I’ve been lucky enough to not have too much trouble with my skin in general, except for a period of time in my uni days when I suffered from quite bad acne due to the oral contraception pills. It took me a long time and frankly quite a lot of money to get my skin back to optimal condition so I’ve been very careful with my skincare ever since. If the products work for my skin, I’d gladly fork out for them. I’ve heard of Ko Skincare Specialist before but didn’t know that they had their own range of products, so when I was approached to give their products a try, I was curious enough to find out more about them. Here’s a little background on Ko Skincare Specialist.

The founder of Dr. Ko Skin Specialist – Dr Ko Chung Beng, spent 17 years in UK and obtained his specialist qualifications prior to his return to Malaysia in 1994. He headed the Dermatology Department of Seremban Hospital until 1997, then founded the KO Skin Specialist which has since been providing a comprehensive range of in-depth services from dermatology to cosmetic surgery.

When he first started out on his own in 1997, KO Skin Specialist was just a little clinic in Klang, located on the first floor of a shop lot. However the effectiveness of his prescriptions soon spread and today, that little clinic is now the headquarters for the 26 clinics of KO Skin Specialist centres across Malaysia. KO Skin Specialist now has their very own formulation of skincare products which are formulated by their team of professionals to combat signs of aging, acne and other skin problems. The centres also offer the most complete range of laser therapy equipment in Asia. No longer just a Malaysian brand, KO Skin Specialist has a branch in Xiamen, China, and will be opening more branches in the future! How’s that for a Malaysian success story?

There are 4 ranges of skincare under Dr. Ko Skincare Specialist: Dermax Clinicare, KO Dermaceutical, KO Series, and eKo and here’s a brief overview:

Dermax Clinicare

The Dermax Clinicare series is known for its effectiveness in preventing new acne formation. Products in this series are meticulously blended with a natural botanical extracts under strict quality control. It removes impurities; refines open pores; soothes and heals the skin for an acne-free face.

This series comprises a broad range of products, even for dry and sensitive skin. Products from the Dermax Clinicare series may be used together with products from other Dr. Ko Skincare series depending on your needs.

KO Dermaceutical

The KO Dermaceutical series speeds up recovery; protects the skin from sun exposures; combats dullness, pigmentation, dehydration whilst reversing the signs of aging. The serums, cleansers, toners, moisturizers and sunscreens complement the needs of most skin types, and is also ideal for post-treatment care. Like Dermax and the KO series, products from the KO Dermaceutical range can be used together with products from other series, depending on your skin condition.

KO Series

The KO series offers a gentle solution to reduce blemishes, which is great news for those who have sensitive or acne-prone skin as most blemish fighting products can irritate sensitive skin.

eKo

The eKo series is infused with amaranthus caudatus — one of the best sources of vegetable protein known for its antioxidant and skin revitalization properties.

Before I was given the products, I attended a consultation with a Doctor at their 10 Boulevard Branch located in Petaling Jaya. The consultation was to discuss my skin concerns as well as for the Doctor to assess my skin condition. As I’m in my early 30s, I’m realising the importance of combating sun damage in the form of pigmentations and spots (I have a couple of lentigos on my face and has always been prone to freckles), and I suffer the occasional pimple whenever I’m hormonal and stressed. So these are the products prescribed to me:

Since there are quite a numner of them, I shall divide them into 2 groups and I’ll talk about the basic 3 step cleansing and moisturizing routine first.

KO Dermaceutical Perfect Cleanser 1 120ml RM198

First of all of course, the cleanser. This cleanser is designed to cleanse, hydrate and firm the skin without stripping the surface of its natural moisture and protective lipid layer, giving your skin a fresh and radiant glow. Enriched with botanical extracts, it’s gentle enough for those with dry and traumatized skin. The cleanser is clear in appearance and doesn’t product much bubble unlike the commercial ones. And my skin feels clean and fresh but not dry after each wash. It’s even good enough to remove makeup, although I generally do a double cleanse with that.
(Contains: Cactus pear extract, trehalose, lavender essential oil, salicylic acid.)

KO Dermaceutical Perfect Radiance Toner 21 120ml RM198

I always avoid toners containing alcohol so this one is perfect for me as it’s formulated with plant extracts to sooth the skin while inhibiting melanin production (the stuff that causes pigmentation and spots). It works to transform dull, tired skin into a brighter and luminous complexion with long-term use. I love the feel of this toner as it’s absorb pretty quickly in the skin leaving my skin feeling fresh. As a bonus, it can also be used to set or refresh makeup, and it’s fine to use at anytime of the day. I think it has definitely worked its magic because I’ve received a few compliments that my skin looks more radiant now.

(Contains: Cactus pear extract, trehalose, centifolia rose extract, witch hazel extract, cucumber extract, orange flower water, raspberry fruit water, lavender essential oil.)

Ko Dermacare Aqua Hydrating Moisturizer I 60g RM280

My favourite product of all would be this moisturizer. The texture feels incredibly light yet it’s very hydrating. It also feels a bit cool on the skin, which soothes any irritation. It’s water-based, so it’s perfect for acne-prone and oily skin. Since I have combination skin, I also use another additional moisturizer which I’ll review in my later post.

I’ve been using the products for over 2 months now and I’ve noticed my skin is more radiant, although it’s near impossible to get rid of pigmentation just by using skincare products but they are not as noticeable due to the increase luminance. Thank you Dr Ko for the recommendation!

You can now purchase Dr. KO Skin Specialist products online at http://www.drkoskincare.com/

To celebrate the opening of their e-store, Dr. Ko Skincare is running the following promotions from 20 July 2015 to 20 August 2015:

– 20% storewide discount
– 50% discount on Ko Series
– Free delivery for purchase of RM300.00 and above

Download the Dr. Ko Skin Specialist mobile app to receive a RM20.00 e-voucher code (you will find the e-voucher code displayed under the Promotion Tab). One (1) redemption per account and it is valid with the 20% storewide discount (excluding 50% discount items).

Google Play – https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.shockmediastudio.app.drko&hl=en

Apple App Store – https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ko-skin-specialist/id959443985?mt=8

The Dr. Ko Skin Specialist headquarters is located at:

Klinik Pakar Kulit Ko Sdn Bhd
10A-22A, Jalan Temoh,
Off Jalan Goh Hock Huat,
41400 Klang, Selangor,
Malaysia.
T:+603 3343 3140
You can also head over to http://www.koskinspecialist.com/ to find the complete list of branches.
Telephone: 1-800-22-33-22