Obsessed with Asian/Korean stuff - taking your skincare to level 4!

[FrugalFashionista]

Asian and Korean skincare products are a big thing right now. We love them!

Tailor your routine here!
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
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
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

Orders from outside the EU: £15 or less are VAT free!

Best blogs and other resources
Reddit Asian Beauty
Fifty Shades of Snail
Snow White & Asian Pear
Skin & Tonics
more resources here...

Vol 3 of this thread here, Vol 2 of here and Vol 1 here

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

Just popping back in to say hi.

Have just removed a sheet mask for the first time after just a couple of minutes - it was awful! Far too big, gaping holes, stank of alcohol and made my face feel all cold and alcoholy (cold in a bad way) I can still smell the alcohol! It was 4th ingredient. So one to avoid - It's Skin, honey flavour. Yuk. Innisfree ones far superior.

My skin generally is looking fab and I'm really happy with it. I went out last night with a group of friends all the same age, and I couldn't help but notice that most of the girls have pretty bad skin (mostly sun damage sort of thing) and I felt that all the little niggles I have about my own complexion are pretty insignificant. (god I sound awful) My skin is the softest and smoothest its ever been, virtually blemish free, the things that bother me are the dark circles (nothing I can do) and the moles/beauty spots/dark freckles (nothing I can do). I'd love a tan, but I am fighting that urge. The one person who I felt a little envious of last night was a girl with a proper glowing tan. But I know I'm looking after myself for the long term.

On that note, I guess there's no such thing as AB fake tan? I also suppose the acids would just exfoliate a fake tan immediately anyway?

Still awaiting delivery of hada Labo foaming cleanser, cosRx Blackhead lotion and a whole load of sheet masks. Oh and my missha longer name sale bargain from RRS :)

Good luck with all those boxes frugal all that kondoing must feel amazing but I'm a bot of a hoarder too and too god damn tired to do anything about it this year (DS2 I'm looking at you)

Phew glad it arrived GERTI after the frantic unwrap and re wrap in the post office!

Last day at work today so I have made myself a promise to get my skincare mojo back for the summer. I am just so tired. I will admit to only managing a quick face wash (sometimes some vit c serum) before collapsing in bed at night these past few weeks. It hasn't helped the recurring monster on my face :( I managed some snail gel and bb cream to hide it today and it has reduced loads :)

I'm planning on reading back, making a shopping list and watching masterchef

Ilove have you tried vit c or retinol for the dark circles? I think mine are hereditary so they will never go but these two items do help

I agree, the vitamin c might help the dark circles. It's also helped a red spot (not sure what from), that I had under my left eye, loads. It's not nearly as red as it was before I started the vit c serum in a morning.

Hmmm I should try vit c. Am a bit scared of it tbh! Am quite sensitive. I feel that they're pretty u shiftable tbh. The blue/purpleness seems to me to be very deep, if that makes sense, far below the skins surface. But I will look into that.

I forgot to say, I know it's not AB but I'm loving the hylamide eye serum. It stings, but the outer edges of my eyes particularly are tighter and even my lids seem less crinkly and that's only a week in. I also have a bottle of the face serum but I do t know if it's worth opening while I'm using snail bee and longer name ampoules, maybe I'd be doubling up and wasting one? Will look at ingredients lists I think and see if there are similarities (am not v good at all these finer details!)

ILoveToSleep Re fake tan. I'm using the glow booster Clarins face one. You add it to your existing moisturiser. I'm using it every other evening mixed in to the Missha Long Name Ampoule with Starfish cream over the top. So white power toner, Snail Bee essence first. Seems to be working fine, it isn't really giving me tons of colour but I'm glow in the dark pale to begin with

ilovesleep maybe look for a subtle bronzer for a warm glow if you wear makeup?

frugal I have tried a DIY cushion, I went all whimsical and added a load of things to a base of missha perfect cover in 23 - a couple of squeezes of elemis flash balm which made the mix smell gorgeous, soap and glory highlight fluid and bourjois healthy mix serum foundation to add a bit more yellow - it worked surprisingly well but I don't think I used enough product as it already needs topping up. I bought missha M magic cushion and there is a lot more product in that and more coverage. Going to tinker with another mix with more foundation

I think, if you're not looking for instant results ilove, that the vit c serum is worth a go. My odd red spot has faded quite a bit but it definitely has a long way to go. I think it's more about prolonged, regular, use than a quick fix.

My COSRX Whitehead Power has arrived (and poor samples from Jolse this time ). I'm itching to order it's blackhead companion...itching! But I'm being good, I have ordered nothing this week. Instead I bought some much needed new underwear and socks in Primark yesterday with my 'bike money'. Oh, tell a lie! I bought some distilled witch hazel to use in place of a ph adjusting toner too.

