Is the Missha Time Revolution Night Repair Science Activator Borabit Ampoule a dupe for the other night repair serum?

There are many pretenders to the throne, but for me, there is only one Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair serum. It is now eye-wateringly expensive, and it receives mixed reviews, but I am one who is still loyal to it after all this years. Naturally therefore, when I came across rumblings of a possible more affordable Estee Lauder ANR “dupe”, I was interested.

Rather unsettling for me was the fact that it was by Korean brand Missha. It is the Missha Time Revolution Night Repair Science Activator Borabit Ampoule – that is a freaking mouthful, so I’ll just call it the Missha Time Revolution Night Repair. Why unsettling? It’s because, unlike many, I’m not your biggest fan of Korean brand skincare. And especially not of Missha, which I’d sampled many years ago, and found them too basic, too harsh, and wanting.

But still, I told myself, let’s have a go. What did I have to lose?

First, some grouse about local availability. In Malaysia, we have an official Missha store at Sunway Pyramid. For me, that could be situated in the badlands of Mordor for all I care, as I rarely if ever, venture down there. So I looked online to see where I could buy it. Interestingly, there is a local Missha website, with a Facebook page that claims to be official, but really isn’t! The official distributor does not have a web presence. All this was so mind boggling, I refused to entertain either portal.

I did see that in Malaysia, you can get it from online store Hermo, a portal I’ve shopped at before. I’d steer clear from other portals like Lazada and its ilk, as there is always a risk of authenticity. For me personally, I feel this to be a problem with Korean brands in Malaysia – there are so many portals selling the same product, whether based locally or purportedly sent directly from Korea, and individual resellers, that it is hard to know which are legitimate and which aren’t, and at crazy prices to boot. Worse yet, when the official distributors don’t have a local web presence. It’s dumb.

I however, bought my Missha Time Revolution Night Repair from iHerb, thereby circumventing all doubts about authenticity from local distributors 🙂

Missha calls this product an Ampoule, which I’ve learned is K-speak for serum, but one on steroids 😛 Ampoules are supposed to be supercharged serums, packing more punch than your regular run-of-the-mill serum.

What the Missha Time Revolution Night Repair is therefore, is an anti-aging serum. The product comes in a pearlized purple glass bottle, with a dropper dispenser. What piqued the interest of many, was what this serum contains – antiaging ingredients (niacinamide, retinol, vitamin c extracts) and ferments (bifida ferment lysate, ophioglossum vulgatum extract ferment filtrate, leuconostoc ferment filtrate, lactobacillus/rice ferment filtrate, lactococcus ferment lysate, yeast ferment extract, lactobacillus/soybean ferment extract, saccharomyces/viscum album (mistletoe) ferment extract, lactobacillus ferment, pseudoaltermonas ferment extract, saccharomyces ferment filtrate). It apparently shares some similarities in ingredients with the famed Estee Lauder ANR serum.

The colour of the serum is a pale amber and the name “night repair”, naturally causes many minds to turn to the famed Estee Lauder ANR serum. But is it a dupe? Let me tackle that further down 😛

I’d been using this Missha Time Revolution Night Repair for a while. At a stretch at first, and then intermittently. For me, I find that it’s… well, OK. I find it hydrating, and it absorbs quickly and easily into my skin without leaving a residue.

I use half a pump in the day, and a full pump at night. It’s quite a lot of product, but it all absorbs nicely before I apply my moisturiser. What it does for me, is make my skin feel hydrated, plumped…. and not much else. It must be said that I do not have very visible lines (for which, at my age, I’m very thankful), and I do live where it is humid, which I feel helps my skin age more slowly, rather than dry it out and accentuate lines. So, I cannot attest to any line reduction or firming or lifting. All it does is make my skin feel nice.

Unlike the Estee Lauder ANR, I do not notice any perking up of tired skin. I made sure to test this serum at a time when I was having trouble with sleep, and therefore waking up looking and feeling more tired than when I went to bed. With the ANR serum I can fake 8 hours of sleep. With this, I can’t.

I think this is a decent, basic serum for someone younger, who maybe starting to use an anti-aging product. If you have very dry skin, or live where it is very dry, you will notice that it’ll help with hydration. If you’ve never used an anti-aging product before, then this is a fairly affordable option to try. But if you already use actives in your skincare, or have been caring for your skin over time, you may not notice much, if any results.

