Review: COSRX AC Collection Calming Liquid Mild

Hello Everyone!

Today, I will be finishing up my final reviews of the COSRX AC Collection, there are still a total of 3 products to review. Once again, I was given these COSRX skincare products for free as part of Stylekorean's Try Me;Review Me campaign in return for my own honest review.

I'm sure I've mentioned this before, but I'm a massive fan of COSRX skincare products! I've tried so many of their skincare products that it's always exciting when something new is launched or I get the chance to try something that I've never used before.

Today's review of the Calming Liquid Mild is something that I would consider more as a toner than anything else. In the past, I have review other COSRX toners (COSRX AHA/BHA Clarifying Treatment Toner), however, I will admit early on now, I am more excited about this toner and have higher expectations and hopes for it.

Like everything else in this AC Collection, this gentle, soothing daily toner is designed for sensitive and acne-prone skin. Formulated with 85% green tea water, PHA, BHA and cica extracts, this calming liquid soothes skin, gently removes dead skin cells and excess sebum while preventing further breakouts.

Since it is alcohol free, it helps the skin maintain the oil-moisture balance and calms irritation. Therefore, making it great for anyone with sensitive skin, especially people who aren't able to tolerate alcohol in their skincare products.

While the version of this Calming Liquid that I have is the Mild one, there is another one from COSRX called the "COSRX AC Collection Calming Liquid Intensive." While they are similar in some aspects, they're also very different. However, today, I will be going over the MILD one.

Here's a look at the opening of the bottle. By having this kind of opening, it allows you to control the amount of Toner you want to come out, instead of having it come pouring out like a water faucet.

Main Effects:

⤕Calming

⤕Clearing

⤕Mild

⤕Recovery

⤕Refreshing

Star Ingredients:

🌟Camellia Sinensis Leaf Water - Soothe and recover sensitive skin

🌟CentellAC-Rx Complex

🌟Gluconolactone - Similar to AHA, a chemical exfoliant for sensitive skin

CentellAC-RX Complex is composed of:

🍃Madecassic Acid - Protect skin & calming

🍃Asiaticoside - Help keep skin transparent and clear

🍃Asiatic Acid - Strengthen skin barrier & help maintain skin balance

🐇Vegan-Friendly🐇

Here's a close-up of the Calming Liquid. It's clear colored and really liquidy, like water. Does contain a STRONG fragrance.

Before I show how the toner worked on my skin,  I wanted to show you how it looked on a cotton pad. 

From top left to bottom: BEFORE, DURING, & AFTER.

As you can see, this toner didn't pull anything out of my pores, either meaning I have really clean skin or it just doesn't have that ability (I'm hoping it's cause I have clean skin since I had just washed my face with the COSRX AC Collection Calming Foam Cleanser).

pH Level: 4.0 - 5.0

Size: 125 mL / 4.22 oz.

Color: clear and colorless

Fragrance: Has a really STRONG smell, like a tea tree/alcohol/light green tea smell. 

Texture: Feels just like water

Absorbance: Absorbs quickly into my skin, essentially sinking into my pores. Doesn't leave any kind of residue and doesn't make my skin feel oily.

Packaging: Comes in a clear-ish plastic bottle.

Free From: alcohol, artificial-fragrance, artificial-coloring, steroid. oil, silicone, gluten, parabens, sulfates, and phthalates. Cruelty-FREE

Full Ingredients List: Camellia Sinensis Leaf Water, Butylene Glycol, Dimethyl Sulfone, Betaine, 1,2-Hexanediol, Betaine Salicylate, Gluconolactone, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate, Glycerine, Panthenol, Allantoin, Arginine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Oil, Asiaticoside, Asiatic acid, Madecassic acid

How To Use:

1. Soak the cotton pads and gently sweep over face avoiding the eye area.
2. Gently pat and absorb the rest of the liquid onto the skin.
3. Store away from direct sunlight to prevent the liquid from turning brown.

• TIP 1: Soak a cotton pad and place it on troubled areas for calming effect.
• TIP 2: Use as a body mist for body acne care.

