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

frugal thanks. I'm still prevaricating over the cosrx emulsion. I can barely find any reviews. I want something that targets the sebum build up on my nose.
Have you seen the cosrx silk balls you put on your fingers and rub over your black heads to extract them?
Still waiting for the bloody snail bee and other items from beautynetkorea.
I will have to give it a whole month before I do anything.

Innisfreeworld irritate me. They charge SO MUCH for shipping. Look at this sheet mask offer! I wants it!

www.innisfreeworld.com/DirectPage.do?pageName=inni_luckyBag

But if I get that with the Clay mask I want they'll charge me £9 for shipping! So annoying.

Cornwall I think your skin looks FABULOUS! I would be so happy to have skin like that. Re: Retin-A - I use between 3 and 4 nights a week, and it is working for my skin (so far..). I think if you have concerns about acne, pigmentation or signs of ageing, then it's worth a try. However my skin is reasonably un-sensitive (just acne and pigmentation-prone) so I don't suffer easily with redness or flaking. If you have dry skin, perhaps it's better to keep things as they are, or maybe up the BHAs which will help de-gunk pores (although I can't even see any pores, do you have any? ).

Propolis things: so far, I have tried the Scinic 95 propolis serum (or is it an ampoule? Can't remember). Lush ingredient list, 95% propolis, second ingredient niacinamide. It's not especially moisturising, but spreads easily and seems very soothing. It's a great layer under other more hydrating things. I like to layer it under Caudalie SOS followed by a healthy dose of snail.

The Innisfree anti-trouble mask contains propolis too and is great for acne - it seems very soothing and cooling. My skin feels refreshed and hydrated afterwards. It is a different feel than the MBD masks which have a more gel-like texture to the essences. The Innisfree mask is more watery and cooling. After I have used it, my skin feels calmed and it seems to respond really well to other hydrating/treatmenty type layers afterwards.

Scrambled, I looked at the sheet mask offer upthread somewhere...they wanted six quid to ship them

bigbuttons, I've seen those little finger hat thingys...they might be a 'see what they do' kind of purchase at some point in the future.

That was dead technical, wasn't it..."finger hat thingys". Dd2 is bouncing about being distracting in my defense

lucysmam I love the finger hats! Very tempting. They are going on my 'frivolous' list (along with banana hand cream, racoon eye patches and honey pot lip balm) in case I'm feeling flush (so, not this month then).

scrambled I am totally after the Innisfree clay mask, I've read so many rave reviews...

In other news, today was surgery day for my melanoma. It was pretty straightforward really - was lucky to get away without a skin graft. But my leg looks rather mangled now - a massive dent where they had to cut a lot of flesh out. No amount of snail gel will fix that! DH is suggesting I get a comedy tattoo over the scar, of a zip, or 'scissors and dotted line' ('please cut here') I think I prefer the maxi skirt approach!

wombat well done on getting through the day, hope you are feeling ok. Years ago, when I was about 5 months pg with dc 4 I had a huge mole removed from my back. It had been there since birth, but had gone really funny colour and seemed to be growing. I found it a very traumatising experience. I do remember the doctor saying that the resulting scar might put an end to my backless dress wearing days, which was a horrible thing to say.For the size of the mole the cut made to remove it was massive, so I really sympathise with you.
Luckily for me histology showed it to be benign, the doctors said they had never seen anything like it!

for you Wombat.

Well I signed up to Innisfreeworld and got a couple of voucher codes, including one for 50% off shipping. So I bought, despite saying I wouldn't I just sold a load of baby bits & maternity clothes on eBay though so I'm still ok for this month. No more though. NO MORE.

I blame those K-pop boy band mirrors they're putting in the photos. I've been mesmerised.

Thank you bigbuttons

Wombat you're too kind, I can thank the Lioele Dollish BB for the fabulous looking skin I do have open pores but they're all beside my nose. I was actually looking up PIH today which I have dreadfully along my jaw line but never realised until this thread and the article mentioned niacinamide so will definitely look up the Scinic 95 serum.

