Yuan Soap Alpinia Speciosa Facial Cleansing Lotion & Gel

From my little spiel on the brand a year ago (how time flies!) you know that Yuan Soap 阿原肥皂 backs their products with the best of what technology has to offer. I am reminded how effective it is once again when I took on these new arrivals: Alpinia Speciosa Facial Cleansing Lotion and Alpinia Speciosa Facial Cleansing Gel. My cleansing routine is all laid out for me: I use the lotion first, then the gel.

Alpinia Speciosa Facial Cleansing Lotion 月桃卸妝乳 (RM 149/150 ml) feels like a body lotion. For something with this texture to do a good job of removing makeup – I knew I was onto something special. I need a separate eye makeup remover when I am wearing lots of liner and mascara though. One of the brilliant things about this cleanser is the inclusion of Vibrio Exopolysaccharide Extract (a type of algae) to stimulate collagen synthesis.

The full ingredient list for Alpinia Speciosa Facial Cleansing Lotion:
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglycendes, C12-C15 Alkyl Benzoate, Alpinia Speciosa Flower/Leaf/Stem Water, Decyl Glucoside, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Cynara Scolymus (Artichoke) Leaf Extract, Vibrio Exopolysaccharide Extract, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Pelargonium Graveolens (Geranium) Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil, Zingiber Officinale (Ginger) Root Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Isopropyl Palmitate, Steareth-21, Sodium Polyacrylate, Chlorphenesin, Phenoxyethanol.

Other than Alpinia Speciosa, Alpinia Speciosa Facial Cleansing Gel 月桃潔面露 (RM 139/150 ml) is enriched with White Fungus for hydration purposes along with an extract from the Ayurvedic plant Gotu Kola to stimulate collagen production and promote wound healing. It is adept at breaking down impurities while leaving the skin moisturised and with its natural defences intact. I can't even begin to articulate how beautifully it works in spite of the gentle formulation. Thumbs up! Toes up too if that is possible!!

The full ingredient list for Alpinia Speciosa Facial Cleansing Gel:
Water, Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Alpinia Speciosa Flower/Leaf/Stem Water, Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Hydrolyzed Royal Jelly Protein, Glycerin, Pelargonium Graveolens (Geranium) Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil, Zingiber Officinale (Ginger) Root Oil, Xanthan Gum, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Chlorphenesin, Phenoxyethanol, Isoceteth-20.

Head on over to yuansoap.com.my for more information!

Disclosure: Press samples.

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Yuan Soap Momordica Travel Set

From knocking on doors of shops and stores with bags of soaps, Yuan Soap from Taiwan is now an internationally acclaimed brand with a variety of personal care products and teas under its belt.

As of now, Yuan Soap has three skincare ranges: Alpinia Speciosa (dry and ageing skin), Momordica (normal and brightening) and Bidens Pilosa (combination and oily skin). Due on my concerns, I got to trial Momordica. Did it leave a lasting impression? You will get to the answer in a bit!

Name: Yuan Soap 阿原肥皂
Price: RM 179 for the following
Momordica Restoring Toner 苦瓜素面水 50 ml
Momordica Restoring Serum 苦瓜菁華還原露 8 ml
Momordica Restoring Cream 苦瓜還原霜 8 g
Made in: Taiwan

Even without the frills, simplistic packaging can be both effective and beautiful. The clean, clinical lines earned my faith right from the start.

Momordica Restoring Toner (RM 159/150 ml) helps to give my skin an extra boost of moisture, leaving it supple and soft. At first I was flummoxed by the starchy, freshly diced raw potatoes scent, but I got used to it after a few days.

The full ingredient list for Momordica Restoring Toner:
Momordica Charantia Fruit Extract, Propanediol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Methylisothiazolinone, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate.

Momordica Restoring Serum (RM 259/30 ml) is very moisturising yet penetrates easily and does not feel greasy on the skin.

The full ingredient list for Momordica Restoring Serum:
Water, Momordica Charantia Fruit Extract, Propanediol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Glycosyl Trehalose, Olivoyl Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Pisum Sativum (Pea) Extract, Tranexamic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysates, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Glutathione, Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract, Saxifraga Sarmentosa Root Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Acetyl Tyrosine, Aniba Rosaeodora (Rosewood) Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Oil, Sucrose Dilaurate, Aminopropyl Ascorbyl Phosphate, Arbutin, Methylisothiazolinone, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate.

Momordica Restoring Cream (RM 309/50 g) is light and almost a little gel-like in consistency. Once absorbed, it leaves my skin silky smooth and soft to the touch. And like the serum, it shares the same natural herbaceous fragrance.

The full ingredient list for Momordica Restoring Cream:
Water, Propanediol, Triticum Aestivum (Wheat) Seed Extract, Glycerin, Pisum Sativum (Pea) Extract, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Cetearyl Olivate, Olea Europaea (Olive) Oil Unsaponifiables, Sorbitan Olivate, Tranexamic Acid, Glycosyl Trehalose, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysates, Glyceryl Polyacrylate, Hydrogenated Olive Oil, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Saxifraga Sarmentosa Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Hyaluronate, Acetyl Tyrosine, Aminopropyl Ascorbyl Phosphate, Aniba Rosaeodora (Rosewood) Oil, Arbutin, Glutathione, Momordica Charantia Fruit Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Oil, Sucrose Dilaurate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Methylisothiazolinone, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate.

I realised the cause for the price point once the science behind the products were divulged. The ingredients, most notably the precious plant oils, are extracted using a cold press technique (no heat and solvent). For those of you not in the know, cold-pressed oils have all their natural properties intact.

The ingredients are then synthesised into nano-sized particles. The small size of the nanoparticles (compared to particles in conventional emulsions) allows easy nutrient delivery to the skin, thus increasing efficacy. The awesome technology and the care that goes into these products ensure the manufacture of exceptional products.

I believe that Yuan Soap has a concept that resonates with women everywhere and stands out from the typical brands offered at the department stores.

Convinced? Shop here!

Disclosure: Press sample.

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