|REVIEW| Removing Shine - W.Lab Sebum Out Finish Powder Review

W.Lab Sebum Out Finish Powder Review

TWO TRANSLUCENT POWDER REVIEWS
Has anyone noticed that Althea has just recently launched their own brand product, the Althea Petal Velvet Powder? I'm so excited and of course I got my hands on it. It just arrived in a super beautiful and good-smelling parcel a few days ago! But as the title suggests, I'm not here to talk about Althea's Powder. At least not yet. Because I want to review the W.Lab Sebum Out Finish Powder, i.e. my current Holy Grail before I do Althea's. That I can more easily justify my thoughts on the new powder! So, do expect one more powder review post on the coming Saturday! 😀

W.Lab Sebum Out Finish Powder Review
W.Lab Sebum Out Finish Powder (RM23 for 10g)

GO AWAY OIL
I seldom use makeup because I'm a lazy girl. But there's one item that I always use to get me through the day without looking like an oily mess, of course it is the W.Lab Sebum Out Finish Powder! It has been my life saviour for seven months now and I hate my younger self for not discovering it earlier! I've been battling oily nose (hello combination skin) for a long time and was constantly getting huge pimples on my nose (someone dear to me once called me Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer 😑) due to this. But my greasy nose problem has vastly reduced ever since I started using this powder.

IT WAS A ROUGH START
Another reason I seldom put on makeup is because I was afraid it would clog my pores and give me more acnes. It took me three months to decide whether to bring this sebum out powder in as a new member and help me control the excessive sebum my nose produces. When I finally bought it, I was worried whether it would actually work. What a worrywart I am! After hours of internal monologue, I finally started using it and boy was I amazed! I've used some other facial powders before but none of them smells as relaxing just as or feels as light and smooth as this one. I was so glad I chose this one over another brand (which smells terrible in store).

Back of the container.

ONE TOUCH IS ALL YOU NEED
Its description at the back in Korean says, 'Finish powder that gives you a smooth touch with one touch'. I can totally testify to that because one puff in the morning is all I need to last me till the end of the day unless I sweat a lot that day. I have used this in rooms with and without air-conditioners i.e. at normal temperature. Unsurprisingly, the powder lasts slightly longer (1-2 hours more) under the former condition as Malaysia's weather is warm on most days causing my skin, especially my nose, to oil up more easily.

SOMETHING GROSS IS BREWING
For you to see how crazy my nose can go, I've included a picture of it below. I reckon this is the best way I can show the effectiveness of the powder and to justify my love for the powder. Feel free to close your eyes and scroll through if you hate seeing things like that. I'm having quite a few breakouts on my nose currently HAHA.

*Gross picture of my problematic nose coming up*

Left:
How my nose usually behaves without the powder (7 hours after washing my face, face is bare after doing a mask) - can you see the oil droplets?
Right:
How my nose behaves with the powder (9 hours after washing my face, face has sunblock and essence) - my nose feels silky smooth to touch and is dry with almost no oil droplets. Can you see why I love it so much now?

SO WHAT ARE THE INGREDIENTS?
Naturally, I want to know what goes into this little powder product. But on the back of the powder, all it has is these paragraphs below which I've translated with Uncle Google's help.
Powder of porous structure absorbs excess sebum and keeps it smooth.
It prevents make-up disturbance caused by sebum secretion and improves sustainability.
If there is something wrong with this product, we will compensate you based on consumer dispute resolution standards.
So where is the ingredient list? This W.Lab powder came without a box (it was only plastic wrapped)! In the end I remembered seeing some posters on Hermo (where I bought this from) so I headed there and I finally got a hold of the ingredients:

(Skincarisma)
Aluminium Starch Octenylsuccinate, Silica, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Nylon-12, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, *Dimethicone, Fragrance, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Tocopherylacetate, Amethyst Powder, Tourmaline Nephrite Powder, Pearl Powder, Ruby Powder, Amber Powder, Coral Powder, Arnica Montana Flower (Wolf's Bane) Extract, Artemisia Vulgaris (Mugwort) Extract, Achillea Millefolium (Yarrow) Extract, Gentiana Lutea Root Extract, Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera) Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract 
Note: Bolded are the star ingredients in the product whereas underlined are those flagged as 3 & above under 'Safety index'. Safety index ranges from 1-9 and the lower the number means the less hazardous. Those with asterisks (*) are more likely to cause acne than those without.

All the powders on that list makes up what W.Lab calls the jewellery mixture powder. With 1,000ppm, it has the ability to brighten up dull skin tone. Truth is, I can hardly see any brightening effect with the powder on. But my nose does break out less nowadays probably thanks to Tocopherylacetate (a vitamin E derivative) and the Centella Asiatica Extract. Tocopherylacetate is a strong antioxidant that can help protect our skin from pollutants and various irritants while Centella is famous for its anti-inflammatory properties (read my review on the COSRX Centella Blemish Cream).

p.s. By breakouts I'm referring to those huge red angry pimples (that Rudolph song is stuck in my head now grr)!

