I’d never come across this brand called Neogence before, have you? Then again, I don’t spend a lot of time in Sasa stores where this is found. I operate Sasa stores like a hit and run accident – hit the store, run in to get what I want and run out. I don’t stop and browse because the SAs there just scare me silly. Pushy doesn’t quite begin to describe it.
However, I was passed the Neogence Hyaluronic Acid Hydrating Essence to trial by Cittabella magazine for their feature, which is how I came to know about this product.
A bit of research tells me that Neogence is a brand from Taiwan and this Hyaluronic Acid Hydrating Essence is one of their star products. I must say that I really liked this product in the 2 weeks I was trialing it.
The Neogence Hyaluronic Acid Hydrating Essence is a hydrating serum. It is meant to help the skin retain and hold the moisture to keep skin hydrated all day. I like that it is a watery clear liquid that is dispensed via a glass dropper. The bottle itself is very small. 20ml is all it contains so really, its quite a pricey product.
Another reason I say this is pricey is this – that’s all I had left after using this product twice a day for about 3 weeks. At time of writing, I have nothing left and the bottle has been tossed. The thing is, there is no instruction on the label and mine did not come in a box, so I wasn’t sure how to use it. In the end, I used about 2-3 drops smoothed out in the palms of my hands and then applied to my face.
My skin soaks this up like a sponge. Within 2 seconds, it is dry and feels smooth and plumped up. No patting required for it to absorb, not sticky feel, nothing uncomfortable. It is super quick and easy to use and it did help my skin feel more moisturized, when used in combination with other hydrating products. That was my conclusion after 2 weeks for the magazine review.
However, a month later, I’m not 100% convinced to repurchase for a few reasons. Firstly, at RM89 for a 20ml bottle that barely lasts me a month, I found it too pricey. Sure, I use pricey products but this did not stir up feelings of loyalty in my breast. The Hada Labo SHA lotion needs more work but does the job for me at half the price for 8 times the product. The math made sense.
Secondly, I did not think this product delivered wonders for my skin after the initial 2-3 weeks. My skin started feeling drier after I’d applied it in the 3rd week onwards, as opposed to feeling more hydrated. It was very strange. I use a hydrating serum in the day – presently its the Estee Lauder Hydrationist or Vichy Aqualia serum interchangeably – and those keep my skin hydrated all day under a gel-cream moisturizer. This one did not make my skin feel as comfortable in the long run although it worked a treat initially. I don’t know if its just me who feels this way though.
Pros: Skin feels hydrated almost immediately, Hygienic glass dropper packaging, Not sticky, No fuss to apply
Cons: Pricey, Very little product, Did not work as well for my skin after the initial 3 weeks
Based on the website, this is the ingredient list for this product:-
Aqua, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hyaluronic acid, Allantoin, Chlorphenesin, Methylisothiazolinone
Its short and sweet and if it works for you, I’d love to hear from you! If it doesn’t (and you shouldn’t be trying this if you are sensitive to hyaluronic acid!) I’d like to know how you found it too 🙂
Paris B
Neogence Hyaluronic Acid HA Hydrating Essence retails at RM89/20ml at Sasa stores.
Jo says
June 30, 2011 at 10:13 amI bought this at a whim while shopping at Sasa HK last year. The promoter told me it was a hot-selling product in HK. I’ve only started using it at night for a couple of months and for the last one month, I’ve been using it for day too. I’m almost done with the serum but like you, I have not found an adequate enough reason to re-purchase (but that’s probably cos I’m itching to try other hydrating serums hehe). Agreed with your views that my skin did feel hydrated somewhat (well at least better than not using any hydrating serum I suppose!) and not sticky which is good.
ParisB says
July 3, 2011 at 3:02 pmHow interesting that you agree with me on this too! There’s just nothing so compelling about this that would make me repurchase with is always a pity because I do like it when a product works for me… the first time at least 😛
Alexandra says
June 30, 2011 at 10:36 amI am a frequent user of hyaluronic acid ( not the Neogence brand though ) and supposedly, any hyaluronic acid with high amounts should leave your skin a tad sticky and your skin hydration level should improve with prolong use. Probably with this particular brand, the percentage of HA is less. Comparing with Hada Labo SHA, Hada Labo is much wallet friendly!
ParisB says
July 3, 2011 at 3:03 pmHada Labo is definitely more wallet friendly (although I haven’t tried their essence). Not too familiar with other hyaluronic acid products but will take your word for it 😉
Sue Lynn says
June 30, 2011 at 10:43 amGawd! I ADORE this lil’ elixir because I have oily skin! ^_^
I do top it with the SkinPeptoxyl Hydrating B5 Complex for anti-aging benefits though. Maybe that’s another reason why I don’t feel it drying?
BTW, I’ve repurchased this since Sasa has a promotion now.
{RM129 for 2 FULL-sizes and 1 travel size} ^_^
I’m gonna get ANOTHER set today 😛
Sue Lynn says
June 30, 2011 at 10:50 amOh! BTW, the instructions say “…use appropriate amount…”; the promo box “…1-2 drops…”. I personally use 4 drops.
And every several days, I’d use 1 drop of 100% squalane as a treat 😉
ParisB says
July 3, 2011 at 3:03 pmGreat to know that it works well for you 🙂 Perhaps as you have said, having oily skin may result in this one feeling nicer on the skin or perhaps it could just be part of your whole routine that helps it work better? Hard to say really 🙂
milktea says
June 30, 2011 at 5:11 pmNeogence is regularly featured in Chinese beauty mags (with, beauty321, etc) which I buy only for the pictures! 😀 Didn’t know it was sooo expensive! ):
milktea says
June 30, 2011 at 5:15 pmoh yah, love Sasa but their SAs are pretty persuasive! 😉 If I feel like browsing in the store a little longer, I just smile at them and mumble “looking, looking only” or “browsing, browsing only”! 🙂
ParisB says
July 3, 2011 at 3:05 pmI try but some SAs tend to be very pushy and try to show you this and that – stuff I’m not interested in so I usually leave. If they leave me alone, I stay a bit longer… and sometimes even buy something.
