There are a few facial skincare brands that I write about over and over, and belif is one of them. I discovered the brand at Sephora several years ago while I was looking for a firming eye gel, and I tried a set of their travel size skincare products and I’ve been hooked ever since. See my first post about belif here. Since then, I’ve written about belif, in particular my favorite Moisturizing Eye Bomb, a terrific firming gel-cream, many times – it’s a staple in my skincare routine.
belif has a somewhat unusual backstory. It combines an herbal heritage from Duncan Napiers, the renowned medical herbalist who founded of Napiers medical herbal clinic in Edinburgh Scotland in 1860, with modern tenets of Korean skincare. It’s made in Korea. I guess you could say it’s a Scottish-Korean skincare brand 😉 The brand is built around truth in ingredients, true formulas, true benefits, and overall honesty.
Today, I have three new to me facial skincare products from belif to share with you.
belif Aqua bomb jelly cleanser
You know I’m a huge fan of everything gel, so no surprise I’m really enjoying Aqua bomb jelly cleanser. I would say that this is a loose gel, sort of like a jelly without enough pectin lol.
It’s clear but when I apply it to my face and neck and add water, it turns from gel to a white creamy lather. It has the faintest citrusy scent that I can only smell if I stick my nose in it. The same with the other two products, essentially no scent. It’s very gentle, and I can use it on my eyes after micellar water to make sure I get off every trace of eye makeup. It rinses easily and leaves my skin feeling hydrated, never stripped.
One of its ingredients is Lady’s mantle which I grow in my garden. I had no idea that it could be an ingredient in skincare! But Lady’s mantle in the garden catches and holds rain or water on its wide flat leaf. Maybe that’s what it does for skin, too! Here’s what belif says about Lady’s mantle: “antioxidant-rich lady’s mantle which helps neutralize skin-damaging free radicals, improves skin elasticity, and minimizes the appearances of pores.”
I had planned to save belif Aqua bomb jelly cleanser for the cold weather when my skin needs a more hydrating cleanser, but I haven’t been able to resist it! It works for all skin types.
Aqua bomb jelly cleanser comes in a handy plastic tube containing 5.41 fl. oz./160 ml, and it’s priced at $28.
Ingredients:Water, Glycerin, Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate, Coco-Betaine, 1,2-Hexanediol, Potassium Cocoate, Lauramidopropyl Betaine, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Stellaria Media (Chickweed) Extract+ **, Alchemilla Vulgaris Leaf Extract**, Equisetum Arvense Leaf Extract**, Urtica Dioica (Nettle) Leaf Extract**, Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Extract+, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract+, Nepeta Cataria Extract+, Rubus Idaeus (Raspberry) Leaf Extract+, Baptisia Tinctoria Root Extract+, Potassium Hydroxide, Sodium Chloride, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glyceryl Oleate, Coco-Glucoside, Butylene Glycol, Tetrasodium EDTA, Malachite Extract, Citric Acid, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Peel Oil++, Citrus Aurantifolia (Lime) Oil++, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil++, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Oil++, Limonene, Citronellol, Geraniol, Citral. *Napiers original formula.
belif Milky moisturizer hydra balancing
belif makes a number of hydrating essences and serums. In fact, I started out with belif’s hydrating Hungarian Water Essence in the travel set I first tried. I liked it so much a bought and used up a full size.
When I received these products, I thought belif Milky moisturizer hydra balancing might be very similar to the Hungarian Water. But it’s different. Rather than a “heavy water” essence like Hungarian Water, this product is a lightweight milky white gel.
I was wrong, it isn’t an essence or even serum, it’s a lightweight moisturizer! It contains a humectant to attract water and couples that with a moisturizer. Definitely perfect for summer, warm weather as well as for normal and combination skin. Though I have dry skin, I can use this now as a lightweight moisturizer or even in the fall over a hydrating serum.
With sage extract, it moisturizes while maintaining skin’s balance without being oily. Those of you with combination skin, I think you’d really enjoy this one!
Milky Hydrating Balancing Moisturizer comes in a plastic pump bottle containing 4.2 fl. oz./125 ml and it’s priced at $38. One pump covers my entire face, so this will last a looooong time!
Ingredients: Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycerin, Triethylhexanoin, Hexyldecyl Ethylhexanoate, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Glyceryl Stearate, Cyclopentasiloxane, PEG-100 Stearate, Salvia Officinalis (Sage) Leaf Extract, *Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Extract, *Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, *Nepeta Cataria Extract, *Rubus Idaeus (Raspberry) Leaf Extract, *Baptisia Tinctoria Root Extract, *Stellaria Media (Chickweed) Extract, **Alchemilla Vulgaris Leaf Extract, **Viola Tricolor Extract, **Rosa Damascena Flower Extract, **Spiraea Ulmaria Flower Extract, **Althaea Officinalis Root Extract, Corchorus Oiltorius Leaf Extract, Monarda Didyma Leaf Extract, C14-22 Alcohols, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Panthenol, PEG-5 Glyceryl Stearate, Carbomer, Tromethamine, Mica, Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides(CI 77491), Xanthan Gum, Trisodium EDTA, ***Fragrance, Citronellol, Limonene. *Napiers Original Formula. **Napiers Moisture Formula. ***Fragrances of Natural Origin.
belif The true cream – Aqua bomb
The winter before last, I bought belif The true cream – Moisturizing bomb for my ultra dry winter skin. It’s a thick, white gel cream, and it is extremely hydrating. I liked it a lot.