Where did half my post go?

Wombats I hope you're feeling ok. It's something that sounds like a minor procedure but I know that the emotional impact can often belie the physical effects. Hope you get some tlc now

Glad all went well Wombat (sorry had not refreshed page) Hope you're on the mend

Wombat, I have a list of novelty bits too.

Am glad today's procedure went alright, hopefully you're relaxing now

Cornwall the Scinic is def worth a try, it is good value (about £11 inc shipping on eBay). I love niacinamide, it has been fantastic for my pigmentation and acne and apparently has anti ageing effects too!

Bigbuttons I can't believe the Dr said that to you! That's outrageous. It must have been petrifying to have that experience whilst pregnant, thank goodness it was benign.

Thank you for your good wishes everyone. the procedure really was quite minor - the scary bit is the threat that it's spread. I'm told it's hopefully unlikely, but will have to have monthly lymph gland checks for the rest of my life. The scary part is that I had to fight with the drs to get them to take it seriously! I'm pale but olive skinned and tan very quickly, so kept being told 'oh you don't fit the demographic'. I'm just so glad I pushed and pushed. So glad I found Biore sunscreen! I will be investing in approx 100 tubes per year...

Wombat so happy it is over, wishing you a speedy recovery! No, actually I am also sending you a dewy-skinned K-pop idol with a basket full of bee, honey and propolis goodies, to be used as you see fit!

Scrambled that guy is hypnotizing me too Hope you'll enjoy it! Few K-beauty things have been as enjoyable for me as a box of Innisfree masks... Wearing an açai mask right now, just the thing after a long day!

What's k-pop? I'm likely to wish I hadn't asked, aren't I

K-pop is Korean pop music. Most well-known in the West is Psy of Gagnam Style fame of course, but he's more comedic (and older!) than most k-popstars. I

aaah, I shall have a look. Sounds like it might entertain the girls too.

I need tips for applying the eyebrow powder (and I suspect a better brush too)...

...swear some of them are barely in their teens.

Wombat, well done for being so persistent, hope you feel loads better soon

Wombat wishing you a speedy recovery, are you off your feet for a while? More time to browse Asian skincare goodies

Frugal do you use sheet masks and sleeping masks every night? I would love to but worry it might be a bit overload for my skin (it's oily and can get spots when I use too many products at night)

Oh also read this blog post when researching wait times, interesting reading re layering and pH of products if you are geeky and interested in that kind of thing!

snowwhiteandthepear.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/skincare-discovery-putting-your.html?m=1

Scrambled, I think you're right - Burts Bees and lanolin are the best, but I crave something new and exciting. Not AB, but Sugar Fresh is so revered in the US and the reviews are insanely good that I'm dying to try it. Can I justify the price though?

Frugal used my Hado foam wash with the Missha White Clay Konjac sponge and have found my Holy Grail second cleanser. The combination is unbeatable!

Has anyone tried the Etude Face Shot Blur? So intrigued by the technology behind it...

Is that the Fresh brand? I've never tried their lip balms, I'll have to go into one of the stores nearish to me to have a look now. Thanks Poppy (I say buy it, but then I'm an enabler at heart ). I'm going to make a trip to the P2Bus store in Chinatown soon, not to buy just to enjoy!

I must not be fussy about lip balms! The honey pot is the nicest one I own. The rest are Wilko's own or a tin of vaseline.

I'm busily browsing Jolse on ebay while I wait on dp getting in from work. Was watching GOT but think I'll stick to the books - 'tis a bit bloody for my liking.

Didn't find an eyebrow tutorial - through laziness though not not finding anything iyswim.

I tried out the placenta serum. Persuaded myself as it was a sample not a purchase it would be ok. Just will never tell my veggie mother. Damn but my skin looks good.
Wombat I hope you make a quick recovery. I had a mole on my arm that was worrying me. Turned red and changed shape. I was lucky it was just an infection and antibiotic cream sorted it.