Review: Missha Time Revolution Night Repair Science Activator Ampoule

What's with Missha and their crazy long names! My last Missha review was for their Near Skin Firming Peptide Intensive Lifting Cream which also has a long product name but at least it has "firming" and "lifting" so I know what the product does. This product's name doesn't even tell me what it does! What's night repair? Science activator? Time Revolution?

Description (taken from koreadepart.com):

• Formulated with fermented lactic acid bateria ingredients
• Takes care of wrinkles and creates clear and healthy face
• Provides moisture and nutrition for skin
• Paraben free, pigment free, scent free, mineral oil free, alcohol free, benzophenone free, animal nature material free
• At serum, apply a proper amount to your skin dabbing lightly.

My impression:

For those who are not familiar with this product, it is apparently a copycat of Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair, except 3 times less expensive than Estee Lauder. They both use the yeast ferment filtrate Bifida Ferment Lysate, which I assume is the main active ingredient). This is Missha's second copycat product, with the first being Missha's First Treatment Essence which is a copycat of SK-II's Treatment Essence. For more details about the differences and a comparison of their ingredient list you can visit hope-in-a-blog's entry here.

This was a clear yellow thick solution, as what one would expect from an ampoule I guess. It was pretty runny so you have to be careful to avoid it from dripping down or squirting too much at once. I had no problems spreading it around my face. 

This was a one-time use sample so unfortunately I can't review much about the effect on my wrinkles. I have some fine lines on my forehead and there was definitely no overnight miracle effect on them. My face did feel moisturized though and absorbed the ampoule completely except for the cheeks area immediately to the left and right side of my nose, where my large pores are. My pores were a bit enlarged and didn't absorb the ampoule completely. Perhaps it was too rich for that part of my skin? The pores returned to their original size though after I washed my face with Skinfood Egg White Pore Foam.

My face was slightly brightened the next morning, which I will credit towards their claim of a "clear and healthy face." However, I didn't feel that it was better in that area than the other products that I've tried, such as the TonyMoly Intense Care Dual Effect Sleeping Pack and with the best results from Missha Super Aqua Cell Renew Sleeping Mask. 

Fortunately there were no break outs or allergic reaction. I tried The Saem Liposome Good Sleep Cream which is also something used for sleep and the next morning I woke up with little red bumps over my face and even on the back of my left hand!

So with it enlarging my pores, no change on my fine lines, mediocre effects on giving me a "clear and healthy" face, I don't think I was impressed enough to spill $43 out of my recently-very-empty wallet and buy this in a full version. It did moisturize but so I mean does every drugstore lotion. Maybe if they gave me more in their sample but I guess they thought one time use was enough to persuade me to splurge and try it out.

Summary:

Face was moisturized
No overnight anti-wrinkle effect
Effects not impressive enough for me to splurge and buy a full bottle
$41 for 50ml on eBay

Grade: 3/5 because it did something, but nothing I can't get from other sleeping masks I've already tried.

Value: 2/5 because it's pretty expensive for its not-so-spectacular effects.

Repurchase? Nope