Kojie-san Skin Lightening Soap: Review

I have never been the type of person who worries about skin color. Let's just say that I was born with a tan. I think in most (West) countries, tan is something that they actually want. But here in Asia (specifically: Philippines - where I'm staying), people long for white skin. Thus, a lot of skin whitening products are readily available all over the local market.

I have heard about Kojie-san in facebook because Alodia Gosiengfiao is the endorser of the product. But as I've mentioned above, I was never the type of person who worries about skin color so I didn't try it... until my best friend recommended the soap for me to use.

I immediately bought the soap to try. I have never been this satisfied with a soap in my life. Kojie-san is a skin lightening soap and it really does lighten skin! In just two weeks, my friends have been noticing a change in me although at that point in time they couldn't point it out. But after 1 month, they've noticed that my skin has lightened and that I looked "blooming".

The soap is orange in color and I love the "citrus-y" scent. I'm sorry I just don't know how to describe the scent. In Watsons, this soap usually comes in two's (although you can also buy it separately) for only PHP 50.00. The bigger soap also has a pack of two wherein you get 50% off on the second soap.

If I'm not mistaken, Kojie-san whitens through micropeeling. So you would be peeling but it would not be visible to the naked eye. BUT (according to other users) since you are peeling, you will notice that when you use the soap or when you apply toner/moisturizer on your face, there's this stinging sensation. I imagine it's the same feeling I get when I avail of chemical peeling with my dermatologist. Oh, and I'm just imagining it because in my case, I did NOT feel the stinging sensation.

When using this product, you should of course, scrub your skin (but not everyday because it would harm your skin) to aid removal of dead skin. I scrub myself every other day. You should also NOT forget to apply sunscreen and lotion. If you don't you will definitely be left with burns and your skin will get dry, get itchy and have patches/ flakes.

If you want lighter skin, I suggest you use this product. For starters, do not use it on your face. You could try using it on your foot at first and if there's no negative reaction, you may also use it on your face. 

I have been using the soap for 5 months now and not only did it lighten my skin, it has helped me look 'younger' (No, I am not old. I'm only 21.) in a sense that my skin looks glowing. It has also helped me with some of my pimple scars. Oh, and speaking of pimples, I had no major break outs while using this product. In fact, it has minimized the formation of pimples!

If only I knew I would be reviewing this product, I would have taken before and after pictures. Sadly, though, I didn't.

Over all, I would like to say that this product is actually WORTH IT.

Pros:

- cheap 

- nice smell 

- actually whitens/lightens skin tone in at least 2 weeks 

- helps diminish pimple scars 

- controls pimple formation (true to my case)

- available in most stores locally 

Cons:

- the soap easily runs out (melt). to minimize this, you can cut the soap in sections. it will last you a longer time before it completely runs out. (thanks to RealAsianBeauty for this tip!) 

- tends to dry out the skin if you're not using lotion 

- stinging sensation from micropeeling (for other users) 

April 5, 2014 UPDATE!!!

F.A.Q.s (Frequently Asked Questions):

1. How often should I scrub?

- I personally scrub myself every other day. I'm not sure if there's an exact number of times one should do it but I just don't do it everyday since it might be too harsh for my skin and damage it.

2. Ever since I started using this soap, my (insert body part here) turned red. What should I do?

- Your skin might be irritated. Try lessening the amount of usage. Try using the soap every other day only. If it still doesn't get better, you might be allergic to it or the formula may be too much for you so I suggest you stop it. Oh, and if you're not using sunscreen, that's probably the reason why your skin is so red.

3. Is this advisable for a/an (insert age here) year old boy/girl?

- I just want to clear that gender doesn't really matter but age might be a factor to consider. I'm not an expert. I always say ask a dermatologist/ doctor for this question. Why? Since this is a whitening product, there are chemicals that may not be suitable or not advisable for younger skin. But then again, there are people who have tried using this at an early age and didn't experience any adverse reaction. It all comes down to how sensitive your skin is.

4. Should I use lotion?

- Yes. Definitely. It helps in keeping your skin from being dry and flaky.

5. Where did you get this item?

- Watson's.

6. Does it really help with pimples and blemishes?

- It doesn't claim to do so but it helped me back when I was still using it.

7. Is this better than (insert another brand) whitening soap?

- So far, I haven't tried any brand that's better at whitening than Kojie-san but for future reference, you can type "lotsofgirlstuff (Insert Brand/ Item Here)" on google to check if I have a review on it.

8. I stopped using it and I got darker. Why?

- Probably because you stopped using whitening aids. Sorry, I don't think there's no other reason beside this.

9. What sunblock can you suggest?

- This is actually depending on what skin type you have. I personally use at least SPF 50 sunblock cream type on my face lately. But if you ask me, SPF 30 is my lower limit with no ceiling number.

10. What happens when you get chemical burn?

- Usually, you get red and your skin darkens or you form patches. Another reason why you should always use sunscreen and avoid direct sun exposure.

I am personally happy with the response to this blog post. It currently has around 95,000 views and over 200 comments. Thank you so much to everyone taking an interest in this product and this review. I'm glad that you trust me enough to ask me those questions. Also, thank you to everyone who shared their experiences in the comment section. You probably helped another person decided whether this product is for him/her or not.

Useful Links:

Kojie-san Web

(I bought this product with my own money and I am not getting paid for this review. Note that these are just my opinions and I do not guarantee that what I say would hold true in everyone's case.)

NOTE: As much as possible avoid direct exposure to sunlight and ALWAYS wear sunscreen when using whitening products!