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This review contains PR samples° and affiliate links* Beloved Organic K-beauty brand URANG has brought out new ampoules, and I was lucky enough to snatch up the URANG Yuja Vita Ampoule with 85% organic yuja water!
Back when I visited the Vivaness 2020 in February (a lifetime ago it seems, given all the things that happened straight after that visit!), I also had the pleasure of chatting with some of the lovely people at the URANG booth. They were very excited about a number of new launches soon to hit the shelves, among them a new range of ampoules.
URANG, one of my absolute favourite organic K-beauty brands, is of course best known for its wonderful Pink Everlasting Ampoule*, which was reformulated just recently to now be fully vegan (they used a non-vegan form of collagen in their previous formula). My personal favourite from the brand is still their True Rose Repair Essence, which is so lovely as a hydrating serum.
I was lucky to actually win the URANG Yuja Vita Ampoule in a giveaway, one of three new ampoules released by the brand. Actually, I had requested the URANG Blue Power Ampoule*, which seemed to me an even more intriguing product, but they accidentally sent me the Yuja Vita Ampoule instead. Since I was initially quite torn between both ampoules, I was happy with this random luck of the draw! The third and newest URANG ampoule is their Cica Soothing Ampoule with centella extract, which does not contain any added fragrance – unique for the brand!
Most URANG products make use of organic essential oils, which shouldn’t surprise anyone since the brand founder is a trained aromatherapist. I actually get quite frustrated with people complaining about URANG using essential oils in their products and asking them to produce unscented products – it’s like criticising The Ordinary for only using one active in each formula, or Sulwhasoo for making luxury products! It’s…the whole point of the brand!
Anyway, let’s get back to the URANG Yuja Vitamin Ampoule, which I’ve been using quite regularly throughout the summer. Let me first break down the ingredients for you a bit, and then – as always – give you my overall impressions of the product.
URANG Yuja Vitamin Ampoule – the Basics
The URANG Yuja Vitamin Ampoule has been formulated for skin-brightening, using 85.06% organic Yuja Water won from Geoje Island, an island off the Southern coast of South Korea. Yuja, or Yuzu, as it is known in Japan, is a citrus fruit that is kind of a cross between a lemon, a mandarin and a grapefruit, prized for its sweet-tart flavour profile. Yuja fruit also contains a high amount of vitamin C, which is where the “Vitamin” part of the ampoule’s name comes into play. Vitamin C is of course one of the most effective ways to brighten skin and even out skin texture, though it’s not 100% clear if fruit extracts have the same brightening powers as straight-up ascorbic acid does.
Citrus-containing skincare products aren’t for everyone – some people find them too intense for their skin. Some people also believe that they cause light sensitivity and thus exacerbate UV damage, but from what I understand, you would have to actually put straight-up undiluted citrus fruit juice on your skin for this to really be a problem (please don’t put undiluted citrus fruit juice on your skin!). Personally, I don’t notice any issues with citrus extracts and – gasp! – even essential oils on my skin, and rather enjoy the fresh scent! I think the truly important part is the concentration of these ingredients and the effectiveness of the overall formula.
I’ve been seeing a somewhat exhausting trend lately in the skincare community to be very black and white and almost aggressively dogmatic about certain ingredients (especially fragrance and alcohol), and I probably will write about this or maybe do a podcast ep soon around this current, to me worrying trend towards rigid skincare dogma. To me, skincare mostly is about feeling good, having fun and enjoying yourself, not about constantly getting angry at others for “doing it wrong”, aka, “doing it differently from me.”
Here is the full list of ingredients for the URANG Yuja Vitamin Ampoule:
“Citrus Junos Fruit Water (85.06%)*, Pentylene Glycol, Glycerin*, Aqua, Glyceryl Caprylate, Betaine, Citrus Junos Fruit Oil (1%), Sclerotium Gum, (-)-alpha-bisabolol, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower*, Calendula Officinalis Flower*, Glyceryl Undecylenate, Citrus Junos Peel Oil (0.04%), Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid, Citric Acid, Limonene, Linalool* (* Organic ingredients).”
Lovely humectant glycerin and three types of hyaluronic acid provide intense hydration, while alpha-bisabolol soothes skin and works as an anti-inflammatory. The ampoule is alcohol-free but of course does contain essential oils, so check for personal sensitivities.
URANG Yuja Vitamin Ampoule – Oh Hey There, Delicious Texture!
URANG packaging is a luxury delight, all heavy, frosted glass bottles and muted, elegant colours. I’ve enjoyed the little splash of bright yellow on my vanity from the Yuja Vitamin Ampoule! Like most URANG products, the ampoule is highly concentrated, and you really only need a few drops, as it spreads so well on the skin.
The texture of the URANG Yuja Vitamin Ampoule is wonderful: it is a watery, milky gel which feels revitalising and refreshing on the skin. Again, the fresh citrus scent may not be for everyone, but as a lover of the classic Lush Bohemian soap and its delicious freshly squeezed lemon juice scent, I personally adore it. This is a great ampoule for my morning routine, as the scent is so invigorating and the texture truly gives a bit of a wake up feel!
I can’t say that I’ve seen much of an effect on my hyperpigmentation areas, which supposedly will benefit from the vitamin C content from the Yuja water, but then I honestly did not expect such a feat – give me my straight up ascorbic acid serum any day for that! What I do notice is a definite brightening of my overall complexion: my face just looks that little bit more awake and glowy thanks to this lovely gel ampoule.
The URANG Yuja Vita Ampoule is definitely more suited for combo and oilier skin types, as it is overall very light, and I would suggest the richer URANG Blue Power Ampoule* for dryer skin.
URANG Yuja Vitamin Ampoule – Final Thoughts
I am enjoying the URANG Yuja Vita Ampoule enormously, and especially in the hot summer weather it was a pleasure to use, thanks to its light, water-based texture and refreshing ingredients. True, citrus-based ingredients aren’t for everyone, but I can’t help but feel they get an unfairly bad rep overall, and not everyone reacts negatively to them as long as the dosage isn’t crazy high. Yuja is actually quite popular as an ingredient in Korean skincare, and it can be a nice, revitalising addition to well-formulated products. Of course, you are the best judge of your skin, so if you know you are sensitive, care should be exercised. For me, the ampoule works well as a lightweight hydrator and skin-refresher, and I love the feel, texture and, well, the elegant look of the product!
If you are interested in purchasing the URANG Yuja Vita Ampoule, you can find the 35ml ampoule at Ohlolly* for 64$, and Euro-based readers can buy this at Skinsider UK for currently 48£.
Let me know in the comments: Do you use ampoules in your skincare routine? What’s your current fave?
Take care guys, and stay safe!
Sugarpeaches
°PR Sample, kindly provided by a brand or shop – I am not obligated to write this blog article, was not paid for the article, and my opinions are entirely my own.
*Affiliate Links, meaning I earn a small commission if you decide to use the link to purchase an item. This does not raise the purchase price for you, and it helps me and my blog to grow – so, thank you for supporting me in this way!
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