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

Lucysmam I don't reapply facial sunscreen during the day, mainly because I now have a collection of fetching wide-brimmed hats. New Look have some rather lovely 70s style ones, and Accessorize have s good selection although they're a bit pricier. But my fave is a lovely floppy lightweight one that I bought for a fiver down the market! Maybe something to consider?

I'm a huge fan of sun hats too.

I foolishly used the whole sample of Tony Moly White Magic Cream without looking up what it was for.
Although it is creamy when you put it on it seems to dry up and becomes difficult to spread. I did manage it eventually but was left very white and chalky so needed to put some colour on. Not what I was planning just to walk the dog!
Maybe it is intended for those with oily skin which mine no longer is.

Silver I have a mystery Tony Moly sample too, I really need to google it first

The reason why I switched to Korean products was that my mineral makeup was incompatible with a mineral-based sunscreen as they became a chalky mess in hot weather. Enter Korean BB creams

But I really like mineral foundation, too, and want to use my stash up and perhaps also continue to use them in the future, at least in winter. I've now tried Biore Watery Essence spf 50 sunscreen twice with Lily Lolo, and ladies, this works! It is absorbed and does not leave a film, so I can buff on mineral foundation without gunking up the kabuki (I wait for about 10 mins to be sure). I prep my skin with Missha FTE after washing off the sleeping mask, then sunscreen and LL, finally set the mineral foundation either with FTE or Avene thermal water spray. I like my BBs and cushion, but love having this added option: well-applied mineral stuff looks good on my face for up to 24 hours and is waterproof, so love being able to wear it again.

mowglik I may be a sad person too, sheet masks are one of my favorite things!

Sunhats may be the answer - I just have visions of looking like a plank wearing one so hadn't considered them I'll have a hunt in town at the end of the week. I quite like hats generally - wear them loads in winter, not sure why I'm not convinced by summer ones

Frugal - FTE?

Silver, is it the panda sachet? I have that too. Will proceed with caution!

News, Missha first treatment essence

First time essence. ;) it's like a whole new language!

I'm not impressed by the mizon sleep mask yet. Sticky when applied (perhaps I'm using too much, or too much moisturiser first?) and I can't see any difference in my skin. Early days though, so I'll persevere.

I do really like the essence samples though, instant moisturising, which is great. They're by skinfood, so perhaps I will give your black sugar oil a go lucysmam...

Irritatingly I missed 2 parcels yday, so am looking forward to fetching those tmrw. :)

Bigbuttons - hope you feel better soon, a few people I know have had pneumonia recently and all needed proper recuperation time to get back on their feet afterwards.

How slowly did I type that I didn't see lucysmam's post?

leeloo that made me chuckle! Where are you that you missed parcels on a Sunday? I'm hoping for a couple of the bits I ordered the other day to arrive tomorrow haha wishful thinking.

I like the Black Sugar oil. Folks on reddit have mixed views but it takes off my make-up alright and emulsifies plenty to just rinse off and crack on with something else before carrying on your routine (I used it then carried on tidying up after the girls' friends had gone home yesterday & there was no oily residue left on my face or weird feeling).

Results may take a while to see, be patient and enjoy trying the new stuff!

I'll be looking up how to apply eyebrow make-up tonight - my Skinfood Choco eyebrow powder arrived on Friday but I daren't try it out

Aaah, I mis-read "yday" as today ignore me!

I've been testing a sample I received - Lioele Dollish Veil Vita BB in #1 (Purple)

Review here: www.helloprettybird.com/2013/08/review-lioele-dollish-veil-vita-bb.html

It is pretty amazing if I'm honest! It is white with a slight hint of purple. Purple is for even coverage and brightening of the skin. You can get #2 in green which is more for covering redness and blotchy skin. I've been putting this on over my Biore sunscreen and under my Missha magic cushion. The result is maximum coverage with not much product! I love it because it doesn't feel like you're wearing a lot of make up.

Will definitely be purchasing when I next get paid

Despite me saying I was boycotting no spend June I still haven't purchased anything new!
I am suffering a mini breakout at the moment which is disappointing after two months without any new spots :( as suspected my skin does not like anything either heavily scented or oily, yes Holland & Barrett snail mask I'm glaring at you

I don't know if I want to risk the star fish or any cream now :( I love the mizon snail gel so I think I need to stick to things like this or perhaps some of the acids? I'm debating trying some of the Rohto Hadarabo Gokujun Hyaluronic Lotion or My Beauty Diary - Hyaluronic Moisturising Acid sheets.

