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!

Hmm, very annoyed that my Laneige Water Sleeping Pack has arrived from Amazon and, despite the product description stating it was the 'EX' version, they sent the non EX version

So disappointing, I'm struggling to understand the difference between the 2 versions, but all the good reviews seem to be for the EX. I'm debating whether to send it back or try it anyway, though its too pricey to make a mistake with

Hey Moominmamma very sorry to hear that. Try contacting the seller to negotiate? Missha made a shipping mistake with me, they were out of stock of the product I wanted but sent me a replacement product that I chose and I got to keep the mistake, so I was very happy.

Apatite I've bought from a couple of EU-based Korean brands (Missha Germany, Missha Estonia - both send lots of samples) and directly from South Korea at innisfreeworld.com and Jolse. My Jolse order has not arrived yet but it seems to be a favorite shop among many bloggers because they send lots of samples. There are a couple of UK based BB cream shops that also sell Korean cosmetics and a Dutch BB cream shop. If you buy from outside the EU, your order is subject to VAT and customs rules. You can find lots of the products we like on Amazon and eBay too.

It's really difficult to name favorite products. The sunscreens are a game changer. I love sheet masks and sleeping packs. Testing some serums and essences atm and liking them a lot. All Missha, Mizon, Laneige and Innisfree products I have tried so far have exceeded my expectations. In general, I feel I am getting a lot value for my money, the products are quite inexpensive but really high quality.

Thanks for info Frugal. Would love to order Neutragena mask from Amazon US but worried about customs charges warning !

Little, I would contact the seller first if it's not the version you ordered. I've had wrong products (admittedly not skincare) from amazon before & the seller has usually sent the right item and told me to keep the wrong one as well. I usually ask for a pre-paid return label in my initial contact with them too...I'm not returning a wrong order at my own cost.

Might not happen with pricier skincare items but worth a try

I'm still dithering...so am going to get the girls to bed shortly ready for footy in the morning and order tesco/browse skincare and see what takes my fancy while wearing a coooooled in the fridge sheet mask. Bliss

Thanks Lucysmam thats a good idea!

Enjoy the facemask

Customs charges vary by country but is £15 for products sent to UK from non-EU countries (shipping fee included in that sum). Products bought from within the EU already have the VAT included in their price so no extra charges with them.

I was a Benefit counter fan (well still am, I love the packaging and how everything seems light hearted compared to some of the ultra science and no levity counters) and I noticed they had a moisture prep toning lotion and re-hydrating mist. They are pretty pricey though so I had avoided, lovely to see I can buy similar for a lot less and feel all hip and happening

Anyway I've always taken good care of my skin, it's not in bad nick for 40's and tends to be well behaved but I was starting to get grey and crepey and sad looking. I've used the Mizon Apple peel a couple of times, makes my face feel so clean, then in the mornings;

Wash with Egg white bubble cleanser
Returning star fish eye cream
All in one snail repair cream (read somewhere to use it like a serum due to it's texture)
Water volume aqua gel cream
Then a horrible factor 50 sun cream from boots!
Usual Benefit BB cream.

Evening;
Fallen for the micellar water con so that on a cotton pad
Usual Benefit moisturiser (triple performing)
Layered with Benefit total moisture
Then every other day the Mizon Good night white sleep mask.

I feel the need for something cleverer! Some sort of acid at bedtime? Also getting slightly raised bump on chin which I think is because of the hideous sun cream. The skin on my chin is becoming coarse and the pores on my nose certainly never used to be that visible. Enable me, what else shall I buy (it was my birthday and I haven't quite gone through my entire present fund!)

I think the starfish eye cream makes the most difference it sits on my skin for a while before sinking in but looks satisfyingly like it is taking the fine lines to task before filling them with liquid or the Apple smoothie peel.

I do look better and brighter anyway so I am happy.

MrSlant

• switch to Biore sunscreen and use that Boots one on your neck or body
• clay mask on your nose once a week (possibly followed by a cleansing balm) to clean out the gunk
• an AHA or BHA product after your evening cleanse. I use super simple stuff, old Noxzema 2% salicylic pads and Nip+Fab glycolic acid pads and LRP Effaclar AI, but going to try the blogger favorite CosRx Blackhead Power next

Banila Co is the Korean version of Benefit so you might try something from them too!

