Repurchase? | By Wishtrend Mandelic Acid 5% Skin Prep Water Review

Other than hydration, one of the best things that I tried since I started getting into skincare is chemical exfoliants. Seriously, chemical exfoliants helped me a lot in achieving my desired skin goals. My skin is not super flawless yet but it used to be way way worse, especially with acne and tiny bumps.

(picture credit: hermo.my)

There are a lot of AHA and BHA products out there, and even retinol. I myself have tried glycolic acid (my favourite), lactic acid, and salicylic acid but I have never tried any exfoliant with mandelic acid as star ingredient so when I saw many beauty enthusiasts raving about this By Wishtrend Mandelic Acid 5% Skin Prep Water, I knew I had to get my hands on it but was too scared to be fully committed as in to buy the full size so when I received a trial size of it, I was over the moon!

Here is the full sized one:

picture credit: Hermo

Before that here’s some reliable information about mandelic acid

as according to Glamour Magazine:

What is mandelic acid?

Mandelic acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) derived from bitter almonds, but is more gentle than some of the other AHAs like glycolic acid and lactic acid. AHAs work by exfoliating the layers of dead skin away by breaking the bonds between cells to reveal brighter, clearer skin as well as help to clear pores and create a more even tone.

What benefits does mandelic acid have on the skin?

Wrinkles and fine lines

Mandelic acid is a go-to anti-ageing ingredient in the world of skincare. It works to accelerate cell turnover by dissolving the tiny bonds that hold skin cells together, helping to remove dead skin on the surface that can lead to dull complexions, as well as fine lines. It also strengthens collagen, one of the building blocks of the skin’s support network that gives it youthful firmness.

Hyperpigmentation and discolouration

Malesma is a common skin condition in which light to dark brown or greyish pigmentation develops on the face. Mandelic acid has been shown to reduce melasma by as much as 50% in four weeks, resulting in a more evenly coloured complexion.

Acne

Mandelic acid’s antibacterial properties are extremely helpful in treating acne. It also helps to regulate sebum production and in turn decrease the occurrence of breakouts. Mandelic acid has even been shown to benefit those who suffer from cystic acne.

Ingredients

Water, Mandelic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Beta-Glucan, Panthenol, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Fruit Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Centella Asiatica Extract, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Sorbitol, Dimethyl Sulfone, Chlorphenesin, Sodium Citrate, Arginine, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, Natto Gum, Carbomer

It’s so pleasing to see mandelic acid as second ingredient which means that By Wishtrend really means business with this Skin Prep Water. If you are worried about it being ‘too strong’, perhaps knowing that the next top ingredients after mandelic acid are butylene glycol, beta glucan, and panthenol which are all moisturizer ingredients that help your skin to cling onto water and hold onto it so that your skin feels nicely moisturized. Besides, it also contains soothing ingredients such as centella asiatica, houttuynia cordata extract, sodium hyaluronate, and sorbitol. This is such a beautiful formulation in my opinion, not to mention the minimal ingredients. I love it when chemical exfoliants come with minimal ingredients! That gives me hope that the active ingredient could be more effective.

“As you increase the number of ingredients in a product, there’s a risk that the active ingredient becomes less bioactive.” —Jennifer Chwalek, MD

It also has licorice root extract which is good for skin brightening. This Skin Prep Water is also free from paraben, sulfate, alcohol, silicone, and EU Allergens (if any of these is your concern). This product is also vegan, cruelty-free, and has a pH level of 4.0.

Texture and Smell

It comes in a clear toner texture that smells a bit medicinal but as it sinks in the skin the smell is pretty much gone and it doesn’t linger.

The texture is not viscous at all and is runny almost like water, which absorbs quickly, leaving no sticky or filmy residue.

How To Use

Here is some guideline according to hermo.my:

Before the toner, gently wipe and pat the product on your face using a cotton pad.
Limit the use of this product depending on your skin type. (for sensitive skin, we recommend 2-3 times a week)
For morning use, please make sure to apply sun-lotion after using the product.
We recommend not to use this product with other facial scrubs, aha/bha, and vitamin c products.

I use this right after cleansing and only at night time. Sometimes I spritz on some facial mist before applying to minimise irritation. You can apply this using cotton pads or simply pat this into the skin using your hands; whichever way feels comfortable to you.

Would I buy it after trying it?

At the first two applications I felt a mild stinging sensation on the areas around my nose and my upper lip. However, after my third (or was it fourth?) use, the stinging sensation is pretty much gone. However to compare with my Alpha H Liquid Gold Glycolic Acid, this stinging sensation is way way way moreeeeeee mild! The glycolic one is at the scale of 4 out of 10 for me whereas this mandelic acid is 0.5 out of 10 only. I don’t experience any bad reaction such as breaking out or flaking skin or redness. I finished the 5ml bottle in almost two weeks; using it once in every two or three days.

The instant effect that I experience is: skin feels really smooth when I wake up in the morning after a night routine with this so yeah, I think this is effective in removing dead skin cells from your outer layer of the skin. Therefore, with longer consistent use, I believe that this skin prep water can really help improve your skin texture. If you struggle with dull or flaky skin, this would be a great choice (but don’t forget to patch test first!).

This exfoliant also does not make my skin dry or tight or taut at all. After two weeks I can also observe that this Skin Prep Water has lightened my fresh red scars, which is really amazing. The red scars are still there but have lightened a lot. For old dark scars however, I cannot observe much difference but it doesn’t reflect badly on the product because I only use a small size one and not a full-sized one. With a consistent use of the full-sized one, I am positive that you can observe a difference.