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With a name that combines the words “acne” and “sensitive,” the ACSEN collection from TROIAREUKE is clearly designed to deal with troubled skin. Its products are formulated without parabens, sulfates and phthalates to offer gently soothing skin care benefits. I’ve never tried anything from TROIAREUKE before, but have heard good things about the cruelty-free brand’s holistic solutions for a wide range of skin concerns. Since I have acne-prone skin and enlarged pores, the brand’s ACSEN Pore Control Kit seemed like a good fit for me to calm skin and prevent pores from clogging.
Coming in a large rectangular box, the kit includes three of the collection’s bestsellers: the Oil Cut Cleansing, TOC Toner and Pore Control Mask, as well as a bag of Aesthetic Wipes. I was immediately drawn to the kit’s simple yet vibrant purple and white packaging, but did I love the individual products enough to want to invest in full-sized versions? Read on to find out…
Oil Cut Cleansing
This hypoallergenic and oil-free cleansing gel is designed with a micro emulsion system to remove impurities and makeup residue in pores. It’s enriched with usnea barbata extract, aloe vera leaf juice and papaya extract to calm sensitive and irritated skin, prevent breakouts, control excess sebum, maintain oil-water balance and strengthen the moisture barrier. The 120ml toner in the kit is actually a full-sized product, but a mini 55ml version is available for individual purchase.
Although I tend to opt for cleansing foams, I’ve been converted into a cleansing gel fan after my experience with the Oil Cut Cleansing. Its refreshing and lightweight gel texture was easy to use and left my skin feeling thoroughly cleansed. It spread smoothly on skin, leaving a non-greasy finish while hydrating and nourishing my skin. I also adored the cleanser’s smell, which reminded me of a sweet, mellow tea.
TOC Toner
Standing for “Turn Over Cycle,” the TOC Toner adjusts the skin’s pH balance and promotes cell regeneration. It’s infused with centella asiatica extract to strengthen the skin barrier, salvia hispanica seed extract to provide nutrition and vitality, hyaluronic acid to increase moisture and reduce the appearance of wrinkles, and glycolic acid to exfoliate skin. The formula refines skin texture and brightens skin tone while offering soothing and antioxidant effects. The kit’s toner comes in a mini 50ml size, and both the 50ml and full-sized 100ml versions are available for individual purchase.
Like the cleanser, the toner was comfortable on skin. Its reinvigorating scent reminded me of a delicious ripe mandarin. The toner left a slightly sticky finish, but once it dried completely, it made my skin feel smooth and supple.
Pore Control Mask
This clay mask is made of kaolin clay, bentonite clay and Moroccan lava clay to remove excess sebum and dead skin cells, tighten and purify enlarged pores, and improve skin elasticity. It’s enriched with 8 Plant Complex and calcium to leave tired, dehydrated and sensitive skin bright, smooth and more moisturized. The kit’s Pore Control Mask comes in a mini 15ml size, while three sizes are available for individual purchase: 15ml, 50ml and 200ml.
I was surprised by the consistency of this grayish-white mask. Other clay masks I’ve used have been thick and gloopy, but TROIAREUKE’s mask was extremely watery and spreadable – actually reminding me of a lightweight sunscreen. It dried quickly and had a well-balanced floral scent that’s somewhat stronger and sweeter than the cleanser’s aroma. My pores felt tightened after use, and my skin generally felt smooth and purified.
Aesthetic Wipes
The kit includes nine cotton pads to further minimize possible irritation while cleansing skin. When I took out the first piece from the drawstring bag, I was shocked to discover that it was longer than my entire face! It felt like a waste disposing of such a large pad after each use. To make the most of its surface area, I decided to use the top half of the wipe for my cleanser and the bottom half for my toner. Although I liked that the layered pads were soft and highly absorbent, the layers sometimes failed to hold together firmly during use, making application less smooth. Instead of such large pads, I wish there were a greater quantity of wipes in a smaller size appropriate for single use.
Overall Thoughts
My first experience with TROIAREUKE was a positive one, and I enjoyed using each of the three products. From their lovely scents to their mild, lightweight formulas, I found myself looking forward to using this kit each morning and evening. In terms of effects, my skin felt moisturized and deeply cleansed immediately after use, and with repeated application, it felt even more firm and refined.
TROIAREUKE recommends other ways to use these products which I haven’t tried yet, such as soaking the pads with toner to create a mask pack, leaving toner-soaked pads on elbows and knees to remove dead skin, and using the clay mask as a spot treatment. With so much left to explore, I’ll need to repurchase these goodies soon!