Review: Qiora Balancing Lotion

Before I start talking about the qiora Balancing Lotion, I want to give a quick background of the brand. qiora is part of the large Japanese Shiseido brand. It is not part of the skincare line that most of you in the United States knows about Shiseido. qiora has a smaller product line and is only sold at select stores. It is often seen as a higher end than the Shiseido skincare line like White Lucent and Beneficiance because it is far more pricier.

I bought a few products from qiora out of desperation when I was going through a long period of breakouts due to work stress. I was very fortunate to have very little experience with acne breakouts through my teen years and it was never a problem for me. But this past year, I was so stressed out by work and my relationship, I experienced the worst outbreaks ever that just won't leave me alone. I went to a Shiseido boutique store considering purchasing from their Pureness line but the sales representative actually recommended me to try out qiora instead (far more expensive, but quality and price are directly proportional right?).

I bought the qiora Face Cleanse and Moisture Balance also, which I'll review later. Here's some things I've noted about the Balancing Lotion.

Stock photo from qiora.com for qiora Balancing Lotion

qiora Balancing Lotion Facts

• Packaging - in a heavy duty S-shaped blue frosted-glass bottle. Looks very pretty on my bathroom counter =)
• Size - 150mL
• Price - retails for $58, a hefty price tag!
• Specifications - it's supposed to work as a "stabilizer for blemish prone skin"
• Directions - Use daily in the morning and at night on a cotton pad. You can find detail instructions here
• Ingredients - Need to add later

qiora Balancing Lotion Review

• Scent - Lightly fragrance in a Chinese herbal medicine kind of way; it wasn't very pleasant at first, but it honestly did grow on me
• Lotion Essence - Despite the name, this product does not act as a lotion but more like a non-alcohol toner. This balancing lotion has the same texture as the softeners that are in regular Shiseido lines.
• How I Use It - As per instructions, I'd saturate a cotton pad with about a quarter size of lotion and then wipe it all over my face. Applying twice a day this way, one bottle lasted me a full 4 months!
• Overall Experience - Although this lotion was targeted for blemish prone skin, it didn't help me very much with my breakouts. At least I didn't notice any. Pimples were still popping all over my T-zone! But! I have to honestly say, I actually am considering repurchasing this. I used this during the summer months from May to August and this was all I needed to keep my skin feeling moisturize. I don't like applying moisturizer and other creams to my face during the summer as it leaves a heavy residue on my skin with the warm temperature. Wiping my face and neck down with the cotton pad feels very refreshing and the fragrance is quite soothing after a while.

There's not that many reviews on qiora. Have you tried this or any other qiora products? I'll be reviewing some of the other products very soon.  Stay tuned!