THE NEXT TWO BIGGEST WORRIES
Since pimple is not an issue, now comes the next two biggest worries for this translucent powder: how it looks in pictures taken with flash and whether it settles into fine lines. Those are my three main concerns when I was buying this powder. So the pictures that follow are me trying to show you whether it creates makeup flashback. Mind you I actually put a whole lot more of powder than I'd actually use on my skin on a normal day.

innisfree no sebum mineral powder review
Without flash - only the right half of my hand has the powder.

innisfree no sebum mineral powder review
With flash - only the right half of my hand has the powder.

FLASHBACK IS MINIMAL BUT IT SETTLES
And the answer is, the flashback is so minimal I could hardly see the white powder on the back of my hand in the picture I taken with flash! However, I was disappointed to see how all the fine lines on my hand were instantly magnified (super clear in the second picture). It actually settled into each and everyone of them! Now I finally understand why my Shiseido concealer creased even worse when I baked my concealed undereye with this translucent powder. Well, luckily my not-so-wrinkly nose loves this wrinkle magnifier as it doesn't seem to clog my pores. Or else this would immediately get tossed into that evil stash drawer and never see sunlight again!

Follow me:
innisfree no sebum mineral powder review
Everything the W.Lab powder comes with.

w.lab malaysia review
The puff is white in colour so it gets dirty quite easily especially when I'm wearing foundation/concealer. So I wash it every time after using it for heavier makeup. I'd immerse it in a bowl of soap water for a few hours and let it dry overnight in an air-conditioned room. It's also a bit rougher and less fluffy compared to some other puffs I've seen.

w.lab malaysia review
The powder container is sealed so the only way to get the powder out is by pushing the stretchable rubber on top using the puff. When the product is almost finish you may have to turn it upside down and shake to get the powder out.

OTHER WAYS TO USE
As a powder it can also be use to make your lip and eye makeup more vivid. Simply dab it over your eyelids or lips before you apply your favourite eyeshadows or lipstick. Other than that, because of its oil absorbing ability, it can also be used as a dry shampoo as well as a deodorant. Our hair oils up much more easily especially under Malaysia's hot weather so this one allows us to be lazy when we don't feel like blow drying our hair (any long hair girls here? 🙌🏼). But I did find that it dried out my hair a little too much so I usually don't use it unless I'm home late and feel super tired. I've never tried using it as a deodorant because my armpit is seriously too dry according to the ladies at the hair removal salon.

w.lab malaysia review

w.lab malaysia review
I got a little creative.

This post contains affiliate links.

My review is complete! So here's where to buy it:

Malaysia only

Zalora - RM59.00
*Free shipping above RM75

You can use Shopback to save some money when buying from Zalora (save 2% for every purchase). Just sign up using my link: https://www.shopback.my/referred-signup-bonus?raf=OxeI66, and you'll be rewarded with RM5 immediately, followed by RM5 when you make your first purchase through Shopback. That's RM10 in total! It works in the form of cash back which you can cash out to your bank account. You'll can learn more on their website here.

International

Amazon - USD23 (approx. RM90)
*Free shipping

Thank you for reading, see you in the next post!



I post new contents on skincare every Tuesday and Friday. Follow me on Bloglovin' so you won't miss it when my next review is up!


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For the affiliate links: If you use my link, I can earn some commission and it won't cost you any extra money. You don't have to use my link, but if you do, it would really help my blog!

This is not a sponsored post and I bought the product with my own money. Please consult the person selling you the product before buying. Get samples if you can! As usual, all thoughts are mine and 100% honest with all pictures taken by me. Please read my disclaimer here.
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42 comments

  1. I got this kind of sebum powder too, it really handy when we are out the whole day on a hot and humid weather like here.

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    Replies
    1. I know right? It'd be really helpful for those of us who turn into an oil slick at the end of the day!

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  2. I haven't tried sebum powder. After reading your post. I think I shud. It's just too humid here

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    Replies
    1. Go get one from Althea to try haha! I highly recommend one if you have oily/combination skin like me :D

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  3. Sebum powder , I never heard before ! Seems like great product for our tropical country . I wonder if I can find it in Indonesia

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    Replies
    1. Try Althea! They should have it there too :)

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  4. I need this in my life! I'm so oily, you can fry an egg on my face. Haha! I love mattifying makeup because it keeps oil at bay. Even better if they don't cause pimples!

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    1. HAHAHA My nose has the same problem you're having there! This one doesn't cause pimples, so does the althea one!

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  5. I never heard of a sebum powder before & really would like to check out this beauty aid.

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  6. Exactly what I need! I've got a very oily skin (usually 1 hour after washing my face) plus the fact that I live in a humid country does not help my cause. My problem is that I'm afraid of trying new products because I break out easily.

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    1. Oh my you're like me! This one is quite okay, as my skin is rather sensitive as well (currently breaking out due to trying some other new products LOL).

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  7. Very suitable for oily skin ... i suppose it is suitable for guys too?

