Obsessed with Asian/Korean stuff - taking your skincare to level 5!

[FrustratedFrugal]

Are you curious about Asian/Korean beauty products?
Please join us and share your experiences and questions!

Check out past threads for product and vendor recommendations.

Remember, orders of £15 or less are VAT free!

Nice to see this thread busy again
I bought the kiss honey oil last year and LOVED it. Have just repurchased 2 bottles after trying to do without it for a month. Think it may be a keeper

Am also loving the joseon cream. But I am on the dry side.

Need to get properly into actives. I have let them fall a bit by the wayside as I've been loving the moisture boosting ampoules etc.

Got a haul from the hkcplaza sale. Like the LJH tea tree essence. Seems to balance everything out really well. The propolis ampoule is a bit meh. Not a patch on the miss honey one

I also got bazillions of sample inc some other LJH first essence and lotion and they were really really lovely. And a random snail cream from another brand. First time I've ever woken up and thought wow my skin is so soft.

Also liking the toosowoong enzyme powder wash. Dirt cheap and I look forward to washing my face.

FreeButtonBee. I need to know what the miss flower and mr honey oil does for you! What effects does it have on your skin? Where do you use it in your routine? This is on my wish list but I really really should not be buying anything else... (but could possibly make an exception for this)

Anyone else use it?

At first I was using too much. You really only need half a dropper full. I put it on immediately after another hydrating essence (was using Hylamide but that might be ditched now for the LJH tea tree one). Pat in all over and let dry before applying moisturiser.

It just leaves my skin really hydrated and even. Don't need much moisturiser on top either. I can see why the lighter snail creams are popular as you really just need a light touch.

I also adore the smell - and I hate 99% of scented items in the world. I'd wear it as a perfume if they sold it. It wears off quickly but it does make it a pleasure to use.

freebutton the oil sounds so nice. sigh May have to break my no buy.

Have been testing the Sulwhasoo fortifying ginseng serum. OMFG. I may be counting my chickens but, either I have turned a corner with tolerating the retinol or, this stuff has completely calmed my skin and left it... more radiant and balanced. (If that makes sense).

Is this the magic of hanbang?!!

Oh DON'T. I really really want to try that too. But I have sooo much stuff to use up now particularly as I caved in the aromatherapy associates 60% Christmas sale too.

On the upside I do actually wash my face these days! Never used to!!!

I even went on a mini ginseng haul last night

Bought the Evercos red ginseng sheet masks (and licorice ones too) and some samples of The History of Whoo ginseng oil ampoule. Now the long wait ahead....

I am so itching for something hanbang, I'll be eyeing up that ginseng serum!

I'll check out the skinceutucals.

I really want to buy things but the crappy Aussie dollar makes it tough.
I need a new light moisturiser/emulsion. Any recommendations?

Hi Grin. You might find the skinceuticals retinol is cheaper to buy on ebay in the sample format.

Re light moisturisers Mizon black snail cream is lightweight. Also I find the Rosette ceramide gel to be lightweight too. A little goes a long way. Also the Scinic aqua AIO ampoule is lovely and hydrating - not sure if it would enough for final step though. Oh, and Mizon snail recovery gel is pretty light too (just doesn't play well with my sunscreen )

Where has everyone gone?!

Would really like to hear reviews about products you have been trying.

derek how have you found the its skin power 10 licorice? Any significant effects?

teawamutu what are the lash serum and 3w emulsion like that you got in your kawaii box?

lelf what's your verdict on the dr morita masks?

Finally got around to testing the rosette ceramide gel and I'm really impressed. Works so well with my sunscreen and helped my moisture barrier massively.

Also have been testing the Sulwhasoo Snowise Ex foaming cleanser. Definitely a winner - super gentle and smells so nice. And the foam! The foam!

I've been using the licorice serum too. I think it has been working but I've been using the LJH tea tree essence too. My redness has reduced slightly which is what I was after.

Hello ladies!

I've got so involved in AB over the past month. It's my new obsession. I've literally spent £100 on products (modest estimate!) After trying Etude House Face Blur (my first purchase), I've FALLEN IN LOVE with AB. The product added a glow to my face that instantly made me look 5 years younger and the quality is to DIE for.

So, I have a few questions:

1. What's your favourite AB brand? Mine is Etude House. Very girly, gorgeous quality, really suits my complexion.

1. Anyone up for swaps? If some of the products I've ordered don't suit me, I'd rather swap them for another to try. Do you guys do that here?

1. What's CC cream, and how does it differ from BB cream? I've got the EH Super Collagen CC Cream (arrived today!)

1. What is Reddit? I'm loving the AB page on there but not sure how to participate. Is it like Mumsnet?

Hi geordie!

To answer your Qs

1. My fave brand is probably Cosrx for their actives and clinical branding style
2. Was just talking about this with mint - I would be up for swaps though I'm paring my stuff down to a HG routine now so don't have as much as I used to. I'm sure others would too
3. Not sure about the CC vs BB, esp in Korean make up
4. Yeah it's just a chat forum like mumsnet, just has a slightly different format for posting links and images etc

mint I have the skin power 10 as well as I wanted something liquoricey in my routine but not that impressed with it yet. Like I said nothing has really come close to OST vit C for me so not sure if it's maybe redundant for me atm.