It's only 3 weeks more not buying skincare...I can manage

Hope everyone has a nice day, I've got a list as long as my arm to crack on with today

A week of double cleansing , nip fab and sleep mask and Biore sun screen and I can really see that my skin is much more clean and clear, my acid toner is on the way recommended by Lucymam thank you , I would now like to add retin as well so any recommendation on where to shop ? Tia

Retin-a is not my thing (along with bb/cc creams)...it scares me

since embracing this routine my skin is blooming amazing - have had lots of comments about how glowy it looks etc, this is a first for me!

I have been doing:

Rice water oil double cleanse
hyuralonic acid OR retin A x 3 a week
snail serum
snail eye cream
snail repair cream

then in the morning -
gel cleanser
vit c serum
snail serum
aloe vera gel
snail eye cream
factor 50 cream

I've just put in an order with iloveshop on ebay for mizon snail all-in-one repair cream, intensive ampoule, repair eye cream and recovery gel.

I absolutely love it, it's a revelation - usually my 43 year old skin is spotty, sensitive blotchy and bumpy but it looks great, I went shopping with no make up today and didn't cringe when I saw someone I knew!

thank you ladies for sharing your finds, I absolutely love this thread

Mowglik my Hada Labo has arrived! So excited, I can't wait to try it out! Thank you.

Jackie I got my retin-a from a Thai shop on eBay (there are lots of them). If you are using it for acne then boots online acne clinic offer retinol (as differin I think) on prescription but it does cost more..

Jocasta and Jackie so happy that these products are working for you! I've noticed a huge difference too, I routinely go about town barefaced these days. Before, I thought that a glow is something you get from a highlighter

Sleep I couldn't do proper minimalism while DC were really small. Life is so much easier now when DD2 is five, I have more energy and free time. I might be able to start sleeping in my new home tomorrow!!! Until today, the beds and kitchen were blocked by boxes but we've made a lot of progress and I am going to move in tomorrow! DC are staying with my parents for a few more days because it is still too chaotic and dangerous...

OK this is definitely over share but yet I have to share in case it helps anyone else.
I'm menopausal, on HRT as my Oestrogen levels were catastrophic, that of a post meno woman but not consistently hence deemed to be in early meno as my consultant thinks this all started before I was 40.

Anyway, one of the things has been cystic acne on my jaw and also my bum The CosRx sorted out my jaw ones and I didn't even think to try it on the other area. .did yesterday night, left the toner on for 20mins then applied the Mizon snail recovery gel. Overnight all three big cystic bum zits shrunk dramatically

Amazing ok I'm officially intrigued! Which CosRX did you use? maybe this would work on the recurring chin demon I'm currently battling...definitely hormonal I think.

I have to say it's not all bad, the parts of my skin that aren't, ahem 'troubled' by cysts, are looking pretty good indeed!

I've tried the grits method twice, and no grits :( No broken veins either, on the upside. But I still have the little black dots. Almost tempted to use one of those nose strips on my chin instead but apparently they're not good for your skin. Do you think if I just persevere with the acids the yuck will vanish somehow?

Wizzard regular BHA use has made my SFs tiny/ not noticeable. I always resented heavy Western creams because I felt they filled up my pores with grease - when it oxidizes (this happens quickly, particularly in polluted cities), they looked like blackheads. I also think sleeping masks help as those fill the pores with water-soluble silicon that can be rinsed off.

Having a great skin day today! I now use AHA and BHA pads on alternate nights and that seems just right.

Amazing and LittleChinaPig I enjoyed your TMI posts. I'm 42 so bound to enter the lovely perimenopause soon so making notes...

Pig I have just moved and before that spent more than a month in a mail embargo! I'm in a total shopping ban excluding Ikea Pax storage systems but will allow myself one Korean order in August.

Amazing, that made me giggle a little but it wouldn't have occurred to me either! Was it the blackhead, whitehead or a-sol?

Wizzard, I think if they've been there a while it might take a while to unclog using the acids. Also, which oil cleanser are you using? I'm using Skinfood Black sugar & get a handful of grits every time. Unless it's hot or I'm a bit sweaty in which case there's loads.

COSRX blackhead is on my list to buy after the wedding - I used the whitehead yesterday (I know I said I would wait but I'm impatient ). Anywho - my point was that my skin does look improved this morning & wasn't as oily when I got up.

Ooh, and, did anyone else sign up for the shark sauce co-op? I had an email last night sometime from Holy Snails Lady (Chel) but it only mentions US postage so far. I did double check that it was open to UK folks as well before signing up so am a bit . I'll check again, I might have saved for ingredients by the time it gets to my turn.

One last thing before I get dressed and cut some more icing letters for cakes - Any suggestions for uses for an unused cream cleanser? Could I use it in the shower like my foaming wash? It's been sat a while and could do with finishing off.

Littlechinapig - my current eye cream is a dr organics one from holland & barrett, it's nice, very light, absorbs easy and goes under make up. However I'm going to try the mizon one next.
I'm not using a toner yet, I'm a bit confused as to which one to get, any suggestions?

Jocasta, what sort of toner do you want?

I could have phrased that better, sorry. A hydrating toner or one to help with particular issues you want to address?