ParisB says
July 3, 2011 at 3:05 pmIf you see the bottle, you’d hardly believe the price 😛 I was shocked myself.
Amex says
June 30, 2011 at 6:09 pmSasa sales staff are definitely overly pushy.It’s been a deterrent for me to enter the shop for fear of being ‘stalked’. I much prefer going to their website to browse at my own pace.
Too bad the product didn’t hold up for you in the few weeks after. I’ve also experienced products that in the short term work brilliantly and after a while it loses its efficacy. The serum bottle looks tiny as well for that price.
ParisB says
July 3, 2011 at 3:06 pmI’m always disappointed by products that don’t live up for the long term claims. I guess its a lot to do with our different skintypes and routines too. But its still a bummer nonetheless!
j3nny9irL says
July 1, 2011 at 4:59 amNot sticky sounds good but RM89/20ml goodness… and the name SASA… Giving me phobia’s. I don’t think I’ll be going there anymore coz the SA’s there first are very very pushy and the customer service is really bad. They don’t even understand their product. I actually bought a set of Rene Furterer shampoos to try and insist that it’s enough for a week but the SA said my hair is so long it won’t be sufficient. Then I told I only wash the scalp and straight away she gives me this awkward look and went on to comment that if I don’t wash my whole head including my long hair up to the waist it’s not clean enough. I felt a little insulted.
That would just be the last time and final time that I will go to SASA and it was only my 3rd visit. The thought that I need to go there gives me the creeps… 🙁
ParisB says
July 3, 2011 at 3:07 pmGoodness! What an awful experience you had! The one Sasa I had a pretty decent experience at was at Hartamas Shopping Centre – strange eh? Also at Pavilion but that might have been a one off experience.
j3nny9irL says
July 13, 2011 at 12:25 amYeah that is the word awful it is. Wow Hartamas and Pavillion? Gosh… I wonder how would Sasa selective would be like? I don’t think I’ll have the courage anymore to step into the store…
Edson says
November 13, 2016 at 1:16 pmWe should only wash the scalp, not the hair because shampoo will make your hair dry in long term. You are doing it right. No worries 🙂
Jeni says
July 1, 2011 at 12:56 pmI’m not sure how much that is in US dollars, but there are some pretty inexpensive brands that have hyaluronic acid serums – which contain hylaluronic acid as the first ingredient, which means there’s a lot of the ingredient in the product. I have a few products on my Amazon wishlist and will buy one soon – it’s less than $20 US. If you search for hyaluronic acid on Amazon.com you should find them – I assume they sell them internationally? And the no-name products get about the same reviews as pricey name brand ones on Makeupalley
ParisB says
July 3, 2011 at 3:14 pmThanks for the tip Jeni. This one works out to a little under US$30 at today’s exchange but I’m quite happy with the Hada Labo lotion to be honest. It is inexpensive and works well and is easily available here 🙂
makeup.addict says
July 1, 2011 at 5:35 pmI’m a gal who is really big on eye contact but every time I go into Sasa, I’m like, don’t look at anyone! if you do, you’ll get stampeded! ;). So I am just like looking down at my shoes and try to glance up inconspicuously every now and then to find my intended target. It totally feels like a mission to tell you the truth, especially when I have already went through the whole store and couldn’t find what I actually wanted. Then comes the part I hate even more which is to ask the SA’s help. Every time I come out of Sasa I always need to have a pick-me-up chocolate just to get my spirit up again. 😛
I have always wanted to try Hyaluronic Acid Essences/Lotions but after a brief stint with the Hada Labo SHA which totally broke me out oh so badly, I am too scared to sojourn down the HA road again even though I am not completely sure what ingredients actually broke me out since the My Beauty Diary masks which also contain HA works pretty well on me. Might be the Super part in the Hada Labo SHA which broke me out, but it looks like I’ll never know. 🙁
ParisB says
July 3, 2011 at 3:19 pmHaha… your experience at Sasa sounds like mine. I’m happy if they don’t notice me and are slow getting off where they are (usually at the back of the store) so I can run in and out to check what I want before they get their claws into me! 😀 I think you might be one of those who are sensitive to hyaluronic acid. I didn’t know it was possible until some of the girls left comments on how they were breaking out from the Hada Labo lotion. But you could be right that the Super Hyaluronic Acid might just be too super for your skin.
april says
July 3, 2011 at 2:29 amI have that too. i think it is only so-so, so no, you are alone. But then again I have relatively little success with drugstore HA products. Hada Labo will break me out.
ParisB says
July 3, 2011 at 3:31 pmAh you could be like makeup.addict and be sensitive to the Super hyaluronic acid 🙂 It seems quite a few people are!
april says
July 4, 2011 at 10:53 pmYeah, probably just too super for my skin. heh.
natalie says
July 5, 2011 at 6:46 pmthis works just right for me. not too moisturising, not drying either. make up stays longer. i gave my hada labo away after it got me some comedonal acne. similar product is kose moisture skin repair, also serum type, RM 200+ for 100ml, much cheaper than this (ml to ml), but the effect is not as good as this.
p/s: i have oily-combo skin.
ParisB says
July 6, 2011 at 1:40 pmSeems to me this works best for those with oily skin 🙂 Thanks for sharing!