IN A NUTSHELL

The Missha Time Revolution Night Repair Science Activator Borabit Ampoule is your anti-aging serum that goes on after your toner and before your moisturiser. The ingredient list does boast some active ingredients for anti-aging and some ferments. The lightweight texture is lovely, and absorbs quickly and there is not a strong scent. It does add a boost of hydration but for me, little else. I do however, think this a decent initiation into anti-aging serums. But if you have deep lines or more matured skin, you will need something more.

PROS: Nice hefty packaging, Dropper is easily controlled to dispense the right amount of product, No strong scent, Lightweight texture, Absorbs quickly into skin, Boosts skin hydration

CONS: Prices fluctuate too widely, May not be effective for anyone already used to using actives in their skincare or who look after their skin well

WHO WILL LIKE THIS: Anyone who is just starting to use an anti-aging serum

PRICE: RM122-RM199 | US$33 – 49 (prices fluctuate wildly depending on where you buy) for 50ml

WHERE TO BUY: Missha boutiques, Target stores (USA) or online at Hermo (MY), iHerb (Use MPW213 for additional 5% discount), Sokoglam, Amazon

Here’s the ingredient list (it’s long! Wouldn’t have typed it if the print wasn’t pale white on deep purple Jeez…):

Water, bifida ferment lysate, glycereth-26, juniperus chinensis xylem extract, sorbus commixta extract, Bis-PEG-18 methyl ether dimethyl silane, butylene glycol, niacinamide, glycerin, betaine, grifolia frondosa (maitake) ophioglossum vulgatum extract ferment filtrate, leuconostoc ferment filtrate, lactobacillus/rice ferment filtrate, lactococcus ferment lysate, yeast ferment extract, lactobacillus/soybean ferment extract, saccharomyces/viscum album (mistletoe) ferment extract, lactobacillus ferment, pseudoaltermonas ferment extract, saccharomyces ferment filtrate, hydrolyzed rice extract, portulaca oleracea extract, sea water, chamomilla recutita (matricaria)flower extract, sodium hyaluronate, echium plantagineum seed oil, cardiospermum halicacabum flower/leaf/vine extract, helianthus annuus (sunflower) seed oil unsaponifiables, tocopheryl acetate, ascorbyl tetraisopalmitate,  manikara multinervis leaf extract, theobroma cacao (cocoa) seed extract, cassia alata leaf extract, laminaria digitata extract, pogostemon cablin oil, tripeptide-1, tripeptide-10 citruline, hydrolyzed wheat protein, hydrolyzed soy protein, alpha-glucan oligosaccharide, limnanthes alba (meadowfoam) seed oil, beta-sitosterol, panthenol, cholesterol, glyceryl linolenate, glyceryl linoleate, ubiquinone, macadamia ternifolia seed oil, retinol (o.ooo4%), cucumis melo (melon) fruit extract, biotin, brassica campestris (rapeseed) sterol, sodium ascorbyl phosphate, amaranthus caudatus seed extract, acetyl hexapeptide-8, copper tripeptide-1, adenosine, ethyl hexanediol, cyclopentasiloxane, dimethicone, PEG-11 methyl ether dimethicone, PEG-40 hydrogenated castor oil, PPG-26-buteth-26, polysorbate 20, carbomer, glyceryl caprylate, triethanolamine, glyceryl polyacrylate, dimethicone/vinyl dimethicone crosspolymer, acacia arabica stem bark extract, xanthan gum, carthamus tinctorius (safflower) oleosomes, octyldodecanol, cyclomethicone, dipropylene glycol, hydrogenated lecithin, dextrin, lauryl methacrylate/glycol dimethacrylate crosspolymer, dimethiconol, lecithin, propylene glycol, glyceryl arachidonate, ceteth-24, choleth-24, hydroxypropyltrimonium maltodextrin crosspolymer, cetyl phosphate, caprylic/capric triglyceride, PEG-5 rapeseed oil sterol, ceteth-3, ceteth-5, silica, disodium EDTA, phenoxyethanol, potassium sorbate, sodium benzoate

Is the Missha Time Revolution Night Repair a dupe for the Estee Lauder ANR?

To be honest, no it is not. What it is, is an affordable anti-aging serum that does seriously boost skin hydration and keep your skin feeling smooth and plump. For me however, I notice when I use the ANR, that my skin will look rested and calmed. I don’t get the same sort of effect with this one. So my advice is to not treat this as a dupe, but to view it as an affordable introductory anti-aging product. That’s what it really is.

Have you tried this Missha Time Revolution Night Repair serum?

Do let me know what you think if you’ve tried it! There are many raves online for this one, but I do think too many people are hung up on it being a dupe, and not really appreciating it for what it truly is 🙂

Paris B