Obsessed with Asian/Korean stuff - taking your skincare to the next level!

[FrugalFashionista]

Asian and Korean skincare products seem to be a big thing in skincare and beauty right now.

Interested in the following?

• finding a great sunscreen
  
• tailoring a multi-step ritual to your skincare needs
  
• talking about geisha beauty rituals
  
• learning what snail slime, bee venom and starfish have to do with beauty
  
• plumping up your skin with sheet masks and sleeping masks
  
• experimenting with essences
  
  Please come here and share your questions, experiences, links and best shopping tips!

[MoustacheofRonSwanson]

Maskeraide sheet masks. In M&S, bigger range at Selfridges. Especially I don't want to grow up.

[almondcakes]

Is there a good sunblock for DD's acne prone skin?

[TheWombat]

Thank you Frugal

I have just ordered a Biore Aqua rich watery essence sunscreen SPF 50 on EBay. Will let you all know what it's like (when it arrives in 3 weeks...)
Sunblocks tend to break me put in cystic acne so I am desperate to find one that works..

[TheWombat]

Beginners' guide here (you need a spare 3 hours)

www.reddit.com/r/AsianBeauty/comments/2jcss2/asian_skincare_101_a_beginners_guide_faq

[TheWombat]

almondcakes this is the one I'm trying (Amazon link)
www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B004LRO7DO/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1431109389&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SY200_QL40&keywords=biore%20sunscreen&dpPl=1&dpID=315OrEYfUlL&ref=plSrch&tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21

[almondcakes]

Okay, Wombat, I am convinced. It sounds really, really good.

[FrugalFashionista]

Almond the Biore stuff is something I really want to try. I have ordered this Missha sunscreen, the seller is UK-based - and the bottle is hyper cute

In the meantime, Neutrogena Clear Face SPF 30 is not Asian, but people on Reddit Asian Beauty say that it resembles many Asian suncreens. I've been using it every day for a few weeks and haven't had any breakouts. Available on Amazon, and not expensive. Would prefer a higher spf though.

Moustache I'm loving the idea of being able to buy sheet masks at M&S!

Wombat Innisfreeworld.com (the Korean equivalent of The Body Shop) has frequent sheet mask offers, but nothing right now. If people are not bored by the subject, I can talk more about them later.

And although I am totally obsessed with Asian stuff, you can just integrate a tiny bit into your current routine. I am new to all this but just doing regular sheet masks and wearing a sleeping mask (a silky product that absorbs fully and is rinsed off in the morning) every night has improved my skintone, hydration and glow so mich!

Would love to do more links but have to pack and put DC to bed!

[almondcakes]

I had already considered the Neutrogena as it is highly rated on various sites. I assume it is a US import.

[MoustacheofRonSwanson]

So what's the sleeping mask you are using frugal?

[FrugalFashionista]

Yep Almond, Neutrogena Clear Face is a US-specific product but available on Amazon.co.uk - they have zillions of products but this is specifically formulated to be anti-breakouts.

Wombat thanks for the super convenient Biore link, you managed to convince me too, bought it immediately! No such thing as too much sunscreen in my life...

[TheWombat]

Eek, I hope it's worth it everyone! I'll be testing it out and reporting back.

Thank you for the Innisfree link Frugal I am trying not to splurge on more skincare but I do like putting together an imaginary wish list!

In case anyone's interested I have dehydrated, freckly skin that's prone to cystic acne (delightful) and now signs of ageing too. I discovered a few Korean products via Caroline Hirons in a desperate attempt to find things that don't break me out.

So far I love
Mizon returning starfish cream
And
Mizon snail repair cream
Both of which are soooo cheap on eBay!

[mowglik]

Sheet masks sound like a great idea and I imagine sunscreen and de pigmentation stuff must be pretty serious stuff in Korean skin care.

I've had a look at the biore sunscreen and interested - saw it for £7 or so on eBay not sure how long it would take to arrive though

I read a recommendation for a mist sunscreen that you could spray over makeup to touch up facial protection without disturbing makeup but couldn't find it or an equivalent so far - any ideas? It's called privacy uv mist and is spf50 pa++++

[FrugalFashionista]

Mowglik haven't tried the spray suncreen but the name sounds intriguing. If you try it, please tell us more about it!

I've put DC to bed, packed, spent some quality time and done my evening routine. Nip+Fab glycolic pads (won't pack them for my trip so used them today), letting it tingle for a bit, then a layer of Mizon snail cream (cooling and hydrating, and much cheaper on eBay), and then sealing this off with the Mizon Good Night White Sleeping mask. The sleeping mask makes my skin silky smooth and really boosts hydration, but is nothing like some sticky oatmeal-honey-yogurt home mask. This stuff is a serious piece of engineering, white gelly stuff that is plumping and sealing the hydration in without a shrinkwrapped feel. I'm not super up to date with active skincare ingredients, but this seems to have some fashionable ones.

My sleeping mask obsession started when I was travelling in the US last month, feeling parched after a long flight and very windy and cold weather. I'd read some online reviews and while at Sephora, splurged on the Dr Jart Firming Sleeping Mask (I love their BB creams and micro water). The Dr Jart sleeping mask a weird brownish gel with a slightly herbal smell. I spread it on my face, it was absorbed immediately, I went to bed and woke up to soft, glowing skin.

