Obsessed with Asian/Korean stuff - taking your skincare to level 2!

[FrugalFashionista]

Asian and Korean skincare products seem to be a big thing right now - we are falling in love with quite a few things...

Interested in the following?

• finding a great sunscreen - here's a thread favorite
• tailoring a multi-step ritual to your skincare needs - here are the basics
• talking about geisha beauty rituals - you'll probably need to read this
• 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!

Vol 1 of this thread here

Haven't got time to catch up just now, I will do later, but just popping on to say I tried returning starfish today, fingers crossed I don't react but I really love it. Such a lovely texture and it just feels really good. Still have sandpapery rough pimply bits around my nostrils but it's definitely clearing.

I really hope this starfish cream is magic!

Hah thanks Frugal it's allll about the concealer! I much prefer to have a nice light base so my freckles still show and then conceal my whole face problem areas

Oh and just to ask again - does anyone have any recommendations for Retin - A creams?
Can't get it on the NHS any more so might have to go the online route and that's making me somewhat nervous

Gertrude I know some people on the CH thread have been buying the Johnson & Johnson retinol cream from eBay. It comes from East Asia but is genuine AFAIK. The Retin-A brand is available too, I have a tube that I haven't opened yet as I got into BHAs and Korean skincare so thought I'd see how a gentler change of skincare would work first. It looks like this.

Why can't you get it on the NHS anymore?

Obviously other strengths are available!

Gertrude - I got mine on eBay. I doubt my Dr would prescribe it just for anti ageing, but next time I go I'll mention it just in case.

Thanks scrambledsmegs that's great. I'll pop on over to the CH thread and have a look.

It's just hard to get it nowadays - I took accutane when I was Ireland and Retin A is still available but it's expensive - I went private due to loooong waiting lists.

Anyway, my friend is a pharmacist over here and she told me they are starting to phase it out due to the high cost and people using it for wrinkles etc rather than acne - I want it for both! Doctors are more inclined to prescribe accutane, a topical such as Duac (may aswell use nothing) or anti-biotics. My doctor was trying to suggest all the other prescription creams even though I know they don't work so I gave up. Maybe I should try another doc?

I bought my 0.025% on Pharmacy Geoff.

scrambledsmegs and Gertrude that is my Retin-A (Thailand via eBay) too! I've been using it for about 10 days (every 2-3 days) and I have to say, in the last day or so I've noticed a significant improvement in my skin. So far, very little flaking or redness - although my skin is drier than usual. Having said that, it wasn't very dry in the first place, just constantly dehydrated, I think. I suspect my skin is already quite used to actives like AHAs and so on, because I've been following the CH routine for well over a year and have used liquid gold on and off for much longer (about 5 years maybe?)

I am definitely having a good skin day today - these don't happen often so I have to celebrate them when they arrive!

My skin issues are: hormonal cystic acne and resulting scarring/pigmentation, enlarged pores, freckles, dehydration and signs of ageing (so, basically everything).

Here is my current routine
AM:
Cleanse: Alpha H balancing cleanser
Actives:
If not using Retin-a on a previous day:
Clarins Exfoliating Toner (then wait for 10-15 mins if I can be bothered)
OR
Clearasil Salicylic Pads (see above for waiting times)
followed by:
Serums:Scinic Propolis 95 serum, Caudalie SOS serum (hyaluronic acid)

Moisturisers: Mizon Starfish or Mizon Snail cream

PM:
Cleanse 1: Bioderma Sensibio Micellar Water
Cleanse 2: Emma Hardie moringa balm

Depending on what actives I've used that morning, I then use either
Retin-a 0.025 + wait 20 mins
OR
Alpha H liquid gold radiance (much better than liquid gold imo, it has ferrulic acid in as well as glycolic) + wait 20 mins
OR
Sheet mask (My Beauty diary pearl or imperial birds nest, or Innisfree Propolis)

followed by:
Scinic Propolis 95 serum
Mizon snail cream
Mizon Starfish cream

Sleep mask...(although I'm still using these rather nervously - is it ok to use them after retinol? Does retinol skin need to 'breathe more to allow the exfoliated skin to be removed?)

