Blithe Vital Treatment Essence for Hydrating Review

I’ve been interested in trying Korean beauty products for awhile now, but I didn’t quite know where to begin. Thank goodness for Glow Recipe! They take out all the guesswork with their curation of the best natural, cruelty-free Korean skincare products. I love their informative reviews and when you read their skincare tips or watch their instructional YouTube videos, you get to learn more about how your skin functions and which products would best suit your specific skin type.

According to Sephora, Blithe skincare is designed for the modern urban woman and features multi-tasking products that prevent and address visible signs of aging caused by pollution. Blithe also claims that it uses pure ingredients that are sourced from uncontaminated regions. While my primary skincare concerns don’t necessarily focus on anti-aging, I was interested in trying this out because I’ve heard a lot of buzz about this skincare line for helping with dry and/or blemish-prone skin. I was curious to see if it would be a good addition to my skincare routine.

The product I picked up was Blithe’s Vital Treatment Essence for Hydrating ($42), which is described as: “a rejuvenating essence treatment that works to awaken dull, depleted skin with 5 ‘energy’ packed root extracts such as Red Ginseng that harmonize and balance the skin for an even, glowing complexion.” The packaging is slightly bulky but you do get a lot of product and I like that you don’t have to worry about the essence accidentally spilling since it has a stopper that only allows the liquid to be released one drop at a time.

This is my first time using an essence and after consistently using it for several weeks, I’ve noticed a difference in my skin. My skin feels softer, smoother and I’ve experienced less blemishes! I find that it works really well with my skin and also makes it much easier for my skin to absorb my other serums and moisturizers. If you enjoy layering your skincare, this is really great for extra hydration. However, I admit on “lazy” days when I need to run out the door, I don’t reach for this product as often as my beloved Josh Rosebrook Hydrating Accelerator. When I do take the time to pat the Blithe essence into my skin, I find that the skincare benefits are worth the extra effort.

According to Glow Recipe’s website,  Blithe’s Vital Treatment Essence for Hydrating is:

Packed with 5 different types of multi-activating packed root extracts such as Red Panax Ginseng, Grandiflorum Root Extract, Lanceolata Root Extract, Indian Lotus Leaf Extract  &  Greater Burdock Root Extract to soothe irritated skin and provide a harmonizing treatment, balancing out unevenness in skin coloration and texture. This essence treatment works to deliver hydration and repair depleted skin for a renewed, healthy glow.

Free of: Parabens, Synthetic Dyes & Fragrances, Mineral Oils.

Directions: Use a pea sized amount of this treatment all over the face after cleansing and toning. Pat gently onto the skin in a circular motion and follow with a deeply hydrating moisturizer or cream.

Ingredients: Water, Panax Ginseng Root Extract(11%), Platycodon Grandiflorum Root Extract(8.75%), Codonopsis Lanceolata Root Extract(8.75%), Nelumbo Nucifera (Indian Lotus) Root Extract(8.75%), Arctium Lappa (Burdock) Root Extract (8.75%), Butylene Glycol, Glycereth-26, 1,2-Hexanediol, Glycerin, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Viscum Album (Mistletoe) Leaf Extract, Imperata Cylindrica Root Extract, Poria Cocos Extract, Paeonia Albiflora Root Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract, Angelica Gigas Root Extract, Cimicifuga Racemosa Root Extract, Rehmannia Glutinosa Root Extract, Dioscorea Japonica Root Extract, Astragalus Membranaceus Root Extract, Lepidium Meyenii Root Extract, Rhodiola Rosea Root Extract, Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract, Ficus Carica (Fig) Fruit Extract, Punica Granatum Fruit Extract, Morus Alba Fruit Extract, Ginkgo Biloba Nut Extract, Hamamelis Virginiana (Witch Hazel) Leaf Extract, Candida Bombicola/Glucose/Methyl Rapeseedate Ferment, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Dimethicone, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Rosa Damascena Flower Oil, Dipropylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Isopropyl Myristate, Potassium Hydroxide, Disodium EDTA, Xanthan Gum, Caramel

While I don’t consider myself a “purist” when it comes to scrutinizing ingredient lists, I advise that you do your own research to determine if this product fits well with your natural beauty standards. There has been a lot of fear mongering in the green beauty space recently and since there continues to be a severe lack of regulation in the US cosmetic industry, it’s up to each individual to research and define which ingredients are safe and best for their skin. I trust Glow Recipe’s curation and think their online shop makes Korean beauty both fun and accessible for anyone interested in a more natural (and cruelty-free!) approach to skincare. I love their curation standards and find that they align with my own current standards for skincare and beauty products:

At Glow Recipe, we believe in working with brands and products that share our mission of prioritizing efficacious natural ingredients and minimizing ingredients that have the potential to cause irritation over time.

The products we curate include the following:

• Product with strong benefit-driven functionality and natural ingredient stories.
• Products that are extensively safety tested.
• Product is not tested on animals and does not contain animal ingredients (with the exception of beeswax and certain types of gelatins).
• Products are free of Parabens, Triclosans, Hydroquinone, Benzophenones, BPAs, Tar, Talc, Sodium Lauryl/ Laureth Sulfates, Aluminum, DEET, Formaldehyde, PABA, Toluene, Camphor, PVC, Phthalates and Microbeads.

I’m super excited about the results and am interested in exploring other products from Blithe. You can pick up this essence along with other Blithe products on Glow Recipe‘s website or from Sephora. I’m currently testing out several other Blithe products and will be posting reviews soon!