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So many new beauty brands are added to YesStyle every month that it’s hard to keep track of them all. Nonetheless, rookie brand PESTLO caught my eye with its bestselling Peptide O2 Serum Mist, The Seed Real Collagen Mask and GOM Cream, each characterized by a unique wow factor. Read on to see what’s so special about each of them!
Not Your Typical Bubble Toner: Peptide O2 Serum Mist
Key Ingredients:
Oxygen, peptides, adenosine, French pine bark extract, ten kinds of hyaluronic acid
What is it:
When I first saw its name, I thought the Peptide O2 Serum Mist would feel like a bubble toner – how wrong was I! The bottle contains a mini oxygen cartridge at the bottom, which releases a burst of fresh oxygen into the serum via a slim duct once you remove the C-shaped stopper. Then you have to secure the cartridge to the serum by closing the screw cap at the bottom. A steady stream of fine bubbles emerge for another ten minutes before it ceases slowly. Keep the screw cap closed or else the oxygen will escape!
Even though the serum looks like still water after ten minutes, the oxygen is still present – just shake it and you’ll see very fine effervescence. Ultra-steady and refined but fully pressurized, the mist gives off a soft hiss continuously when you press the button on top. As it touches the skin, it leaves a faint layer of clear bubbles for a split second before the bubbles burst, leaving skin with a slight shine thanks to the bergamot, ylang ylang, lavender and rosemary oils in the formula.
How I feel:
Despite being too bulky to be carried around, Peptide O2 Serum Mist is a feel-good item to keep on the office desk. Its fizzy nature makes it ideal for waking me up and recharging my skin in the middle of the day. The formula contains essential oils so it’s suitable for those with dry skin, but those with sensitive skin might want to perform a patch test first before using it. The mist can feel a bit sticky because it’s loaded with hydrating and anti-aging ingredients.
Plastering Seeds onto Your Face: The Seed Real Collagen Mask
Key Ingredient:
Collagen-rich algae extract from the Indian Ocean
What is it:
Another groundbreaking invention, this mask has a unique texture that’s unlike other peel-off or wash-off masks out there. Its lightweight plastic bowl contains 15g of brown granules made from algae extract. All you need to do is take out the desiccant, pour the granules along with 30ml of distilled water at room temperature into the container, and mix the content using the enclosed spatula, until it turns into a dough-like mask pack. The process should take less than 30 seconds. It’s the application that requires more time and effort.
The mask feels very much like glutinous rice dough. Due to its thick, sticky and stretchy texture, I figured the best way to apply it is to tear the dough-like mask into appropriate sizes and plaster them piece by piece onto the forehead, cheeks, chin and nose. The mask is hard to spread so it’s better to form the shape of a piece first before plastering it on skin. It smells like Chinese herbs but that didn’t bother me. The transformation from seeds to mask, and the look of it on the face, is worth showing off, but it’s not exactly Instagenic. The mask delivers collagen into skin during the 20 minutes of application, after which you peel it off and rinse face with water.
How I feel:
It was fun preparing the Seed Real Collagen Mask and applying it onto my face, but I probably won’t reach for it on busy nights. Due to fears that the mask might fall off, I wasn’t able to move around much while I had it on. The seeds can emboss a temporary mark on skin, so you may not want to use it right before going out. The mask lifts and plumps skin temporarily while offering a cooling effect.
Gel Cream with Gold Capsules: GOM Cream
Key Ingredients:
Agar, mica, pure gold, French pine bark extract, red ginseng extract, lingzhi mushroom extract, chaga mushroom extract, ceramide, niacinamide, adenosine
What is it:
This clear gel cream contains gold capsules made from agar, mica and gold which burst as you massage the gel onto skin. The capsules are so tiny that you won’t notice anything as they burst during application, but they’re designed to make skin soft, smooth and more resilient. The gel is also infused with traditional Korean herbs like red ginseng, lingzhi and chaga mushrooms for anti-aging benefits. I refrigerated it before use to boost its soothing and cooling powers. The gel feels a little sticky but luckily, it’s quickly absorbed into skin.
How I feel:
I’m not a huge fan of gel creams since I always feel like they’d leave a residue, but the GOM Cream didn’t. It’s fairly moisturizing – just about right for dry skin during summer. I have no complaints on its hydrating power or consistency. Like the other two products, GOM Cream delivers an utterly visual experience with its luxurious look.
The Verdict
The oxygen-powered Peptide O2 Serum Mist is definitely a keeper. I’ve heard so much about how oxygen facials stimulate blood circulation, promote healing and eliminate bacteria. In case you have concerns about spraying fresh oxygen on skin, doing so will not increase skin cell oxidation (the natural decaying process during cell metabolism), so don’t worry! The idea is to provide more oxygen to skin to support normal cell function. Even without oxygen, the serum itself is packed with nutrients so it’s a doubly nourishing treat!
As for the seed pack, I’m not sure if I’ll repurchase, because I usually just pop on a sheet mask whenever I need more collagen. The Seed Real Collagen Mask, however, is ideal for having a fun mask sesh with friends. The cream can be a perfect gift for mom because it looks so nice!