Dr. Belmeur Vita Serine Tone Smoothing Serum Review

Hi guys! Today I'll be sharing all about THE FACE SHOP's Dr. Belmeur Vita Serine Tone Smoothing Serum!

My fave trouble care-line from THE FACE SHOP is back with another product! If you follow me Instagram and watch my Instastories, you'll know that last year I posted about this product. It was actually launched in Korea last year and it has finally arrived here in Malaysia!



Not only that, 3 actresses from SKY Castle are the models for this product! I really enjoyed watching SKY Castle, and seeing Yeseo, Hyena and Seri made me want to try this product out even more hahaha



THE FACE SHOP so kindly sent me one to review and try out, so today I'll be sharing my thoughts with you guys! Just a disclaimer, although the product was sent to me, this review still contains my 100% honest options (like I literally obsess over all the Dr. Belmeur products and have made it my life mission to try all of them hahaha).

Anyhoo, let's go on with the review!

WHAT IS IT
THE FACE SHOP's Dr. Belmeur Vita Serine Tone Smoothing Serum is a triple-care serum that brightens, evens out skin texture and moisturizes - all in one step. Featuring a carefully blended trio of ingredients safe for those with sensitive skin, the Dr. Belmeur Vita Serine Serum removes dead skin cells, controls overproduction of melanin and provides sufficient moisture to improve the skin's overall glow.

This product contains 3 start ingredients: Serine (which helps to gently remove accumulated dead skin cells), Vitamin Complex (a mix of vitamins to help brighten the skin) as well as Hyaluronic acid (which helps hydrate and revitalize the skin).

Previously in January, I reviewed another product from THE FACE SHOP's Dr. Belmeur line called the Cica Peptite Ampoule:

The main difference between these two products is that the new Vita Serine Tone Smoothing Serum contains Vitamin C stable and gentle enough to be used even by those with sensitive skin to brighten the complexion, while the Cica Peptite Ampoule contains peptide complexes and is made specifically for those who want to incorporate cica care into their skin.

WHERE TO BUY
The full-sized Dr. Belmeur Vita Serine Tone Smoothing Serum comes in a 45ml bottle and retails here in Malaysia for RM178. You can buy the product on its own on THE FACE SHOP's e-store:

but for a limited time only, you can get the Dr. Belmeur Vita Serine Full Package at the same price or RM178!

Not only do you get more than your money's worth you also get 1 full-sized mask + 4 deluxe sized products to try out and use together with the serum! Super worth it right??!

The products included in the set are:

1. Dr Belmeur Vita Serine Serum 45ml x1
2. Dr Belmeur Vita Serine Intense Mask Sheet x1
3. Dr Belmeur Advanced Cica Toner 30ml x1
4. Dr Belmeur Advanced Cica Emulsion 30ml x1
5. Dr Belmeur UV Derma Sun Cream 10ml x1
6. Dr Belmeur Advanced Cica Hydro Cream 30ml x1

I was informed that this full package is only available offline in a few stores, so I recommend snatching it up as fast as you can on their e-store while it's still available!


PACKAGING
The Vita Serine Full Package came in a nice orange box:

Behind the box is all the info about the products in both Korean and in English.

Here's how the products look like inside the box!

This product is actually a departure from Dr. Belmeur's usual blue/medical packaging, but I love how they incorporated their branding + style with the orange to represent the new vitamin C serum!

Here's the actual packaging of the product. It is glass and feels quite luxe.

Although the cap is flat and looks similar to the Cica Peptite Ampoule's twist dropper, it's actually not the same for this one. The cap on the Vita Serine Tone Smoothing Serum pops off to reveal a pump instead of a dropper.

Although I have no problems getting the amount of product I want, I would have preferred if it was a dropper applicator like the ampoule just so that I can syphon off every drop of the serum once I get to then end haha. On the other hand, this is more hygienic and I guess keeps the vitamin C from being exposed to air!

INGREDIENTS
Filled with amino acids and vitamins, this product is paraben-free, sulfate-free, alcohol-free and EU allergen-free.

After analyzing the ingredients all but one of the ingredients are EWG green level (the odd one out was yellow), meaning the ingredients in the product are very unlikely to cause irritation.

