Obsessed with Asian/Korean stuff - taking your skincare to level 3!

[FrugalFashionista]

Asian and Korean skincare products are big thing right now. We love them!
Tailor your multistep skincare routine here! (or see this pic)

Some of our favorite products so far...
Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence SPF 50 Sunscreen
Missha Magic Cushion BB Cream #21
Lioele Dollish Veil Vita in Purple
Holika Holika Petit Jelly BB Cream
CosRx Returning A-sol
Scinic Propolis Serum
Mizon Hyaluronic Acid Serum
Missha Time Revolution Night Repair Science Activator Ampoule
Missha Super Aqua Cell Renew Snail products & trial kit
Mizon Snail Repair Cream
Mizon Returning Starfish Cream
Mizon Good Night White Sleep Mask
Innisfree Wine Jelly Sleeping Pack
My Beauty Diary Imperial Birds Nest and Hyaluronic Sheet Masks
Innisfree Trouble Care Sheet Masks
Innisfree Real Squeeze Sheet Masks
Tony Moly Avocado Mask
Nexcare Acne Patches

Our favorite sellers:
UK-based Bits and Bobs of Beauty
EU-based Missha.ee, Missha.de
Korean Innisfree
On eBay f2plus1, sing-sing girl, Iamlove, blueprint21
Orders from outside the EU: £15 or less are VAT free!

Blogs and other resources
Reddit Asian Beauty, Fifty Shades of Snail, Snow White & Asian Pear, Skin & Tonics
more resources here...
Vol 2 of this thread here and Vol 1 of here

Please come and share your questions, experiences, links and best shopping tips!

My orders arrived!
I'm trying out my snail serum and gold starfish cream tonight.
Then I'll catch up,on the thread.

Oooh, way back somewhere in thread 2, I posted a free sheet mask offer in return for reviewing them (link was from skin18.com via reddit). Anywho, I filled the form in & forgot all about it - didn't get a confirmation or despatch email so figured I hadn't been successful.

Well, my freebies! arrived this morning . I have a Four Season Snail Repairing Wrinkle Care Intensive Mask and a Nature Republic Shea Butter mask to review!

Now, which one for tonight?

brittany, was it you who asked about which parts of your routine to do in the middle of your day while on hols? There's a discussion about just this on reddit at the mo. Thought you might find it helpful to see what other folks do

vegan thanks for that I think shade 27 is the one you mean and yes it looks like it might be good, am going to try and find a sample! Thank you :)

And scrambled which Paula's choice do you use? There are ao many, I have no idea which I would go for! I'm also tempted by the clarins exfoliating toner as that has all the acids in and is meant to be pretty gentle too although does have alcohol.

Is anyone using the cosrx aha/bha or the mizon aha/bha and are they enough on their own or do you use more acids on top?

I have the CosRx AHA/BHA and it is super mild, not an exfoliant.
In the middle of the mother of all clearouts. Yes, I like Marie Kondo

My Cosrx Propolis Ampule arrived this morning, along with the Japanese Skincare revolution book. The Ampoule looks gorgeous, all honey-coloured and viscous. I presume, due to the thickness, that it's to be applied at the end of my routine after essence, serum and cream? Although I may switch out the cream depending on how my skin feels that day.

At first glance a great deal of the skincare book is massages etc, but actually I really like that. The thing that's surprised me is all of the pictures of lotions/potions etc are of Western beauty products, from companies like Bobbi Brown, Clinique and Estee Lauder. Is that purely for western editions of the book, or is it for the Japanese market too? Even the lotion that is pictured, where I would use my Muji Lotion, is Nars. It seems to suggest that the perfect skincare routine is a premium-cost thing.

However, I like the message she pushes which is 'take your cues from your skin'. I've also been doing the lymph-node massages and some facial exercises this morning and my face and jaw look little more defined already. Am very surprised, but exceedingly pleased. Will do some more massages when I take my makeup off this evening.

Ilovetosleep, I have the Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant. I went for that as it was the one that was being recommended on the Caroline Hirons thread (baaaaa!) but I really should have done a bit more research before buying, as the texture is something I'm not keen on. It's also more expensive than the Cosrx Blackhead Power Liquid. Goshdarnit!

I need a new serum asap. I've nearly run out of the Ren Evercalm Serum and much as I love its soothing and hydrating properties, I'm in the market for something K-beauty. So I've ordered the Goodal Waterest Oil which despite the name functions as a serum. Fanserviced-b put me onto it and I've been reading the rave reviews on her blog and Reddit AB. However I will probably have to go and replace my lovely Ren serum too, because it is great for those of us with highly reactive skin/rosacea.

