🌱 Korean Beauty: East Meets West-Skincare Edition 🌱

[darlyndar]

As part of my New Year's resolution, I promised myself I would explore the world of Korean beauty a lot more than I have. I would love this to be a place to discuss and share your experience!

I am currently practicing the "7 Skin Method" every morning. This will help hydrate dry skin as well as balance sebum production is oily skin. I was a grease factory and am now very normal. This method is simply applying a hydrating toner 7 times in a row. You can use a cotton round, but I prefer to apply 5/6 drops to the palm of my hand and press it into my skin. I am currently using:

• Missha First Treatment Essence 2X ($49)
• Amore Pacific Single Extract Vintage Essence 1X ($145)
• ElishaCoy Moist Up Hyalurone Ampoule Essence 4X ($10)

Results are immediate! My skin is plump and glowing. Now, I could NEVER give up my Good Genes and Luna, but this will definitely take the place of some very expensive skincare products I use like my Vintner's Daughter. I would love to hear about Korean Beauty products you have discovered. I'm all for spending in the name of great skin! ❤️❤️❤️

[darlyndar]

@fieldsofclover Ok! Will do! I need something, though. I’m going to binge watch Gothamista right now. Lol. I’m sure she has something to recommend! 

[darlyndar]

@GG84 I get it! I have a wild hair up my butt and want peachy-toned hair. But I don’t want to bleach it. 😩😩😩 I have no doubt it looks amazing!!! I’d request a picture but I know how it goes😉😉😉 ❤️❤️❤️ Now...if you don’t like REN, what other daily AHA’s do you recommend? I need to incorporate something. 

[GG84]

@darlyndar ummm hi just get peacy tape ins, problem solved cause there is no way come love or money you are lifting without lightener. I always suggest for pastel tones, if its in their budget to get tapes ins, they wont fade as quick and its not damaging their actual hair. I use Glam Seamless for my pastels. 

You want an AHA in the form of a toner? You may like the Ren one. I just found it lacking a punch.

[darlyndar]

@GG84 No, girl. I want my whole head done. Lol. I ombréd my hair about 6 years ago and legit let it grow out. I haven’t touched my hair since. Which means, my hair is 90% virgin and down to my butt!  I want a change but my hair is so healthy..but I want pastel hair...but I don’t want the upkeep...but it’s so pretty...ugh. Just come visit and do my hair. Lol. 

[GG84]

@darlyndar Dont dooo it. The upkeep alone will kill you. Actually...do you have any of your suppliers carry Keune? I have a mega great formula for peach 😃 not to enable you or anything then they have Keune color crave in peach. 

Or is that too pink?  

[fieldsofclover]

@GG84 aaaaaa THIS is why I want a pixie again... to do colors like this every two months without caring if it fries my hair 🌸🌈🧜

[darlyndar]

@GG84 I’m dying!!! 😩😩😍😍😍😩😩😩😩😩 Yes. I can get my hands on Keune! I’ve never tried Color craving! You know I like to stick to extensions nowadays. Lol. But ughhh. DM me that formula!!!! I can adjust to make it more peachy! 

[GG84]

Dm'd @darlyndar

[makeitup305]

@fieldsofclover I was interested in this because I wasn't a huge fan of the Pixi toner or Paula's Choice 2% BHA. I felt like my skin got more breakouts after both of those. I was also interested in the Tarte Knockout treatment but I'm a little scared of it.

[fieldsofclover]

@makeitup305 I've never been into American-style toners... I was only interested in trying this because from the ingredients it seemed more like a diluted chemical peel than a "toner" per se.

[makeitup305]

@fieldsofclover I wouldn't use it as an everyday toner either, more as an exfoliator whenever I feel like my skin needs it. I've been using the Exuviance Soothing Toner but I'm almost out and wanted to try something similar but maybe a little stronger. I'm too scared to do an at home peel for exfoliation .

[snoflakefaerie]

I have a little sample of this, too but I haven't tried it yet. Have you used any other AHA toners before? I'm curious if this is significantly better than Pixi Glow Tonic or the Ordinary, which I'm currently using.

[fieldsofclover]

There's no glycolic acid in the Ren toner (it's mainly lactic) and that's the main component of the Ordinary one, so it would probably depend on how your skin behaves with each.

I haven't tried either one, though, because the Ordinary was always out of stock and I haven't stumbled across the Pixi locally.

[Kim888]

@snoflakefaerie I was just about to ask the same question haha @fieldsofclover do you have any experience with the pixie? i'm definitely curious about this

[jen81]

@Kim888 @fieldsofclover I have been using the ordinary 7% glycolic toner.  I use it several times a week as a leave on exfoliator. I have used the pixi 5% glycolic toner and Paula's choice 8% glycolic gel and 2% bha. I have been trailing a sample of the ren and so far so good, it's primarily lactic acid. I find AHA's work better for my normal to dry skin. The pixi was nice but I noticed more changes with a bit higher %. I like having these as a part of my skincare routine definetely makes a big difference with skin turnover and clarity. 

