Review: Trouble Calming & Brightening Ampoule (Baviphat)

Recently my skin has been rebelling and breaking out. It's mostly been happening along my jawline too, which I found out after some research was due to hormonal imbalance. Now if it was a diet related problem, I could easily try to eat a wee bit healthier to counteract what's happening with my skin. But hormones? What am I supposed to do about that?

I already have a medicated acne cream I've been using for years that's highly effective for me. It can get rid of small to medium zits practically overnight. But it's really drying on the skin (to help dry out the zits, I guess) so I can't use it in the day when I'm going to be headed out because it'll cause my makeup to look flaky and patchy on those areas. So I decided to purchase something additional I can use any time to help me combat my acne's redness and overall appearance.

I was browsing around Baviphat in Glorietta 3 mall the other week and happened about telling the SA about my breakout woes and she instantly recommended me their Trouble Calming & Brightening Ampoule. I'm a big lover of Baviphat's products, so it wasn't that hard for me to decide to get it!

Left side of the box

Right side of the box

Baviphat never fails with their packaging. It's always colorful, girly, and accompanied with cute illustrations!

The serum comes in a sturdy, glass bottle with a dropper that holds 30ML of product. I find the bottle pretty enough to display on a vanity table! It almost looks like a potion vial, don't you think?

Information on both the bottle and the box are written in hangul (Korean), but fortunately I managed to snag a description from YesStyle:

Skin-soothing serum utilizes extracts of magnolia flowers to even out complexion and bring a newfound glow to dull and lackluster skin tone. Skin-calming serum easily spreads on, penetrating the surface to deliver potent brighteners right where they are needed the most. For instantly brighter skin, pour out a few drops of serum and spread evenly all over face.

So from the description alone, this turns out to be a dual-use product. Not only will it help 'calm' blemishes such as new acne, but also brighten up dark spots, acne scars, and your face's overall skin tone.

The serum itself is somewhat thin and has a runny or watery consistency, as you'd expect. It takes a bit of time to absorb fully into the skin, about 10-15 minutes for me, and it changes from wet to slightly sticky in the process.

Applying twice a day (morning and evening) after cleansing and before moisturizing, let's see how the serum worked for me...

Prior to using Baviphat's Trouble Calming & Brightening Ampoule

After three days

After five days

So within a week it worked a lot better than I expected it to and it really did 'calm' the zit down to the point that it's 90% gone. Most importantly, it got rid of that disgusting pus-filled 'white head' that usually appears with new zits.

However, just take note that the serum's effectivity isn't consistent. It can take longer to work on some new acne or shorter. Sometimes it doesn't disappear almost completely like it did above even after a week. It depends on the size of the acne itself, as well as a multitude of other factors including your current stress levels, diet, sleep pattern, etc.

I also tried the serum's claim for brightening, again applying twice a day on my entire face for one week, but unfortunately I didn't notice any visible difference with my acne scars or overall skin tone.

Pros

• A little goes a long way, only 2-4 drops at most needed for your entire face
• Does not dry out the skin
• Dropper included

Neutral

• Scented. The scent is best described as very 'medicated', almost like an ointment. I personally don't mind it, to be honest, and it fades once the product is absorbed
• Effects of the serum vary on the size of the acne and other internal and external factors

Cons

• Takes some time to fully absorb, longer if you're in a hot/humid environment
• Not very travel-friendly, the glass bottle can be at risk of breaking or cracking

Price: PHP500+, Purchased from: Baviphat (Cinderella, Glorietta 3, Makati)

I'm not sure where other Baviphat stalls are located locally. But if you want to purchase it online, you can do so via YesStyle or Fan Girl Asia, amongst others. Please remember price also still varies per site!