It seems soaps have become the “IT” facial cleanser at the moment. There has been a few brands of soap that have taken the beauty world by storm with raving reviews, so naturally I have to try one! I had a choice between the
COR Silver Soap, the
Penelopi Moon Faicla Cleansing Soap Junoa which has been voted the best facial cleanser by the Japanese @ Cosme Best Cosmetic Award 2011(the most trusted yearly beauty award in Japan), and the
Gamila Secret Soap that has every Asian blogger talking. In the end I went for the COR Silver Soap as it has some anti blemish properties and so far I haven’t read a single bad review about it.
It retails for USD$125, very pricey for just a bar of soap isn’t it?! But the ingredient list might give you a good indication that it is not just an ordinary soap! The star ingredient of this soap is that it contains the patented formula of nano-silver with silica and they are derived from natural sources.
Silver: is one of the best antibacterial agents. It blocks the bactera’s ability to transfer oxygen through its cell walls. Silver also has healing properties and has been used by doctors to speed cell repair.
Silica: prepares the skin to accept the ingredients of Cor. The sponge-like nature of Silica draws the Silver and other active ingredients into its particles so that it can richly nourish the skin.
Other ingredients include:
Glycerin: derived from natural palm oil which is a renewable source of glycerin most often used in high end soaps.
Marine Collagen from Japan: Collagen starts to disappear at the rate of 1.5% per year in adulthood! Cor’s collagen can add a more youthful apperance to one’s face.
Sericin: is a natural, soluble protein made from silk. Highly moisture-binding and film-forming.
Chitosan: is a natural fibre that acts to even out skin tone, and helps to balance out the skin’s oil levels.
Pomegranate Extract: helps to reduce the effect of aging and fight free radicals.
How I use the soap: This soap develops into very dense, creamy and rich lather (very silimiar to the high end Japanese foam wash). The instruction recommends to leave the foam on your face from 30 seconds to 5 minutes depending on your skin type, and below is the recommended steps to follow:
First week: If you have normal to dry skin, massage the foam onto your face for 30 seconds then leave the foam resting on your face for a further 1 – 2 minutes. For oily, troubled, acne prone skin, leave the foam on for 5 minutes.
Second week: start to reduce the length of time the foam is left on your skin
After second week: use daily as a normal facial soap.
My experience with the COR Silver Soap:
Prior to using this soap, I had always been using a very gentle, moisturizing cleansing lotion. The COR soap is on the other end of the spectrum, it deep cleans the skin and provides a squeaky feel to the skin. I tried to leave the foam on my face for 5 minutes during the first week of use, and it felt like a deep cleansing mask for me. Though my skin appeared noticeably more clear with refined pores, it also felt very dry and tight. Since then I reduced the length of time to 2 minutes as I didn’t have troubled skin, and my skin has been looking very good lately. It just looks brighter and much more clear, and best of all I only had one minor hormonal break out during the two month of use. My skin still feels a little taut after washing, but nothing can’t be fixed by my beloved moisturizer – creme de la mer which seems to work so well with this soap (and that’s going to be another review)
I have also used the COR Silver Soap on the back of my neck and shoulder (they have been suffering from little white or red bumps for years as I always wear my hair down), I left the foam on for 5 minutes and magically after three days it has totally cleared up the bumpy skin! Even my husband cannot believe for once my shoulder is as smooth as..his..haha! However as soon as I stop using this soap, the congestion problems seem to come back.
Bottom Line: Ever since I had the “break-out” attack a while ago, I always try to incorporate at least one anti-blemish product in my skincare routine. And I much prefer the COR Silver soap than the conventional AHA or BHA based products, as it is a lot less harsh to my skin. Even though it is still a little drying for my skin, it doesn’t make my skin irritated, red or peel like some other products do. Highly recommend for people who have acne-prone, oily skin. Dry skin ladies can skip this.
Part of my fashion haul from US – a pair of timeless black patent leather pumps with an edge, as it has a silver metal toe engraved with Chanel which seems to be the style of the moment. Very low key as the logo is hardly visible when worn, and most importantly I can run in them!
