Mid 50’s - should I try Korean skin care?

[DustyLee123]

I’ve tried vit C serum and saw no change, same with the Boots range. Will it do anything for skin my age, or is it for younger skin?

Korean skincare is about keeping to the routine as well as using the products. The good news is that the products don't have to be expensive. I was at TKMaxx recently and they now have a section dedicated to Korean skincare.

https://www.healthline.com/health/beauty-skin-care/korean-skincare-routine

Yes it's definitely worth trying but there can be a bewildering array of products for anyone new to it so I'd suggest doing a bit of research first around your specific skin type/skin concerns. There's a lot of decent reviews on youtube, some from women 40+

A lot of Korean skincare is based on layering for hydration, plumpness and calming rather than the anti aging actives in a lot of western skincare and as the PP said it's about maintaining a routine.

There are brands that are aimed at mature skin but they tend to be at the higher price end of the market, I don't think you need to jump straight to those though.

My advice would be to put together a simple routine e.g Cleanser, toner, serum, moisturiser and sunscreen. Do some research and see what product/brand you might like to try in each category then see how you get on with it.

You can mix K beauty and western beauty so if you already have a favourite moisturiser for example, no need to change that. Or if a whole new routine seems a bit daunting just start with adding a toner or serum to your usual routine.

I like my moisturiser, so would like to stick with that for now, and I’m using PIXI toner due to sun damage, but happy to drop that.
I will see if I can maybe find a trial or travel set to try it first.
There’s a lady on TIkTok that I was following, that was suggesting one brand, but now she gets commission so it puts me off.

Both YesStyle and Stylevana do lots of mini sizes. Both sites have a min order for free shipping and you can expect standard shipping to take 2-3 weeks but I find mini sizes helpful to trial new products as it feels less wasteful if you don't like a product.

If ordering from either of those sites make sure you only add items that say in stock/24hrs otherwise it delays shipping by a lot. Also check out their facebook/instagram page, they put the best discount codes and free products on there.

A lot of brands do incentivise influencers on Tik Tok and other sites so it can be difficult to know what to believe but sometimes viral products are good or at least paid promotion doesn't necessarily = bad.

For example, last year everyone was going wild for Tirtir milky toner and it was promoted everywhere - it is actually pretty good, maybe not totally life changing but a very nice hydrating milk toner.

https://www.reddit.com/r/AsianBeauty/

This is a good subreddit. They're very strict about not allowing fake brand promotion and will ban if they catch it. So it's a good resource - if you find a product you like the sound of search the subreddit to see what others have thought of it. Just bear in mind everyone has different skin/skin issues.

I have skin that gets dry especially in winter so I've tried lots of hydrating toners. My top 3 so far would be Dr Ceuracle Vegan Tea Kombucha, Mary and May Blackberry Cream Essence (both these are shake to mix before use) and the aforementioned Tirtir Milk toner (original is my preference they also do a light version).

If you want to try something that helps with sun damage, dark spots or hyperpigmentation there will loads of recommendations out there, it's just not something I've tried to target personally.

If you want to come back to this thread with products you like the sound of I'm happy to help with the research - I love chatting about this stuff in a bit of a nerdy way and there are others on the S&B board who are the same!

I was literally looking at Korean skincare brands this morning, am mid 50s and want smooth even toned glowy skin.

I basically don't want to bother with foundation on days when I'm not doing proper makeup.

@DustyLee123 what is it you want from your skincare? Maybe we could help each other out with recommendations and what we want to try.

Btw I use the REN glow tonic, have used pixi before but prefer this one.

@Obvnotthegolden have you tried Erborian CC Red Correct?

I use it on days I don't want to wear foundation. It smooths and evens the complexion brilliantly. You can get the 15ml size on Amazon for about £15.

It goes on green but then melts into a skin shade ( I'm very pale, I don't know how this works on complexions much darker than mine but fair - medium would be fine)

I have rosacea prone skin and this just magics the redness away without feeling like make up.

I spent my late 30s/early 40s suffering from terrible skin issues. I wish I'd known about all this stuff back then as it really ruined my confidence. I'm older and saggier now at nearly 50 but my skin looks so much better.

@OvaHere thank you for the recommendation, I've heard of it but never tried it. I have used Dr jart cicapair but don't like the texture, it feels too greasy and heavy.
I'll take a look!

I need an SPF that doesn’t sting the eyes - I’ve another post about that.
Ive got skin damage I’d like to get rid of, and wrinkles.
I’d say my skin is normal, not greasy or dry.

The lady on TikTok promotes cosrx.

I have heard of Erborian, and the cc cream sounds good as I usually wear bb instead of foundation

I have a jar of the Dr Jart too.

I prefer Erborian but I keep the Dr Jart on my desk for redness emergencies - certain foods/additives can make my cheeks and nose flush hot and red in a moment so that calms it down but I agree I wouldn't want it on my whole face all day. Erborian is much more wearable.

I use Beauty of Joseon sunscreen. You can get it at Boots or Superdrug.

I also get streaming eyes from many sunscreens. I bought an Ultra Violette one from Space NK last year and whilst it's really nice my eyes sting like crazy so I just can't use it on my face.

Cosrx do have some good products. It's not one of my favourite brands but their snail mucin is very popular.

Below are some videos from YouTubers I've followed for a while that might help.

K-beauty products you MUST TRY for hyperpigmentation, dark spots and melasma - Numbuzin Skincare

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Dull Skin, PIH, Sun Damage? This is the Best K-Beauty To Try!

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Top 10 KOREAN SKINCARE For HYPERPIGMENTATION - Fade Dark Spots Fast

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