Must-Read Some By Mi Miracle Cream Review
30 days MIRACLE cream? Okay you got me. I had to try this Some By Mi AHA BHA PHA Miracle Cream when I saw it. I'd been struggling to clear away some texture on my forehead for years at this point. Did this make a difference? Is it worth trying? No spoilers here, let's dive into the review!
Quick facts:
Formulated without: Parabens, Sulfates, Alcohol, Silicones
Potential irritants: Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Oil contains an EWG score of 4 meaning it may be a high concern for allergies/immunotoxicity for certain skin types. The chemical exfoliants in this cream as well may also be irritating to the skin.
Texture: A lightweight gel moisturizer with great spreadability, normal to oily skin peeps may love this
Scent: Contains a fresh light mint smell with a small hint of tea-tree, reminiscent of mint toothpaste
Packaging: The moisturizer comes in a plastic jar. Full size is 60g. Feels a little cheap but the texture is a lovely gel cream consistency.
Where to purchase: Amazon, StyleVana (where I purchased from), or Yesstyle
Price: $19 USD
Main Pros: This might be a decent PM gel moisturizer for those with combo or oily skin. I really enjoyed the texture, it's refreshing to use, smells nice, super spreadable.
Main cons: PLEASE patch test prior to applying on your face. While I did notice some results with this in the first day or two, my sensitive skin also felt RAW. I would NOT use this daily and definitely would not use this as a day time moisturizer, it will make your skin very sensitive to UV rays. If you have active breakouts, I would also avoid this because of the peppermint oil and limonene.
I don't know how I would've ever gotten through 30 days straight of using this, I only used it every other day at most.
If you have thinner/sensitive combo skin like me and you have closed comedones or blackheads/whiteheads you're trying to clear up, it's always better to go in with a separate treatment in the areas that you need it. I have some other recommendations below:
I loved using the COSRX BHA 4% Blackhead Power Liquid just in my forehead and T-zone area + then a basic moisturizer in the cheeks/other areas that are just dry. You don't see/feel the results immediately but it'll be more of a gentle slow treatment over time.
If you have normal/not very sensitive skin and you're concerned about texture, then I recommend researching more into the The Ordinary Glycolic Acid toner (review here) to try. The benefit of having a separate chemical exfoliant is that you could use it more sparingly or in specific areas and work your way up to more frequent applications and take a break when you need to or wash it off after.
Verdict: 6/10. This product has decent ingredients and it has really worked for some people. If you don't have sensitive skin, you may be able to reap the benefits of this cream! It's still a lot more gentle compared to some of the western brand AHA BHA creams.
Personally for my sensitive skin I found it to be a bit too much so used it more sparingly and that's why it did not make it to my all time favourites list.
About the Some By Mi Miracle Cream
This cream was designed to help your skin fight against acne, combat collagen-damaging free radicals, exfoliate skin, help fade hyper-pigmentation caused by sun damage while also providing pore care and skin soothing benefits.
Ingredients
Centella Asiatica Extract(70.78 %), Dipropylene Glycol, Glycerin, Water, Niacinamide, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Water(10,000 Ppm), Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Solanum Melongena (Eggplant) Fruit Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Curcuma Longa (Turmeric) Root Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Extract, Origanum Vulgare Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Thymus Vulgaris (Thyme) Extract, Fructan, Albatrellus Confluens (Mushroom) Extract, Salix Alba (Willow) Bark Extract, Enantia Chlorantha Bark Extract, Lens Esculenta (Lentil) Seed Extract, Hamamelis Virginiana (Witch Hazel) Extract, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Coptis Japonica Extract, Saccharide Isomerate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, Betaine, Allantoin, Madecassoside, Madecassic Acid, Asiaticoside, Asiatic Acid, Adenosine, Ceramide NP, Oleanolic Acid, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid(100 Ppm), Inulin Lauryl Carbamate, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Cetearyl Glucoside, Sorbitan Olivate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Lactobionic Acid(100 Ppm), Citric Acid(11 Ppm), Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer, 1,2-Hexanediol, Benzyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Raspberry Ketone, Disodium EDTA, Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Oil, Limonene INCIDecoder.com
Surprisingly, Centella Asiatica makes up over 70% of the formulation and is a great ingredient for reducing inflammation and promoting wound healing. But IMO, I recently reviewed this 100% Centella Asiatica ampoule from SKIN1004 and highly recommend that product if you're just looking to try a cica product!
In addition, the miracle cream also contains tea tree leaf water (which helps to soothe inflammation), and Lactobionic Acid that is a mild exfoliant. It's great that the key ingredients are pretty high up on the label. But according to INCIDecoder, the perfuming agents in here (like the Peppermint oil and Limonene etc) are common skin sensitizers.
How to use:
- Cleanse and tone skin per usual (do not use any chemical exfoliants or potentially sensitizing products with this cream, as this already contains AHA BHA and PHA)
- Apply as the last step of your evening skin care routine. Spread a generous amount of cream on the face, neck and upper chest area and massage gently into the skin.
* Avoid using this cream daily to start since it is an exfoliator. Opt for a gentle cleanser, toner or serum to pair with it as well as sunscreen for the morning/day after!
Summing up this review
My initial impression was that the texture of this gel was so refreshing and it was very comparable in terms of texture and scent to the Farmacy Daily Greens Oil Free Gel Moisturizer I reviewed last month. This one wasn't sticky or tacky after application though and felt very comfortable on.
However, I didn't see an incredible difference when using this product. Maybe because I also couldn't use this regularly either due to the combination of exfoliants or due to the peppermint oil (or both). For this reason, this did not make it to my all time favourites list.
When I'm done using up the rest of this product, I'll still be sticking to my COSRX BHA Liquid since I can use that on a daily basis and won't need to worry about sensitivity issues.
Have you used this product or another PHA product that you love? Let me know below!! :)