K-beauty fans know Banila thanks to its heavenly cleansing balm Clean It Zero, which has become so popular the company sells one every five seconds. Now Banila has a brand new line that’s got all the skincare power you’ll need to make your skin dewy and eternal.
Called V-V, the line consists of three steps: a hydrating toner, an essence, and an intensive cream. If dry skin is a concern, these are good products to address the issue. Since that is very much my problem, I was looking forward to hands-on time with these products (and I am a devoted Clean It Zero user as well!).
While skincare fans in America often think of a toner as a thin liquid that’s like an astringent, Korean toners are frequently thicker in texture and aim to provide a layer of moisture as well as balance the skin’s pH after washing. I have tried quite a few since my journey into K-beauty started six years ago. It’s one of the steps I would never skip, as it sets the foundation for the rest of your skincare routine.
V-V Vitalizing Toner is a solid product, and I intend to keep it in my routine here on out. It comes in a sleek, large bottle and should last several months with daily AM/PM use. The product itself has a very mild scent (imagine an extremely gentle flower) and absorbs into the skin in about five seconds. Thanks to hydrolyzed collagen and brightening niacinamide, you’ll see your skin looking plumper almost immediately after use. I’m also pleased with the price for the size. At $18.50, this toner is affordable and effective.
The toner should be followed with the Vitalizing Essence, which is thicker in density than the toner but not sticky at all. A single squeeze of the dropper and you’ll have the perfect amount in your palm for a single application. It takes a little longer to fully absorb than the toner (about ten seconds) but feels good on the skin and gives me that mega moisturized feeling I like. For normal skin types, this would be more than enough moisture for a day. But as team dry skin already knows, we have to keep on layering.
Step three in the V-V line is the Vitalizing Intensive Cream. It is rich and dense, so a little bit goes a long way. Like most occlusive products, this is the layer that seals in everything you’ve applied previously and makes sure it sinks in deep to do its job. I particularly enjoy creams like this that perform well with just a little bit of product. And at $27.50, the price is right.
My take, in the end, is that Banila fans will get more of what they love of the brand’s quality in these products, while newcomers to K-beauty will find a lot to enjoy. With just three steps, this is also a great set for a beginner who is intimidated by the full ten step process K-beauty is known for.
MORE BAZAAR DEALS:
- The best Korean beauty products for $10 or less
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- The 20 best Korean beauty sheet masks
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