by Rosy Day Blog
Science-Obsessed Natural K-BeautyE Nature is a South Korean skin care brand that you might have heard of but has probably gone mostly unnoticed with all the other science-backed skin care brands out there. Their packaging is ultra minimalistic, yet their products pack quite a punch as specifically their Birch Juice Hydro line contains 69-90% birch tree sap instead of water as the main ingredient. At first I took their Birch Juice Hydro line as another hydrating series of products, but birch juice does more than hydrate alone. Read on to find out what else birch juice can do for you. Bonus: E Nature is an eco-friendly, cruelty-free, and vegan brand!Disclosure: I won these products from a contest that E Nature was having on their Instagram. I was given no obligation whatsoever to do any reviews on these products, nor was I given any money in exchange. I figured since many probably aren't too familiar with E Nature, I would do mini-reviews to help spread the word on this great little hidden gem in skin care. I enjoy doing product reviews to share my own experiences with the product and hope someone finds it useful. I do not work for E Nature. Table of Contents- Science & Ingredients- Product Mini-Reviews - Importance of Hydration & Shop This Post Skincare Benefits of Birch Juice/Birch SapBirch Juice/Birch Sap:The Birch Juice Hydro line was specifically created for dry, sensitive skin. Not only does it deeply hydrate, but birch juice is supposed to be soothing, as well as anti-inflammatory. Birch sap contains a whopping 17 amino acids, minerals, enzymes, proteins, antioxidants, and vitamins! From what I've read online, a research by University of Lancaster found that "birch trees reduced pollution levels in the surrounding areas by 50% when planted on urban streets." Sounds good right? Similarily in skincare, birch sap purifies our skin by reducing bad things like inflammation. [back up] Does E Nature Birch Juice Really Hydrate?
I love using mists right after I wash my face and shower as it often takes me awhile to get to the toner step if I wash my face in the shower. A lot of cleansers/exfoliators make my skin angry, so while I'm still in the process of finding something that truly works for me, having a good mist helps calm my skin down and keep it somewhat moist before I get to toner. The Cosrx Barrier Mist (despite its name), I felt like it didn't really do anything for my skin barrier. The Birch Juice Hydro one on the other hand does feel like it adds a bit of something to your skin (it has 91% birch juice). Overtime, I felt like my skin was at least a little bit healthier than before I started using the mist (something that my Cosrx mist didn't accomplish). 
This toner/essence hybrid (filled with 78% birch juice) has a light hanbang (herbal-ish) type of scent. Though as someone who isn't the biggest fan of hanbang scents, ths one didn't bother me at all. In fact, if you are looking for a light (almost serum-like) hydrating toner (that doesn't smell like Huxely, if you're not a big fan of the Huxley scent) - then this is definitely worth trying. For comparison purposes, I found this to be more hydrating than the Pyunkang Yul essence toner, while being of a runnier consistency. While you can certainly layer this for your 3/5/7-skin method, on most days I felt like this was hydrating enough with just 1 layer. If you have combo skin, you can still comfortably use this in warmer/summer weather as well. 
This emulsion is made up of 70% birch juice. Like the essence skin, it has a similar light scent (I'll call this the "birch juice scent"). This is pretty much your standard emulsion, though it does absorb fast and leaves a non-greasy finish. This is probably one of the lighter (yet still hydrating) emulsions that I've used. Unfortunately I don't have too much to say about this. It doesn't mean it's a bad product, but basically if you're more into emulsions than creams and are looking for a good hydrating and soothing one, then this would be worth a look. 
This cream is made up of 65% birch juice and claims to guarantee 72 hours of skin moisture. I can't say it really lasts that long, but let's just say that during the times I've used my Curology (tretinoin) prescription, I had to properly moisturize EVERY DAY in order to prevent any kind of flaking/dryness on my face. Anyway, unlike most creams out there, this conveniently comes in a pump bottle (great for all those jar-haters out there). The consistency itself is a white gel-like cream. It's not super thick/balm-like, which allows it to be easily housed in a pump bottle. A little goes a long way with this cream. Like the emulsion, it is hydrating with a non-greasy finish and has that birch juice scent. 
If you like the light gel-like consistency of the Laneige Water Bank sleeping mask, but didn't find it hydrating enough, you should definitely give this a try. The Birch Juice Hydro one might be a tad thicker but it will give you some hydration (74% birch juice), while still giving you the lightness comparable to the Laneige sleeping mask. This would be perfect for when your skin could use some extra hydration, yet you do not necessarily want something that feels like added weight onto your skin (especially during those warmer summer nights). For example, I normally do not need extra hydration during the summer, but on my Curology nights (tretinoin prescription), it doesn't matter what the temperature is - my skin flakes like crazy unless I properly moisturize. The Birch Juice Hydro Sleeping Pack helps me to achieve this, and I can actually breathe during the summer, haha. [back up] Birch Juice Or Water for Hydration?Why Hydration is Important:Water is definitely important (it is often the very first ingredient that you see in most skincare products). However it's not necessarily the "end all, be all" of ingredients when it comes to properly hydrating your skin. If you can get a product with something else (a more potent hydrating ingredient) as your main ingredient, and at a reasonable price, then more power to you I say.
With regards to using skincare that incorporate something other than water for the main/top ingredient, the Beauty Banter website has said it best "water-based skincare products can interrupt this optimal level of natural oils on skin, and dilute the concentration of natural ingredients that lead to weaker efficacy. For natural products to be ultimately effective, it is key to look for waterless products."
Realistically speaking though, waterless formulations can be expensive. Water as the main ingredient tends to bring down production cost and it's basically the most affordable ingredient there is. Water also acts as a carrier for active ingredients though it can be at the cost of diluting any star ingredients in the formula. In short,having the star ingredient actually be the main/first ingredient (and not water like the E Nature Birch Juice Hydro line does), can help improve the overall efficacy of all the other ingredients involved in the formulation. [back up] Buy E Nature Birch Juice SkincareOverall, I am thoroughly impressed with this brand. Their formulations to me ended up feeling a bit more luxe than I had expected (this is why you shouldn't judge a product by its simple packaging). I would definitely recommend this line to everyone, but especially to those with dry and/or sensitive skin. I was also using many of these products while I was breaking out (to offset any possibly drying acne medications) and it did not make my breakouts worse. In fact, I felt like it helped soothe my breakouts and redness a bit due to the inflammatory nature of birch juice. Obviously you might not want to use all of the products in this line if you're oily/acne prone, but I would recommend the essence skin and the sleeping pack as they feel very light, yet still hydrating on the skin. These two were my faves. In fact, I wouldn't mind purchasing everything from this line myself. It is also worth noting that E Nature has a travel set, so if you will be traveling somewhere where you could use some hydration, this would be my pick.Any questions and/or comments about my E Nature Birch Juice brand overview/product reviews? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Please let me know in the comments below! Shop This Post
Birch Juice Hydro linePhoto Credit: E Nature
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