There are certain products, whether due to packaging, branding, or hype, generate a lot of excitement. This is not one of those. However, I have a lot of lotions. If you check my empties posts, you’ll notice I rarely finish any, yet this bottle is nearly empty and I’m a little sad to see it go. I guess this means I liked using this a lot more than I’ve been conscious of and so I felt compelled to properly review it.

Product Name
The Japanese name is 薬用ケシミン密封乳液. I’ve seen it referred to as Keshimin Sealing Milk and Milky Lotion. 

Manufactorer
Kobayashi Pharmaceuticals Co. 

Where does it fit in your routine?
I believe this is actually meant to be used as a moisturizer, but personally I have used it as an emulsion, moisturizer, and sleeping pack so it seems to be pretty versatile as long as you use after your serums step.

Size and Price
The bottle contains 130ML of product. I purchased this from Rakuten for ¥1,111, which is approximately $9.50. It is also available on Amazon for $13.01 and eBay for $16.04. I’ve also seen it sold at various Mitsuwa supermarkets if you prefer to pick one up in person.

Packaging
This comes in a sturdy but not heavy plastic bottle covered in a plastic, bright pink sleeve. One small detail worth pointing out is the orange strip that says “もっちりうるおい肌.” I’ve seen similar looking pink bottles from Keshimin with different colored strips that are presumably different products in the same line.

Fragrance
None detected.

Color and texture
This is a white colored, thick, gooey, full-bodied lotion, more soupy than yogurt or cream, if that makes any sense. It’s viscous, kind of gel-like, but not sticky.

What’s in it? 

• ASCORBYL GLUCOSIDE
  This is a very stable derivative of Vitamin C that converts to ascorbic acid over a more sustained period of time than other derivatives. It’s been shown to mitigate sunburn and, in an in vitro study, inhibit melanin production.
• DIPOTASSIUM GLYCYRRHIZATE
  Also known as licorice root extract, dipotassium glycyrrhizate is a compound of potassium and glycyrrhizic acid that has anti-inflammatory and skin brightening properties and is one of my favorite ingredients! More specifically, it has been shown to be effective in reducing erythema, oedema and itching caused by atopic dermatitis. It also contains glabrene and isoliquiritigenin, which work together to inhibit tyrosinase, a key enzyme in melanin synthesis, which can help reduce hyperpigmentation from melasama, age spots, UV damage, and actinic damage. Another component is liquiritin, which at a concentration of 2%, is more effective at treating hyperpigmentation in people with melasma than 4% hydroquinone. The effect is even more pronounced with 4% liquiritin. Essentially, it’s got all the components to be a brightening powerhouse while at the same time being soothing and anti-irritating for your skin!
• TETRAHEXYLDECYL ASCORBATE
  Also known as THDA or Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate is a really exciting and promising oil soluble form of vitamin C! It can allegedly absorb into skin faster than other forms of Vitamin C. In one study, a solution with 10% ascorbic acid and 7% THDA resulted in increased collagen compared to a vehicle solution and improved hydration. Pro tip: To beef up the amount of THDA in this lotion, I will sometimes mix in a few drops of pure THDA I picked up from LotionCrafters in my hand before use.
• SODIUM HYALURONIC ACID & GLYCERIN
  Your trusty humectant duo! Glycerin and Sodium hyaluronic acid both hold many times their own weight in water, making them great hydrators. Sodium hyaluronate as the added benefit that it can penetrate skin (most skincare ingredients, like collagen for instance, can’t do so because they are too large) into the epidermis, the dermis and the lymphatic endothelium and is effective in boosting skin’s moisture content, improving skin elasticity and reducing roughness.

Acne Triggers & Irritants
Cosdna identifies butylene glycol (1), dimethicone (1), and Steareth-2 (2) as a acne triggers and Steareth-2 (2) and carbomer (1) as irritants.

Full Ingredients 

有効成分/L-アスコルビン酸2-グルコシド、グリチルリチン酸2K
その他の成分/精製水、ヒアルロン酸Na-2、濃グリセリン、テトラ2-ヘキシルデカン酸アスコルビル、BG、2-エチルヘキサン酸セチル、トリ(カプリル・カプリン酸)グリセリル、メチルポリシロキサン、ステアリン酸POEソルビタン、POEステアリルエーテル、カルボキシビニルポリマー、水酸化Na、ヒドロキシエチルセルロース、クエン酸Na、ステアロイルグルタミン酸Na、POE(20)POP(8)セチルエーテル、POE(20)POP(4)セチルエーテル、ベヘニルアルコール、パラベン
Active Ingredients/ Ascorbyl Glucoside, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Other Ingredients/ Water, Sodium Hyaluronic Acid, Glycerin, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Butylene Glycol, Cetyl 2-ethylhexanoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglycerides, Dimethicone, PEG-6 Sorbitan Stearate, Steareth-2, Carbomer, Sodium Hydroxide, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Sodium Citrate, Sodium stearoyl glutamate, PPG-8-Ceteth-20, PPG-4-ceteth-20, Behenyl Alcohol, Paraben

Performance

The reason I bought this lotion is because of its inclusion of THDA. Although I use an L-Ascorbic Acid serum as my main form of Vitamin C, there are so many benefits to vitamin C that I liked the idea of having a secondary product to saturate my skin with the maximum amount of antioxidants it can take. That said, I have not noticed any brightening effects from using this lotion, despite the fact it contains dipotassium glycyrrhizate and two forms of Vitamin C.

The primary purpose of this lotion is to moisturize, and to that end this is a handy product to have around. As previously mentioned, it’s quite versatile. If I’m traveling or too tired to apply 5 different toners / emulsions / serums, this lotion can pull the weight of a few steps. It’s also got an interesting consistency where it’s fluid enough to hydrate but thick enough to be occlusive. When my skin is dehydrated, applying a thick layer of this as my final step instead of a traditional moisturizing cream at night helps restore my skin to normal the next morning. Something about the excess fluidity helps my skin take in more moisturizer than it normally can.

Example Routines with Keshimin Sealing Milk

Routine 1 // Routine 2 // Routine 3

The Takeaway

This is a very versatile lotion that is thick enough to work as an alternative to traditional moisturizing creams for dehydrated skin. It also contains a few interesting brightening and anti-aging ingredients, although those effects have yet to be seen.

Rating: 3.8/5

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