Kawaii Tokyo Pore Solution: Juicy Smoothies Peeling Gel

 Kawaii Tokyo Juicy Smoothies Brighten-Up Pore Solution

 Kawaii Tokyo is a new brand to me that I had only just learned a few months ago.  The Product line is designed for women with an active lifestyle, and includes a full line of cleansing, preventive, and treatment products that improve the looks of wrinkles, hyper pigmentation, and other signs of daily environmental abuse.  The entire line is Halal certified, meaning it contains no alcohol or animal products. One of the products sent to me was the Face and Body Peeling Gel.

 The Juicy Smoothies Gel claims to remove excess dead skin and stubborn makeup residue revealing fresher, younger skin underneath.  Without using harsh physical exfoliants like crushed nuts or taboo-to-the-environment poly beads to exfoliate, the clear gel relies on AHA acids and extracts derived from fruits to loosen the top layers of dead skin cells to smooth and tone the skin by infusing it with vitamins.

 Some of the key ingredients listed are Hawthorn fruit extract (rich in flavanoids – good for anti-aging), Grapefruit extract (rich in vitamin A,C and P – aids as an astringent and removing dead skin cells), Orange Juice ( rich in Vitamin P and C and aids in generating collagen to plump and firm the skin.  Vitamin C specifically is known to aid in the collagen production process and helps in brightening the skin as well.  Flavanoids are antioxidants are also known as ……..drum roll please, Vitamin P! Ha! I felt dumb as I read a bunch of reviews on this brand and saw the mention of vitamin P, and kept thinking they were wrong and it was vitamin C. Well, now I’ve learned a new thing. Vitamin P is NOT a typo.  They are known to have an anti-allergenic, anti-inflammatory, and cancer-inhibiting effect as well as fight against free radical damage.  In short, the aging process of cells.  Some serious stuff there.

 In the gel is gold flecks made of 98.91% pure gold, which was once used by Cleopatra to keep up her youthful looks.  After doing some research, it seems as though pure gold in skincare products are meant to slow down collagen depletion and the sagging of skin.  Gold is also suppose to have a anti-inflammatory effect where applied which can be helpful to soothe skin. There are records way back into history of people using pure gold to rejuvenate and heal the skin in Chinese medicine as well.

 [Review]

To be honest with you, I was a little confused when I received this product. The gel smells really good like green apples and you can actually see gold flecks in the clear yellow gel, and it looks like a good amount too.  My problem is that there aren’t full directions on the bottle and I’ve read a couple different versions of how this mask is used.  I’m still not sure which is the best way.   The dilemma’s using a new international brand!

I was a little hesitant to try this product on my face since I had just come off using Atralin for acne.  I actually just haven’t filled the rx again but my skin looks like its still doing ok.  I figured an exfoliating gel was off limits before but now I could try one.  I  decided to apply the mask after I took a shower and washed my face.  I figured you were just supposed to wipe the gel on and let it sit for a few minutes and I would be able to tell if it would really be a peel off mask or if I just wash it off.  I waited. I looked in the mirror and it looked like it had dried some but not to the point I could peel it.  I decided a few minutes was enough with a new mask and tried to wash it off.  I had a little trouble because now it felt like I was supposed to keep it on.  For some reason I couldn’t get this mask to fully wash off the first few times I tried it.  I applied the mask the next time while I was in the shower to my face and neck thinking it could just soak into the skin for a bit with all the steam and I could wash it off but again it was really difficult to remove with my cerave cleanser.  After a couple of laughs and few emails back and forth with Sam from Vous etes belle , that we tracked down some actual directions.

You are to apply this gel to the skin a few times a week and massage into the skin gently, not focusing on any specific area for too long. Massage into the skin and then allow it to almost dry.  When it gets to that point, rub the gel and try to peel off the drying gel.  You are then supposed to then rinse remaining residue away with the Brighten-Up wash (I don’t have that).  I’m wondering if the wash has something in it that specifically works with the gel mask. I’m not sure. Maybe I am using too thick of a coat. I did apply it pretty heavily to my face, but thin on my legs. Hmm. Anyone? In my case, as the gel gets massaged in, a whitish residue forms.  I thought at one point I bleached my skin because I had a patch of white on face and it looked like I put hydrogen peroxide gel on a wound or something.  It washed off immediately, but set me into a panic for the sink and a moisturizing wash.

 Even though the directions were a bit up in the air half of the time I was using the product, I will admit that the product did leave my face and the back of my hands smooth after.  You definitely need to rinse off at one point because it doesn’t peel off completely, there is residue, and there ARE AHA’s in there and its not something you just leave on the rest of the day. 

 I see this product as something that probably works very well when used with the rest of the Brighten-Up series.  I found the exfoliation to be on the gentle side with no irritation afterwards.  I didn’t experience any additional breakouts from using this product which is nice when dealing with an unknown.   I like the idea of the gold flecks and all the vitamins and antioxidants that are in the formula because people tend to opt on the heavy side when using exfoliating masks for some reason.  We never remember less is more.  I only wish the bottle had more specific directions that were written in a darker color on the tube.  White type against clear yellow gel is difficult to read.

 I’ve used this product several times on my face, neck, hands and lower legs over the past 3 weeks and still have half a bottle left even after using it so often. I like that there was no frightening peeling action, and that the tube lasts a long time. You can try this gentle exfoliator by purchasing it from the Kawaii Tokyo site and follow the brand on facebook by checking them out here.

Want a refresher on the Brighten Up Series from Kawaii Tokyo?  Here is the link to my introduction post about the brand.

 I’ve got more Kawaii Tokyo products to share with you in the upcoming weeks so stay tuned.

XOXO

Claudia

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