"Sciiiiiigns" of Spring: Scinic Iceland Water All in One Ampoule Review

Many people make the switch to lighter layers of skincare in the spring, even us dry-skinned folks at times.. Today I'm introducing the Scinic Iceland AIO ampoule which is something that might be up your alley, if you like to switch skincare products seasonally, dear readers.

Scinic, pronounced "SSign-ik" is a brand that is famous for doing low-end dupes of popular K-beauty products. The product I'm reviewing for you today is the Scinic Iceland All In One Ampoule which is a 3-in-1 product that is supposed to replace your essence, serum, and ampoule steps in your Korean beauty routine. Scinic does three other kinds of AIO's a Honey, a Snail, and an Aqua.

Scinic's claims are that the ampoule makes your skin moist and soft with Iceland glacier water (15% is included). They also claim that the product has whitening and wrinkle care properties.

Disclosure:  If you're curious about my policy on press samples, affiliate links, and sponsors, please see my disclaimer and policies.

NOTABLE INGREDIENTS 15% glacier water (Scinic's claim) Niacinamide - vitamin B3 one of the best anti-aging ingredients and antioxidants out there, Trehalose - a plant sugar with water-binding properties aka a humectant, and Adenosine - a yeast-derived antioxidant and anti-inflammatory with anti-aging properties as well... Theres a whole host of emollient plant seed oils that are present to moisturize the skin such as borago officinalis, sweet almond, macadamia ingrifolia, and sunflower seed oils. Further down on the ingredients lists are ingredients that are present in tiny amounts but notables are ginseng, soybean ferment, salix alba bark, Korean traditional herbs, and plankton extract (if you recall from one of my recent posts I'm a fan of plankton in skincare based on my experience with the Lirikos Marine Triple Treatment Essence). There's some Iceland Moss and Panthenol, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, and Polyglutamic Acid as well.

For the full ingredients list and analysis go to CosDNA.

PACKAGING The product comes packaged in a plastic jar that resembles a jam jar and contains 250ml (8.3 oz) of product. The lid is made of silver plastic. Besides the product information and cute polar bear on the front, the instructions are included in Korean. The label also specifies that the product expires in 12 months. There's a spatula included.

TO USE After cleansing and optional prescription actives, use the spatula to spread enough of the ampoule to cover the entire face and pat the product into the face, allowing it to absorb. Proceed with the rest of your skincare routine.

PRODUCT The product comes in a jam jar hence it reminds me of blue raspberry jam. The product is actually quite watery and much more of an essence type consistency. According to others, and drawing from my own experience this is atypical of an ampoule, as both serums and ampoules tend to be a bit thicker in texture. The Scinic also contains some blue beads in it as well of what is presumably extra moisture, but like I've stated before, I'm not a cosmetic chemist. The product is scented like that synthetic water scent most water-themed products have, but it's quite faint this time.

PERFORMANCE It hydrates a decent amount, softens the skin noticeably, and absorbs extremely quickly. It's thinner than most AIO ampoules and has a non-sticky finish. In terms of brightening, I didn't notice any brightening results and wrinkle care I usually entrust to a great sheet mask or a hyaluronic acid product. It's a good option for the summer months or for those looking for just a slight bit of moisture. Those with oily skin may be able to use the AIO as one of their last steps in their morning skincare but those with drier skin types may need to use more to get through the day, especially as the summer approaches. Be warned it does sting if it gets into your eyes.
With that said, the price per ml is great and Scinic does usually use impressive looking ingredients lists, although concentrations are often not specified. Others say that formulation matters too, so that is something to consider.

FINAL RATING
1 2 2.5 3 4 5 for dry skin, potentially a 3 or 4 for those with oily skin.

WHERE TO BUY
I purchased mine at Cupidrop for $24.00 (US-based). It's also available at TesterKorea <$16.00 , eBay $18.99
It seems like it's discontinued or about to be discontinued at Scinic Korea so if this interests you go for it.

Are you a fan of AIO's?
Do you prefer to use a shorter skincare routine or are you a maximalist when it comes to skincare?






Disclosure:  If you're curious about my policy on press samples, affiliate links, and sponsors, please see my disclaimer and policies.