AXIS-Y Skincare Products Review: Korean Skincare for Acne-Prone Skin

This is my review of the Korean skincare brand AXIS-Y which focuses on making affordable skincare products for sensitive, acne-prone skin.

What is AXIS-Y Skincare?

AXIS-Y Skincare is a Korean skincare brand that focuses on making affordable skincare products for sensitive, dehydrated, and acne-prone skin.

Their products are right up my alley because not only am I sometimes dealing with these skin concerns myself but also most of the clients I work with have similar skin issues.

The reason for this is that often people who are dealing with acne tend to go right in with harsh products they hope will help them obliterate the issue at hand, not realizing that overdrying or over-exfoliating your skin to get rid of one issue will actually bring up a myriad of other skin concerns, and will make the original problem worse.

This is why I always advise my clients, readers, and social media followers to take a gentler approach to getting rid of acne, as this, although requiring patience and dedication, will eventually lead to improvement.

Therefore, I get super excited whenever I see a brand that shares my ideology and approach to this particular skin concern and is affordable and easily available to those who can’t afford to get professional treatments, see a dermatologist, or invest in expensive products recommended by estheticians.

Therefore I am so excited about this article, as having used AXIS-Y skincare for about two months at the point of writing, I am ready to share my opinion and experience with three of their products.

So, without any further ado, let’s jump right in!

Spot The Difference Blemish Treatment

Spot The Difference is a blemish spot treatment that comes in a small glass bottle and is carefully made to soothe active inflammation and calm the surrounding area within hours of application.

The spot treatment features a patented technology known as Phyto-Oligo, a phyto complex consisting of hollyhock flower and aloe vera extract, both known for their hydrating and anti-inflammatory properties.

Ingredients

Besides the Phyto-Oligo complex, the Spot The Difference Blemish Treatment is also packed with other soothing, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial ingredients, including camphor leaf, green tea leaf, and mentha aquatic, an ingredient that revitalizes and reinvigorates the skin while also soothing active inflammation and giving a refreshing feeling to the inflamed area.

Additionally, the Spot The Difference Blemish Treatment also contains brightening niacinamide, and licorice root extract, which is an ingredient that’s high in antioxidants and also has the ability to brighten the skin especially in uneven areas such as dark spots that usually occur after a blemish has healed.

Furthermore, the serum also contains hydrating ingredients such as hyaluronic acid, beta-glucan, and ceramides, which are the main building blocks of a healthy and functioning skin barrier.

However, the serum’s main active ingredient is 4-Terpineol, an ingredient found in tea tree extract and contributes to the healing of blemishes.

Scent

The Spot The Difference Blemish Treatment doesn’t have added fragrance but has a tea tree and camphor scent due to containing these ingredients.

The scent isn’t overpowering, doesn’t linger around for a long time after application, and is pleasant.

Consistency

The Spot The Difference Blemish Treatment has the consistency of a thick, gooey serum that isn’t runny and stays in place when applied to a blemish.

This is a spot treatment and if the title doesn’t explain that already, the consistency definitely does, as spreading it on the entire face is impossible due to the thick formula.

Performance

So before I explain my experience with using the Spot The Difference Blemish Treatment, let me say a few words about my skin.

Generally, my skin is oily and extremely acne-prone. It’s also prone to dehydration, especially after a professional procedure such as a chemical peel or if I am trying out different exfoliators that sometimes lead to it becoming over-exfoliated.

However, my skin was pretty normal when I started using AXIS-Y products, so I only had to use the spot treatment on a few cystic pimples that popped around my jawline and one or two on my cheeks that showed up after I changed a few of my complexion makeup products (tried a new concealer and foundation that broke me out.)

The first time I used the Spot The Difference Blemish Treatment, I applied it as I usually apply any treatment that contains active ingredients: on cleansed, damp skin, and gave it a few moments to absorb before I followed up with my moisturizer.

And, as I hoped, the treatment did minimize the then huge cyst I had on my cheek and the smaller one on my jawline.

As I continued applying it morning and evening, both cysts were gone within three days, which usually isn’t the case if I let them go untreated, as they tend to stick around for longer than a week.

Additionally, since I have fair skin, I don’t usually get dark or hyperpigmented spots, but I do get red spots that take ages to go away after a pimple has healed.

And surprisingly, the serum did help the healing process due to containing niacinamide and other anti-inflammatory ingredients that prevented the spot from remaining red long after the pimple healed.

So, all in all, I think this is a good spot treatment to try if you are dealing with an occasional cyst here and there; however, it’s not a product that is intended to be used on the entire face, so if you are looking for something more permanent, try to find a good exfoliator to keep breakouts at bay.

