I’ve always wanted to try something from Primera, but somehow, they always seemed a bit pricey to me for a “mass market” brand that’s situated alongside the likes of Laneige, The Face Shop, Etude House, Innisfree etc along the stretches of Myeongdong. But hey, since I’m literally running out of brands/products to try, I figured it was about time to delve into the waters of Primera~ whee~

Primera Miracle Seed Essence – KRW45,000

Now the box seems unneccesarily large for just a bottle of toner essence, but wait, wait…

It’s because it also houses a box of cotton pads that are larger than your usual cotton pads (which is similar to its sister brand Hera and its Cell Essence)

Comparing with your usual cotton pads from Watsons – almost twice the size

It seems to be a little less “refined” than your usual cotton pads – I can see random lint strands.

Recommended dosage of 5ml per usage and markings along the side of the bottle to help you measure out the amount.

How 5ml of product looks on the given cotton pads

I say…

The Packaging: The usual heavy glass bottle. The cap unscrews to reveal a rather tiny hole opening – you’ll have to shake the bottle slightly to get the essence out (think: ketchup bottle, but less vigourously).

The Scent: Not much of a scent.

The Texture/Application: It’s just literally like water – it’s watery, running, and drips down your hand. Now the recommended usage is 5ml of product, which is more or less enough to soak an entire normal-sized cotton pad – on their provided cotton pads, it soaks just about 65% of it. I appreciate the thought of having a bunch of free cotton pads, but being me, I decided that heyyyy these actually make for a better makeup remover cotton pad. Do you know how much surface area my face has, and how convenient these large ones are? It’s like 1-2 swipes (soaked with some micellar water), and mah face is clean! But then again, I digress. Oops. Applying this to the skin refreshes it, and leaves no greasy/sticky residue. What I particularly like about these Korean toner essences is that they never strip the skin or make them feel tight – instead, the skin feels softer and more hydrated.

The Verdict: I’ve been using it for a couple of weeks, and I haven’t had any breakouts. I like that it softens the skin immediately after use, and there isn’t that taut, stripped-dry feeling. That said, I wouldn’t say that my skin has had a visible improvement – it kinda looks the same before and after usage though. I don’t see any significant increase in skin firmness, nor increased radiance nor smoother skin. For the price tag of KRW45,000 (~SGD$53), I thick you’re better off with Belif’s True Tincture of Chamomile, Nature Republic The First Essence, Hada Labo Hydration Lotion Light, Innisfree Soybean Energy Essence, etc. I don’t hate it and I would continue using it, but I probably wouldn’t repurchase it though. I guess it does work for some others, seeing as how this is advertised as their best seller. Hopefully it works better on some of y’all’s skins 😀