Korean skin care anyone?

[Matata]

Having just discovered Korean skin care products, to say I'm a late bloomer is a monumental understatement. I've used Skinceuticals, Zo skin care, CeraVe, high end, low end, hacks, I've tried a lot of products to maintain healthy skin and beat back the signs of aging. All of them worked to one degree or another on dryness, lines, pores but none of them worked all the time on all the areas needing attention.

Then I heard about glass skin, curiosity grabbed me by the throat, and into the internet abyss I dove trying to find out what it was and that's how I found out about Korean skin care products. For reasons I can't remember, I decided to try Peach & Lily and bought a few things 3 weeks ago and I'm gobsmacked at the results.

Product touted to reduce redness has reduced the redness, moisturizers are fabulous, gentle cleanser is non-irritating. All of the stuff washes completely off using water, no need to scrub face with washcloth to remove makeup. Yesterday was the first time in 30 yrs I went out with friends wearing only the redness relief color correcting moisturizer and they insisted I had secretly done cosmetic procedures.

Anyone else here use Korean skin care products and if so, what are your thoughts and results?

 

[Kim N]

Following this thread, as I would love a good product for dark spots, lines, and pores.

 

[YadaYadaYada]

Interesting and refreshingly not super expensive. I’ve struggled with rosacea since having our first son nearly 16 years ago. If anyone has had success with this system clearing up rosacea, I’m all ears.

 

[xsouzie]

I've been doing the 10-step K-Beauty routine for years and I love it! I didn't have bad skin but doing this routine has made my skin so much softer and my complexion brighter/healthier looking.

The steps may seem daunting to some but my take on it is that it's not about all the products you use. K-Beauty is a philosophy of skincare based on wellness, taking the time for self-care and to focus on you for a moment in the day. It just makes me feel good and doesn't even really take that long once you get the hang of it.

I use a mix of Korean and Western products for my steps. My favorites are Scinic bee propolis ampoule, sheet masks from MJ Care, Missha Time Revolution Vitality cream, Laneige water sleeping mask and for exfoliation, I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE The Rice Polish foaming enzyme powder from Tatcha!

 

[Matata]

I've been doing the 10-step K-Beauty routine for years and I love it!

I wish I would have been aware of this years ago. Considering the improvement in my skin in 3 wks, I'd love to know what it would look like had I been using these products for years.

Except for the Hanskin cleansing oil, all the products I'm using are Peach & Lily. I found it daunting trying to find the best of the best for each step and there are a lot of strong recommendations for a lot of products from a lot of companies which is why I threw up my hands and decided to go with one company. So far I'm pleased. I haven't received the oil yet as I was proceeding slowly with the products I already have to ensure they actually worked before investing in more.

My list. The first 2 are my faves.
Glass skin refining serum
Glass skin gel moisturizer
Super reboot resurfacing mask
Redness relief soothing cleanser
Redness relief color correcting moisturizer
Peptide pro firming moisturizer

In my basket but not yet purchased is the matcha pudding moisturizer. I got a sample with my first order and love it. I probably won't repurchase the peptide moisturizer.

This process is definitely 3 parts state of mind and 1 part products. I've never enjoyed skin care rituals before always approaching them as a necessity rather than an indulgence in self-care. That has changed, thankfully, and I really love the cleansing, exfoliating, and moisturizing routine now and that is mostly due to the results. I'm not sure I'll get to all 10 steps but I sure as heck will stick with the 3 I'm currently doing.

 

[qubitasaurus]

I've used asian skin care on off for years, 10 steps was not good for me though so I tend to only use 1 or 2 things now. The philosophy that your skin should be hydrated (in addition to applying oils and more emollient products) is a nice one. Products with cantella (cantella asiatica), or ceramides in them also tend to be soothing.

Sometimes some of these glass/jelly skin products contain glycolic or lactic acid to make sure the surface of your skin stays completely smooth. In reality they are constantly removing the top layer of skin. You just want to check how many of these products contain this, as it could be in your serums and your moisturizers. Ideally you kind of ration these products (kind of one a day) and slowly add more. Too much is super irritating-- as you destroy your skin barrier over time. The websites cosdna and INCIDecoder are probably your friend.

