pinkish colour, with a slight floral scent that is pleasing to the senses. The texture felt creamy yet light on the skin and had a natural brightening effect that left my complexion looking naturally even.
This miracle, colour correcting Tone Up Cream is great for almost all skin types but if you have very dry skin you can apply this on top of your moisturiser. Its key ingredient, White Lotus Extract, is rich in antioxidants that help protect your skin from environmental stress and promotes skin health.
Aside from that, it also contains Niacinamide which refines pores (and I have some serious pores), Centella Asiatica for its protective and anti-ageing effects and Pearl Extract which promotes skin healing, aids in whitening and moisturizing so don’t forget the neck when using this!
Any side effects? Although there are loads of active ingredients, I haven’t experienced any side effects despite having used this for over 2 weeks now. I have moderately sensitive skin and would probably have had a breakout or an adverse reaction by now but instead, I’m hooked on to this wonderfully versatile cream.
Pssst: I apply it under the eyes too sometimes when I can’t be bothered with concealers. It’s not full coverage and I certainly won’t recommend that on a daily basis because under eye skin is sensitive, but boy it brightens up my day with minimal effort!
The Pure Lotus Jeju Botanical Sun Cream SPF 50+ PA++++
Speaking of breakouts, I have a love-hate relationship with most sunblocks! I know you “have to” wear it but for some reason, most sunscreens do cause my skin to breakout. So, although not ideal, my second best option was foundation with SPF in it.
Every! Single! Day!! And then… concealer, and then powder… It was taxing. BUT WAIT!!! Then I started using The Pure Lotus Botanical Sun Cream and this is THE ONE!!
I love that it has a moisturising and brightening (especially when paired with the Tone Up Cream) with anti-ageing effects. There is no white cast and helps refine the appearance of pores while its texture isn’t tacky or overly matte!
It’s great to wear out and gives that “tidy, even toned” look without looking patchy or like an oil reserve after a couple of hours. It also has a herbal or botanical scent that reminds me of rosemary or ginger. It’s a pleasant scent but, though not overpowering, it does linger a little and might be an issue with some who are more sensitive to fragrance.
Similar to the Tone Up Cream, the Botanical Sun Cream comes beautifully packaged with the same intricate lotus design. It comes in a similar slim tube (50ml) as the Tone Up Cream which made it easy to squeeze out every last drop. Most thoughtfully, the tube was in a different colour so that you can differentiate the Tone Up Cream and the Sun Cream when used together.
This is definitely one of the best Sun Creams I have tried in recent years. Despite its long list of active ingredients, I am happy to report that this sun cream was incredibly light and comfortable and caused me no issues. Unsurprisingly, it won the Editor’s Pick as the Best Sunscreen for Sensitive Skin 2021, by The Singapore Women’s Weekly
Aside from protecting you from harmful UV rays, it is also enriched with white lotus leaf and root extract from Jeju which is full of antioxidants to brighten, smoothen complexion and provide fine wrinkle treatment. It was particularly effective when used together with the Tone Up Cream which I highly recommend.
Psssst: Dot all over your face except the under eyes, pat it down using a soft sponge, apply a light corrector or concealer to the under eye (Just so it doesn’t look dull in contrast with the rest of your face) and lightly dust your favourite powder on top. Now, you’re ready to roll!
Yes, I Really Did Wake Up Looking Like That!
Both the Tone Up Cream and the Sun Cream were great on their own but where they really shined was when used together at the end of my skincare routines. It left my skin looking bright and even and felt like I already had some makeup on. This came in really handy when I wanted to run out of the house for a short while but was too lazy to put on a full face of makeup.
But they also worked really well under makeup. The bright and even skin tone created by the creams made it easier for me to achieve the look I wanted with my makeup. I even saved some time by mixing both creams together before applying them on all at once.
Depending on your skin tone, you might need a few tries to get the right proportion (of tone up cream) to achieve the desired results. Use a sponge to help get an even spread and Voila! You’re ready to run out and grab some milk from the store (almond milk if you’re vegan).
The quality and versatility of these creams is what makes them so incredibly handy in my makeup/skincare tool bag!
