Ugh, I really wanted to love the Numbuzin No.5 Vitamin-Niacinamide Concentrated Pads… but honestly? I regret buying them. Like, why is no one talking about how sticky these are?? Everyone hypes them up like they’re the secret to glowing, even-toned skin, but all they did was leave my face feeling gross and congested.

First off, the texture—I hate it. These pads are absolutely drenched in essence, which you’d think is a good thing, but no. The second I swipe one across my face, it’s like I just slathered on a layer of tacky syrup. My skin doesn’t absorb it quickly either, so I’m just sitting there, waiting for it to dry down, which it never fully does. Layering skincare on top? Forget it. Everything starts pilling like crazy.

And let’s talk about the breakouts. I have pretty resilient skin—I use high-percentage niacinamide serums all the time with no issues. But for some reason, this stuff made my forehead and cheeks explode with tiny bumps. I stopped using it for a week and my skin cleared up. Tried it again just to be sure? Boom, more breakouts. It’s like my pores are straight-up rejecting this formula.

Also, the “brightening” effect? Where?? I used this consistently for three weeks, and if anything, my skin looked duller. I was hoping for that smooth, even-toned look that everyone keeps raving about, but nope. Just sticky, irritated skin and clogged pores.

The only thing I kind of like is the packaging—it’s sturdy, and I appreciate the little tweezers for hygiene reasons. But honestly, who cares about the packaging when the product itself is a flop?

I don’t know, maybe if you have super dry skin and don’t mind feeling like you have a film of residue on your face, you might like this. But for me? Never again. I’ll stick to my COSRX pads or literally anything else that doesn’t make my skin hate me.