Hello lovelies,
As those of you that have read my previous posts know well, I suffer from persistent acne which, although it has subsided these last few years, used to be pretty bad. Although using some products to dry out the pesky blemishes is key, moisture is still vital for healthy skin.
And thus during my asian skincare ‘phase’ I purchased the Leejiham tea tree 80 cream together with other Leejiham products. After emptying the jar, here is my honest review of the cream.
The LJH cream is made up of 80% tea tree extract and is formulated to combat acne whilst also providing moisture and making skin more radiant.
Ingredients:
Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Extract, Glycerin, Cyclopentasiloxane, Betaine, 1,2-Hexanediol, Cyclohexasiloxane, Glyceryl Stearate, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Potassium PCA, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Cetearyl Glucoside, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Opuntia Ficus-Indica Stem Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Hippophae Rhamnoides Extract, Hamamelis Virginiana (Witch Hazel) Extract, Thymus Vulgaris (Thyme) Flower/Leaf Extract, Buddleja Davidii Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil, Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Oil, Stearic Acid, Sodium Polyacrylate, C18-21 Alkane, Trideceth-6, Panthenol, Potassium Sorbate, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate
As the name suggests, the cream’s main and primary ingredient is tea tree which is anti-inflammatory and a godsend to acne-prone skin.
Whilst the vast majority of the other ingredients are emollients and used to control the cream’s slip, there are a few ‘bonus’ ingredients which are beneficial to the skin. The indian fig extract is an antioxidant which reduces signs of sensitive skin and replenishes and hydrates the skin. The centella asiatica extract speeds healing and also aids in the prevention of scarring and future blemishes. Witch hazel extract allegedly prevents the acne-causing bacteria from infecting the skin, and soothes the skin, apart from also being anti-inflammatory, like the hippophae rhamnoides extract which is also used in this cream. The thyme flower/leaf extract is anti-septic and soothes the skin, whilst the butterfly bush extract also encourages skin repair. Lavendar oil is anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial.
Thus, apart from the tea tree extract, the cream also contains numerous botanical extracts which should jointly give blemished skin the relief it so yearns.
Price:
This cream is not cheap and it retails for circa $39 or €35 for 50ml of product. I purchased mine off ebay.
Performance:
I am not the type of person who has a day cream and a night cream, I usually prefer to add a serum or use a sheet mask before using my moisturiser at night, and use the same one in the morning if I am not rushing out of the door – thus this cream was intended to be used as day/night moisturiser.
From the photo above the cream seems quite thick, but it is in actual fact quite lightweight. The texture is not runny at all although it does feel a bit slippery once it is applied on the skin. A little goes a long way so it is best to use tiny pea size amount on your cheeks, chin and forehead and then add more if needed.
As you can see below, I used a bit too much cream , so when I spread it on my hand it looks like a splodge. If you apply a little amount and build up, the product (which, bdw smells so fresh and amazing, not at all like an awful perfumed product) will partially sink into the skin after some time.
The cream was quite moisturising to the skin, and, although my acne did not disappear overnight, I can say that it did help some blemishes heal quicker.
Result:
So if the cream has so many beneficial ingredients, smells amazing, and actually helps a bit with acne, why does this post not sing it praises? For one thing, I do not like creams which come in jars or tubs as I find calculating how much product to scoop up and washing the scooper to be a bit counter-productive.
Also I felt that the product never fully sank into the skin. After putting it on at night I would always be cautious not to sleep on my sides so as not to smear the cream (or so I feared) on my pillow case. When I put it on in the morning I would go about my day feeling the product sitting on my skin, and after touching my face I would still feel the product there, like oil on water. It made me look and feel greasy and oily, and I was quite happy to reach the bottom of the jar.
Repurchase:
I am currently using other products, albeit for review purposes and because I have felt that they have helped me a bit more than this cream had, so I will not be repurchasing anytime soon.
Hope this review was useful to you lovelies 🙂
Kim xx
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links
I used this once before and I agree – there are better moisturisers out there at far better price points! I also believe this might have been discontinued now as I no longer see it available here in Korea.
Do you have a moisturiser for acne prone skin that you can recommend?
LikeLike
Hi there, thanks for your comment! At the moment I am testing out the La Roche Posay effaclar duo which claims to be unclogging, corrective and anti-imperfections and am quite satisfied with the results. However, since I’ve found it to be quite drying to use in the morning and at night, I’m alternating between this cream and The Ordinary natural moisturising factors + HA.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ve found that for me personally, my acne needs lots and lots of layers of light hydration plus lifestyle adjustments. Adult acne sucks!
I love isoi Bulgarian Rose’s line for adult acne (it’s widely available locally here in Korea, not sure about other countries) but it’s a little rich for my blood in terms of pricing, even though my skin loves it. All their products heal active breakouts without any drying whatsoever.
LikeLike
It does suck, would have thought that after my teen years I’d have some relief! Have never tried that brans, but will be sure to check it out once I’ve ticked ff some other acne products off my list. Thanks a lt for your recommendation!
LikeLiked by 1 person