Beauty Review: Etude House Wonder Pore Range

With the constant humidity, heat and high temperatures we face in Singapore, many of us suffer from oily skin stemming from the production of excessive sebum. Though the dewy look is all the rage in K-beauty and promotes healthy, glowing skin, high oil production is a sign of improper skincare and diet.

Thankfully Etude House‘s latest Wonder Pore aims to help those who have problems such as oily skin, clogged follicles and enlarged pores. Instead of removing all traces of oil and adversely drying out the skin like most skincare lines aim to do, the Wonder Pore range aids in balancing the skin’s pH levels in order to regulate and control the oil production in the skin.

With that much promise, we put some of its products to the test and here’s how they fared.

Deep Foaming Cleanser

I started my cleansing routine with the Deep Foaming Cleanser from the range, and immediately picked up a strong minty smell from the Mint Vinegar, a key component in this range. It does remind me of toothpaste sometimes, but otherwise it’s pleasant to use. The cleanser has small blue beads in it that claim to remove excessive sebum from within the pores. I noticed that unlike many cleansers that incorporate exfoliants, this one didn’t have as many abrasive cleansing beads. The formula lathers up easily and removes the remaining makeup I might have missed beforehand. After rinsing I never felt that my skin was tight or dry, so that’s always a plus for me. Although it hasn’t noticeably removed the oil plugs on my face since I started using it, I did notice that it may have caused them to come to the surface, making them easier for me to remove afterwards.

Tightening Essence

Since toner is usually used after cleansing and this essence was recommended for usage after the Deep Foaming Cleanser, I perceived the Tightening Essence as a toner, except much thicker (a gel-like formula) and came in a pump bottle. Similar to the cleanser it had a fresh, minty fragrance and was fun to apply. A little goes a long way with this, so one pump was all I needed to slather my face with it before it sunk in/ evaporated after a few seconds.

Clearing Emulsion

The name might suggest that it’s a makeup remover, but this product was suggested to be used after the Tightening Essence. I saw it as a second toner which was milky and more emollient, and its wet texture also disappeared after a few short moments.

Balancing Cream

This jar of lightweight, gel-like lotion is supposedly the finishing touch to the daily routine. I loved that it came with a little plastic spatula to pick up the product, because anything that comes in a jar and requires you to dip your hands in it is a breeding ground for germs! Another emollient product, it absorbs quickly and leaves a cooling effect.

Black Sheet Mask

Their sheet mask was nothing like any I’ve ever used. The texture is slightly thicker (I suppose the product has really soaked into the material since it wasn’t dripping wet when I took it out of its packet) than most sheet masks and the strategic incisions fit the contours of my face precisely and comfortably. I left it in the fridge prior to application, to soothe my puffy, tired skin after a long day. It dried after about half an hour and I removed it gently, massaging the rest of the emulsion into my skin and leaving it to dry before going to bed. My skin was supple the next morning and my pores were barely noticeable. Definitely my favourite out of the whole range!

Nur Syazana H.

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