Review: Dr.G R.E.D. Blemish Clear Moisture Cream

A few months ago, I tried the famous Dr.G R.E.D. Blemish Clear Soothing Cream. I gave it a mixed review, because for me, it wasn’t comfortable enough, and I wasn’t impressed by its soothing effect either.

Yet this cream has been one of the best-selling products in Korea for several years and it has a lot of followers. I guess you could say that this is a striking demonstration, once again, that skincare is never universal, and that each of us has a unique skin with different needs 😉.

But I was still intrigued, and shortly after trying this R.E.D. Blemish Clear Soothing Cream, I tested a different version, launched by the brand last year, that was supposed to be even more soothing, the Dr.G R.E.D. Blemish Cica Soothing Cream (I talk about it in the review). I liked this Cica version but problem, I could never get my hands on it again. I’m not sure if it was just a limited edition or something… But it basically vanished from the scene!

Since then, Dr.G has reformulated their best seller R.E.D. Blemish Clear Soothing Cream, so maybe the Cica version I tried is closer to the new 2022 reformulated version of the R.E.D. Blemish Clear Soothing Cream than the one I reviewed last year.

I’m not sure. And it’s all very complicated. I would love it if Korean brands would stop reformulating their bestsellers every 6 months and make clearer and more readable product ranges, because really, it’s getting very difficult to navigate. 😅

Anyway, when I saw that Dr.G was releasing a richer version of their R.E.D. Blemish Clear Soothing Cream, created specifically for drier skin types, and that it was sold at Olive Young, I couldn’t help but order it to try it out.

I was a little worried that it would be too rich for me, as I don’t really have dry skin. But since the classic version, the Clear Soothing Cream, was really not enough for my skin, I thought it was worth a try!

So let me tell you all about my experience with this richer version, the Dr.G R.E.D. Blemish Clear Moisture Cream, and you’ll see that this time, I’m much more convinced! 😉

Skincare Review: Dr.G R.E.D. Blemish Clear Soothing Cream Dr.G R.E.D. Blemish Clear Soothing Cream is a true phenomenon in South Korea. Already a bestseller for several years, when Covid hit and especially when the obligation to wear a mask became commonplace, this soothing treatment cream has become Korea’s favorite SOS cream! I had to try it to see for myself if it lived up to its reputation :) Read more

The Dr.G R.E.D. Blemish Clear Moisture Cream, product presentation:

If you are new to the brand Dr.G with this review, a quick reminder:

In Korea, the brand Dr.G is well known for its dermo-cosmetic products, perfect for sensitive or sensitized skin. You can find them at Olive Young, one of the most popular cosmetics stores in Korea.

The slogan of the brand is “Healthy skin, happy skin” because the goal of Dr.G products is to care and soothe all sensitive and/or problematic skin. Dr.G is not really a brand that follows the latest cosmetic trends, but rather a “serious” brand quite pharmaceutical, which can totally compare to French pharmacy brands, for example. 😉

The most popular Dr.G product has long been their mineral sunscreen, which I’ve mentioned several times before, but most recently in my 2021 Korean Sunscreens Guide.

But now it’s the Dr.G R.E.D. Blemish Clear Soothing Cream that has been leading the sales for several years now (see my detailed review for more info).

And because of this, the brand created several versions in this range, as I explained above!

The richer version, the Dr.G R.E.D. Blemish Clear Moisture Cream, is designed for drier skin types and was launched this fall in Korea.

The Dr.G R.E.D. Blemish Clear Moisture Cream is a soothing, moisturizing and repairing cream, designed for skin that tends to be dry, sensitive or sensitized, and with a damaged skin barrier. Thanks to the ingredients it contains, it also has a healing effect, which is very useful for skin with a tendency to develop breakouts.

The formula is very similar to the original Clear Soothing version; it focuses on soothing, but there are also more repairing and nourishing ingredients, to add an extra dose of comfort.