I was sent belif’s other iconic moisturizer, Aqua bomb, to try. During the cold New England winter, this pale blue water-based moisturizer gel might not be enough for my very dry skin. In fact, it was developed for normal, combination and oily skin types. But during the heat of summer and into the autumn, it works very well for me. It’s cooling, refreshing, lightweight, and hydrating.
belif says that Aqua bomb “floods the skin with intensive moisture” and “it is formulated to burst when applied, releasing a flood of weightless moisture onto skin for a healthy, smooth, supple appearance. ” It’s a pleasure to wear this time of year. Keeping it in the fridge intensifies the coolness even more.
A key ingredient in Aqua bomb is Lady’s mantle that I talked about above in the Aqua jelly cleanser. According to the company’s testing, Aqua bomb creates a 70% increase in skin’s hydration.
Aqua bomb comes in a jar containing 1.68 fl. oz./50 ml and is priced at $38. It comes in two other sizes as well: 25 ml for $22 and 100 ml for $62.
Ingredients: Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycerin, Methl Trimethicone, Alcohol Denat, Dimethicone, Cyclopentasiloxane, 1,2-Hexanediol, Malakite Extract, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, PEG/PPG/Polybutylene Glycol-8/5/3 Glycerin, Alchemilla Vulgaris Leaf Extract*, Equisetum Arvense Leaf Extract*, Stellaria Media (Chickweed) Extract*, Urtica Dioica (Nettle) Leaf Extract*, Plantago Lanceolata Leaf Extract*, Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Extract**, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract**, Nepeta Cataria Extract**, Rubus Idaeus (Raspberry) Leaf Extract**, Baptisia Tinctoria Root Extract**, Dimethiconol, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Sodium Acrylate/Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Dimethylacrylamide Crosspolymer, Isohexadecane, Polysorbate 60, Ceramide 3, Cholesterol, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Phenl Trimethicone, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Panthenol, Squalane, Triethylhexanoin, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, PEG-150, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, C14-22 Alcohols, Arachidyl Glucoside, Hydrogenated Lecithin, PEG-100 Stearate, Stearic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, Carbomer, Tromethamine, Trisodium EDTA, Fragrance+, Citronellol, Limonene, Citral, Geraniol, Linalool. * : Napiers aqua formula ** : Napiers original formula + : Fragrances Of Natural Origin
Additional Brand Information
belif products are dermatologist tested and free of mineral oils, petrolatum, synthetic preservatives, dyes, fragrances, and animal origin ingredients. It is sold on the belif website and at Sephora (just in time for the Rouge/VIB sale: I’m stocking up on Moisturizing Eye Bomb, of course).
I love the original Aqua Bomb moisturizer, so richly hydrating but not greasy at all. The eye cream is in my list to buy as soon as I need a new eye cream.
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I think you’d like the Belif Moisturizing Eye Bomb, Shireen, because it’s a gel-cream!
These sound perfect for my normal/combination skin! I have yet to try their products, but you have convinced me through all of your reviews!
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I know you have tons of skincare products, Helen. But someday, you should try Belif’s Aqua line of products. I think the gel-cream formulation would be perfect for your skin type and LA weather!
I love the aqua bomb moisturizer! So soothing for my lately drier skin! Definitely one of my favorite moisturizers!
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Good to know about the jelly cleanser! I’m always on the lookout for options that aren’t too drying. I dug out a half-used Eucerin cleanser from the stash to finish up, so I don’t need to buy this yet…but I might be ready for something new by the time fall sales roll around.
I’ve had several samples of both the Aqua and Moisturising Bomb face creams, and I love them both. They have another cream in a green pot that has peat in it, but I haven’t tried that one yet.
I do recommend the Belif Aqua Jelly Cleanser especially for dry skin, Rachel. It’s both gentle and hydrating. I think it’ll be terrific for winter use too. I think you’ll like it. I noticed the green jar moisturizer on Shopstyle, but I didn’t realize it was peat! I wonder how it smells?? I wish Belif would have more sales on their website, but they’re few and far between. I am ordering another jar of Moisturizing Eye Bomb now during the Sephora VIB sale coz I think my jar will be empty in a month. Other than Sephora and their own site and Amazon (that I don’t trust for this), it’s on some Beauty sites too.
I love all the plants and flowers you share from your garden. I know I used belif several years ago. Did they change packaging?
Thank you, Kathryne! My garden is almost finished for the season. I’ve got Black Eyed Susans, phlox, rose of sharon, and fall blooming anemones. No, I don’t think Belif has changed their packaging. They have quite a distinctive look!
Ooh I was curious about that cleanser! I like that liquid gel consistency, those tend to work for me best too.
The Belif Aqua Jelly Cleanser will be terrific in the winter too because it’s so hydrating!
This all looks so great for you skin! Something nice to add to your routine!
I love this brand!! I love the gel the best.
And Belif has so many gel products! <3<3<3
I’ve always wanted to try belief, now I Know where to start!
Cindy Ingalls recently posted…Sir John x Disney The Lion King Eyeshadow Palette!
Their dry skin products especially have been terrific for me. I am just ordering my 4th or 5th jar of Belif Moisturizing Eye Bomb now during the Sephora VIB sale. I’m hooked
I bought the eye cream after all your raves but haven’t used it yet. As soon as I’m done testing a new one I have then I’ll dive into Belif. I am so glad you said that the products don’t have fragrance. Now I know I’ll like them.
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I hope you’ll like the Belif Moisturizing Eye Bomb. I just am ordering yet another jar during the VIB sale
Those aqua bomb products sounds fabulous!
The cleanser sounds really nice!
I’ve heard so many good things about Belif skincare.
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I enjoy the Aqua Bomb moisturizer! I want to try out the jelly cleanser!
I think you’d like Jelly Cleanser from belif, especially in the winter: gentle and hydrating!