'I tried Korea's microneedle-in-a-bottle and I'll never be paying for another professional treatment.'

When it comes to chasing glass skin, there’s no treatment or product off the cards. In fact, I go so far to achieve this goal that I ensure I book an annual trip to the world’s centre of beauty: Seoul, South Korea. 

Yes, every year I venture 10 hours on a plane to visit Seoul, simply to stock up on my staple K-beauty skincare products and get my hands on the latest and most innovative products popular among the Korean skincare girlies who are synonymous with flaunting perfect skin. 

Okay, it may sound like an expensive annual endeavour but girl maths tells me that the affordable price tags of K-beauty (compared to expensive Western products) mean I’m basically saving money. 

Watch: While we have you, here are 7 ways to improve your skin while sleeping. Post continues below.

So, on my most recent trip in April 2024, there were several hot products I prioritised getting my hands on at Olive Young (aka, Korea’s version of Sephora or Mecca, which stocks all the leading beauty and health products at competitive prices), with one of them being the viral VT Reedle Shot.

According to countless TikTok-ers (yes, my go-to source for learning about what’s hot in Seoul at any given time), this single product provides similar effects and benefits to microneedling, packaged in a bottle and sold at an affordable price.

It sounds way too good to be true, right? Well, when I tell you I ran to Olive Young the moment my plane touched down in Seoul, I sprinted.

Here’s what happened when I got my hands on Korea’s so-called "microneedle-in-a-bottle". 

What does microneedling do?

Before we get into the nitty gritty, it might be wise to first address what microneedling is. 

Microneedling is an in-clinic technique of skin needling, which is a treatment where tiny, baby needles create punctures in the skin to stimulate the production of collagen.

“Microneedling uses an electronic device to oscillate needles in and out of the skin at a very high speed, whilst pushing peptide-rich serums into the punctures to stimulate healing and regeneration,” Laser Clinics Australia Global Medical Director Dr Jonathan Hopkirk previously explained to us.

What are the advantages of microneedling?

The results? Microneedling not only makes the skin look smoother and healthier but helps reduce the appearance of fine lines, acne scarring, stretch marks, enlarged pores and pigmentation. 

In order to see visible results, skin specialists recommend getting 3-4 treatments, spaced out over 4-6 weeks. 

The catch? Just like any skin treatment, you should expect to pay a decent amount for microneedling. On average, a single full-face treatment in Australia can set you back anywhere between $160 to $400. This excludes the neck and decolletage, which will come at an extra cost. 

Most clinics will also recommend adding in an LED session (again, at an extra cost) to help the skin quickly recover and boost the effects of the microneedling treatment. So, yes, it isn’t the most budget-friendly. 

What is the VT Reedle Shot?

OK, so all these microneedling benefits now come in a bottle… you can use at home? Well, that’s what the VT Reedle Shot promises (to an extent, of course). 

The K-beauty product is a potent ampoule made with the “world’s leading nano-biotechnology”, which contains micro-needle-shaped ingredients smaller than pores. 

“The micro-needle-shaped ingredients delicately stimulate the skin while improving the absorption of skincare active ingredients by opening up the skin's absorption pathways,” the Olive Young website reads. 

The dermatologically-tested and non-irritating product is composed of a blend of the most innovative Korean skincare ingredients to date: Cica extract, Madecassoside, propolis extract, hyaluronic acid and macadamia seed oil (the former two being derivatives of Centella asiatica, a revolutionary natural ingredient favoured by the Korean skincare industry that has remarkable anti-inflammatory properties). 

Benefits of this concoction include deep penetration, exfoliation, the appearance of pore tightening and moisturisation in a short 72 hours.

“Even a single use shows improvement in roughness and parting of the skin, visible skin absorption, 20 per cent improvement in depth and 20 per cent improvement in speed,” the website explains. 

