When I went for a facial a few weeks back, my esthetician had chided me for skipping sunscreen (a crime!). It was partly the reason for my skin’s migration into a metaphorical desertland: parched, with dry patches, and a pesky scattering of pigmentation.
Due to a lack of sleep, my skin was also under stress and recovering from some acne spots-turned-blemishes. These were only contributing to my dull and tired-looking complexion.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough that I was getting back into the rhythm of a healthy SPF routine. I needed, now more than ever, a brightening boost. Even better? A post-facial glow.
It was just at the right time that the AHC Niacin Biome Mela Scissors range landed on my lap at the Daily Vanity office.
The four-product Korean skincare range promises to brighten the skin, lighten blemishes, and inhibit the (re)formation of spots for a treatment-worthy glow.
Lucky for me: a clear, treatment-worthy glow was just what I was after, and the AHC Niacin Biome Mela Scissors range was mine to review!
About AHC Niacin Biome Mela Scissors range
With roots in high-end aesthetic clinics in Seoul, AHC is a premium Korean aesthetic skincare brand that originally supplied skincare products solely to Korean aesthetic spas and dermatologist clinics.
Now, the brand has a premium aesthetic clinic in Gangnam, Korea, and has also evolved its offerings to cater to the wider public: its luxurious but affordable skincare products are now available for us to bring home and incorporate into our daily skincare routines.
If you, like me, are seeking a facial-worthy glow, AHC’s newest Niacin Biome Mela Scissors range promises to check all the right boxes.
Consisting of four products – a cleanser, toner, emulsion, and essence, the Niacin Biome Mela Scissors range is supposed to diffuse dark spots at each step of your skincare ritual so that you emerge with a brighter complexion in as quickly as seven days.
Naturally, niacinamide is one of the three ingredients that stars in the Niacin Biome Mela Scissors collection to improve skin tone and texture.
Unlike other niacinamide skincare products, however, AHC’s Niacin Biome Mela Scissors range is also infused with the brand’s patented ingredients, the Lucent Biome™ extract and Mela Scissors Enzyme™.
Mela Scissors Enzyme™ immediately tones up the skin, Lucent Biome™ extract strengthens the skin barrier, and, together, they penetrate the skin to diffuse pigmentation at the deeper layers to let you flaunt a crystal clear complexion.
Enriched with the three glow-giving ingredients, each product helps give your skin an overall boost in brightness, fade pigmentation, dark spots, and freckles, and prevent spots from forming again.
How my skincare ritual went
AHC Niacin Biome Mela Scissors Cleanser
As the foam cleansers I’ve used typically boast a thick and creamy texture before they break into a rich foam, I was intrigued to discover that the AHC Niacin Biome Mela Scissors Cleanser had, instead, a lightweight, milky texture.
Even so, the milky cleanser lathered up easily when mixed with water in my palms. The silky formula dissolved, surprisingly, into light and fluffy foam, which I spread over my face – first at my oilier T-zone, and then outwards over the rest of my skin.
The AHC Niacin Biome Mela Scissors Cleanser is an amino acid cleansing foam that strengthens the skin barrier and promotes healthy, clear skin!
Wheat seed enzyme gently removes impurities and clears pores of sebum waste; niacinamide, one percent Lucent Biome™, and one percent Mela Scissors Enzyme™ improve skin transparency immediately for crystal clear and glass-like skin.
Indeed, after rinsing my face with water, my skin felt thoroughly cleansed, even though the cleanser did leave my skin feeling a little tight and a tad squeaky. Disclaimer – foam cleansers usually aren’t the best type for my dry skin.
AHC Niacin Biome Mela Scissors Toner
Stepping out of the shower, I picked up the AHC Niacin Biome Mela Scissors Toner, a water-brightening toner that fades dark spots, blemishes, and freckles to give you clear skin.
Made with three percent niacinamide, three percent Lucent Biome™, and three percent Mela Scissors Enzyme™, this toner doesn’t just bump up the skin’s glow in one use; it also smoothens skin texture in as quickly as seven days.
