(Updated!)In-depth Skincare Review: Niu Er AMPM Skin Wakeup Hydra Refresher

AMPM Skin Wakeup Hydra Refresher(120ml) - S$27.90 from www.naruko.com.sg (for Singapore residents only) 

Niu Er's AMPM range is targeted at office ladies (OLs) so the products tend to be quick and fuss free to use. This hydra refresher was a free gift as I purchased over $127 worth of products from naruko.sg. I think it was discontinued/near expiry(EXP is in Jan 2013). The site says that it is "temporary out" so I guess it's just stock replenishment. Then again, if it's really discontinued, I'll feel pretty sad since I think it's fairly good product especially in terms of its ingredients.

Upon receiving it as part of my haul, I flipped to the ingredients list and was pleased to see the huge amount of beneficial ingredients like centella asiatica(an ingredient seen in big brand like Khiel's Centella salve going at a whopping S$100 bucks a tube). There were interesting ingredients like sea salt and yucca root(a plant used by Native Americans) in there too.

The product is stored in a cardboard box which unfortunately cannot be turned into cute boxes like the Naruko range of products. Nonetheless, I may be able to turn it into something useful once I find the time to, since the box is quite sturdy.

The toner itself is housed in a simple white plastic bottle as shown above. The product is dispensed by pushing down on the cover(not sure how to describe it) and its texture is very liquidy. It's just mildly thicker than plain water and does not have a colour to it. It smells pretty nice and soothing. I think it may be the smell of clary sage, as said by some YouTuber(sorry, forgot who it was!)

As for its hydrating properties, I think it is pretty decent. I recommend it particularly for oily sensitive skin types like me. It made my skin feel slightly moisturised  but you'll still need to use a lotion/moisturizer afterwards if your skin continues to feel tight. Another plus point is that it is non-irritating to the skin. In order for the product to be absorbed better, you are advised to swipe gently in an upwards motion against your skin. The number of times to swipe is simply twice your age (I've seen it on a Naruko video, lol).

I'm not sure if it does remove dirt, because no matter which toner I use I never see dirt on my cotton pad unless my skin felt really grimy. I think it's because my cleansers (from Avene) do a fantastic job at dirt removal.

The downside is probably its size. It's just 120ml of product. I'm into 1.5months of using it and I'm left with around 25% of product! That's crazy. $27.90 (if I bought it) lasts for just 2 months. I'd call it a splurge.

EDIT: The product contains PEG-40 and Laureth-3 near the bottom of the ingredients list.

According to the net, these are by-products of a petrochemical process called ethyoxylation, which involves using ethylene oxide (a known skin carcinogen) to process other chemicals.

It also contains butylene glycol and propylene glycol, the latter is known to be toxic and a cause of concern.


Thus, I dumped the remaining amount(what a painful decision!). I will not think of repurchasing it.