I was pleasantly surprised that it does not have any fragrance in it, although there is a smell of rice extract that goes away after a while. The texture is that of an emulsion (or wet cream) rather than just a serum or cream. It spread easily on the skin and absorbed into my skin very quickly, leaving a little bit a silicone-y feel afterwards. I have combination/oily skin and this cream serum did not irritate my skin (although my skin is pretty tolerant). Its hydrating ability is a little low compared to any serum and its moisturizing ability is also a little low compared to a moisturizer/cream. This product combines the properties of both a serum and cream and is a good in-between. After using it everyday in the morning for a while (a bit over a week), I did not notice any brightening effects or substantial changes to my skin. It was not heavy on my skin allowing me to layer a moisturizer and sunscreen on top of it without any trouble. Overall, this product is adequately hydrating and moisturizing, although not for a last step, but does not offer any outstanding effects.