Going local and trying out an affordable Malaysian brand – The Raw Daily Ceramide Moisturiser

I’m usually quite fussy about buying skincare from brands I’m unfamiliar with, or that I’ve never heard of. This more so, when it’s a local brand, for I’ve come across far too many horror stories of repackaged products in the market. I tend to be terribly wary, even if I want to be supportive of a local brand.

I came across The Raw, a local Malaysian brand, through a friend on Instagram, who was very effusive with her praise for the products she had tried. It intrigued me enough to take a second look at what they had to offer.

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First off, if anyone from the brand is reading this, I’d suggest setting up a website for the brand. As it stands, the only place you can get any information about their products is through their Instagram account, and even then, there is very little information about the brand itself. Facebook is merely a collection of their Instagram posts, and there is nowhere on the internet where I can read about the brand, its ethos and the products. For me, this is usually a big turn-off. If I can’t find information about a product or brand easily, I skip it. I only persevered this time, because I trusted my friend!

When I was setting up my brand, the first thing we did was to secure our domain name, and put up a website. We wanted a single place for people to get information about our brand, what we sell, why we do it, and all the information they may need about the brand and our products. It’s so important to have your own space, so I usually have very little patience or give much credibility to brands that don’t have a website.

As you can see, there was a lot of trust I gave in this instance, to try a product from a brand I’d never heard of, and might never trust at the best of times :P So, how did I fare with The Raw Daily Ceramide Moisturiser, then? :)

The Raw – a Malaysian skincare brand

As there is so little information about The Raw, here’s the information I gleaned.

The Raw is the brainchild of Adibah, a certified pharmacist. The range of products currently available are quite small, but fairly focused. They appear to adopt the approach of making affordable skincare that is effective, following in the footsteps of brands like The Ordinary and The Inkey List, among others.

The products they currently have are named after the key active ingredients in the product e.g. THE RAW Arbutin 2% + Niacinamide 5% + Glutathione, THE RAW Salicylic Acid 1.5% Deep Cleanser etc

The packaging reminds me of a combination of Glossier and Lixir Skin, with the pale pink packaging and bold sans serif fonts. Simple and minimalist, but a little too similar to Lixir Skin and Glossier for my comfort.

The Raw sells their products on platforms like Lazada, Shopee and Zalora. However, there is very little to no information about the brand on those platforms. I understand that it’s a shopping portal, but it would be useful to have some information about the products and brand. As it stands, I personally wouldn’t buy an unknown brand on a platform like that, as I don’t trust them (it’s just me – there are many established brands using these portals as their online stores locally now). But again, I persevered as I trusted my friend.

The Raw Daily Ceramide Moisturiser

I picked up a few products from their store on Shopee not long ago. There was some promotion going on, so I thought it was a good time to try. The first product I broke into was The Raw Daily Ceramide Moisturiser.

The Raw only has one moisturiser for now, which is the Daily Ceramide Moisturiser. I like using moisturisers with ceramides, as they help repair and protect your skin moisture barrier and protects against damage from pollution and the environment. Here’s a blurb that explains it better.

What are ceramides?

Simply put, ceramides are lipids (fats) that are found naturally in high concentrations in the uppermost layers of skin. They make up over 50% of skin’s composition, so it’s no surprise they play a vital role in determining how your skin looks (and how it responds to environmental threats).

What do ceramides do?

Think of ceramides as the mortar between bricks—if the bricks are your skin cells. Ceramides help hold skin together by forming a protective layer that limits moisture loss and protects against visible damage from pollution and other environmental stressors. In addition, ceramides—even more than retinol, niacinamide, and peptides—are one of the anti-aging “powerhouses” responsible for supporting skin’s dynamic nature. Two particular ceramide precursors—phytosphingosine and sphingolipids—actually help skin make more ceramides.

