THE FACE SHOP Dr. Belmeur Cica Peptite Ampoule Review

Hi guys, today I'll be sharing my review of THE FACE SHOP's Dr. Belmeur Cica Peptite Ampoule!

You guys know I'm a big fan of THE FACE SHOP's Dr. Belmeur line! It really cleared my skin out and is (up till this date) still part of my skincare routine. THE FACE SHOP announced the release of this product last year around August, and I've been dying to give it a go ever since! It's now available here in Malaysia, and I'll be sharing my thoughts and experience using it with you guys today.

WHAT IS IT
You may have seen that product name and thought "Wow, there are so many things going on in that name!". Let's dissect it word per word:

Dr. Belmeur = Name of THE FACE SHOP's acne/trouble line
Cica = Centella Asiatica
Peptite = special Peptite Complex comprising of 3 peptides
Ampoule = a supercharged serum

According to Paula's Choice, proteins are made of peptides, and peptides are made of amino acids.

Protein → Peptides → Amino Acids

When amino acids are combined in certain formations they create specific peptides (there are hundreds of types of peptides), and when peptides are formed in a certain way, they make specific proteins.

Amino acids → Peptides → Proteins

Proteins are the fundamental building blocks of skin. Without peptides, the skin doesn’t remain intact and the result is a loss of firmness, appearance of wrinkles, texture changes, and skin that doesn’t bounce back as it once did. By incorporating products with peptides into your skin, the peptides teach your skin to do what's required to help revitalize your skin's protein (your skin's building blocks) which can help revive ageing skin.

Peptides can be a great addition to your skincare routine because they can address so many skin concerns, especially if its a few peptides combined together. This product in particular contains 3 peptides, Argireline (boosts collagen & works like botox), LG-AO (developed by LG for anti-inflammation & soothing) & Urea (smoothens skin & corrects uneven texture). Together, these 3 peptides make up the Peptite Complex.

Anyhoo, aside from the Peptite Complex, this ampoule also contains Dr. Belmeur's signature Skin-sync Rx (which I've talked about in previous blog posts). Together, these two help enhance the skin's vitality and improve damaged skin.


WHERE TO BUY
A 45ml bottle costs RM165 on THE FACE SHOP's e-store:

It's a bit steep, but right now you can actually enjoy 40% OFF all Dr. Belmeur products (making this ampoule RM99) + receive a free Dr. Belmeur Pouch, so I say its actually not that bad.

PACKAGING
The bottle comes packaged in a blue cylinder:

And the product itself is encased in a dark blue bottle:

I like how this is a press type of dropper that can be locked as well:

INGREDIENTS
Containing a clean ingredient list of only 4 EWG Yellow level ingredients (the rest being green), this product is very unlikely to irritate your skin.

People with dry skin will love this because of the powerfully moisturizing ingredients included (Panthenol, Beta-Glucan, Butylene Glycol & Glycerin), while people with oily acne skin like me would probably love it as well due to the soothing (Allantoin), brightening (Niacinamide) and wound healing ingredients (Centella Asiatica, Panthenol & Madecassoside). This does contain essential oils though (Rosemary, Tea Tree & Eucalyptus), so if you're someone with sensitive skin you may want to take note of that. From personal experience, I did not get any irritation at all.

FRAGRANCE & TEXTURE
The product itself is transparent and runny, not thick as I initially expected it to be.

Its fast absorbing and has a little (almost non-existent scent). If you really put it in front of your nose and sniff it you get a hint of a herbal scent, but on a day to day basis I couldn't really tell that there was a scent at all.

Its lightweight (I felt no discomfort using it during the day) and when applied in the right amount, it is not shiny nor sticky once it's fully absorbed.


HOW TO USE

You can use this after toner as you would a serum (since an ampoule is basically an enhanced serum), but you can also mix it with other products when you want to boost the product. For example, you can use it as a soothing mask by damping a cotton pad with a toner + a few drops of this ampoule and applying it to areas you want to spot treat. You can also mix it in with your cream moisturizer to make the texture more like an emulsion + add the benefits of the ampoule to your cream.


MY REVIEW & VERDICT
I'm not sure if you guys know, but THE FACE SHOP also has another ampoule in the Dr. Belmeur range: the Clarifying Spot Calming Ampoule.

The main differences I can find between them are:
1. Cica is thinner (absorbs faster) while Calming is thicker
2. Although both don't feel heavy, Calming is slightly stickier while Cica is not sticky at all
3. Cica has more anti-aging ingredients that Calming
4. Cica overall has better ingredients

I think the Cica ampoule is like an enhanced version of the Calming one. They removed Alcohol Denat (an astringent which may be irritating for those with dry skin) and replaced it with Allantoin, a soothing ingredient which actually benefits those with oily skin. It also has more Cica and overall more better ingredients that help soothe acne and the skin in general.

I didn't break out at all in the weeks that I was using this, and I think I prefer it over the Calming ampoule now. Its hydrating, non-sticky and can be mixed with my other products to maintain my acne-free skin. I think this product would be good for someone who's looking for a product that can calm irritants and help you maintain your skin. (PS. I also think that it works better when paired/mixed with other skin soothing products)


WILL I REPURCHASE?
I will! The packaging is great and it works well for my skin. I think it's quite the splurge, but since I'm mainly using it now as a booster to mix with my other products, I think one bottle can last me for quite a while. (I hope THE FACE SHOP has another great sale like one on now when I do run out! XD)

And that's it for this review! I hope you guys found it helpful and informative. See you in the next post!