AXIS-Y skincare review for acne-prone, dehydrated skin

Let’s talk about AXIS-Y skincare, a Korean skincare brand formulated for acne-prone, oily skin living in humid climates.

How did their products work on my acne-prone, dehydrated skin? Are they worth the hype they get on Instagram?

I had the chance to try several products from AXIS-Y’s 611 line and I have to say, they’re become some of my favourite products in my skincare collection. In short, the products are gentle, refreshing and soothing.

When I started using the products, my skin was really struggling. It was irritated, breaking out and peeling from my acne treatments (looking at you, benzoyl peroxide). I was hesitant to bring in new products into my routine at the time, but intrigued as AXIS-Y skincare products are described as being gentle and healing for the skin barrier.

So, I took the plunge. They turned out to be key in bringing my skin health back to life, with the combination of healing ingredients and non-irritating formulas.

Here are the products I’ll be reviewing in this post:

• Quinoa One Step Balanced Gel Cleanser
• Artichoke Intensive Skin Barrier Ampoule
• Dark Spot Correcting Glow Serum
• New Skin Resolution Gel Mask (AXIS-Y’s newest launch!)

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What is AXIS-Y skincare all about?

AXIS-Y is a Korean skincare brand designed with changing climates in mind. Their products are created with the philosophy that your skin’s needs change depending on the climate, temperature, humidity and environmental stressors.

AXIS-Y’s 611 Advanced Formula skincare was formulated to work especially well for people with oily, acne-prone skin living in humid climates.

Each product contains 6 key natural ingredients, 1 core “hero” ingredient and 1 patented skincare technology.

As someone who lives in Canada where the summers are hot and sometimes humid, and the winters are cold and dry, I think these products would be perfect for the summers. I tried them in the winter and they were hydrating without being heavy, leaving room for me to use a thicker moisturizer for extra moisture.

Their products are also vegan, cruelty-free, and contain no artificial fragrances or colours.

Where to find AXIS-Y skincare products: on their website or on Yesstyle!

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Quinoa One Step Balanced Gel Cleanser

What is it?

A gentle cleanser that removes makeup, oil and dirt in one step while maintaining your skin’s natural pH.

Key Ingredients

Core ingredient: Quinoa extract to support collagen and elastin production in the skin.

Other key ingredients: Centella asiatica, green tea, calendula, holy basil, sweet almond oil, humulus lupulus.

My thoughts

I really enjoy using this cleanser because it’s simple, gentle and effective. I usually reach for creamy cleansers in the morning since they’re more hydrating, but I found this gel cleanser to be quite hydrating and calming. It lathers into a cushiony foam to remove any oil and product from the night before. It’s also great as a second cleanse in the evening after I remove my makeup with a micellar water.

After rinsing off, my skin feels clean and comfortable. Not too tight, with no residue left over. This is a great staple cleanser to have in your routine for morning and night!

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Artichoke Intensive Skin Barrier Ampoule

What is it?

A light serum-like product that delivers rich antioxidants, nutrients, and hydration to heal damaged, irritated skin barriers.

Key ingredients

Core ingredient: Artichoke to help skin retain moisture and build up cell wall density for refined-looking pores.

Other key ingredients: Tea tree, centella asiatica, burdock root, aloe vera, licorice, okra.

My thoughts

This absorbs into my skin in seconds and doesn’t leave a sticky finish. It’s formulated to hydrate your skin for over 6 hours, reduce the appearance of large pores and balance oil production on the skin. It provides the perfect level of hydration for oilier skin types, but dry skin types will need more hydration layered on top. The only con for me is that is has a slight alcohol scent to it, which fades once it’s absorbed by the skin. This ampoule preps my skin well for any products I layer on top, like serums and moisturizers.

A nice-to-have product in your routine for an extra layer of skin nourishing ingredients, like centella asiatica (one of my favourite healing ingredients).

Read more: 5 simple ways to transform your skin this year

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Dark Spot Correcting Glow Serum (my favourite product from the line)

What is it?

A niacinamide-based serum that corrects dark spots and improves uneven skin tone, while adding hydration and glow.

Key ingredients

Core ingredient: Niacinamide 5%, also known as Vitamin B3, which works with your skin to help improve uneven skin tone, dullness, and a weakened skin barrier.

Other key ingredients: Papaya extract, squalane, calendula, sea buckthorn, allantoin, oryza sativa bran.

My thoughts

This is the most hydrating niacinamide serum I’ve tried so far. I use this mainly as a morning serum and it feels like a splash of soothing goodness on my skin, especially when my skin is healing from a breakout. My red marks from breakouts continue to heal noticeably faster when I use this consistently along with a solid nighttime routine with retinoid. It also helped improve my skin barrier so much, from irritated and dry to supple and bouncy. It also smells really refreshing — slightly minty and herbal.

This is a fantastic niacinamide serum if you’re looking for something to soothe and help heal red marks left over from acne breakouts!

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New Skin Mask (AXIS-Y’s newest launch!)

What is it?

A thin gel mask formulated to brighten, soothe and moisturize the skin while reinforcing the skin’s natural barrier function.

Key ingredients

Core ingredient: Niacinamide 2%.

Other key ingredients: Heartleaf, fig, madecassoside, allantoin, artemisia princeps, yam root.

My thoughts

This gel mask has an amazing texture that feels so refreshing on the skin. I haven’t tried many gel masks before so I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I’m impressed with how even and bright it makes my skin look. This has become one of my favourite masks to use because of how refreshing and calming it is. It’s also super easy to rinse off which I always appreciate in a mask. I leave it on for 15 minutes while I journal or watch a YouTube video and it’s perfect as part of my unwinding routine. As we get into the summer months, it’ll be an amazing after-sun mask to cool the skin down.

I’d recommend this mask if you’re looking for an extra something in your routine to refresh and add moisture into your skin!

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If you have any questions about my experience with the AXIS-Y skincare products, leave them below or DM me on Instagram @niceskindays!

Note: This blog post is in partnership with AXIS-Y and the products were sent to me by the brand for my honest review. My opinions are 100% my own, always. Thank you so much for reading!

#axisy #climateskincare #kbeauty #crueltyfree #vegan