So much spending! I promise no-spend July is coming. It's only the 29th today!

lucysmam you are a superstar thanks very much for link - I'm supposed to be working and yet I've found myself caught up in this thread again. I would have been finished for the day by now if I'd kept away from the internet.

Interesting post on fiftyshadesofsnail about how to build an Asian skincare routine without going bankrupt!

If you do a search, there have been several threads on there about the same thing lately. I'll pop you some more links up later on - am trying to declutter the girls' room, it is not going well...there's so much stuff all over the place

another one here Talking about post-work-out routine but may be helpful.

I saw one about after work/before a night out too the other week -will have a hunt next mn break

Just realised that the 20 samples I have if longer name ampoule is the older formula. Never mind. But imve just been reading about if and came across this kongliah from missha and not sure what the hell it means (jumped out at me as am breastfeeding - maybe it means I should t use?)

It contains on Breastfeeding also uses for healty food.protect
your skin from UV and care your skin vitality.
Care your skin damage.
Give vitality on your skin.
Tension for loosen pore.

What do you reckon?

No idea Sleep but this review talks about the old version. I read through the long ingredients list and nothing suspicious there.

Have accomplished a lot today, very happy, I think this is enough for one day.

I bought some samples if the missha long name ampoule but wasn't impressed. Each time I used it I would wake up with horribly congested pores, like little black spots all over my nose and cheeks. Now I've stopped using it all is back to normal. Maybe it's just not suitable for oily skin!

I'm loving the missha sun blocks. I have the pink safe block for everyday wear, a lovely non greasy lotion that sinks in quickly. I also have the whitening sun mist which you can just spray on during the day as a top up, it's spf50 and leaves skin looking glowy with no white residue at all and as a bonus is supposed to help with pigmentation.

XiCi I love the Missha sunscreens too. It's fantastic to be able to use a sunscreen without getting a greasy face or blocked pores.

I'm still on the fence with the Longer Name ampoule. I've liked the samples I've received, but my routine has lots of components already, so maybe it would be smart to take it slow. My breakouts have cleared completely, so hopefully having great skin days once again!

I'll do low-buy July but will allow myself one Korean order - the Innisfree Home Care Box Scrambled just received is very tempting but their shipping costs and customs are a worry so I'll have to think about it a bit. I do feel though that I get more pleasure from sheet and sleep masks than anything else, and it would include lots of variety. I get bored easily, so I enjoy getting lots of different products.

Why Frugal, why? I have soooo much on my wish list already that it's longer than my 'try me' list!

Sorry Lucysmam Those will actually cost quite a bit more with the VAT and shipping (so ordering those items in smaller batches will be cheaper) but a box full of treats just sounds super nice...

A box full of goodies sounds absolutely lovely...I click the reddit haul posts with a face at the size of some of the packages

I went for the Nature Republic Shea Butter sheet mask tonight. It smells divine. The essence is more lotion-like than I've come across as well. Mask itself is a little on the large side around the edges but fits my face fine iyswim. There was so much of the lotion soaked into the mask that I thought it was going to be dribbly and uncomfy but it's not . I rubbed the stuff off my hands into my arms & they smell nice now too

I could be persuaded to buy one of these maybe...we'll see what my skin is like when I take it off first.

Evening all, I got an Etude House eye primer last week that I read rave reviews about and have been using it over the weekend. On the day it arrived I out some on but nothing on top and found it a bit itchy so I wasn't feeling too good about it. However I've been using it over the weekend and I love it, even today when it was hot my eye make up didn't budge. I don't wear too much eye shadow, but I have quite hooded eye so do a bit of (hopefully) subtle shading in the crease. All still there at 7 pm having been put on at 7 am. Perfection I got mine from Amazon, but it might be available on eBay. www.etudehouse.com/index.php/proof-10-eye-primer.html

Can anyone remember the name of the k-drama Scrambled has been watching to save me scrolling back? lazy ass sorry

Dp is on afters so I have peace to watch what I want.

My love from another star?

It was! I scrolled. Thank-you

brittany, there is more discussion on what to do if you're getting a mid-day shower or re-applying make up on reddit's ELI5 thread today. General consensus seems to be wash (oil cleanse if wearing sunscreen), hydrate & go...

The CosRX Whitehead toner has arrived, finally! I use it after the clarifying one yes? Or is both overkill?

Okay, I was reading Garance Dore and they mentioned Mizon Original Skin Energy Hyaluronic Acid serum. AB is everywhere atm!

Just catching up on the thread. Frugal the CC cream would be Tony Moly Pure Aura. It has those teeny capsules in it that match to any skin tone. I'm Celtic white pale , DD is very olive toned and darker and it works for both of us