Dark Spot Correcting Glow Serum

The Dark Spot Correcting Glow Serum is a brightening serum that corrects dark spots and improves uneven skin tone.

Ingredients

The Dark Spot Correcting Glow Serum is a niacinamide-based serum that aims to soothe, hydrate, and strengthen the skin barrier as well as correct irregularities such as hyperpigmentation and uneven skin tone that usually occur after inflammation has calmed.

The main active ingredient in this serum is 5% niacinamide, a water-soluble vitamin that helps improve uneven skin tone and dullness but also strengthens the skin’s barrier and helps it deal with inflammation as well as the consequences of inflammation better.

Additionally, the serum also contains squalane, which is a lipid naturally found in our skin oil that has mild antioxidant properties and works to prevent damage caused by free radicals and environmental pollutants.

Additionally, soothing sea buckthorn works to calm active inflammation on the skin while moisturizing allantoin helps stimulate cell proliferation and promote new tissue growth.

Lastly, papaya and rice bran, which are also present in this serum, help smooth out and brighten the skin, especially focusing on sun damage and uneven skin tone that occurs from long-term unprotected UV exposure.

Scent

The Dark Spot Correcting Glow Serum doesn’t have added fragrance; however, it does have a very faint herbal scent that doesn’t linger and is only barely noticeable.

Consistency

The Dark Spot Correcting Glow Serum has a thicker consistency that allows it to be used as both a serum and a moisturizer, depending on your skin type and your skin needs.

Performance

So, as I already mentioned above, I have very oily skin, so using this serum as a day moisturizer was good enough for me.

When using it in the evening, I enjoyed following it up with my beloved Cicaplast Baume B5, but that’s just out of pure habit and because I like waking up to smooth and soft skin, not because I needed it.

However, since I don’t generally get dark spots after a breakout has healed, and my skin is pretty even thanks to the professional treatments I frequently get, I didn’t see some massive difference from using the Dark Spot Correcting Glow Serum, but it did make my skin softer, smoother, and glowier, especially during the day.

My husband, on the other hand, who tends to get dark circles around the eyes, did appreciate the brightening effect this serum gave him, so I’m going to go ahead and say that it has the potential to improve your skin if your skin needs it.

Other than that, the Dark Spot Correcting Serum has a glowy finish and leaves the skin looking healthy and radiant.

Complete No Stress Physical Sunscreen

Complete No Stress Sunscreen is a mineral sunscreen that contains gentle, reef-safe ingredients such as zinc oxide and titanium dioxide to protect the skin from UV damage.

Ingredients

Besides the main active ingredients, the Complete No Stress Sunscreen also contains a myriad of soothing, anti-inflammatory, hydrating, and barrier-repairing ingredients such as 2% niacinamide, squalane, and mugwort, an ingredient that is often used in traditional Korean medicine to help with a variety of inflammatory skin concerns, such as acne, bug bites, rashes, and irritation.

Additionally, the sunscreen also contains cell-communicating ingredients such as adenosine, which is an important compound in our body with a vital cell-signaling role, as well as tripeptide-5, an anti-aging tripeptide that works to protect the collagen-producing cells from damage while boosting collagen production and therefore improving skin texture.

Scent

Just like the previously mentioned products, the Complete No Stress Sunscreen SPF 50+ doesn’t contain any added fragrance; however, it does have a scent that’s not the most pleasant one out there because you can really smell the mugwort in this product that makes the formula smell like root, or earth.

I don’t mind it as long as the product doesn’t have added fragrance, but some might not find it too appealing.

Consistency

The Complete No Stress Sunscreen has a white, creamy consistency that’s not too thick or too runny, and it’s easy to spread on the skin.

Performance

Since I have oily skin, pretty much any sunscreen makes me either super oily or very dull; there’s simply no in-between.

Therefore, the Complete No Stress Sunscreen was no exception to this, but as always, it worked fine after setting it with a powder.

Additionally, the sunscreen does leave a bit of a white cast on the skin, which is pretty standard for mineral sunscreens, but it’s not too bad after applying makeup.

Other than that, the Complete No Stress Sunscreen is very good at protecting the skin from UV damage, and it doesn’t sting or irritate the eyes thanks to the gentle ingredients it contains.

All in all, I would recommend this sunscreen to anyone who is looking for a lightweight, high SPF product and doesn’t mind a bit of white cast, a nice glow, and an earthy scent.

The most important thing is that the sunscreen doesn’t contain pore-clogging ingredients that could trigger even more breakouts, making it a good option for those who are dealing with active acne or have acne-prone skin.

Lastly, the sunscreen delivers a sort of a cooling sensation once applied to the skin, which I appreciate, especially when the weather is hot.