

Fountain of Youth: SK-II Pitera Essence Set

I want to extend my unplanned hiatus but I've been feeling so #blessed that the words are literally seeping through my fingers, begging to be typed.

Let's start this resurgence with a few life updates. Nothing major happened for me to stop blogging, actually. I've just been enjoying the slow and quiet non-blogging life. There's been a lull in invites coming my way and I'm currently relishing the peace. I still go when invited but I've been taking my time writing about the events. I just don't feel like being a newspaper, you know?

Misty Day's power of resurgence.

So I've been pondering a more varied form of blogging. I have so much pretentious and silly stuff tumbling in my head and I want a space to document my mental stories. I'm putting up a semi-private *personal* blog which has drafts all over my laptop and journal right now. I'm just stuck wondering if it's more convenient to put it all up on Blogger or Tumblr.

In the meantime, I've been getting more intimate with some of my product samples and have detailed reviews coming up. For a while back there, I was running on SCOUTED posts. Blitzkrieg reviewing isn't really my style and is partly why I forced a leave of absence. I wanted to publish more meaningful stuff, I guess.

For the meat of this post...

I'm really excited about the SK-II Pitera Essence Set (P 3430 from Luxola*). It contains:

75ml Facial Treatment Essence
40ml Facial Treatment Clear Lotion
1pc Facial Treatment Mask

If you're going to get juuuuust one thing from SK-II, it might as well be the Facial Treatment Essence. Dubbed as "miracle water" and elevated to HG status by many users, it is easily the brand's star product.

By a chance encounter, SK-II scientists noticed soft and youthful skin on the hands of sake workers despite their aged and wrinkled faces. They experimented on 350 kinds of yeast to finally create with the trademarked Pitera essence. This supposedly helps keep skin looking rejuvenated and plump. Online sentiment is pretty divided on the matter. Some people swear on all their ancestors that this is the fountain of youth, while others pan it as nothing more than plain water.

With blanket claims like promises of "youthful" and "rejuvenated" skin, SK-II is bound to draw a lot of harsh criticisms and I do wonder if not following directions (minus 2 on exams!) affects product performance. A lot of reviews seem to look at this as an astringent when it's really more of an essence.

There's a big difference.

Astringents are way harsh and should barely graze your skin. Essences are meant to be massaged on and soaked for full effect. I don't think you're getting the proper dosage of Pitera if you use the Essence like an astringent. It makes sense, right? Those sake brewers must've had their hands absolutely marinated in sake yeast, the "parents" of Pitera essence.

The rest of the kit contains a supplementary Clear Lotion and Mask. The Clear Lotion is your typical Asian toner, and it helps prepare your skin for the rest of your facial routine. You get less Toner because you're supposed to use only a few drops of it vs. a soaked pad of the Essence.

The Mask on the other hand, delivers an instant boost to your skin by steeping your skin in Pitera essence while the solution is trapped under a sheet mask.

I'm on a skincare break so I'll probably get to the nitty gritty of this on December. In the meantime, do use my Luxola code: BLX-TELLIE to enjoy 30% off your first order (code valid until December 21). This code is not applicable to the following brands:
  • Dercos by Vichy
  • Dr. Wu Clinical Skincare
  • Real Techniques
  • SkinCeuticals
  • Sigma Beauty
  • Vichy
  • ZOEVA - I'm sorry, guys, this is beyond my control D:
  • Origins
  • Sacha Juan

*These items were sent by as part of their Holiday campaign. I was not otherwise paid for this post. The SK-II Pitera Essence Set was sent with an additional Luxola bag, 15ml Rachel K Youth Eye Complex and an SK-II Facial Treatment Mask as part of their free gift promo last November 17 (valid until supplies last, minimum purchase of Php 1735).

Luxola has GWPs or flash sales almost everyday. Do sign up using my invite link to keep on top of the promos.

December 2014 BDJ Box: CoverGirl Exclusive!

SCOUTED: Davines Oi Line