The triangular-shaped bottle gripped easily in my hands and, instead of having to tilt the bottle, I just had to press the pump nozzle to dispense the right amount of formula into my palm.
Another surprise! The toner had a cloudy, milky tinge that’s unlike all other toners I’ve tried, thanks to the brightening Lucent Biome™ ingredient.
I pinched my cheeks lightly to “awaken” my skin and swept the toner across my face. The toner had a watery texture and absorbed so quickly even for a toner. My skin was left feeling unexpectedly soft and fresh.
AHC Niacin Biome Mela Scissors Emulsion
Next, I picked up the AHC Niacin Biome Mela Scissors Emulsion, known for strengthening the skin barrier, correcting yellow and red tones, and lightening dark spots.
Pressing on the nozzle to dispense two pea-sized pumps, I spread the silky, cloud-textured lotion over my face and neck.
The lotion glided smoothly over my skin and absorbed in a blink. It felt non-sticky and calming on my skin, except for the more delicate areas around my nose and mouth that tingled slightly.
AHC Niacin Biome Mela Scissors Max Essence
Finally, it was time to complete my skincare ritual with the hero product in the entire range: the AHC Niacin Biome Mela Scissors Max Essence.
Infused with five percent niacinamide, 10 percent Lucent Biome™, and 10 percent Mela Scissors Enzyme™, the Niacin Biome Mela Scissors Max Essence has the highest concentration of the three hero ingredients in the range.
Clinically proven to brighten the skin and improve skin transparency by 160% in seven days and reduce the appearance of dark spots, the essence promises crystal clear, even skin in a short amount of time.
The essence has a beige tinge and when I swept my finger across it, I realised that it was more lightweight than I had expected.
At first, the AHC Niacin Biome Mela Scissors Max Essence felt slightly sticky on my skin. Soon, however, it dried down and left my skin feeling comfy and lighter than usual (my skincare products tend to sit heavier on my skin after four to six steps).
One soothing skincare ritual down, I was impressed with how each of the formulas was so lightweight in texture, absorbed quickly, and felt so comfortable on the skin. Swept smoothly onto my skin, the ultra-lightweight formulas also sat well under my makeup and didn’t cause any piling or caking.
How my skin looked after one week
The scar above my left eyebrow visibly lightened.
I used AHC’s entire brightening Niacin Biome Mela Scissors range every day and night for seven days. I skipped using the cleanser in the mornings, which is what I typically do to preserve my skin’s moisture and prevent it from feeling tight or dry throughout the day.
As I inspected my skin in the mirror each morning, I noticed that my skin was brighter and had translucent quality, unlike before. My skin also felt much softer, which I loved.
The freckles on my cheeks faded and my skin became more translucent.
By the end of the review, the freckles on my cheeks had faded slightly. The blemish scars just above my right eyebrow and slightly right of my nose were also noticeably lighter than before.
Instead of the reflective “glass skin” glow I anticipated, my skin had acquired more of a “mochi skin” or “rice cake skin” status. It was soft, supple, and had a see-through quality similar to translucent mochi dough, which made me feel happy enough to leave the house foundation-free.
Successfully fading my dark spots and giving me brighter skin, the AHC Niacin Biome Mela Scissors range has really set my skin on a path to achieving an eternal post-facial radiance.
The skin that I never knew I wanted, I now have thanks to the AHC Niacin Biome Mela Scissors range!
Enjoy 5% off the AHC Niacin Biome Mela Scissors range when you use this promo code: AHCBDV5
Only from now till 30 June 2023!AHC Niacin Biome Mela Scissors Cleansing range
- Niacin Biome Mela Scissors Cleansing Foam – S$41.90
- Niacin Biome Mela Scissors Toner – S$52.90
- Niacin Biome Mela Scissors Emulsion – S$55.90
- Niacin Biome Mela Scissors MAX Essence – S$69.90
Shop the AHC Niacin Biome Mela Scissors range or individual products in-store at Watsons. You can also purchase them online at Shopee, Lazada, or Watsons.
Find out more about the AHC Niacin Biome Mela Scissors range, here.
This article is brought to you by AHC.