Yes Scrambled the panda, but beware there is a hand cream in a panda sample too.

m0gz sorry about the breakout! I can't use any oils at all without breakouts. It is smart to take it slow, less is more, usually, even in Korean routines Use products that suit you, it is smart to introduce new stuff sparingly.

I have just peeled off a hyaluronic mask. It was so relaxing that I fell briefly asleep. It is plumping and hydrating. I like My Beauty Diary hyaluronic masks because they work but wish they were less perfumed. Not sure which one I prefer - hyaluronic sheet masks or Hada Labo lotion. The lotion is better value, the masks are more relaxing

Leeloo yes I agree the Mizon Good Night mask is a bit meh. It is not moisturizing per se, just the final sealing layer to keep other things (serums, humectants) sealed in. The nice characteristic is that it contains nicacinamide, so it can be helpful for hyperpigmentation. My hyperpigmented areas have definitely faded a lot but I am not sure whether it is due to niacinamide and licorice containing products or diligebt sunscreen use. My favorite way to use Good Night is after something rich/sticky/fragrant, I use it as a last neutral layer. Many Koreans have air-conditioned homes, ours is too, so the sealing layer helps to prevent dehydration. But I think sleeping masks won't be useful for everyone, and should be avoided by anyone sensitive to silicones. Happy that you got some other things that work well, really hope you will get those missed parcels soon!

Cornwall super happy that you found great products!

Oh really Silver? I'd better start reading the full name of products carefully then!

I found the same thing with the Mizon Good Night mask, not very hydrating which is what I thought it was for.

Any advice on a good vitamin c serum?

I quite like the mizon sleeping mask. You defo need to layer up everything underneath but it does seem to seal everything in well and my skin was really soft this morning.

I use:
Cleanse - micellar water (bioderma) or cetaphil or take the day off
Toner - pixi glow or super drug deep cleanser pads (for BHA)
Hydrating toner - use sometimes - botanics rosewater
Serum - hylamide. LOVE this although do not love the price.
Facial oil - currently have a rose hip one which I use 2-3 drops of if my skin feels v dry
Moisturiser - just got Benton steam cream. Which is lovely provided you don't use too much! A little goes a long way.
Sleeping mask - used the mizon one last night for the first time and really liked the results. I think it's a good addition for me. Again, better not to use too much. I squeeze out a blob about the size of a big blueberry and then spread on my middle 3 fingers and dab on face, smooth across and pat in. Then add a few other dabs if needed.

But my skin is on the dry and dehydrated side. Once I later up with hydrating stuff, it plumps out nicely and my few lines disappear. I don't have many spots and the acid toning has got rid of any lumpy bits in my jaws and reduced my SF to almost nothing. So (as they love to say on reddit!) YMMV!

I'm trying a bee venom sheet mask tonight.

Naturalsouth.com info on bee venom in skincare here.

I actually quite fancy incorporating something with propolis in my routine for it's healing/antibacterial properties. Just undecided where yet. I think it'd complement the snailey goodness since my skin appears to like that. simply beeswax info about propolis.

It says somewhere in there that propolis is a natural preservative so I wonder if the 'hiccup' with the Benton products was just that maybe? I'm half tempted to go back and have another look at them.

Free how much are the superdrug bha pads? I need some more clearasil but will need an alternative in case the cheap shops are out of them tight . Funny that, I've not minded spending on fancy snailey this, and sheet mask that; but good ol' clearasil has to be cheap as possible

Then again, you can either pay 99p in the cheap shops or go to Wilko and pay a fiver for them whereas the more exciting stuff comes as a parcel with lots of sample sized goodies

Super drug ones are dirt cheap! Like £1.33 or something for 40. To be found in the teenage Brillo pad skin care section. But I can't see that they are any worse than clearasil. The rough side is pretty rough but I mainly use the other side then use the rough side on my chin, either side of nose and then on chest and upper arms!

Thanks, I'll check the brillo skincare section (excellent description ) if Bargain Buys/99p shop are out of Clearasil. I think the Clearasil just have two of the same side tbh...scratchy or well, scratchy

Am sat here with my first sheet mask in weeks and loving it. So cooling it's perfect for warm summer nights

Was wondering if anyone can shed any light on the waiting times between layers? At what stage do you need to wait 10-20 min and what is the reason for it - just to aid absorption?