Have you ever wished a cream made you coffee? The full size of the Haruharu Wonder Centella 5% Niacinamide Radiance Gel Cream comes in a giant coffee cup, which is a nice little touch. Koreans sure know how to get attention. But is the juice inside just as cool? Is it really like coffee for your skin, perking it up and making it radiate… or is jut clever marketing? In this review, I’ll tell you everything you need to know about this cream, including what it really can and can’t do, who it is for, and whether it deserves a spot in your skincare routine. Let’s dive in!

niacinamide

. It also reduces sebum production at around 4-5% concentration, calms redness and inflammation, and has some solid evidence for improving the appearance of enlarged pores over time.

Connected:

The problem is that this product uses leaf water, not extract. Those compounds don’t dissolve easily in water, so leaf water (basically the watery fraction you get from processing the plant) contains very little of them. The studies showing collagen and anti-inflammatory benefits were done on concentrated extracts, not this. So really what you’re getting here is hydration and maybe some mild soothing. not bad. That’s not exactly what Centella is really known for.

The version in skincare used to come from shark liver (grim), but most brands now use plant-derived squalane, typically from sugarcane or olives. Oh!

• Water:
• A natural thickener and texture agent produced by a type of fungus. I
• A pH adjuster. Ingredients like niacinamide and carbomer require the formula to be at a specific pH to work properly and feel good on the skin.
• xanthan gum: A polysaccharide thickener produced through fermentation. It helps stabilize the emulsion, gives the formula a smooth and consistent texture, and contributes to a pleasant slip upon application.
• A pure active compound extracted from Centella Asiatica. It promotes collagen synthesis, soothes inflammation, and helps strengthen the barrier.
• Disodium EDTA: A chelating agent that binds metal ions in the formula. Trace metals can destabilize formulas and cause active ingredients to degrade rapidly. This prevents that.
• Xylitol: A sugar alcohol that acts as a humectant, drawing moisture into the skin. It also has prebiotic properties, meaning it supports the skin’s natural microbiome by promoting beneficial bacteria.
• ascorbic acid:

texture

Fragrance

packaging

Full disclosure: I was sent a sample of this cream by the brand’s PR team. The full size comes in a takeaway coffee cup. It’s super cool and totally unique. Leave it to the Koreans to come up with the most innovative packaging. The downside? It looks quite impractical. I mean, a big takeaway coffee cup takes up quite a bit of space, especially when you’re travelling.

How to use it

Like all moisturisers, you can use it in the evening, as the last step of your skincare routine. Just pat it gently. You don’t need a huge amount. You could also use it in the morning, in between serum and sunscreen.

For such a lightweight cream, Haruharu Wonder Centella 5% Niacinamide Radiance Gel Cream is fairly hydrating. Not enough for dry skin, but oily skin craving that extra burst of moisture without a greasy finish or pore-clogging ingredients? This is the trick. It makes skin softer and smoother to the touch, and the niacinamide in it also helps strengthen your skin protective barrier too.

• Light gel-cream texture that spreads easily and absorbs into the skin almost instantly without leaving any greasy film
• Contains niacinamide, which may help support the skin barrier over time

Who should use it?

Price and availability

at $30 anthropology, Asos, sheen, stylevanaAnd yes style