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!

Hello fellow snail ladies. Just wanted to say that the MBD Imperial Birds Nest sheet mask is pretty awesome! I definitely noticed plumped up, smoother, and brighter skin this morning . In case you're interested, there are two birds' nest masks (different birds? who knows?), and the one I bought came in a red box (other is in a white box). And the seller added another mask (of the same kind) to my order for free! I bought it from here the seller is called DazzlingdivaUK but the mask was posted from Taiwan.

I also noticed she is selling these macaroon masks - HOW CUTE? Pricey though..

Am loving this thread though my bank balance disagrees. Am getting a little package from Korea arriving every day which is something to look forward to after a long day at work. Love the little samples you get too. So far Ive had:-

Mizon snail repair serum which I love, skin looks brighter and tighter after only a week

Holika Holika watery bb cream - lovely, coverage lasts all day, similar to a skin79 one I had previously and loved but alot cheaper.

Holika Holika jewel light waterproof eyeliner - these are amazing. Lovely colours and stay put all day, better than any of the high end eyeliners I've tried and a bargain £3. Feel like ordering then in every colour!

Cosrx BHA skin returner toner. Got a couple of samples of this and was amazed at the effect on my blemish prone skin. Ordered full size straight away. Similar to effaclar duo

Seaweed sheet mask - so cooling and hydrating. Would be brilliant on a long flight or to soothe a hangover

My sum37 cleansing balm is stuck at the post office as I've been hit by a customs charge of £13 which includes £8 royal mail handling charge, so do be aware of this if you order anything worth over £15, I had no idea

Still awaiting a Mizon lightening cream and skinfood tomato moisturiser so will report back when they've arrived

ooh, XiCi, I'm working my way through samples of the COSRX at the mo & quite liking it. Can't put my finger on what it smells of though How long have you been using it?

Hi lucysmam, I got about 5 days worth of samples and loved it. Realised after a bit of research I should have been using BHAs instead of AHAs for my skin type. I didn't notice a smell but I have had a cold so may not have noticed . Can't wait for the full size to arrive so I can continue using it!

Thanks, I'm on my second day of samples, think I've got enough for another two days left. Will look out for an update with interest

I still can't find any dry eye mask sheets, if anyone finds them, can they link please & thank you

lucy How about these or these?

De lurking on this thread of amaze to say a big thank you to everyone who has contributed, the thread has been my gateway drug into an obsession! Bought 20 sheet masks on eBay, loving them, some collagen eye masks, love them and best of all the back pilition nose pack - it's the bollocks! So much so my husband wants to try it tonight on his crater nose, insanely excited to see what comes out.

Seeping mask been ordered and now scoping out cushion Bb and some starfish goodies.

Insanely happy I have a new and cheaper way to indulge my skincare obsession!

Oh no XiCi how annoying about the cleanser! You've just made me realise I'll probably get stung too - Ive ordered two things that cost just over £15 At least you've made me rethink the Hada Labo arbutin lotion I was considering.. I'd hoped that the stuff would get through because it would be marked as 'gift' but assume there's no guarantee of that. Perhaps I'll stick to European online stores in future. Anyway your haul sounds very impressive! The Holika Holika eye liners are on my wish list, so great to hear you've liked them.

Lucysmam I've heard that CosRX products have a weird smell. I've ordered one so will update you when it arrives.

Welcome new people to the way of the snail

Cresset I think I've read on the reddit Asian Beauty threads that you can buy Korean products in Singapore, but they are more expensive than in Korea obvs. Lots of people seem to find snail stuff great for acne (and for preventing scarring afterwards). It also seems to work on age-related pigmentation - as does niacinamide which is my fave ingredient, it does everything - anti-ageing, skin-repairing, anti-acne etc.

If pigmentation is a big issue, go for something that says 'whitening' - it's not supposed to lighten your skin tone, just brighten it up and even it out. Maybe try out a sleep mask such as Mizon good night white for added hydration - use on top of moisturiser to seal it all in.

Another 'big thing' is a fermented essence - supposed to have healing, anti-ageing and hydrating properties. These are usually called something like 'first essence' because you put them on after cleansing and before moisturising. A famous one is called missha time revolution first treatment essence. And the Missha ampoule with extraordinarily long name is supposed to be a dupe for Estée Lauder night repair serum.

Yes thewombat I was a bit annoyed that they hadn't marked is as a gift when I read up on it because I think that's OK up to £25. Hopefully your seller will be clued up on that one.

What niacinamide products do you use? I have some slight pigmentation so that sounds really interesting

I've tried the EL night repair and was a bit meh but Missha Time Revolution ampoule is way better , for me anyway.

