This post will be reviewing the IUNIK Beta Glucan Power Moisture Serum
IUNIK is one of those Korean Skincare brands that gained popularity in 2020 alongside Purito. They’re known for their signature serums including the;
- Tea Tree Relief Serum
- Black Snail Restore Serum
- Propolis Vitamin Synergy Serum
- Beta Glucan Power Moisture Serum
They also have other best-selling products including the Centella Calming Gel Cream, Calendula Complete Cleansing Oil and the Beta Glucan Daily Moisture Cream to mention a few. Check out the entire product line over at STYLEVANA.
Anytime I discover on a new brand, I naturally gravitate towards their hydrating and moisturizing products first even before their bestsellers. This is because I have dry dehydrated skin and I choose the products that have a higher chance of working for me. Not necessarily because they are popular.
For obvious reasons, the first product I reached out for was the Beta Glucan Power Moisture Serum. Followed closely by the Beta Glucan Daily Moisture Cream. The review for the latter product will come later on but first, let’s see how the serum worked for my skin.
First Impressions of the IUNIK Beta-Glucan Power Moisture Serum
According to IUNIK,
- Beta-Glucan Power Moisture Serum contains the third-generation moisturizing technology Beta-Glucan.
- 98% Beta-Glucan high moisturizing serum rebalances skin oil levels.
- A moisture-replenishing face serum powered by beta-glucan to leave skin with a healthy-looking renewed glow.
- Offers super moisture recharge and skin barrier function improvement to dry skin.
- Enriched with 100% pure Beta-Glucan to nourish and soothe skin by capturing inner skin dryness and supplying instant moisturization to sensitive skin.
- Hyper Moisturizing / Nourishing & Soothing care / Skin elasticity
FUN FACT: IUNIK is an acronym of Ideal, Unique, Natural, Ingredients, Know-How.
Overview
As you can see, this is a really simple hydrating serum with 98% Beta Glucan. IUNIK is marketing Beta Glucan as the third generation moisturizing ingredient with Glycerin and Hyaluronic Acid as the first and second generation respectively.
When you think about it, they’re probably right. Seeing as how advanced Korean Skincare is, Beta Glucan probably gonna be the next big thing in skincare in the next 18 months. Right now, Niacinamide and Hyaluronic Acid are currently having their moments as star ingredients.
Consistency & Texture
Just like any other hydrating serum, it has a lightweight texture with a watery consistency. It comes in a clear bottle with a pipette which makes it really easy to apply. Usually, two pumps are enough for my entire face. It has a nice runny consistency that immediately hydrates and absorbs into your skin upon application.
This product will come in handy for those that have oily/sensitive skin and want to incorporate some hydration into their routine. It is not sticky and will not pile except you use too much.
Price
The 50ml bottle goes for about $20/£12 depending on where you buy it. Based on my current usage, the bottle goes a long way because you don’t need too much at a time. So, if you’re over the 30ml bottles of Hyaluronic Acid from The Ordinary or The Inkey List, this is a much better value for your money.
Ingredient List
This serum has the simplest ingredients list I’ve seen in a product in a while. It has just six ingredients with the most important being the Beta Glucan which accounts for about 98% of the ingredient list. As well as Sodium PCA which is also great for moisturizing the skin.
This simple ingredient list makes it a perfect starter product for a beginner who is new to hydrating serums.
Review of the IUNIK Beta-Glucan Power Moisture Serum
I’m really not a fan of hydrating serums because they are usually not thick enough for my dry dehydrated skin. I prefer thicker products such as toners and essences. I like to reserve my serum step for my treatments.
What I Do
At the beginning of Autumn when the weather got a bit colder, I introduced this serum to my AM routine. Typically, the colder the weather gets, I add more products to my routine. So, I used the serum after my toner before my moisturizer and/or SPF.
Here’s a sample AM routine you can follow too;
- Some times, I skip cleansing in the mornings.
- Mist with Kikumasamune High Moist Toner
- Hydrate with IUNIK Beta-Glucan Power Moisture Serum
- Moisturize with IUNIK Beta Glucan Daily Moisture Cream
- Treat with The Ordinary Vitamin C 23% Suspension
- Protect with Cosrx Aloe Soothing Sun Cream SPF 50.
How It Worked
With all the experience I have with skincare, I don’t consider myself a skincare newbie. As such certain products are not in my level. After a while, I like to believe that you outgrow single ingredients formulations because your skin has built resistance overtime. This means that your skin is ready for some intermediate to advanced formulations.
While I quite enjoyed using this serum, I was slightly disappointed. This is because it is not thick enough for the cold months hence I didn’t find its hydrating effects long-lasting. It literally just sank into my dry dehydrated skin. It wasn’t until I introduced the Beta Glucan Daily Moisture Cream that I was able to extend the lifespan of the moisturizing effects. I believe the products were formulated to work side by side.
Nevertheless, this is a product I will continue to use for now because of its size. Depending on the weather and how my skin acts, I might either swap it out for a more hydrating product or layer it with one other product.
In Conclusion,
This is a great entry-level hydrating serum that is better suited for skincare newbies. It will also come in handy for the warmer months if you prefer lightweight products in general.
While I might not necessarily enjoy Beta Glucan, Hyaluronic Acid and Glycerin as stand-alone products, they are incredibly amazing in formulations.
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