Review: iWhite Korea Skin Whitening Vita Facial Cream

I've already told you how I feel about the iWhite Korea moisturizer and the whitening pack in my posts *here.* Now, let's put the iWhite Skin Whitening Vita Facial Cream under the spotlight.

It claims to be a 3-in-1 product that can serve as a whitening cream, a sunblock and a makeup base. Sounds like a nice product? Read on to know my thoughts about it!

Description: A natural facial cream that gives 3 benefits as a whitening product, a sunblock and a makeup base for a complete day time skin protection.

Active ingredients:

• Mulberry root extract - evenly whitens skin
• Panax ginseng root extract - (along with Vitamins A, C and E) helps protect skin from harsh environment while providing the face with silky smoothness for easier makeup application
• Titanium dioxide - protects skin from harmful UV rays that cause skin and cellular damage and premature aging

Also contains: Water, glycerin, tocopheryl acetate, retinyl palmitate, ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate, Aloe barbadensis leaf extract, dimethicone, sodium hyaluronate, ascorbic acid, methylparaben, disodium EDTA, fragrance

Honestly, I'm not a big fan of creams because (1) I like keeping my skin care routine simple and (2) I don't like the heavy feeling that some creams give. And because of that, I wasn't too excited in trying out this product. But more on that later. Let's talk about the packaging first.

The packaging is as simple as it can get, which I don't mind. 

The product is packaged in an easy-to-squeeze tube like most iWhite products. 

No major complaints with the packaging. It can dispense the product easily without leaving a mess, so I'm good.

The cream itself is white in color and has a thin consistency that is more like a sunblock's than a facial cream's. 

A little goes a long way with this. The amount pictured above is already more than enough for my whole face.

And while the cream can be spread really easily... 

... it's quite hard to blend. You have to be careful not to apply too much product and to blend it really well to avoid getting the white, blotchy finish that this cream has a tendency to give. That's also one of the reasons why this product left me a not-so-good impression the first time I used it. My face looked too white, and the finish was uneven! BUT as I kept using the product, I found a way to make it easier to apply. (scroll down for my tip)

Once blended
*without flash
(Note: smaller amount of product was used compared to the amount used in the two photos above)

Once blended
*without flash

Tip: By experience, I learned that the best way to avoid this uneven finish is to apply a little amount of product at a time. That way, the cream is easier to blend, and there's less white cast. I dot a small amount on my fingertips first, spread it a bit, apply to certain parts of the face (forehead, nose, cheeks and chin), then blend thoroughly, covering the other parts of the face while I'm at it (undereyes, sides of the nose, around the mouth, etc.) until there are no more visible white patches. Then I just apply a little bit more product if I need to, still following the same steps, of course.

Now that I know how I can apply the product easily, I find myself using it more often. I'm now starting to like it, especially for errand days or for days when I want to go for a no-makeup look.

While this product helps brighten up my face instantly, it offers little coverage. It can tone down the unevenness in my skin tone but not totally conceal the redness and blemishes. For errand days, I can go with just this topped with loose powder, filled-in brows and a tinted lip balm.

Left: Bare face. Before applying the iWhite Facial Cream
Right: After applying the iWhite Facial Cream
*without flash

I like the smooth, semi-matte finish it gives, too. It feels light on the face. It's not at all like the usual creams that feel heavy and leave the face too shiny.

With only the iWhite Facial Cream on my face
*with flash

I only use a small amount every time to avoid the white cast because if you apply a lot, your face would look too white, especially in photos taken with flash, trust me! Here's what my face looks like with only the cream and loose powder. Oh, and I filled my brows in lightly, too.

With iWhite Facial Cream and Hayan Korea Face Silky Powder on my face
*without flash

Looks decent enough for errand days! I like how the cream can even out my skin tone, so I don't need to apply a separate makeup product to do that job. Well, it's a makeup base, after all. When I'm going out with friends or to events, I don't use this product, though, because I'm avoiding the white cast in photos. I prefer using a legit face primer for those days. I only use this when I just want to even out my skin tone and when I don't need to look really made-up and flawless, if you know what I mean.

I haven't used this enough to observe any noticeable skin lightening (aside from the instant brightening effect), so I still can't say much about the whitening property. Note that I don't use this everyday - just when I feel like it. Haha.

As for UV protection, I guess SPF 15 is alright for quick trips outside, but if I have to spend longer periods of time under the sun, I'd have to reapply (which I don't want to do) or use something with higher SPF instead.

Thumbs up:

• Multi-purpose product
• Feels very light, doesn't feel heavy nor greasy on the face at all
• Instantly brightens up my face
• Does a great job in evening out my skin tone when applied properly
• Gives smooth, semi-matte finish
• Great for everyday use
• Has SPF 15 - Although not enough for longer exposure under the sun
• No unpleasant scent - Smells like all the other iWhite face products I've tried
• Doesn't irritate my skin in any way
• Affordable - Priced at P20 for 10 ml of product (sachet) and P169 for 65 ml (tube)
• Widely available - Available at leading department stores and drugstores

Thumbs down:

• Leaves an uneven finish when not blended properly
• Leaves a white cast when too much is applied
• SPF 15 may not be enough for longer exposure under the sun

Honestly, it's not one of my favorite products because I can't just slap it on and go, but I'm warming up to it, now that I've figured out how to apply it properly.

Read my reviews of other iWhite products by clicking the following links :)

• Aqua Moisturizing Cream
• Whitening Pack

For more info on iWhite and their products, visit them on Facebook (fb.com/iWhite.skincare) and Twitter (twitter.com/iWhiteKorea).


Have you tried this product? Let me know your thoughts on it by commenting below! :)

Disclaimer: Product was received for free, but the views and opinions expressed in this post are purely mine and based on my own experience with the product.