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    1. Of course! And it won't look like you have anything on so it's safe hehe

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  8. Oh wow, this is such a thorough and detailed review - thank you! The powder looks as though it makes a great difference when applied on your nose; seems as though it was worth trying, for sure! :)

    aglassofice.com
    x

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    1. Thanks Gabrielle! That's why I love it so much! :D

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  9. Wah!!! this is another one great to have... I keep thinking which to buy. really thanks for sharing!! - Racheal

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  10. Never heard sebum powder before. Looks interesting. Will buy it at Althea too

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  11. I like the honest review. I am a lazy person too when it comes to make-up. It's good to find a product that leaves the skin oil-free for a long time. Cheers!!

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    Replies
    1. Thank you sweetie! High five haha I really appreciate the first person who came up with this idea haha

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  12. I never used sebum power before but reading this, I think I definitely need it in my handbag. Will help with my entire face, not only nose!

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  13. Very detailed review... Makes me want to try it... Have used Althea products before and it is not dissapointing..

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  14. I agree, this reminds me of Althea version which soon I will share my review too! Thanks for sharing this brand :)

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  15. Sebum powder is so convenient and have a lot of different uses! I love that it can be versatile too! Dry Shampoo seems like a good idea XD

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  16. Me thinks me need one of these... Hahaha.. too much oil on the face...huhuhu

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  17. Oh my, I can really see the difference from both picture! I would love to try it out!

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  18. Thanks for sharing! YES I have the Althea powder too and this one seems pretty similar to it! I generally skip translucent powders because they create such a huge mess whenever I'm a rush! Wlab has some good makeup products too IMHO :)

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  19. This does sound like a great powder for minimizing shine, but it's a shame that it settles into fine lines, which would definitely be an issue for me D: Can't wait to read your review on the Althea powder! I have it in my cart but I was hoping to read some reviews first before buying :P

    Jenny | Geeky Posh

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    Replies
    1. Hello Jenny! I know right? The Althea one fares much better in terms of settling into fine lines. althea Here's the review if you haven't read it :D

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  20. Wow this powder does do wonders, nice review and images of results.

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  21. Wow im convinced that this is what any beauty junkie would need. i have one too and i secretly find it hard to live without it. hehe

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  22. Hi Yan Ru:) I'm Cess from Philippines.May I know which one do you consider as your HG oil-control. Is it Innisfree NSMP, Althea Petal Velvet Powder or W.Lab Sebum Out?

    I'm so confused which one to purchase haha since all of them has performed really well in terms of their staying power♡

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    1. Hello Cess! I still prefer my W.Lab Sebum Out haha. I feel like it does a better job than Althea and is much cheaper when you compare the amount of product given. I haven't actually tried the Innisfree one before, but I can't really tolerate the smell, so it's a no-no for me. Get W.Lab if you plan to save money for the long term but if you like (slightly) better smelling powder, Althea is your option. :)

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  23. Hi! I'm in the middle of searching new sebum powder. My current one is Innisfree sebum powder, really loving it and does the job but the white powder always clump to my eyebrow and eyelashes, sooo obvious (since I'm not wearing any eye makeup) and difficult to dust it off. Does this one clumping too?

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    1. What do you mean by clumping? I’ve never experienced any clumping eh haha. Do you put a lot of the powder? Where do you mostly put it?

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    2. Actually I'm not sure whether 'clumping' is the correct word to describe it hahaha but the white powder got stuck to my eyebrow and eyelashes and I can feel the powder texture whenever I touched my eyebrow. I use it on my entire face including eye area (only use the provided puff, not powder brush) because that place looks so oily and shiny after putting my sunblock. I think I put a decent amount tho haha but I definitely not liking the powder texture

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    3. Hi Nur Azimah,

      Hmm in that case, do you mind letting me know your skin type? And what sunblock are you using? Maybe after putting on sunblock, you can use oil paper to blot first before putting on the powder. That way you can reduce the amount of powder you use and the “clumping” won’t be as bad.

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  24. I have combination, acne-prone skin. Before this I used sunblock recommended by my dermatologist which Heliocare 360 oil-free spf50, but that thing is sooo pricey for me so currently I use Heliocare gel spf50 (a bit pricey too but cheaper than Heliocare 360). Never had to use sebum powder before, but started use it after change my sunblock. I don’t know other sunblock that suitable for my acne-prone skin other than Heliocare, but the current one I use makes my face super shiny haha. Yeah probably I should blot first, but I’m too lazy sometimes. If you have any suggestion on good sunblock (cheaper one than Heliocare please haha) for acne-prone skin, do share with me! ^^

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    1. Hmm.. I have the same skin type as you and I love to use the COSRX Aloe Soothing Sun Cream myself. It has SPF50 PA+++ and doesn't leave a white cast. To me I don't think it is oily and I like how it gives me the dewy / glass skin look. Not sure if you will like it but you can give it a try, it is RM58.30 on Hermo right now. :)

      If you have time you can also read my guide on how to choose the right sunblock haha :D

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