I have a really hard time with heavy duty moisturizers, their usually give me cystic acne. My skin is dry, and I have never believed that it is possible for me to have clear, smooth, glowy skin. So I am pretty smitten...

I've done some research online and every Korean beauty company seems to do a sleeping mask or a sleeping pack. Most of them are hugely affordable, and I am going to try some as I love them so much. Too tired to list the ones I have my eye on, but Reddit has a handy HG list. The Body Shop Bouncy mask might be similar, has anyone tried it?

[FrugalFashionista]

Here are three sleeping packs I'm thinking about:

Laneige Water

Innisfree Wine Jelly Sleeping Pack

Innisfree Green Tea

Some online sellers sell or give samples too.

Sleeping masks are my favorite beauty discovery in 2015!

[Rojak]

The Laneige one has a cult following in Asia - I've used it and like it.

I also have the biore sunscreen (lots of different versions in the drug store equivalents of Boots all over Asia).

I also like the hyaluronic toners that you get with Japanese & Korean skincare - some referred to as essence.

Have bought some stuff online from Adam Beauty - reasonable postage

[rubyshoes3]

I love Korean skincare. I am addicted to it really I love trying new brands and products. My favourite brands so far are Innisfree, Tony Moly, Laneige, Skinfood, Missha, Etude house. I have just brought the Mizon snail eye cream.
Korean skincare has totally changed my skin I used to have dry flakey skin and since using Korean products for about 17 months I have got normal skin. No more dry patchs. I find it so hard to be loyal to one brand as there is so many really good brands so I am always buying new things to try.
I also love my sheet masks and sleeping packs.

[AmelieinOz]

I'm Asian.

I use The Face Shop Aura CC Cream in shade 1 on the rare times I put on makeup (I don't go out a lot).

The Biore sunscreens are nice. Not particularly life-changing, but do their job. But I prefer the Neutrogena ones. I've yet to try La Roche Posay's (which is French) but I keep reading about its superiority.

I've tried some - hyaluronic essence, etc but didn't really stick to one product. Sometimes, I wouldn't even finish a product. But that's just me and my laziness.

But trust me on the sunscreen.

[almondcakes]

Why do you prefer the Neutrogena ones Amelie?

[m0gz]

Thanks for starting this frugal :) I have only dabbled with Korean bb creams so far but have been impressed. My pale, dehydrated, cystic chin spot prone skin hates foundation and every other bb cream I have purchased on the high street - I either look very orange or get dried out to quick and it looks smeary and flaky :(

Can anyone suggest something to try for the monster chin spot problem?

[AmelieinOz]

almondcakes - I like the consistency of the Neutrogena more, maybe I'm just used to it. :) And the Biore looks like there's a whitish film on top of my skin. But that's just personal preference.

[FrugalFashionista]

Rojak and Ruby, Thank you so much for your product and vendor recommendations.

Rojak, I'm really interested in hyaluronic toners. I did a hyaluronic sheet mask last week and it was incredibly moisturizing, I need more stuff like that in my life! Of you have any favorites.

Ruby, how fabulous that these products have been so helpful for you! I have a feeling a similar thing is happening to me. I've been battling with skin problems since my teens, and my problems sound very similar, and am finding that the stuff I am testing is excellent for redness-prone dry skin. I have Laneige, Missha and Innisfree stuff coming in. I love that I can buy samples, trial kits and mini products. That's really a fantastic thing because one never knows whether one gets on with a product... Where do you buy the products?

Etude House has a 50% sale right now on in RoseRoseShop if someone wants to try their super cute products! I'm thinking about their Moistfull trial kit ($11.65) .

[FrugalFashionista]

Sorry about writing pre-coffee messages that don't make sense
Could also be my failing eyesight - probably should face the facts and get reading glasses

[DrankSangriaInThePark]

Just marking place as no time yet to read all the Korean stuff - but will!

[FrugalFashionista]

Amelie you are incredibly lucky that you live somewhere where great sunscreens are so readily available! I never bin cosmetics but I have binned two Anthelios sunscreens. They were the creamy variant - the tinted was incredibly orange on me and the white one was very heavy and greasy and left a white cast. I could live with these but then a friend pointed out that it smelled like gorgonzola. Yikes - yes I like mold on my cheese but not on my face The fluid LRPs may be better, but I've lost faith.

I agree that the Neutrogena range is incredibly nice, with they sold them in Europe too. Neutrogena Clear Face looks like any regular sunscreen but it sinks immediately, leaves no white cast and does not cause breakouts.

m0gz getting the sunscreen right was a major step for me for getting rid of acne. To prevent breakouts, not Asian, but La Roche Posay Effaclar AI has been also really useful, if I feel a breakout might be forming I dab that on and it often stops them or shrinks a brewing cyst. I also use it on my jawline to prevent new breakouts if I am testing new cosmetics. I have noticed Koreans have specific spot treatmens but haven't tried them yet. Has anyone else?

Oh and if you are pale or acne prone, Asian BB creams are a revelation. Missha #13 is almost too pale for me (I am too pale for most Western foundations... Probably NW5-10) and it doesn't cause spots!

[FrugalFashionista]

Sangria you are always welcome and possibly my favorite stalker
DH is shouting that we really have to go to the airport now, bbl!