[Kim888]

@jen81 Thanks for the feedback! 

[Susubee]

Awesome! This brand (and this toner in particular) is on my "interesting" list for April. Would I still be good using my Ole serums with this added in, do you think?

[fieldsofclover]

@Susubee Depends on which, and in what order... I recently finished up an old Ole night treatment (used to be the light-green bottle; I think it's blue now) and remembered I stopped using it because it didn't stack well with other moisturizers I would try to use afterward... it always wanted to pill up if I wasn't following it with the Ole one.

If you mean the Truth Serum, it would probably be ok afterward if you waited for the toner to soak in for a few minutes first. I don't think they would play nice if you just stacked them 1-2 without waiting.

[Susubee]

@fieldsofclover I've not had a problem with the night Serum pilling, but I have yet to find a primer that doesn't cause the Truth Serum to pill up like crazy. (And Is probably want to apply in am.) I'll have to do more investigating in the meantime. 

[darlyndar]

Pyungkang Yul products based on skin concerns. I will most definitely be purchasing everything! ❤️❤️❤️ Hope this helps anyone that has been interested in this amazing brand. Also, 10% off your order of $50 or more with code OHLOLLY on ohlolly.com

Normal/Combonation

Oily

Dehydrated Oily

Dry

[fringebride]

Within the past year, my skin has changed drastically due to medication. And for nine months, I was able to work with this new, dry face -- until about two weeks ago. It snowed 14 inches in Chicago and my face began screaming in pain because of severe dehydration. I couldn't even wear foundation because my face would slurp up any water that came close to it, leaving me with greasy skin and flakey, creasy makeup.

Luckily, the ladies of mountainous Korea knew my struggle and had my back.

I introduced K-beauty products into my routine, and holy smokes, my skin looks incredible after just two weeks.

So, I thought I would share my discoveries with you guys as well as ask you for some recommendations.

MISSHA First Treatment Essence - While I enjoy this toner, I'm up in the air about whether I'll repurchase it. I think I'm looking for something more hydrating. Maybe the "moist" version? You ladies also seem to be super into the Pyunkang Yul Toner ( @fieldsofclover hilariously so), so I may check that out.

Dear Klairs Rich Moist Soothing Serum - This essence is basically just hyaluronic acid gel with Centella Asiatica and leaves me with plump baby-like skin. I didn't even recognize myself after two days of using it because my usually sallow face was full and fresh. This has been so relieving for my winter skin, especially since it has a wonderful cooling effect.

Lee Ji Ham (LJH) Vita-Propolis Serum Ampoule - This honey-based serum not only hydrates but seals in moisture, too. I have to be careful with it because it is quite sticky and heavy, so sometimes I just put a drop into my moisturizer.

Belif Moisture Bomb Moisturizing and Firming Eye Cream - My under eyes are sad and creasy and this helps them not be so sad and creasy. It also doesn't cause milieu, for which I am thankful.

Make P:rem In-Shower Face Pack - You're meant to cleanse your face, put this on while you shower, and then rinse it off right before you step out. It protects your face from the damaging hot water while also nourishing it. I expected this to get all in my eyes, but to my surprise, it doesn't. As long as I don't have my face under the shower stream it stays on quite nicely. I even got some of it in my mouth once by accident and it didn't taste bad either. My one complaint is its strong fragrance, but luckily, the smell fades after only a few minutes.

CosRX Oil-Free Ultra-Moisturizing Lotion with Birch Sap - My skin is fussy and sometimes, despite being constantly parched, it can't do the heavier substances, like the LJH serum, my regular moisturizer, or face oil. On those days, I use this. It feels wonderful, and is comparable to the Belif True Cream Aqua Bomb, though less cooling and long-lasting.

May Coop Raw Sauce Sheet Masks - Made with 100% maple water and licorice and ginger extracts, this mask is just gorgeous. Super quenching and leaves me with the dewiest skin.

Laneige Water Sleeping Mask - I don't know if I'm on board the Laneige Sleeping Mask train yet. I used it for the first time last night and it was...fine? Just fine. My skin felt nice the next morning but I didn't find it any better than my usual nighttime moisturizer and oil. I'll continue to use it, but overall "fine" is my general opinion.

All this to say, I have fallen down the rabbit hole of Korean skincare. I do not want to be rescued.

Western Items in My Routine

• CeraVe Gentle Hydrating Cleanser
• Drunk Elephant C-firma Serum
• Clinique Pep-Start Eye Cream
• Embryolisse Lait Creme Concentre Moisturizer
• The Ordinary Organic 100% Squalane Oil
• Peter Thomas Roth FIRMx Peeling Gel
• Fresh Lotus Youth Preserve Rescue Mask 
• Supergoop! Everyday Sunscreen SPF 50