How I Use It:

I use this Calming Liquid both morning and night as my toner after I've finished washing my face. Initially, I did use a cotton pad to spread this Liquid all over, but later on, I felt it was wasteful and just poured it into my hands and gently patted it onto my face.

I literally just pour it into my hand, so there isn't really a specific amount I use. Just however much I need to cover my face and neck. Sometimes, on particularly troubled areas of my skin, I like to go back and add more of this Calming Liquid to try and soothe the areas.

Below are pictures of me using this Calming Liquid. The first set was the first day I tried the Liquid and the second set is 10 days LATER.

Left to Right: BEFORE & AFTER

Honestly, I don't really notice a difference from using this toner. It's not moisturizing or hydrating enough, so my skin still feels dry and tight after applying it. I don't feel like mt skin looks brighter or smoother either. There is potential for some skin calming/soothing effects, but it's really minimal and almost indiscernible. 

Left to Right: BEFORE & AFTER

My skin still feels and looks dry and tight after applying the toner. I wouldn't say it helped with the redness on my acne area towards the back of my cheek. I don't notice a difference in my pores either.

Left to Right: BEFORE & AFTER

Again, my skin still looks dry after applying the toner. There isn't a change in redness or pore size.

Left to Right: BEFORE & AFTER

While it does look like my skin has some hydration in it from applying the toner, it feel doesn't feel like it. 

10 DAYS LATER

Left to Right: BEFORE & AFTER

After 10 days, I still feel the same about this toner. It's not particular hydrating and I don't really feel like it's extremely life-changing. I don't it feels with skin soothing for acne areas.

Left to Right: BEFORE & AFTER

After 10 days, I still feel like this toner is not hydrating enough. It definitely does have skin soothing properties that I really like, but I don't think it helps with redness.

Overall, I did like this toner. I found that the great ingredients within this toner really do help to calm and soothe my acne trouble areas. I feel like it's helping the healing process along. 

Although, it definitely isn't moisturizing/hydrating enough, so make sure the rest of your skincare routine has products that will help to add moisture into your skin.

The fact that it helps with sebum care is great. It's a really lightweight toner that really does help prevent acne breakouts with it's star ingredients. Throughout my time of using this toner, I've found that I NEVER developed a new pimple even though my body was going through a lot. I wasn't getting enough sleep (which is one of the prime reasons I get acne), I was stressed out, and I had my monthly period during the time I was testing this toner out. And throughout all this time, I never developed a new pimple, instead, I noticed my old pimples slowly healing with the help of this toner.

There is a strong fragrance to this toner, so please beware. Initially, I thought it was super alcohol-y, but when I checked the ingredients, there weren't any alcohols. After a second whiff, I realized it's probably due to the strong tea tree oil smell that really contributing to that alcohol smell. Even though is it 85% Green Tea water (which I LOVE), the green tea smell isn't that strong which is a shame.

This is a great toner for anyone to use. I think anyone with any kind of skin type can use it since it is a toner, which is usually used as the first step of any skincare routine, you'll be able to follow-up with other skincare products that can deliver that level of moisturization you need. Again, I must reiterate, this is NOT a hydrating or moisturizing toner. It doesn't dry my skin out, but it's not really provide that level of hydration that I need, especially not after I've used the AC Collection Calming Foam Cleanser (which is drying).

Rate (out of 5 stars): ⭐⭐⭐⭐

I do like this toner. It's great for soothing the skin, especially areas that have acne. It's ingredients make it very effective at helping the healing process along. I do wish it was a little bit at hydrating the skin, although it is geared towards people with sensitive, acne-prone skin which I think it is completely suited for.

This is a toner I would definitely buy again and I would recommend it for anyone to try.

Product Mentioned:

     Amazon: https://amzn.to/32fufc7

     Yesstyle: http://shrsl.com/24s4k

     Stylekorean: https://bit.ly/2vSR8pA

     Wishtrend: https://bit.ly/2SNXobe

FTC: This is not a sponsored post. I received this product for free from Stylekorean as part of their Try Me;Review Me campaign in return for my own honest review. Some links are affiliate.