We've all been there. You get caught up in the hype surrounding a particular beauty product and know you must have it. You spend your hard-earned money and take the plunge! However, to your dismay, the product SUCKS.
Well, I'm no stranger to that feeling. Since I review and try a lot of different Korean beauty products, there are bound to be some I don't like or feel was over-hyped. Here are some of those products that I wish I could go back in time and persuade myself to not buy!
*Disclaimer: All of these are my own opinions. I understand there are people who might love these products, but they just didn't work for me... no hard feelings, yeah? ;)*
Let's get to the breakdown of products I regret buying...
I bought this when I was in Seoul, Korea. I was really into the whole "peeling gel" thing because I thought it was such a neat idea! Something that would exfoliate your skin and remove all the dead cells without being too abrasive? Sounds great! I saw this in Nature Republic and saw how cheap they were (around $4!) so I snatched them up without a second thought. Unfortunately, these Skin Smoothing Apple and Lemon Peeling Gels are not even worth the couple bucks I spent on them. They don't remove any dead cells, they smell AWFUL and they just don't work.
I know, I know... I should've known these were too gimmicky to be true. Luckily, I received these in a Mask Maven Box, so I didn't actually buy them. But these Tony Moly Red Cheeks Girl's Patch are just silly, in my opinion. They are too slimy, slide right off your face, and don't have any lasting effects. Fun yes, effective no.
You can pick up capsule packs like this at pretty much every road shop in Korea! I love the idea behind these because you can try different skincare masks without committing to buying a full size. Why don't we have this in the United States?! Anyways, these It's Skin Todak Todak Capsule Packs didn't do anything for my skin.
Now I know some people like this Holika Holika Pro Beauty Bloody Oil Tint. Mine is in the shade "Vampire Kiss". The concept behind this is it's supposed to be a moisturizing lip tint that doesn't dry out your lips. At first, I liked this and the shade itself. But then....something weird happened. One day, I picked it up to use it and noticed it looked weird. I shook it and noticed it wasn't mixing together! I was so confused because before, it mixed together perfectly. I opened it and noticed it had a really ODD smell. Yuck. It smelled like a dirty mop. haha. I don't know if it's just mine but I couldn't even bring myself to use this. It looked gross and smelled gross. Sad thing is is that I've only had this for a couple months. It shouldn't be bad already! Let me know if you had this same issue :(
You can see the "chunks" in it...like it doesn't mix together anymore!
This is kind of silly. But the reason why I'm including these hair velcro things from SkinFood is because they don't hold my hair back when I'm doing my makeup! My hair is too thick and when I use these to pull my bangs back, they slowly migrate back towards my face. Not very helpful when I'm trying to apply my foundation without getting it in my hair.
Another thing that is super hyped in the Korean Beauty World is the concept of cushion products. Cushion foundation, cushion blushers, cushion eyeshadows... you name it! There's a cushion version for everything. I saw this Lock N' Summer Cushion Eyeliner at Etude House and thought "Wow, how great! It's so portable!". Well, I used this thing maybe once and then the next time I went to use it, it was all dried up! So sad. And yes, I had the lid on tight! I think the actual eyeliner formula was just to dry and this was more of a gimmicky product than actually functional :(
These Dr. Mascara Fixer Mascara Primers from Etude House are well-loved by many. But these just didn't work for my eyelashes. I don't have "Asian" eyelashes (meaning pretty straight, short eyelashes) but I don't have great eyelashes either. Either way, these mascara primers were hard to work with for me and almost made mascara application harder for me.
Finally, I did mention the Berrisom Tattoo Lip Tint Pack in my video! I know this one is SUPER controversial... so you'll have to watch the video to see why it didn't work for me and why I don't like it! :D
Well that's it! I'm sure I'll encounter more products I don't like as I try more, so don't forget to subscribe to my channel, The Beauty Breakdown, to get updates on when I add new videos, content, etc! Let me know what you think and products you didn't care for so I can avoid them at all costs! haha.
