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

*have

wicked, I have a feeling it would be too light for me & I'd end up doing my best Casper the Friendly Ghost impression

I wouldn't mind a swatch though to see what it is like

That's fine wicked. I'll give lucysmam a bit longer and if she doesn't want it it's yours

Thanks LittleG! Let me know and I will pm you my address

Which 3 do you have XiCi? There are so many colours! Was thinking maybe the pink topaz or pale gold for under eye brightening. But not sure which others. I've got green eyes and I wonder if an aubergine colour would be good?

Hi all! Loving all the product talk, I am now learning from you guys...

Scrambled I have the same smell fixation with Missha's Super Aqua Snail line. The products are great, they suit my skin really well and change it visibly for the better - but every time I get the first whiff of cucumber I have a brief 'ewww' moment. I tend to dislike smells on the cucumber - melon - aquatic spectrum and this is no exception!

The Innisfree wine jelly sleeping mask is really good though. I put on some last night after a sheet mask. I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror and was wondering who a few moments who that good-looking well-rested stranger was I'm past 40 and had already grown a bit apprehensive about my mirror image (gray and tired looking most of the time). Asian Beauty has been a revelation for me. These products really work!

I want to go to Seoul!!! Based on tracking slips, most of my Korean parcels arrive to Italy via my home city on a direct flight from Seoul Incheon, so I will keep an eye on flight prices. I love to travel - if I can find cheap tickets, I will be very tempted. DH loves Korean food and unusual destinations, so I might able to persuade him to come along too

lucysmam this is the swatch of the Holika Holika. Bear in mind that I'm quite olive skinned and have just come back from France!

Can anyone advise on whether the corsx bha toner or the hada labo lotion is more appropriate for oily spot prone skin?

In other news: my husband has stolen my snail cream

Also which hada labo lotion is it? I have a patch of melasma on. My forehead and was wondering if the whitening lotion would help lighten it....

Apatite - they fulfil different functions so I'm afraid it's not an either/or. Sorry!

The A-Sol is more of a booster product for blackhead and whitehead power liquids from Cosrx. It is a mild acid toner in its own right but I think you're supposed to get better results if you use it in conjunction with the other products.

The Hada Labo lotion is, IMO, the first step in your moisturising routine, not the last in your cleansing routine. I don't use it as a toner, I smooth and pat it on using the Japanese patting technique I linked to in an earlier post. It's a lovely light lotion that makes moisture retention from the next layers better.

I have no idea about the whitening lotion but I presume it contains niacinamide or arbutin? It probably won't contain huge amounts due to the thinness of the lotion, so maybe you should look for other whitening products to use with it.

I think it makes sense to get a whitening (oops starting to use that word, meant sunspot-fading) product that spends a long time on your skin, I have the non-whitening Hada Labo Gokyjyun lotion. It's terrific for hydrating but the consistency is watery! I have more faith in the Mizon Good Night niacinamide sleeping mask because it stays on my face all night long and won't budge. But it is not hydrating and contains a ton of silicones so it may not be for everyone! My hyperpigmentation has faded a lot, but it could also because I haven't skipped sunscreen - Biore is a pleasure to wear so I put it on routinely evry morning.

For sheer browsing joy, reposting this link form Vol 1 - a list of great blogs and other resources on Asian Beauty!

Sorry link fail - great blogs and other Asian Beauty resources here!

I got a sample of this and have used it for the last couple of days

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Cloud-9-Blanc-De-White-Moisture-Cream-50ml-Whitening-Improvement-Tracking-/141667754342?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item20fc0e6166

I quite like it, it's a bit richer than the Missha Snail moisturiser - which I don't mind actually, I'm not convinced with the Missha.

This has given me quite a balanced complexion, so seems to even out my skin tone underneath my makeup. It's quite a rich cream and goes on nicely.

It does make me look quite bright and chirpy as well so that can't be a bad thing.

I quite like it.

I've also been using this - Sampur skin quenching mist. Not Korean I know but I live in France so like to go local sometimes. A couple of sprays of this on my face during the day is lovely. Cools me down in this hot weather and makes my skin look happy, hydrated and glowing.

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/100-Genuine-SAMPAR-Essentials-Skin-Quenching-Mist-100ML-Tones-Soothes-Skin-/321690451414?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item4ae63ebdd6

I got my bottle as a sample in a Glossybox but it has lasted me a long time

Okay, this is not Asian but it is futuristic skincare, in London, and involves Duran Duran

That's really interesting Frugal. I've always admired Nick Rhodes' makeup abilities.

Oh no, just when I think there's nothing else I want... along comes the Sum37 Cleansing Balm

I'm approaching the end of my Emma Hardie balm which I really like, but I'm so tempted to try the Sum37 - XiCi and anyone else that has it, could you tell me where you bought it, and whether it got though UK customs please?

Brittany I got a sample of the Cloud 9 cream too - looking forward to trying it now!

I think Nick Rhodes needs K-Beauty! He is aging pretty well but looking a tiny bit haggard. Anyway there are so many makeup lines for men in Korea, he'd feel right at home

Thanks scrambled, I guess I'll be getting both! I have blackheads too...

I'll try the "whitening" lotion (wish they would call it something else, don't want to get whiter thanks!). Frugal as usual you talk a lot of sense.

Is there anyway we could compile a list of which eBay sellers have worked for us? My snail cream came from lovelytrip: fast, efficient and some extra samples to boot.

We will be starting Vol 3. soon!!! I thought we could list favorite products, sellers and possibly even blogs in the header post so feel free to nominate yours!

Sos! I've developed a patch of spots on my cheek. (I don't get spots usually) Small, watery and hot.what to do?

Hello! Oof, soft play is not my idea of fun! Little, send the foundation to wicked, it sounds like it will suit her better than me .

I dragged the girls through town on the way home for an intensive conditioner for my hair and happened upon sheet masks in Savers !

Pink is Vitamin E - that was 79p
Green packet is brightening - that was 69p and there was a collagen one. That was a quid but I just got the cheaper two for now.

Right, off to tidy up a bit after this morning & talk the girls into pj's.

Frugal, Ratzilla & SWATAP links would be good in the OP.

Seller rec - jolse_cosmetics on ebay - speedy shipping & decent samples samples are the best bit!

Ok lucy, pm me your address wicked and I'll post it asap

Good idea frugal My fave products so far:
Scinic propolis serum
Mizon snail repair cream
Mizon returning starfish cream
Biore watery essence sunscreen
My Beauty Diary Imperial Birds Nest Sheet Masks
Innisfree trouble care sheet masks
Nexcare acne patches

I have bought from
www.bitsandbobsofbeauty.co.uk - UK seller and good for MBD sheet masks!
On eBay: f2plus1, sing-sing girl and Iamlove shop.

All these eBay sellers marked the items as 'gift', 'low value', and included 3+samples with my order. Nothing so far got stuck in customs, but I might have been lucky!