First impressions: Kose Sekkisei Medicated Cream

Some purchases I spend ages deliberating over and some I just pick up randomly, on a whim or because of a recommendation.

I think Sekkisei was a recc from AB Muse and it was a great choice for me.

This is a truly delightful product, fragrance aside, and could be the ideal day moisturiser, although it seems like it may break me out. 

I say may break me out because it could be user error. 

Cost

$3ish for 6g, mini pots from TK. Although I'm pretty sure it's out of stock now.

 Packaging

It's a jar, my least favourite cream packaging but what can you do.

A jar is probably the best packaging for a cream, given you can be sure you've used it to the last drop, although a squeeze tube is just easier in my opinion.

Pretty much everything comes in jars and a squeeze tube for a gel cream is probably madness because how would you consistently squeeze out the right amount and also I often don't pay attention to how much I'm squeezing, resulting in using too much.

My face doesn't argue with too much but my wallet is less pleased with this arrangement.

Texture & formulation

It's a gel cream that feels super lightweight and spreads very well, although because it dries quickly, I find I need to rub it in promptly. 

It spreads very well and definitely forms a good protective layer on my skin.

I'd be in two minds whether I'd recommend it to anyone, though, because I can't tell whether it would be great for any particular skin type.

The gel formula and alcohol means it might work for oily skin but it's actually quite moisturising. It does form an occlusive film as well but it's not at all greasy, it dries down really well.

The light texture and alcohol might mean that it's not good for dry skin. I'd also argue that it may not be moisturising enough for dry skin unless your other products are also moisturising.

All I can really say is that it works really well in conjunction with my routine: I love it, it works for me but I'm also very confused by it.

Ingredients

I bought this blind and still have no idea what's in it!

I assume it's similar to the Kose Sekkisei Cream on Yesstyle. There's presumably something in it that makes it medicated and it may even be the same as that product, as the ingredient list has a couple of ingredients called out as active ingredients first (Stearyl Glycyrrhetinate), which often seems to be the way with Japanese medicated products.

Based off the one on Yesstyle, if it's similar or the same, there's alcohol and a lot of silicones, which I seek out and love. It also has squalane. 

*Note: it's worth considering that Yesstyle isn't necessarily accurate! No version of the cream is on Ratzilla, though, so that makes it challenging. And there are potentially multiple versions with different actives (liquorice, vitamin c) plus there may also be a regional formula for Korea. Thanks to Marcelavy for spotting the different versions!

Fragrance

I definitely won't be using my rubric for this because all I can smell is the faint hint of flowers drowned in alcohol.

I can imagine that would put a lot of people off and I don't find it enjoyable but it also doesn't bother me.

Whilst I would prefer a fragrance that delights me, I'm fine with it.

What Step?

Cream!

I've used it AM and PM, it does fine for each although as someone with dry skin, I always pair it with, at least, an emulsion and it's not perfect for PM.

A particularly good short routine is a Decorte softener, Sooryehan The Black Serum, the Sekkisei and then Sooryehan Chunsam cream is eye cream and a tiny bit spread over my cheeks and forehead.

My skin is soft in the morning and I don't notice issues with dryness or itchiness (the latter being a sure sign that I haven't done right by my skin the night before).

I would say that two hours in after getting up, I'm ready to wash my face and get some product on it. Usually I'm washing my face within 30 minutes of getting up so this isn't a warning sign, just a comment.

Experience

As usual, I've covered a lot of this above because this really is a first impressions as I only have two 6g jars and I've used it very inconsistently.

The big problem with this cream is unrelated to everything I've mentioned above, it's that it probably breaks me out.

Although,it is very much worth noting is that I haven't behaved myself and did not use a spatula with the little jars and they've potentially sat there with face bacteria in the pot for who knows how long.

I must confess: there was an eyelash in the pot. And I still used it. What a slattern!

So this may not be the fault of the cream and doesn't put me off trying a full size because I really like it.

The other issue is that I have two little pots and I am not sure if I dipped my fingers in the non-eyelash pot when I first got it or if that's the eyelash pot. Or if I didn't do this at all and I can't remember.

I feel like I did dip my fingers in one or both pots and then didn't use either for at least six months, maybe more than that. 

I don't really know if it's such a problem to use fingers rather than a spatula. How clean are spatulas anyway when they've been out in the air and although the rule is to use a spatula, wouldn't the preservatives take finger dipping into account? 

I definitely think an eyelash in the cream isn't good and that is user error for sure.

I am willing to ignore the fragrance and annoying jar packaging because the formulation of this cream is excellent.

The cream is great for sweaty mornings when I'm too hot having stepped out of the shower and once I've finished applying it, it dries within a minute.

Some creams, on top of slightly sweaty skin, don't apply nicely or dry down properly but this does.

Granted, my current situation of sweaty mornings is nothing compared to where I lived previously when Hada Labo Perfect Gel was my saviour for super sweatiness immediately out of the shower.

And I've been contemplating going back to the Hada Labo but in my heart of hearts, I know it'll take ages to dry properly and it may not play well with my other products.

I barely used things with oil in at the time and actually not so many silicones either so I don't have a lot of hope that it would work well. Plus it'd probably be really shiny with my current routine.

The finish

Depending on what I use it with, it's pretty good. Whilst I would (almost) always prefer less shine to my skin, I have to admit that no shine - a total lack of dewiness - makes me look unwell.

I'm getting better at diffusing the cognitive dissonance of dewiness = too much shine because it does genuinely look healthy.

I could absolutely put powder on top and reach my personal definition of balance between dewy and matte but I can live without it. The less I have to do in the morning the better. 

Final Thoughts

Well I've switched to the other pot and I am still breaking out. Hrmph.

I'm think I'm going to finish the tiny pot in the new year, ie after party season, and see how it goes.

The formula is exactly what I want so I went through every moisturiser listing on Ratzilla and spoken to a friend and the backups are:

 1) Curel

 2) Shiseido Aqualabel Special Gel Cream (White).

The Curel has the firm advantage of being available to order in the UK at Boots, so super easy to get hold of. It's not cheaper per ml but it's a smaller size so if it doesn't work, I haven't committed myself to a big tub.

It's also generally well reviewed and recommended by Marcelavy so that's a win! And if it's too light, Boots also stocks the Curel night cream which is heavier.

Definitely less risky than either the Shiseido or Sekkisei.

Plus there's always the chance that the Missha hanbang cream will dry down in the way I want, which would make a separate day moisturiser unnecessary.

However, if the Curel works, it would mean my Missha lasts longer so less need to order from wherever sells the Missha and have to wait for it. So I think I'll try the Curel anyway, because if the Missha should be heavy (that's why I bought it), I'll want a nice light - but moisturising - cream for summer regardless.

And technically I did buy the Missha simply to replace my Sooryehan Chunsam Sanghwang Regenerating cream, which I use as an eye cream. So technically the Missha won't even be my PM moisturiser in any case - although if I do it that way, then I need another PM moisturiser.

The Missha is relatively cheap, though, which is why I was thinking of using it generally as a PM moisturiser....