Fingers crossed XiCi! I think the starfish cream has a touch of niacinamide, but the other products that I've ordered from Korea with it in haven't arrived yet...getting a bit anxious as it seems like other people have already received theirs.

I have found Alpha H products awesome for reducing pigmentation. Star products for me are the Alpha H liquid gold radiance (v watery serum) which has tons of anti pigmentation stuff in - including glycolic acid, ferrulic acid, and niacinamide. It's fab (but costs about £25 for 30ml). I also love their Liquid Gold night serum which has been great at keeping pigmentation and acne down (also has glycolic and niacinamide in). But Alpha H products are pricey compared to Korean products, so I might change my allegiance if the stuff is good (when it finally arrives...meh).

AmazingDisgrace good to know. I'm just trying to use up the EL night repair eye cream, am pretty unimpressed (seems to do nothing, barely even hydrate, but at least hasn't given me milia)

Chester, it was me that bought the Holika Holika Aqua Petit Jelly BB. I'm a MAC NW20, and shade 2 is perfect, so I suspect shade 1 will be good for you.

I wore it to work today, the finish is really lovely - my skin looked flipping immaculate! Staying power is excellent, went to the hairdressers after work and it still looked perfect when I got home. I think I might actually prefer it to the Missha...

Hi, been lurking (and getting v confused) I did get holika cotton bb cream for dd, she loves it. And we got mask which are fun. But although the thread is fascinating, please tell me two or three of the best places to buy stuff. I've lost track. I'm old, so need something anti ageing miracle working, I already oil cleanse, which is fab. But neeeed more stuff!

Talisin your second link are perfect, thank-you

Wombat, it's a familiar (to me) smell, not unpleasant, just driving me a bit nuts not being able to place it.

I've come to the conclusion the COSRX is value for money, I'm still on my first sample -expected it to be gone this evening but a very little bit goes a long way.

Annoyingly I missed the postman today, but on the plus side it means I Will definitely getting my first treats tomorrow! Hurrah! Ohwhatfuckeryisthis I'm not nearly the right person to advise as I'm just starting my own haul, but I've just used eBay. I put in the brands recommend here and keep them as followed searches.

Can you tell me if the holika holika bb cream is 'luminous'? I've tried so many UK BB creams and they all look too 'wet' on my oily skin. I really want to find a bb cream that is more matte. I find half way through the day I'm a greasy mess! Any suggestions?

OhWhat, I've got a pair of these collagen eye masks on atm. They're only a temp fix for under eye wrinkles but very cooling and pleasant to wear, and cheap as chips! Oh and, they dissolve away the longer you wear them, very interesting to watch the one on the back of my hand the other night when I took them off my eyes

Skin Food tomato range seems to be their 'anti-wrinkle' range. Unfortunately not tomatoey from my experience but might be worth a look at some reviews to see what you think

I have another question - if you're using an aha/bha as an exfoliant, do you bother with a scrubby face wash of some sort ever?

My tube is feeling a bit unloved (just a bit - dp uses it once or twice a week in the shower so it will eventually be used) but I'm not sure where something like that would fit now

Findingpeace the Jelly stuff has a slightly luminous finish, its water based and feels like it might even be oil free. Anyway, it seems to be recommend for combination and oily skins by several reviewers.

Normally I look like I need powdering down by lunch time, but even after a long day today my skin didn't look oily.

I got mine from an eBay seller called Sing Sing Girl for £7.26 - ordered on the 18th of May, arrived on the 27th

ooh, annnnd - according to paulaschoice and other web pages - a bha toner is more suited to my spot prone, oily skin.

So would I use an aha as well, or just the bha?

The more I read, the more my head goes

Here is another European store so no customs duties...
www.lunatu.com

Lucysmam I have oily skin as well and found that the aha toners for some reason made my pores larger and look more congested and also made my pigmentation worse. When I tried the BHA it was a world of difference. Apparently BHAs have the same effect as AHAs but with anti bacterial and anti inflammatory agents. I'm swapping to BHA daily use instead of the AHA toners.

Thanks XiCi, I'll stick to just the bha for the moment and see how I go then.

These eye masks are weird (in a good way)...I've just had a poke & they're all thin like they were getting the other nighy but they're drying up (sort of feels like tissues that have been through the washer and dried out ) around the edges.

I'll take them off shortly and have a look to see what difference leaving them on longer makes.

lucysmam I use the Tony Moly green appletox once a week. You rub it onto cleansed skin and let it dry then rub it off gently then rinse. It takes off dead skin and really makes mine glow without irritating it.