The VT Reedle Shot is available in five different needle strengths - 50, 100, 300, 700 and 1000 - to suit every skin type. Those with more sensitive skin, or those who are microneedling newbies, will want to opt for a weaker strength while those with more mature or tougher skin, or those who are no strangers to in-clinic microneedling treatments, can opt for a stronger strength. 

Here’s what the VT Reedle Shot 300 looks like:

Image: Supplied.

The even better news is that you don’t need to book a flight to Seoul just to get your hands on this product (although, I’d highly recommend it because girl maths also tells me that a much-needed holiday is an investment for your health and wellbeing). 

While I purchased it for an extremely affordable price in Seoul (the beauty of tax-free and zero import fees), the product is now stocked at several Korean beauty stores in Australia. 

For example, prices start at $38 for the VT Reedle Shot 50 from (my favourite Australian K-beauty stockist) Lila Beauty, while the VT Reedle Shot 700 is priced at $82. Unfortunately, the 1000 is pretty difficult to get in Australia - and even in South Korea, but let me assure you the 700 will suffice. 

Our VT Reedle Shot review.

The VT Reedle Shot sounded way too good to be true, not just because of its extravagant skincare claims but also because of its low price point. Plus, I always take any information I hear via TikTok with a grain of salt. 

In saying this, there was nothing that was going to stop me from seeing if it was worth the hype. The worst that could happen was that I gained another exciting K-beauty product in my regimen. 

I opted for the VT Reedle Shot 300 because I thought that would be a safe starting point for my skin and I was also no newbie to a microneedling treatment, so the 50 or 100 didn’t seem as appealing. Now, pre-warning: what I say next is no exaggeration.

After stepping out of the shower and applying my toners on my face, I pumped a pea-sized amount of the cream-coloured moisturiser-looking ampoule into my hand and gently applied it on my face. 

It felt… like… thousands - no, millions - of microneedles were penetrating my skin. 

I gasped in complete amazement. What! The! Actual! Fudge!?

Everywhere the product came into contact with my skin, I felt a million needles. How could a normal-looking cream create such a feeling?! Where were these needles coming from?? How did it feel exactly like the microneedling treatments I paid hundreds of dollars for back in Sydney?!

The immediate feeling slightly settled after a few minutes and I followed the product up with a vitamin serum, then strapped my CurrentBody LED red light face mask on for a 10-minute session to mimic the procedure a professional skin clinic would recommend. Afterwards, I applied a hydrating face mask for another 20 minutes and finally completed my skincare routine with an eye cream and moisturiser before heading to sleep…

The verdict.

When my alarm went off the next morning, I ran to the bathroom mirror and noticed my skin appeared super smooth, pigmentation from my hormonal acne scars were less visible and my pores - especially around my chin and nose - had decreased. Dry, flaky skin wasn’t an issue when applying my makeup and throughout the day, my skin felt less dehydrated and *actually* looked glass-like. Like, are you kidding me?!

72 hours later (the time the product is supposed to show results) and I still saw those same incredible benefits shining through. I’ve continued using the product every third day as it’s not intended for daily use and I truly believe my skin is benefiting from the regular treatment it’s receiving, which is something that was previously missing from my skincare routine. 

Image: Supplied.

Does it completely negate the need for ever getting a professional microneedling treatment? Probably not because there’s only so much a skincare product can do. However, there is no doubt it feels like microneedles and works like microneedles. Plus, paired with an LED red light face mask and you’ve got yourself a pretty sweet DIY setup. 

I paid slightly less for my product in South Korea, but you bet I’ll be repurchasing from an Aussie stockist once I finish my current bottle. All of the strengths come in at under $100, which is a tiny price to pay, especially if you’re weighing it against a proper microneedling treatment. 

And just to reiterate: If you’ve never tried microneedling before or if you have sensitive skin, I’d recommend starting with a lower strength and then you can always slowly build up your tolerance from there. Let us know how you go!

Have you tried the VT Reedle Shot before? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.

Feature image: Supplied.