So you're new to Korean skincare or you're just looking to try out some new products... I bet you're OVERWHELMED. When I first started looking into Korean skincare, I couldn't believe how many options there were. Between the different brands, lines, and products, I didn't know what to think! I knew I wanted to try some skincare products, but I literally didn't know where to start. After months of researching, I was prepared! I knew what was popular, what people enjoyed, and what were considered "cult favorites" in the Asian Beauty World.
I then traveled the Seoul, Korea with my list in hand...
And, well, that list went out the window. I bought everything I could get my hands on. (If you want to see the haul of what I bought, here is Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3. Yes, I had to split it up into 3 parts!)
But for those of you who don't want to do that, I complied a list of the Top 10 Korean Skincare Products that are notoriously popular in asian skincare. These are the products that I feel are the most raved about, and are a good outline of what to buy while in Korea! All of these products are tried, tested and true, and here are my honest opinions about them. BTW, if you have you're own recommendations, please comment below and share with the rest of us! Again, this is what seems to be the most popular Korean skincare products in my own personal opinion.
So let's get to the breakdown...
So I'm listing these products off in no particular order!
Etude House Wonder Pore Freshener
This one for me was difficult. I've heard so many good things about this product and I know a lot of people love it. However, it didn't work miracles for me. This is just your average toner in my opinion. It does remove makeup residue, oil and dirt from my skin, but this didn't change the appearance of my skin. But for some people, this is a Holy Grail type of product. That's why I included it in this list.
Nature Republic Aloe Vera Soothing Gel
I love this stuff when it gets hot where I live! It's nice because it's light and smells nice and fresh. It feels cooling and soothing when you apply it to your skin, which makes it great when it's hot. Since it's not super moisturizing, I usually only use this during the spring and summer, not really during the winter when my skin is more dry. Plus, you can use it on your face, skin, hair and nails so it has a ton of functions. It's also super cheap.
Missha Time Revolution The First Treatment Essence
This is something I use twice a day and love. It's nice and light, absorbs right into the skin, and really preps the skin for your skincare routine. I've definitely noticed a difference since I started using this product! It makes my skin look brighter and smoother. It also lasts a really long time!
This product is even Waffle-approved!
Innisfree Cleansing Foams
I love both of these cleansing foams. They have a nice, thick lather and really clean your skin. It also doesn't strip the skin of its moisture. Therefore, it's the perfect cleanser for me because it doesn't leave my dry skin feeling drier, but it makes my skin feel super squeaky clean! I also love Innisfree products because they try to use more natural ingredients.
Laneige Water Sleeping Pack_EX
This stuff is amazing. You apply if after you've finished your skincare routine at night, leave it on while you sleep, and wash it off in the morning. It makes your skin look nice and plump and really softens the skin. This is a super famous product and Target has even started carrying this brand! So it's much more accessible, which is nice.
Innisfree Super Volcanic Clay Mask
This is the ultimate clay mask for me! Clay masks are a must-have in general, but this one is by far my favorite. It does a good job of sucking out all of the debris from your skin without leaving your skin feeling tight and dry. I know a lot of people love and enjoy this product, and it's definitely a cult-fave!
The Face Shop Rice Water Rice Cleansing Water
This is another one of those products for me that I have mixed feelings about. It does an awesome job of cleaning your skin and getting makeup and oil out of your skin without needing to wash it off after. However, for me, it does feel a little sticky after I use this. I almost feel like I want to wash my skin after I use it, even though I know technically I don't have to. However, I know this is really popular in the Korean skincare world and people have compared it to the ultra-famous Bioderma. But personally, I'd take Bioderma over this any day. haha.
SkinFood Black Sugar Mask Wash Off
Boy, I love this stuff. It really makes my skin feels smooth and I love that you can dilute the sugar to your liking. Therefore, if you like a super abrasive exfoliant, you can apply a small amount of water or if you like a more gentle exfoliant, you can use more water to help melt the sugar granules. Either way, this stuff is great. Plus, my sister, who isn't that into skincare in general, loves this stuff too. I think that shows how good this product really is!
