Kose’ is a cosmetic company in Japan and the creator of the AWAKE and SEKKISEI brands. Since its inception in 1946, Kose has contributed to the 3rd largest share in Japan s cosmetic market. AWAKE utilizes Japanese technology to incorporate natural botanicals into formulations that are gentle enough even for sensitive skin. Each product is designed to take a targeted approach that addresses specific skin concerns. The official Kose product website states that Sekkisei products are used for brightening the skin, minimizing the appearance of age spots & sun damage, and can also help to prevent future melanin formation in the skin. The Awake line of skin care products include natural, botanical ingredients which target a person s specific skin concerns such as dryness, wrinkles, and stressed and aging skin. We will review anti-aging skin care products from Awake line below.
Awake basic skin care is broken down into cleanse, condition, moisturize, anti-age, revitalize, mask and exfoliate categories. Anti-aging collection include products Authority Age Release Serum ($150 | 1.7 fl. oz), Serum Un-Sign ($75 | 1.4 oz), Awake Paradise Call ($100 | 4.2 oz). Revitalize collection has products Vital Express (4 x 0.14 oz. | $68), Vital Express Lotion Serum A, Eye Concentrate Mask. Authority Age Release Serum contains Histidine, and Ceramide 2 in micro-sized time released capsules to boost collagen production and provide optimal moisture levels. Serum Un-Sign contains two types of SOD (Superoxide Dismutase) to combat environmental stress and premature signs of aging. Vital Express is a patented, powder-to-emulsion Vitamin C treatment.
Awake Sign Revolution is an exclusive collection designed to treat and improve the signs of aging whether they are past, present, or future. The collection is formulated with Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4 (Matrixyl) and Soybean Peptide. Sign Revolution Concentrate Serum ($110 | 1 fl. oz), Sign Revolution Cream ($135 | 1 oz), Sign Revolution Fluid ($95 | 4.2fl.oz.), Sign Revolution Eye Cream, Sign Revolution Lotion Concentrate ($85 | 6.7fl.oz.) are the individual products from this collection.
Awake Herbal Vitalizing collection is formulated with a unique blend of Cypress Oil and Botanical Extracts to revitalize and prevent pre-mature aging to your skin. Products include cleanse, condition (Herbal Vitalizing Deep Hydrator), and mositurizer (Herbal Vitalizing Moisture Fluid). This line appears to be a more general moisture line instead of targeted anti-aging treatment line.
Awake Skin Renovation collection provides intensive care to to nourish, firm and repair dull, stressed skin. Products include Skin Renovation Day SPF 17 ($65 | 1.3 fl.oz.), Skin Renovation Firm Advantage ($220 | 1.7 oz), Skin Renovation Serum 14 (14 x 1.3 ml | $180). Skin Renovation Firm Advantage is a luxurious anti-aging cream that promotes firmness of skin for immediate and long-term care. It is formulated with Rice Energy Extract (an exclusive ingredient made through a complex fermentation technology and can boost ceramide production), Banaba Extract and Hydrolyzed Yeast. Skin Renovation Serum 14 is formulated with Orizepeptide, Phytosterol and Theanine, Squalane and Macadamia Oil. This product is designed as an intensive 14-day treatment serum to boost dull, dehydrated and stressed skin.
Awake Polyphection is a collection of cleanser, conditioner, moisturzier (Polyphection Concentrate Cream, Polyphection Fluid), and anti-aging care (Polyphection Pore Smoothing Perfect Serum). This collection features Lavender Polyphenol (Antioxidant Polyphenol), aromatherapuetic properties from the flowers.
Most Kose products are gentle enough to be used on sensitive skin and contain natural ingredients which is important to some consumers. Most of the Kose anti-aging products do not contain the most recognized, proven ingredients to improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles such as Argireline, Matrixyl-3000, and Hyaluronic Acid. Kose does not offer a money back guarantee. The official Kose product website does not contain customer testimonials or before & after photos to demonstrate product effectiveness. Full ingredient lists are not disclosed. There is no clinical trial data available. Kose anti-aging skin care does employ a few exclusive ingredients and the technology (fermentation) these ingredients are made. They are more prone to treat aging skin in a general way, instead of targeting specifically toward wrinkle treatment.