Thanks for the link Frugal, I had read that but forgot how helpful it is. I'll be using my weekend to read up on Reddit!

MrSlant I am loving the coppertone factor 50 SPF (nothing to do with it being 3 for 99p ) its not Korean but I love the superdrug glycolic peel at bed time.

I now have the Holland and Barrett snail masks to try, found them on our trip to London :)

I have more snail gel, mizon good night white mask, Benton bee and snail stuff all sat in my eBay basket. But then I started looking at starfish cream and cosrx! My amazon basket has the ingredients for diy ultrabland and vit c serum sat in it but I'm starting to worry that I can't fit all of these products into a routine

Thanks v much frugal!

m0gz, what are the ingredients for diy ultrabland?

One child down...one to go then sheet mask bliss while dp disappears off on his new bike (that he keeps spending on so I get more spends ) for half an hour or so.

lucy I posted a diy ultra bland recipe on the original Ch thread. I'll look it up if you like?

btw I love it, it's actually my fav cleanser( especially since it costs peanuts!)

I think Buttons posted it on this or the amazing faces thread my skin seems to be coping with the lush version so I figured this should be OK and cheaper so I can justify more eBay purchases

What 'flavour' mask are you trying tonight lucysmam?

If you don't mind bigbuttons, please

I'll trawl the link, thank you!

I have a silk one from MJ Care tonight to try. the one in the purple packet. I went for it because of the packaging The platinum one was cool and refreshing - if that's all this one does then I'm happy enough but will check for improvement after using/in the morning.

ooh, the link is the recipe! Thanks very much, I thought it was a mn thread link

Hi all I'm back. Not very good at keeping up with regular posts but its nice to see everyone still having lots of skincare fun.

I'm so impatient and still waiting on so many purchases. Mizon Good night white, Etude house BB samples, Mizon starfish cream and Biore watery SPF. And yesterday I ordered a Holika BB cream from SingSingGirl and they emailed me today to say they are on holiday and not dispatching anything til after the 6th! So now of course I feel the need to order more...

I tried the masque bar anti wrinkle (snail gel) sheet mask from Boots last night (its Korean) and really liked it. That and the Innisfree Aloe are my faves so far.

I am not sure how to replace my usual moisturisers with Asian stuff because I have quite dry skin and most of the AB stuff seems to be very light - I guess thats where the layering comes in. I have so much more to read and so little time. At the moment I use REN day cream for normal skin or Balance me for dry/sensitive. Oh and Boots protect and perfect serum. I'm thinking of trying hado labo - which is the one everyone uses and is it a toner or an essence?

Baalamooree I'm exactly the same - I just about sorted my routine following CH and now I've been thrown off kilter again!

Anyone here tried any ampoules? I'm not entirely sure what they are and how they differ to serums with actives such as hylamide? ( looking for someone to enable me)
Where in the routine are they used?
Right, off to start the evening cleanse.........
Btw I couldn't cope with all my stuff in baskets so I have organised it on my little bathroom shelf, starting from the right, working left with the cleansers, all lined up behind one another, next line acids, next line serums, next line lotions/ snail cream, next line oils and moisturisers, next line sleep masks and last line day only stuff, so bb creams and sun screens!

You sound very organised bigbuttons, mine's all sort of higgldey piggldey on my bedside chest of drawers - thankfully it's a proper set of drawers so lots fits on there.

I do need something for the small stuff though - I can see samples/packets/sheet masks disappearing down the side of the drawers if dd2 decides to have a look-see what's there.

Apologies Frugal I missed your earlier post - have messaged the Amazon seller, so will see what happens...

In good news though, my Biore sunscreen arrived from Japan, can't wait to try it after hearing how much everyone else seems to love it

Biore ordered and internet obsessing over the rest whilst encased in a starfish mask. Thank you Frugal.

BigButtons, apologies if you have covered this but in the DIY range would the salicylic acid stuff not just be ground up aspirin? Or am I missing a trick. I imagine I am actually missing something quite important or we would all be doing it. I love your way of doing it, the idea of bottles in my fridge and powders ready to be made up really appeals.

What shall I buuuuuuuuy!?

Someone instruct me

Ooh, my missha.de order arrived with my super Aqua snail trial pack. Have admired it and will try over weekend. They also sent me a few samples of the B&B cream, in each shade - I wanted to try it but was unsure of which shade to order as am very pale, so delighted about that