Innisfree Sheet Masks
Now, if you're going to Korea and really any Asian country, stock up on sheet masks! In Asia, these things are so much cheaper than they are elsewhere. I personally really like the ones from Innisfree. They are a nice pick-me-up when you're skin feels like it needs a little TLC, and a cheap way to treat yourself. They come in literally every "flavor" possible too!
SkinFood Milk Shake Point Make-up Remover
Everyone who wears makeup uses makeup remover. So this is a definite must have if you're ever going to Korea. I love SkinFood in general, but this stuff is awesome! It removes the most stubborn makeup with ease, even waterproof mascara. Plus, it doesn't burn your eyes or delicate skin!
Anyways, there's my quick list of the Top 10 Korean Cult / Must Have Skincare Products. Do you agree with this list or what would you add? It was definitely difficult to narrow down because let's face it, I love Korean skincare in general. Who knows, maybe I'll have a completely different list a year from now and need to make a new list. And yes, I am working on the Makeup version of this, however, it's much more difficult for me to narrow down!
I'm proud to present... my haul from Korea! And yes, I spent a decent amount of money (yay for saving up my money for an entire year because it was DEFINITELY worth it!). I'm breaking this haul up into three separate parts: skincare, makeup, and fashion items. So let's get started with the skincare haul! (ps. I've updated this post with links to buy all the product I mention in this haul just to make it easier for you to find :) just click on the item name!)
While shopping for skincare while I was in Seoul, I tried to pick things that I felt were unique to the country... and there were a TON of unique skincare products that I was super excited to buy and try :) CLICK ON THE ITEM NAME TO BUY!
Literally the first cosmetic store I visited while vacationing in Seoul was ETUDE HOUSE! I had heard so much about this store and was excited to just be in the store! Here are the Korean Skincare items I bought from Etude House.
SKINFOOD was another cosmetic store I was excited to visit (well, I was excited to visit them all but I knew Skin Food and Etude House would be the store where I'd make the more purchases ;) ) I absolutely love their concept of "food for your skin".
While shopping in HOLIKA HOLIKA, I wasn't planning on buying skincare at all really. However, one of the sales associates that was helping me was really nice, informative, and ding ding!...spoke fluent english. I felt very comfortable asking her questions and felt that she was very reliable and not just trying to sell me a bunch of stuff I really didn't need.
At NATURE REPUBLIC, I only bought a couple things because I'm not completely familiar with the brand. The main product I wanted to pick up was the Aloe Vera Soothing Gel because this stuff if what makes Nature Republic famous!
While visiting MISSHA, I was really only interested in this essence. It's supposed to be very comparable to the SK-II solution, however MUCH cheaper. So of course, I had to have it :)
INNISFREE has a very wide variety of skin care products and I loved the idea that a lot of their products are natural. I noticed that a lot of their products also featured resources from the Jeju Islands such as volcanic clay and water from the islands!
Everything else I just picked up from other stores! Most of them were impulse buys, except the Laneige Sleeping Pack because I've heard such great things about the product!
-Free masks (loved the GD one!)
-Sea Tree Snail Sheet Masks (yes...SNAIL!)
-Scrubbing/Exfoliating Cloths
-O HUI White Extreme 3D Mask
Last, but certainly not least, is this kit my mom's aunt gave me. This is a kit from The History of Whoo, which is a very prominent brand in Korea. She said she had to preorder this kit and it only comes out once a year! In this kit is a lipgloss kit, a cream, and a spatula.
Isn't it just gorgeous! I don't even want to use it, it is so pretty! Want to see what the lipgloss set looks like? You'll just have to watch my video on my Korean Skincare Haul :)
So that's all the skin care I bought while I was visiting Seoul, Korea! If you'd like me to do any specific reviews, please feel free to comment and I'll try to get to it! :) also, please be sure to subscribe to my channel! It helps me out a ton!