As I mentioned above, this product contains 3 star ingredients:

Serine is an amino acid that is more stable and safer than AHA. Its low-irritant peeling effect helps to gently remove accumulated dead skin cells, helping to prevent future moisture loss. The result is smoother skin, and smooth skin easily diffracts light, creating a more translucent, radiant effect.

This serum contains a Vitamin Complex consisting of 3 vitamins. Vitamin C derivative (Ascorbyl Glucoside) provides the same brightening effects as Vitamin C but is more stable and resistant to heat damage. Vitamin B3 (Niacinamide) delivers excellent brightening and skin barrier strengthening benefits to restore radiance. Vitamin B5 (Panthenol) enhances the skin's moisture retention ability while instantly soothing sensitivity.

The last star ingredient is Hyaluronic Acid, a fave of everyone that loves moisture! HA is actually naturally produced on our skin, but sometimes our HA levels go low, especially for those with sensitive skin (that's why they're more prone to get dehydrated skin). HA can hold up to 1000 times its own weight in water, making it excellent for bringing moisture back into the skin.

This product also contains brightening ingredients (Niacinamide & Ascorbyl Glucoside), anti-ageing ingredients (Niacinamide & Ceramide) and ingredients that promote wound healing (Panthenol & Sodium Hyaluronate). It also contains highly moisturizing ingredients that are great for those with dry skin (Panthenol, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Hyaluronate & Glycerin)

TEXTURE AND FRAGRANCE
The is unlike other Vitamin C serums I have tried and is actually not super watery at all. It is still light in texture with a translucent, milky colour, but it is slightly more viscous. It has a citrusy scent that disappears once absorbed into the skin.

It absorbs quickly into the skin, leaving the skin matte and not sticky at all.

HOW TO USE
On the box it says to dispense a sufficient amount and to gently spread it over the face, patting it in to promote absorption.

I personally use it after toner. After applying it, depending on my skin's condition, I'll layer another serum/ampoule or just leave it on its own. I then follow with moisturizer. Since it's pretty thin, it should go in pretty early in your routine.

This serum absorbs pretty quickly into the skin without leaving a sticky residue, so I use it both day and night. There are no warnings to not put it near your eye/mouth area, but since your eye area is pretty delicate, I do not recommend directly applying this there. I have, however, accidentally rubbed it around my eye/mouth area and did not get any reactions/irritation.

MY REVIEW AND VERDICT
I think overall this is quite a good vitamin C serum! I like the scent and texture a lot, and I love the freshness it brings to my skin. I think what makes it stand out is that it is not sticky at all and does not cause any stinging on the skin (for me at least).

As for the product's main claims:

1. Removes dead skin cells
- Not quite sure about this as I usually see dead skin removal during toning, but I do feel like my skin looks even + it has helped speed up skin turnover, helping to reveal new skin.

2. Controls overproduction of melanin
- I'm not sure how I can measure the amount of melanin produced by my skin, so not really sure how to gauge this haha.

3. Provides sufficient moisture
- Yes! I have to say, it's one of those serums that you can use on its own and feel that you have ample moisture. My skin feels juicy and hydrated!

4. Improves the skin's overall glow.
- Yes! Although I did not see any drastic change in my skin shade, that's okay because it did not promise that anyway. It promises to give an even skin tone and to smoothe out the skin, and I did notice that my skin looks healthy, even and glowy. I think this serum does a great job of delivering vitamins to the skin!

Compared to the Cica Peptite Ampoule, I would actually consider these 2 products to be quite different. If your main problem is acne (especially fresh acne/open wounds), I would not recommend going for the Serine as it may irritate you. If your issue truly is acne care, I would recommend the Cica Peptide Ampoule. However, if you're someone like me who has oily/acne skin (with not much active acne) but would like to incorporate brightening effects to your skin, go for the Vita Serine Tone Smoothing Serum!

WILL I REPURCHASE?

I quite enjoyed this serum, and I think I will definitely repurchase it again when it finishes. If you're someone who would like to give it a go, I recommend to get one for yourself now while the Full Package set is still available!

And that's it for this review! If you're interested in trying this product out, you can grab it from THE FACE SHOP's e-store:

Dr. Belmeur Vita Serine Tone Smoothing Serum • RM178

Dr. Belmeur Vita Serine Full Package • RM178

Thanks for dropping by my blog, see y'all in my next post!