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!

No, me neither. Sorry Phantom.

Thanks Misssss, I will stick with the CosRx a bit longer!

Okay, I have now tested both the CosRx AHA/BHA pH adjuster and Blackhead Power (their betaine salicylate, or the BHA)

I was worried that these would smell bad or have icky textures but both seem really nice. A mild light floral smell, clear watery textures. Neither leaves a film or a sticky finish. Bottles work fine, the pH adjuster is a spray bottle (I sprayed on my fingers), Blackhead Power is a pump bottle. Of course I cannot know whether these work before I have tested these for a couple of weeks, but first inpressions are very good.

I have also a jar of Nip+Fab Dragon's Blood salicylic pads on their way, as I thought the CosRx stuff would never arrive If you have a parcel stuck somewhere, break your shopping ban and buy a replacement product, and the original order will quickly materialize It will be interesting to compare the two though, I have loved Nip+Fab glycolic pads.

Yazzy getting the skin pH right before you use the acid may give it a boost.

I think I have most of my routine in place now. Would not mind trialing a few serums and essences, but super happy with my products and results so far! I am eagerly awaiting my Innisfree capsule recipe sleeping packs as I am such a sleeping pack addict (knock, knock, hoping I'm not jinxing the package by saying this).

Feeling a bit distracted. School's out tomorrow, Nanny is now recovering from her operation (yay!) and even the book edits are progressing well, though still not done. Busy days, feeling a bit sad as every day is the last time we do something, it feels like a phase in my life is almost over. But at the same time I am already getting invitations to do intriguing new things, making plans for autumn, furnishing my new office, booking trips, so life goes on... Soon I can order a Korean parcel to our new address

Phantom Mask House looks fab! 3CE is a cult favorite, have wanted to check them out, they remind me of Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics , a US brand that gets good reviews. Oh and if my capsule recipe pods get lost Mask House have some, very comforting! The prices are more reasonable too.

Love the "don't make hassle" thing Frugal, reminds me of my friend sending us Japanese stuff in the 90s when she was there, we had a beautiful box which just said (over and over again) "oh dear! how many happiness!" (which as pissed students became our mantra) and then some of the most gorgeous paper which had, all around the border "Tonight I stay in and finish my boyfriend's knitting!" which we decided was probably a euphemism....(I have whatsapped same friend who is now in China but has husband who goes frequently to Korea on business and given her a list!)

Where are you going Fru? You're not leaving me here in the Pantene and Olay heartland are you?

Gerti- I have ordered some samples from your seller too!

What are capsule recipe pods? I shall be off for a google shortly.

Well, I may have the cystic beasts on my chin under control but, there is a MONSTER brewing on my chest Don't usually get them there. Will cover it with a Nexcare patch before bed and see how it looks in the morning.

Oh, and, please stop shopping at Muji! I want one for a browse & it's not fair

I'm going to have another look at the Benton products since I was originally drawn to them & start looking into some other types of mask too - I do like a mud/clay type wash off one every now and again but figure I ought to read up on these since I've paid attention to everything else.

Has anyone seen the Ukiyoe sheet masks? The packaging is so cute. Not that I need anymore masks right now...

hmmmm...capsule recipe pods on my phone are either coffee or cannabis related

They're by Innisfree, they're little resealable packs that contain a few applications of face masks. I'd love to get some but I'm worried DH might try and put them in the coffee machine!

Apple yoghurt capsule mask

aaah, thanks Scrambled. Mine would just give me a nother look. I've just asked him to pass me my sheet mask from the fridge...his response was "most people ask for a sandwich" (I did get my mask though to go with my peely socks and )

Has anyone used the hand masks? They are like footner but moisturise instead of peel. My hands have become crones hands lately.

Hi all, any product recs from oily skinned ladies? Either I am purging somewhat from my new BHA products or have overdosed on hydrating creams as I have a few small bumps/tiny whiteheads on my chin and cheeks.

Decided against a sheet mask today and just dabbed mint julep mask on them hoping that will sort them out overnight. In the meantime I realised I need more products for oily skin!

I wanted to get the LJH tea tree essence but can only find it for £22 on eBay! Seems expensive - has anyone found it for cheaper?

Also any recommendations for sheet masks for oily or troubled skin?

On the plus side after id covered the troubled areas the rest of my skin looked really luminous and smooth

mowglik, I had the same thing with the Lioele waterdrop sleeping pack. Think it was just too much for my skin. I just left them alone & they cleared up on their own. (Carried on routine as normal but with no sleeping pack).

There are redditors suggesting to treat oily skin as dry though and layer lots of thin layers of hydrating product on to encourage it to regulate it's sebum production better.

Well, I got up later than usual this morning so skipped vit c serum - didn't think I'd have time to wait 20mins, turns out I would have done from the time stamp on my last post

I've just learned from reddit that you can use face products for eyes...who knew!? I wonder if the vit c might help with the dark circles maybe.

Postie has just been, yesterday's parcel is not here yet but I did get my cotton pads and konjak sponge(s). The cotton pads actually look similar to the Muji ones and I'm guessing from the English version of the writing on the back that they are in fact meant for sheet masking. I'll try them out tomorrow but imagine I'll go for a bigger pack next time -it's teeeeeeny. (the English version made me smile - it's gobbldeygook )

As for the konjac - I already have a sponge that I bought for while I was waiting now so will use that for the mo so I don't feel like I'm wasting it (don't think packing it away would be very hygenic?) and keep those for future use.

www.reddit.com/r/AsianBeauty/comments/3ax408/can_a_routine_still_be_effective_if_its/ link to the reddit post where it's suggested that you can skip eye products and use face ones - not sure about this if you have sensitive skin but mine seems to tolerate pretty much anything lately

My face feels like a baby's bum this morning I used the banila co zero cleansing sherbert with Mizon aqua cell cream and it's so soft and peachy. My usually oily skin definitely prefers water based gels rather thah heavy creams.

Grin, I've been hunting on reddit for hand mask recommendations but am not coming up with much of anything. The most popular cream though seems to be Elizabeth Arden 8hr cream - bit thick for daytime use though. I wanted something to replace that with so might add hand masks to my ever growing list as something to try out.

& now I should do something productive rather than mooch between here, reddit an t'interweb all day again

lucysmam not AB but I find l'occitane hand creams really good. I got a sample of Tony Moly Panda hand cream and really liked that too. I've ordered a tub.

My skin had a melt down from the BHA really dry and spotty so I slapped on some Black Rose Cream Mask and slept in it. Low and behold this morning my skin looks fab, spots and everything are gone. Costs £80 a tube though oh and Butelyne Glycol is top in ingredients so it must not be that breaking me out. Square one!!

Oo that's interesting - how do you use 8hr cream as a mask? With cotton gloves? I have a tube that's not getting any use so it would be good to repurpose and use it up

I agree about layering lightweight products - that was working really well for me but I think something is a little too heavy for me in my current lineup (though having said that I haven't used sheet masks or sleeping masks for the last 5 days so it's not those thankfully )

Maybe it is purging from the introduction of acids then.

Yes, I've been using the 8hr cream with cotton gloves on a night time a couple of times a week - my tube wasn't getting used either but it seemed wasteful just leaving it lurking. My hands are lovely and soft when I get up