I Swear, This Is One Skincare Product That Lives Up to All the Hype

I remember the first time the bottle landed in my sample bin. It was a small, unassuming clear plastic container with a silver lid. It wasn't sparkly, it didn't have gold lettering, no flash. I quickly put it to the side of my desk and figured I'd get to it later. 

Flash forward a few weeks. I happened to be browsing Sephora.com when I stumbled upon a photo of the same bottle. When I saw the price tag, my jaw hit the floor: $125 for this tiny plastic bottle?! What?!

I hate to admit this, but the price alone made me want to dig deeper into the product on my desk. When I started Googling, I was amazed by what I learned. People were gushing over the results they experienced after using this water-like substance on their faces. Some said it reduced oiliness on their skin. Others swore by its ability to smooth their skin's texture and reduce dark spots. Still, others insisted it was brightening their complexions and giving them a radiant glow. Now I had to try it.

I immediately took the product — SK-II's Facial Treatment Essence — home with me and started using it twice daily. During my morning and evening skincare routine, I slathered the liquid — which looks and feels just like water — on my face after cleansing and toning, but before moisturzing. I liked it right away: it felt amazing going on, and my skin felt hydrated and looked dewy. And HOLY MOLY — I am not exaggerating when I say that within a week, my skin was completely changed for the better. 

Since the product reviews claim SK-II Facial Treatment Essence fixes such a large variety of skin concerns, I didn't know exactly what results to expect. For me, it helped reduce redness on my face, lightened the dark circles under my eyes, and definitely lessened how often I get the occasional zit. In fact, my complexion was so much brighter and more even after using it, that I stopped wearing foundation. My natural skin just looked better!

So, how does this product work? The active ingredient in the facial essence is Pitera, a derivative of sake that was discovered nearly 50 years ago when scientists noticed Japanese sake brewers' hands were much more youthful than their faces. A natural by-product of yeast fermentation that is rich in amino acids, minerals, vitamins, and organic acids, Pitera is the miracle component with anti-aging and hydrating properties, and SK-II's product is the only one on the market with a 90 percent concentration. There is literally nothing else available that can even compare. 

For a moment, let's go back to the one downside of this product: It's expensive. A mini 2.5-ounce bottle is $125 and the standard 5.4-ounce size goes for a whopping $225. However, once I started using this product, I was able to eliminate a bunch of others (foundation, powder, acne spot treatment), which helped me balance the cost.

What I can say is now that I'm using this product every day, I'll never go back. (If you don't believe me, just read the reviews.)

Oh, and back to that no-glitz bottle: SK-II recently teamed with brand ambassador Cate Blanchett to give their bottles a fresh redesign, featuring three empowering slogans. You can shop all the offerings below.