Cure Natural Aqua Gel Review - Is It Worth The Hype?

Let me begin this review by saying I am a firm believer in exfoliation. You can pile on all the toners, serums and moisturizers you have but if you don't exfoliate, your skin won't look as good as it could be because it won't be able to effectively absorb your skincare products.

A couple of years ago, I saw a bunch of reviews touting this Cure Natural Aqua Gel as a "diamond peel in a bottle."  I used to go for diamond peels every now and then and I always liked the effect especially 2-3 days after so this made me really curious. I went around Hong Kong looking for it. I went to Sasa, Bonjour, Watsons and Colourmix but none of them carried Cure Natural Aqua Gel back in 2011. I ended up getting another peeling gel from Korean brand, Ciracle. 

Then in 2012, Watsons started stocking up on this product. It was more expensive than the Ciracle Peeling Gel I had purchased before. I can't remember the price anymore but it was over HKD 200. But while debating with my mom whether to get it or not, I remembered all the rave reviews and we decided to just go for it.

What It Is

"Cure Natural Aqua Gel is a gentle and natural exfoliating gel that removes dead skin effectively without causing undue stress to the skin. Unlike chemical peels, which use strong acid, Cure is very gently on the skin and only removes the unwanted dead skin."

Packaging

Cure Natural Aqua Gel is packaged in a clear plastic bottle with a pump and a removable clip-on lock (not shown in photo) to prevent the product from spilling while traveling. The pump virtually becomes unusable after a while because the gel clogs up the tube that leads the product up. You'll have to either manually clean the tube or open the bottle to use the product.

The Product

It's a clear viscous liquid that smells lightly of alcohol at the beginning. I don't really know if what I'm smelling is actual alcohol though because it doesn't sting at all. In fact, it is very mild and can be used by even those with sensitive skin.

How to Use

Dispense an adequate amount on your hand then gently and lightly rub it on dry skin. You can use this on your face or any part of your body that needs exfoliation (knees, elbows etc.). As you continue rubbing, you will notice small balls/ particles rolling with the product. This is supposed to be your dead skin. After about a minute, you can now rinse your face with water. No need to use a cleanser afterwards but if you prefer to do so, go ahead.

I was quite skeptical of the small balls being dead skin so I even tested the product on different surfaces to see if the gel itself was producing those balls. I rubbed it on wood and metal but it retained its gel consistency and no particles were formed.

Who Might Like This

• People with dry that's prone to flaking as it exfoliates without stripping skin of its moisture.
• Those who have sensitive skin and would like to incorporate exfoliation into their routine.
• Girls who use heavy duty make-up on a daily basis as this product improves base make-up application, helps remove the last traces of foundation and will allow better penetration of skincare products afterwards.
• Those who have blemishes and discolorations from healed pimples. This product increases skin turnover by means of exfoliation so the marks left behind by previous pimples will fade much faster.

Conclusion

Cure leaves skin feeling smoother without leaving it dry and tight unlike other exfoliants. Make-up looks better when applied after using Cure. There is hardly any danger of scrubbing yourself raw with this product because of how mild it is. It's a nice product to have around because it's easy to use and gets the job done without any downtime. 

One caveat though is that while the Cure Aqua Natural Gel works fine when it comes to surface exfoliation, it will not do anything to remove whiteheads, blackheads and pimples. This is not a miracle in a bottle although some might make it out to be that way. It may prevent future whiteheads and blackheads because it removes dead skin but in my experience, it doesn't really do much to keep those annoying things away. The truth is that you will not be able to unclog pores no matter how hard you scrub the surface of your skin.