(UPDATED) Quick Skincare Review: Bio Essence Spring Water

Bio Essence Spring Water -$2 for 25ml/$12.90 for 100ml/$28.90 for 300ml at all Watsons outlets, Singapore. 

*update Dec 2012*: There's a 2-for-S$31.90 at Watsons.

I think this is a fairly new water spray product in the market targeting sensitive skin types.  

I wasn't keen to try this product as I insist on only using Avene's thermal water. Plus my opinion on Bio Essence isn't so fantastic since they seem to just jump on the bandwagon of skincare trends. Also, their products tend to be heavily scented using chemicals, which is potentially carcinogenic and irritating to the skin. (Sorry, Bio Essence, I really wanted to like you since you're a homegrown brand and all!)

 The plus side is perhaps their products are generally cheaper than other brands. A toner typically costs under 20 when it's on discount. And they do try to use some fancy ingredients in their products. I tried their Tanaka White cream before and it's based upon the ingredient tanaka(duh) which is used by the Burmese for sun protection. 

However for their "spring water spray" it is priced on par with reputable brands like Avene, which is severely unattractive. 

Thankfully they sell little 25 ml ones that cost just 2 bucks. But these little 25ml ones are stored in a pump bottle rather than the pressurized can like the bigger bottles. It is good in the sense that the pump bottle can be reused but bad if you consider how unhygienic it can be. Especially when you have someone inquisitive (like me) who decides to unscrew the bottle and in turn introduce germs inside. Thus you have to use this mini bottle up quickly.

EDIT 2: In fact the water smelt kooky after just 2-3 days. Thus this has transformed into a bottle storing insect repellent for me (y'know, dengue fever is really a problem these days).

For product performance I do like that it gives a cooling sensation to calm my sensitive skin down. (my cheek area is prone to redness). It isn't as calming as Avene or Vichy's thermal water. I don't know about its claims about it being good for hair and stuff though. Seems gimmicky.

The downside is the price. Unless they're around 40-50% cheaper than the big brands, I'm never buying this product. For example Avene's THERMAL water is a very old brand and its thermal water source is certified as a site beneficial for skin. For Bio Essence, "spring water" just reminds me of some random spring water source in Malaysia. In fact, it even smells like those mineral water you get at the stores for 50-70cents a bottle(not sure the exact price since inflation has been creeping up.)

EDIT: Actually, I do think this is akin to just plain ol' water but with small amounts of soothing trace minerals. If you'd compare the "rich in trace elements" claim, you'd see that for elements/its constituent ions like Na+, Mg2+ and Ca2+, Bio Essence has (mg/l): 0.134,0.327,1.45 mg/l respectively while for Avene it is 4.8, 26.7, 51.3 mg/l. Thus Bio Essence's "rich in trace elements" claim is laughable, although it may be because there is no established standard for "rich in trace elements".

Well, that's all for this post! I hope you guys liked it. If you've tried Bio Essence spring water spray, do tell me if it's great or not for you! :D
Thanks for reading!
XOXO
ThatWhimsicalBlogger!