These include:
– niacinamide: anti-oxidant, purifying, brightening… It’s a star ingredient in cosmetics!
– the 5-Cica Some complex, exclusive to the Dr.G brand, composed of 5 ingredients around Centella Asiatica: Madecassoside, madecassic acid, Asiaticoside, Asiatic acid and Centella Asiatica extract, which are anti-oxidants and above all very soothing, and anti-inflammatory.
– phytosphingosine, an ingredient naturally found in the skin barrier, which is nourishing and repairing,
– ceramides for the repairing and comforting effect,
– jojoba oil esters and macadamia nut oil for comfort,
– panthenol and allantoin for soothing,
– and hydrating glycerin and betaine.

The 5-Cica Some complex, exclusive to the brand Dr.G, is composed of 5 ingredients around the Centella Asiatica: Madecassoside, Madecassic acid, Asiaticoside, Asian acid and Centella Asiatica extract. The innovation here is that these ingredients are found in elastic liposomes smaller than the size of the skin’s pores. Liposomes are kind of small vesicles that allow to collect in their center a fragile active substance. They are therefore used to preserve and transport delicate molecules into the skin by “encapsulating” them.

A process that is certainly not new in cosmetics (liposomes have been around for decades), but which has been improved here with a smaller size of liposomes, which are great to promote a deeper penetration of active ingredients in the deeper layers of the epidermis!

The texture of this product is very pleasant, it’s a creamy gel, a little thick, which reminds me a lot of the texture of a sleeping mask. It doesn’t leave a greasy effect on the skin, but on me, I find it a little bit sticky, so I prefer to use it as a night moisturizer.

But really, it can be used as a day cream, or a night cream, or as a treatment when the skin needs to be soothed (like a sleeping mask that you use as needed).

The brand has a very soothing approach to treating difficult skin, so there are no irritating ingredients in the formula (no exfoliating acids, no retinoids, no fragrance, no essential oils…).

The Dr.G R.E.D. Blemish Clear Moisture Cream, my experience:

My skin is much less fussy than this summer. I found my pace with retinol (which I use 5 times a week now) and the temperatures have become acceptable here, which means I can turn off my AC (finally!!!).

My skin is less “raw” than in previous months, but I must admit that I still appreciate the repairing and soothing properties of moisturizers for sensitive skin. And if these creams promise me wonderful comfort without leaving my skin too greasy, I’m all for it!

If the concept of the Dr.G R.E.D. Blemish Clear Soothing Cream had attracted me on paper last year, when I used it, it proved to be too lightweight for my skin. Yes, I don’t have a dry skin, but it’s quite dehydrated in general, and I appreciate a richer night cream that leaves my skin comfortable and plumped up in the morning when I wake up.

And this Dr.G R.E.D. Blemish Clear Moisture Cream has been just perfect for my skin! It soothes, it helps to heal my blemishes faster (I still have breakouts from time to time). And most importantly it really moisturizes my skin! And without making my skin greasy, which I really appreciate!

I like its “sleeping mask” texture which immediately quenches and calms my skin, as soon as I apply it! Yes, it feels a little sticky at first, but the next morning, my skin is all fresh and plumped. 🥰

A little clarification though: if your skin is very very dry, I think it will probably be too lightweight for you. The focus here is more on healing and soothing, with a good dose of hydration as a bonus, but the texture is still more watery than oily. I think it’s more suitable for very dehydrated skin, or combination skin with a dry tendency.

When I was using tretinoin, my skin was much drier, and I really needed “heavier” textures. But now my skin is back to its normal state of very dehydrated combination skin. And if I use textures that are too thick, it can react with small pimples. And with the Dr.G R.E.D. Blemish Clear Moisture Cream, I didn’t have this issue at all! On the contrary, I felt like it rather helped on that side (probably thanks to all the Centella extracts it contains 😉).

Anyway, this third try, with the Dr.G R.E.D. Blemish Clear range turned out to be the right one for me! I hope that among the various ones I have reviewed, you will see one that fits with your current skin. 🙂

In conclusion:

I am so glad I persisted in trying this R.E.D. Blemish Clear range because I think I’ve finally figured out which version is right for my skin!

I find the Dr.G R.E.D. Blemish Clear Moisture Cream very pleasant to use, especially as a night cream. And it’s still a pretty decent value, especially when you consider the amount of product in one jar! 😉

The Dr.G R.E.D. Blemish Clear Moisture Cream retails between $28 and $43 for 70ml, depending on the retailers.