By Wishtrend Quad Active Boosting Essence Review

By Wishtrend Quad Active Boosting Essence is an essence that boasts of four active ingredients that nourish, hydrate and soothe skin. 

(Disclosure: I was not financially compensated for this post however, I did receive a free product sample for review purposes. These opinions are completely my own based on my experience. Also note this site contains affiliate links. As a Wishtrend Affiliate, I earn commission from qualifying purchases. See Terms of Use for more information.)

Wishtrend gifted me with this product a while ago but I didn’t have the time to test it until the holidays. Also, I wasn’t quite sure where it would fit into my routine. 

I mean, what’s a quad active boosting essence, exactly? Is it an essence? Is it a product that boosts the effects of my essence? Does that make it a serum?

I finally decided to give it a go after reading that it contains propolis, my latest favourite ingredient (here’s my review of By Wishtrend Polyphenols in Propolis 15% Ampoule and their newest propolis-based moisturizer, By Wishtrend Pro-Biome Balance Cream).

What is a quad active boosting essence?

I don’t know about you but “Quad Active Boosting Essence” is really confusing to me so let’s break it down. 

Quad active means it has 4 active ingredients working together to solve various skin concerns.

These ingredients work together to:

• Hydrate skin
• Soothe and calm irritated and problematic skin
• Prevent breakouts
• Remove dead skin cells
• Improve skin’s overall texture

And it’s a boosting essence because it promises to boost the efficacy of every product used after it. 

Toners and essences prep our skin for the rest of our skincare routine so that our skin can more readily absorb active ingredients. That’s already a kind of boosting, isn’t it?

I suppose adding it to the product name is more a marketing thing?

By Wishtrend Quad Active Boosting Essence Ingredients

Here’s the complete ingredient list (source):

Aqua (Water), Salix Alba (Willow) Bark Extract (10%), Centaurea Cyanus Flower Water (9%), Schisandra Chinensis Fruit Extract (9%), Morus Alba Bark Extract(8.7%), Nelumbo Nucifera Leaf Extract (8.7%), Methylpropanediol, Glycerin, Saccharomyces/Honey Ferment Filtrate, Saccharomyces/Xylinum/Black Tea Ferment, 1,2-Hexanediol, Propolis Extract(1%), Butylene Glycol, Benzyl Glycol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin

How I use this quad booster essence

Wishtrend has 3 recommended uses for this serum booster:

1. You can use it as a toner, applied after cleanser. This is a great option if you want to keep your routine short and sweet.
2. Use it as an essence, applied before serums. Perfect for days when your skin needs extra TLC.
3. Or use it as a serum, applied before moisturizer. Maybe you find regular serums too thick in the summer months; this product is a great alternative.

I decided to use this product as an essence in my morning routine, i.e.  after toner but before serums. 

I apply a few drops (2-4) on my palm then I gently pat all over my face and neck.

My morning routine currently looks like this (it’s winter as I’m writing this):

Cleanser	Rovectin Skin Essentials Conditioning Cleanser
Toner	Hada Labo Gokujyun Hyaluronic Acid Lotion
Essence	By Wishtrend Quad Active Boosting Essence
Serums	By Wishtrend Vitamin C Serum By Wishtrend Polyphenols in Propolis 15% Ampoule
Moisturizer	Klairs Freshly Juiced Vitamin E Mask
Sunscreen	Biore Aqua Rich UV Watery Essence

The best boosting combinations  

I decided to use this boosting essence in the morning because that’s when I apply vitamin C and propolis, which are two of the products this essence supposedly pair perfectly with.

• Pair with By Wishtrend Vitamin C to target acne spots and dry skin
• Use with Klairs Midnight Blue Youth Activating Drop to help with wrinkles and dryness
• Dealing with irritation and acne? Use with By Wishtrend Polyphenols in Propolis 15% Ampoule

Other things to note about this product

• Fragrance. This essence is fragrance-free. It’s also free of sulfates, essentials oils and colourants. 

• Colour. Speaking of colour, it looks wonderfully golden because of the bottle but it’s not actually gold lol. It applies clear.

• Packaging. It’s available in a 100ml bottle. I do love the packaging. So pretty!

• Texture and Consistency. This essence is very light, one of the lightest I’ve tried. Almost as watery and runny as a toner.

• Absorption. It absorbs fast and leaves no sticky feeling after. 

• Skin Types. And it is recommended for all skin types, but will especially benefit sensitive skin and acne-prone skin because of its anti-inflammatory, anti-pollution and anti-bacterial properties.

What I like about By Wishtrend Quad Active Boosting Essence 

• Soft smooth skin. I love how soft and smooth my skin feels after applying this product. Once it’s absorbed, my face immediately looks smoother and clearer.

• Instantly brightening. My skin looks noticeably brighter too. It’s helped calm the redness on my cheeks as well.

• Quickly absorbs. It also absorbs quickly, almost as soon as it’s applied. No waiting, no sticky feeling, no residue. It feels very lightweight.

• No irritation. I’ve been using this essence every morning for almost a month now and have had no bad reaction (I have sensitive skin). No stinging, no redness, no breakouts. And it plays nicely with my other skincare products too.

What I don’t like about it

I really can’t find anything to nitpick about this product.

I’m just still unsure about its boosting properties. I haven’t noticed a significant difference with how my vitamin C and propolis serums are working since using this essence. 

It does fit nicely into my morning routine and is a good supplement to my regimen.

Do I recommend By Wishtrend Quad Active Boosting Essence?

In a rating scale of 1 to 5 — 5 being awesome — this product is a high 3 for me. 

While I like this product, it’s only getting a 3 because I really haven’t seen any boosting happen. Then again, maybe it’s really just marketing and I should just treat this like a regular essence.

And in that regard, it’s a good essence — hydrating, soothing, smoothing. It’s good for sensitive skin too.

Is it better than I’m From Mugwort Essence? Or Rovectin Activating Treatment Lotion? I love both and they address different skin concerns so the answer would largely depend on your skin type and the issues you’re dealing with. 

I find Rovectin harder-working though. So while I will continue to use this essence, I’m not sure at this point if I will repurchase it.

However, if you’re looking for a lightweight toner/essence that won’t irritate your skin, it’s worth giving this product a try.

Especially if you’re curious about propolis and want to add it to your routine but not quite ready to commit to a serum.

You can buy Quad Active Boosting Essence at Wishtrend by clicking here.

As always, remember that every person’s skin and skin type is different so what might work for me might not work for you, and vice versa.

So before trying a new product, it pays to do a little bit of research first. Pay special attention to ingredients that you might have a reaction to.

And doing a patch-test is always a good idea. Unsure? Best to consult your dermatologist.

Happy skin experimenting! Practice good skincare habits always.

Have you tried By Wishtrend Quad Active Boosting Essence? Did it work for you? Will you recommend it? Would love to hear from you in the comments section below!

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