Worth the hype? This Korean multi balm supposedly does pretty much everything (short of saving the world)
4.12.2023
Translation: Katherine Martin
Pictures: Natalie Hemengül
Kahi’s Wrinkle Bounce Multi Balm is the secret star of numerous K-dramas. But does the sought-after moisturiser stick really live up to the hype?
Imagine you’re watching your favourite TV show. Your favourite character’s about to go on a date with the love of his life. As he’s freshening up, he whips out a beauty product, giving the viewers clear sight of it as he does so. And bam! He gets a massive injection of self-confidence. This sort of in-your-face product placement in Korean TV dramas, as well as K-pop celebrity endorsements, made Kahi’s Wrinkle Bounce Multi Balm the hot product of 2021. Ever since, versatile moisturiser sticks have become an integral part of the Korean beauty scene. I’m curious to see if they can win me over too.
Source: Natalie Hemengül
What the Wrinkle Bounce Multi Balm supposedly does:
The benefit of a multi balm is that you can use it anywhere, anytime and for a variety of purposes. According to the manufacturer, Kahi’s product…
- … nourishes and plumps up wrinkles by way of ingredients such as salmon collagen – in the long term, and even after just one application
- … moisturises
- … makes the skin glow thanks to fermented camellia oil
- … cares for not just the face and dry skin on the body, but also cracked lips and split ends
Ready, steady, swipe!
The plastic tube looks pretty robust. I twist the bottom to get the balm out, and take a sniff. Flowery! Too flowery for my taste. Running it over the back of my hand, the product leaves a sticky film behind. Time to put the manufacturer’s promises under the microscope.
Source: Natalie Hemengül
Before putting any make-up on, I run the balm over my skin, attacking the crow’s feet around my eyes. Does it stay this sticky? I wait a few minutes and check. Yep, it stays this sticky. At least the shiny (not shimmery!) film appears to have made my wrinkles look a little less pronounced. The only problem is that I’m now left with strands of hair sticking to my cheeks. I can’t help massaging the product in at least a little with my fingers.
Over the next few days, I use the stick from head to toe. The texture of the balm feels silky on the lips, but I can literally taste the perfume, which stresses me out. As a result, my enjoyment of its moisturising effect is limited. Turning the attention to my hair, I rub some of the balm between my fingertips and work it sparingly into the dry ends. It feels wrong and makes my hair go stringy, looking greasy instead of nourished. So it’s only useful if you’re going for a sleek look. My elbows, feet and the backs of my hands can’t escape the reaches of the balm stick either. I give any dry patches of skin a good rub and put my socks on. An hour later, the results are sobering. No matter what I do, the impact is negligible.
Source: Natalie Hemengül
Source: Natalie Hemengül
A week into my review, I get sick. And lo and behold, I come across an actual practical use for the balm. My blocked nose has me stuffing my face into a hanky every two minutes, giving me a horribly red, dry, peeling schnozzle within a couple of days. To remedy this, I smear the balm (which I’m thankfully no longer able to smell) around my nose every half hour. Kind of like a buffer between the tissue and my skin. The result? My nose was spared the flu season look.
Verdict: great for on the go? As if!
Kahi’s Wrinkle Bounce Multi Balm and I never warm to each other. The skincare-to-go idea behind the moisturiser stick is all well and good, but it’s in no way compatible with my needs. Sure, putting moisturiser into a stick is practical in theory (and unhygienic at the same time), but the extremely sticky formula means you still have to rub it in. I really don’t need sticky fingers and strands of sticky hair when I’m out and about. Not only that, but I wear make-up on a day-to-day basis, so it’d be totally unrealistic for me to use the balm as a touch-up. It’d ruin my make-up. Not only that, but for a skincare product, it’s far too heavily perfumed. While the balm does appear to slightly plump up fine lines on the face, I think it falls short when it comes to moisturising skin. The film barely gets absorbed – it just sits there on your skin. In other words, why on earth would I start carting around a stick of grease in my handbag?
Header image: Natalie Hemengül
Natalie Hemengül
Senior Editor
Natalie.Hemenguel@digitecgalaxus.chAs a massive Disney fan, I see the world through rose-tinted glasses. I worship series from the 90s and consider mermaids a religion. When I’m not dancing in glitter rain, I’m either hanging out at pyjama parties or sitting at my make-up table. P.S. I love you, bacon, garlic and onions.
Beauty
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