Tony Moly Intense Care Galactomyces First Essence 94.5%

What’s all the rage in Korea? SK-II copycats, that’s what! It used to be that when you thought of yeast cells, what came to mind instantly was wine, bread, vinegar… or infection. These days, beauty products are manufactured to contain concentrated amounts of miracle ingredients found in the most unexpected of places. Since I can’t afford the legendary SK-II, I’m perfectly happy with scouting for a dupe to take its place. Behold, Tony Moly Intense Care Galactomyces First Essence 94.5%.

I’m not much of a loyalista when it comes to Korean beauty products, so I still get confused with their elaborate product lines. There are essences, lotions, serums, and emulsions, and it’s so hard to keep track of what to use first. I usually end up not bothering to purchase the whole line, instead choosing what to get according to what I need. From my understanding, First Essence = Toner, so that’s what I sprung for.

Ingredients

It’s not the usual alcohol-based toner, so it’s preferably poured (a couple of drops) onto the palm or fingers and lightly massaged onto the face. At least, that’s how the Tony Moly sales staff instructed me. That way, you keep wastage to a minimum. On the other hand, if you prefer a cotton pad/ball, then that’s fine, too.

I put it in one of my dropper vials, so that I don’t have to fiddle with the big bottle. I only just use a few drops at a time.

It looks like water, pours like water, but has a slight stickiness once it dries up. Methinks it’s the Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate, the main ingredient to this essence. Another notable sensation is a slight warm, tingling feeling on the skin. It’s only temporary though. I’ve been using this for a month now and it looks like the supply is going to last me at least 3 months.

On the effects department, I wouldn’t say that this made my skin glow, unlike with the phenomenal reviews for SK-II. For me, it was mostly an added bit of moisturization. No dry patches for me, but also because I’ve paired this with a serum and a finishing moisturizer. (More on that later.) This is ideal for those who’d like to start using toner, but don’t want something too strong like an astringent. If you don’t mind the sticky feeling, then go for it.

Will I be stocking up on this? I don’t think so. In this humid country, the last thing I want to feel is even more sticky. When you buy toner, you generally expect a refreshing feeling. This is not that. I’ve had the opportunity of trying SK-II (the real deal) on the back of my hand (in two or three different occasions) from department store counters. It doesn’t feel sticky.

Rating: 3.5/5