My new fave product is Missha FTE I got in a swap and it has liquorice in it and it's been amazing so far. Fretting now about getting another as this formula has been discontinued

Does anyone have any eye cream recs? This is the only thing really missing from my routine now

Hi mowglik

Tell me more about Cosrx. Which are they top three products, in your opinion?

Also, what's OST vit C?

Oo question time!

My answers:

1. I am a brand whore. Although when I do strike gold I tend to explore other products in the brand. If I was pushed though I would have to say Sulwhasoo at the moment - because that snowise cleanser, that ginseng serum!!! And the smell of the overnight mask is lovely (although dh says I smell like a stir fry when I wear it)
2. I'm up for swapsies! Although babying my skin at the moment whilst trying to incorporate retinol so am trying to go slow with new products.
3. Pass
4. As mowglik says, it's another chat forum. You just need to sign up and can start posting. They are mostly a friendly bunch but I've noticed quite a few comments lately from some of the more established members getting frustrated at some of the newbies that don't read the background in K beauty, don't read the side links to see if that would answer your question before posting etc. Not trying to put you off but! The only thing I don't get about reddit is the up and down voting… can anyone else explain?

OST Vit c = vitamin C serum. Helps to fade PIH, increase cell turnover. Formulated at a very low ph with L ascorbic acid so the LAA can penetrate the skin.

Grin how much redness did you have to start and what is the cause of it (if you know!). I really suffer from PIE when I have a breakout which lasts for months! Vit c does nothing for it. I think the only option is laser but I wonder if liquorice might help?

mowglik I have the Missha FTE intensive so haven't tried the old formula. I didn't actually think it was doing anything so I took it out of my routine for a month or so. I then added it back in and noticed the effects - skin more even and really does help with absorption of my other products. Have ordered some samples of the SU:M37 secret programming essence to try as nearly out of the Missha. that you have worked out a HG routine! I'm getting there though.

mintbiscuit snowise cleanser, ginseng serum, and retinol. Tell me more about these bad boys.

I'll read all the side links on Reddit. Thanks for the tip!

Can you link to the OST Vit c? Sounds amazing.

What's PIE and PIH? So much to learn!

Anyone using Asian mascara?

I fancy a change and would like some recommendations please!

Tate I've got Heroine Long and curl. Smudgeproof pretty much sums it up! Have been caught in quite a few showers recently and stayed put. Holds a curl most of the day. Quite natural looking and doesn't clump. And the brush is tiny which I find better to apply with.

My other mascara is Benefit they're real. Whilst I live the dramatic effect that gives the Heroine is better for everyday wear.

Geordie snowise cleanser is a low ph cleanser (5.5) which I use as a second cleanse/am cleanse. Have you read the articles about why ph matters? Snow white and the asian pear and skin and tonics have some really good info on it. I find a lot of second cleansers leave my fave feeling tight and dry. This is probably the best cleanser I have found so far that doesn't do that. You only need a teeny amount and it just lathers up like crazy. And it smells of christmas trees - what more could anyone ask for?!!

The ginseng serum (which smells really musky) is meant to be for reducing fine lines. I'm not sure if it lives up to that claim but I bought samples as I wanted to try more ginseng in my routine. I have to say it definitely leaves my skin looking calmer and even. I noticed the effects after only a couple of days. The down side is a full bottle (35ml) costs £75+. . The upside is that I managed to source 50 x 1ml samples on ebay for £13.

Retinol. Not sure of your age group but as I am nearly at the bottom of the 30 something slope I've upped my game in tackling/preventing wrinkles. Using Skinceuticals 1.0% retinol now which is max allowed OTC (I've moved up everyone!!) It's a retinoid but not as potent as a prescription one. You might be young enough to not have to worry about these things yet!

OST c20 is here m.jolse.com/product/OST-C-20-Original-Pure-Vitamin-C20-Serum-30ml/2299/

Other AB sellers carry it. Think it's also on amazon prime (but costs more).

Mint I don't know how it would work with PIH. I just have slightly reddish skin so while it's not completely gone it has faded enough that I'm happy leaving the house without bb cream. I look less blotchy.
But I'd try it. Nothing ventured nothing gained.

The skinceutucals is so expensive! I don't know if I can justify the $100+ dollars if it doesn't work and aggravates my skin. Might just see the GP for a script.

Thanks Grin. Yeah, the skinceuticals ain't cheap. If you can source samples might make it cost effective to test. Ebay usually has mini tubes of the stuff. But if you can get a script for retin a then shoukd work out cheaper. Will a GP prescribe a retinoid for anything other than acne?

Thank you mintbiscuit. Not keen on the Benefit one but will look up the Heroine.

All the selles are not based in Australia so postage is HUGE.
If I can find a dodgy GP then I might be able to get a script. It's not like it's a ketatmine

Guys, how often do you use sheet masks?