It's true love: The Collagen by Watsons Instant Finishing Cream
While I've already reviewed the different product lines of Collagen by Watsons products, I wanted to dedicate a post to my unexpected new HG: the White Regeneration Instant Finishing Cream. Adding this product to my routine has brought me a lot closer to achieving that coveted chok chok glow, and budget-friendly price tag just blows my mind!
Now, first things first: what exactly is a finishing cream? I've never encountered a skincare product with this label before, and my Google search turns up some kind of hair product. Based on the box instructions though, this is meant to be applied as the last step of a skincare regimen and as a base prior to makeup application. With this recommended usage, I feel like it's meant to be a barrier cream for keeping moisture locked in your skin as well as a sort of illuminating and hydrating primer.
The 50ml jar contains a whipped moisturizing cream formula that looks like it was generously mixed with crushed pearls. The shimmery appearance and floral fragrance initially threw me off, and I wasn't interested in its promises of "an advanced Korean whitening breakthrough system". But I liked that the cream was lightweight, had no greasy feel, and seemed to make my skin feel smoother after. What I did not expect was the instant cosmetic results:
After spreading the cream, the right part of my hand suddenly looks like it was showered in some kind of divine highlighter! The effect is as obvious in person as in photos, but it somehow looks very natural. The shimmer is very fine and spreads evenly on the skin.
Here's what it looks like worn on top of my other skincare layers. I applied a dab of concealer on my dark circles but my face is otherwise completely bare. I have a fair skin tone but this "translucent, naturally glowing" look is all thanks to the finishing cream! It also seems to even out my complexion, though it's not enough to cover up the birthmark on my forehead.
While I think it works great as a post-skincare/pre-makeup product, I wanted to see if I can cut down on application time and do a face base hack by mixing it with liquid foundation.
I mixed about 2 parts of the Happy Skin Don't Get Mad, Get Even Foundation to 1 part of the White Regeneration Instant Finishing Cream before using a brush to lightly stroke it all over the left side of my face. Compared to the right side which only has foundation on, the side with the finishing cream looks brighter and more lifted! I feel like it also blurred my pores a bit and made my dark circles less noticeable.
Left: foundation only, right: foundation mixed with finishing cream
While the finishing cream feels very similar to a moisturizer, I would recommend still applying a separate moisturizer before putting this on. It doesn't feel hydrating enough on its own since it's designed to be layered over other emollients.
Applied the finishing cream prior to makeup then mixed it with foundation
As I thought, Liz confirmed that this is very similar to Banila Co's White Wedding Dream Cream, which is a prime example of the Korean tone up beauty trend. Tone up products straddle the line between skincare and makeup as they work to create a brighter and more even complexion. They are meant to be applied after skincare and before makeup, so even there, the Collagen by Watsons White Regeneration Instant Finishing Cream seems to match up. Here lies the difference though: the White Wedding Dream has a price tag of P1,385 while the Watsons brand is just P349!
Suffice to say, I'm beyond thrilled to have discovered a much cheaper dupe that actually works! If you're a fan of K-beauty like I am, do give this product a try and let me know if it helps you reach your chok chok goals, too!