Paula’s Choice

I don’t usually depend on my moisturisers to do the heavy lifting, when it comes to skin repair, and I’ve found in recent times, that I’m happy using a basic moisturiser, that’s rich in ceramides. My dry skin tolerates moisturisers like this better, and in fact, I feel like my skin has generally benefitted from using a moisturiser with ceramides.

The Raw Daily Ceramide Moisturiser is formulated with a blend of Natural Moisturising Factor (NMF), squalane, hyaluronic acid, jojoba oil, and ceramides. The goal is to reduce transepidermal water loss, relieve and soothe dry and irritated skin. The product does this in a 2 pronged approach – containing humectants, emollients and occlusives to moisturise skin; and containing ceramides, cholestorol and free fatty acids to repair the skin barrier and strengthen the skin.

For all intents and purposes, I’d say that it does a decent enough job.

Lightweight and comfortable cream

The cream comes packaged in a slim 50ml tube. I’ve nothing to complain about the packaging. It does its job.

The product itself is a white, fragrance-free cream that is light in texture and feels comfortable on my drier skin. I find that it spreads easily on my skin, and absorbs nicely, leaving my skin feeling comfortable and moisturised.

I use it primarily in the day, although someone with combination skin might benefit from using it both day and night. I have used it at night as well (I use more) and it does the job for me too. My morning, my skin still feels comfortable and not dried out. It must be noted however, that I do use facial oils in the night, so perhaps it helps.

Skin feels comfortable and moisturised

When used in the day, I like that my skin feels comfortable all day long. When you have drier skin, and when it’s so hot as it has been here, your skin dries and dehydrates more quickly. If you don’t take care of your skin’s moisture barrier, you may experience more dehydrated skin. For me, this cream kept this at bay, and my skin moisturised.

I like that it’s unscented too. While my skin doesn’t react to fragrance in skincare, I’m now more sensitive to fragrance, and having unscented products are best for me!

Personally, I’d say that The Raw Daily Ceramide Moisturiser is a decently formulated moisturiser, and one of the better products I’ve used from a local brand – and that’s big coming from a snob like me :P

IN A NUTSHELL

The Raw Daily Ceramide Moisturiser is a basic moisturiser with ceramides for skin barrier repair and protection. The Raw is a Malaysian-made brand that focuses on effective products with active ingredients. The cream is lightweight and comfortable on my dry skin, and does a good enough job keeping it moisturised throughout the day without feeling oily or heavy or greasy. I cannot say how this will fare for oily skin types. I can use it at night, but not everyday, as it isn’t enough for me for night use. I like the slim, compact packaging, and the formula feels comfortable which is important. It was a promising start trying out a new local brand!

PROS:
Affordable
Slim, compact packaging
Cream is lightweight and absorbs well into skin
No oily, greasy or heavy feeling on skin
Skin feels moisturised and comfortable throughout the day
Not scented

CONS:
Very little information about the brand online
Packaging is too ‘inspired’ by Glossier

WHO WILL LIKE THIS: Anyone who wants a basic moisturiser that keeps skin moisturised all day without feeling heavy, Anyone who wants a moisturiser with ceramides for skin barrier repair and moisturising formula

PRICE: RM56.90 for 50ml

WHERE TO BUY: Shopee, Lazada, Zalora

Here’s the ingredients list for The Raw Daily Ceramide Moisturiser.

Aqua, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Propylene Glycol, Squalane, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Hydrogenated Phosphatidylcholine, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cholesterol, Ceramide NP, Trehalose, Sodium PCA, Urea, Glyceryl Caprylate, Polyquaternium-51, Hyaluronic Acid, Triacetin, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Triethanolamine, Phenoxyethanol & Ethylhexylglycerin

Have you come across The Raw skincare before?

I do have a couple of other items I purchased, but will take my time with, as those take a longer time to see any results. Still, I have to say it was a promising start. I’d personally do something with the packaging, as I have to admit, it grates a little on my nerves when I see too many similarities with existing brands in the market. But, that’s me. I’m fussy like that :P

Paris B