Thanks for that TheWombat. I must say my skincare routine is shamefully lacking compared to alot of posters on here. This is all going to change though once my new products arrive! I didn't have time last night for a normal cleanse so I used a babywipe hangs head in shame

How are you getting on with the snail and starfish cream? It's very hit and miss with our type of skin - some people swear by it and others say it caused them to break out loads.

Re sleep masks - I use Black Rose Cream mask every now and then as a sleep mask although I haven't tried it in combination with the redermic so I can't say. I usually just skip the redermic on the nights that my skin feels dry.

Although I would imagine if you give the retinol enough time to sink in and get to work it could be ok. That is a looong routine though - 30 mins after washing, then 30 mins before you could get going with the rest of your routine. Perhaps on pamper nights?

Congratulations on the good skin day

gertrude exactly, that's why I can rarely be bothered to do any waiting around between layers. I haven't noticed that it makes any difference tbh.

My skin really likes the Snail / Starfish creams! I have been using them for a good 3 months, and haven't noticed them triggering any breakouts. In fact I think the starfish one in particular has helped to smooth and even out my skin. I slightly prefer starfish to snail if I'm honest - I agree with others that the snail cream isn't always moisturising enough on its own, although I do find it very soothing when it first goes on and think it's probably a good one to use alongside any kind of retinol for that reason.

Have any of you seen or used any wrinkle filler cream/gels? A couple of years ago my DSis was raving about Guerlian future success which is a gel like wrinkle filler and very generously bought some for me it was about £80!!! It was great stuff, really made wrinkles 'disappear' albeit just for the day but has now been discontinued, not that I'd spend that much anyway.

Id love to find an alternative (less expensive) version if you come across one.

News I've never heard of anything like that! Could do with some sort of Polyfilla for the long wrinkle on my forhead.

Newsreader a person on my Facebook sells Jeunesse (sp?) which is effectively the same thing. £5 for a very small vial. Let me see if I can find it.

www.amazon.co.uk/Instantly-Ageless-By-Jeunesse-DOUBLE/dp/B00U2MXDIW

Here - there are many YouTube demos -

Tried the starfish cream and its lovely! Nicely moisturising without being heavy and my skin seems to like it.

I've just tried the Benton snail bee sheet mask. It was my first ever sheet mask

Yup. I love it . It was a bit of an exercise getting it out of the pack and onto my face, but it felt lovely on (gave DD1 a bit of a fright when she came down for water though) and the effect is amazing. It clearly has a whitening effect because my skin looks much softer and smoother, the scars from my recent awful breakout are less visible, and despite my oily skin the essence has sunk in brilliantly. I can only assume that my poor skin was crying out for moisture.

Going to watch out for any tell-tale signs of itching/tingling for the next 24 hours. Fingers crossed.

Thank you for your routines. Mine is still a work in process...I'm still waiting for my purchases.

Still tweaking my first cleansing routine (used FANCL which is ace, but want a change).

Just came across Banila Clean it Zero - has anyone used it? Love the idea of a sherbet consistency which turns into an oil.

Also, if you're interested in routines, you might like this. This link alone is going to cost me a small fortune

Ok, I'm trying not to spend BUT does anyone have experience of ordering more than £15 worth of products from W2 Beauty please... i.e. do they mark down the value of the order on the package?

Poppy, I was reading through that the other day! Got a tad confused though on the small screen so had planned to re-visit on the laptop (with paper for a list ).

I'm currently mooching on ebay for a few more cheap-ish bits to try on my diy sheet masks. I accidentally put packaged sheet masks and konjac sponges in too (plus a couple of stocking fillers - don't tell dp!! ).

I've also been looking at foundation brushes, can't decide whether to try one with a spongey end for 99p or the £2 ish Primarni one.

Lucysmam I've tried my flat foundation brush with BB creams, but find I get the best finish if I use my fingers to apply then use a flat topped dense kabuki brush to buff it over once its dried a bit.

Ah, I will try it that way in the morning, thank you. Maybe I just need to practise to get it looking better.

Same here - for BB cream, I use fingers followed by kabuki brush with or without mineral powder.

Have some cushions on the way now Frugal's fault, she made me buy them and looking forward to that.