 

[telephone89]

I am not one for a long/intensive routine, but please tell me more about this redness reducer!! As a perpetually pink person I am more than intrigued!

 

[Matata]

I am not one for a long/intensive routine, but please tell me more about this redness reducer!! As a perpetually pink person I am more than intrigued!

I don't know what causes the red patches on my cheeks. They don't fit the description of rosacea. The redness started to reduce a few days after using the glass skin refining serum and all but disappeared when I started using the redness relief cleanser. The cleanser is allegedly supposed to reduce inflammation so I'm assuming my red patches were due to inflammation from I know not what. Instead of having ruddy cheeks like Santa Claus, there is a very faint blush on each cheek. I'm hoping that even that goes away over time. The redness relief color correcting moisturizer hides the faint blush that is still present.

I assume that if I stop using the products, the redness will return unless I can identify what causes the redness and stop eating/drinking/doing it.

 

[SparklieBug]

Following this thread, as I would love a good product for dark spots, lines, and pores.

+1 for dark spots, some developing lines and a few rogue pores.

 

[xsouzie]

I wish I would have been aware of this years ago. Considering the improvement in my skin in 3 wks, I'd love to know what it would look like had I been using these products for years.

Except for the Hanskin cleansing oil, all the products I'm using are Peach & Lily. I found it daunting trying to find the best of the best for each step and there are a lot of strong recommendations for a lot of products from a lot of companies which is why I threw up my hands and decided to go with one company. So far I'm pleased. I haven't received the oil yet as I was proceeding slowly with the products I already have to ensure they actually worked before investing in more.

My list. The first 2 are my faves.
Glass skin refining serum
Glass skin gel moisturizer
Super reboot resurfacing mask
Redness relief soothing cleanser
Redness relief color correcting moisturizer
Peptide pro firming moisturizer

In my basket but not yet purchased is the matcha pudding moisturizer. I got a sample with my first order and love it. I probably won't repurchase the peptide moisturizer.

This process is definitely 3 parts state of mind and 1 part products. I've never enjoyed skin care rituals before always approaching them as a necessity rather than an indulgence in self-care. That has changed, thankfully, and I really love the cleansing, exfoliating, and moisturizing routine now and that is mostly due to the results. I'm not sure I'll get to all 10 steps but I sure as heck will stick with the 3 I'm currently doing.

I'm glad it's working out for you and I agree, there are so so many products from so many companies!

That's the thing with the 10-step...you don't need to do all the steps. Just cater to your own needs. If only 3-4 steps work for you, then I would just stick to that. For me, I forego the first oil cleansing step. I use Noxema for my face wash. Been using it for 30 years. I love how it makes my face feel tingly clean and I don't plan to swap it out for anything.

It's not a skincare product but after years of lash extensions, I started using Etude House My Lash Serum on my lashes and I have to say, it's the best serum I have used to date. Also, I just purchased the Diamond Luminous cream from Shangpree. I always alternate between 2 moisturizers. The other one I'm using is La Mer soft cream and to be honest, I find La Mer to be overrated!

 

[rainwood]

Hey, Matata, thanks for giving us your P&L experience. I've heard good things about them. Like you, I've come to skincare later. For years I did very little, but went deep down the rabbit hole of both skincare and makeup recently. I was particularly curious about what I could and couldn't do because like some others on this thread, I have rosacea and also have generally reactive skin.

One of the things I learned is there are 3 types of rosacea.
Type 1 - flushing and redness that can be constant or triggered by something, and over time can lead to broken capillaries. That's the type I have.
Type 2 - breakouts that can resemble acne but may also be accompanied by the same symptoms as Type 1.
Type 3 - bulbous skin growths, often on the nose. Think W.C. Fields.

They say you can progress from one type to the next but I've had Type 1 for at least 30 years so doubt I will.

Hardly anyone differentiates among the different types - my dermatologists never have - but from what I can tell, most treatments are geared toward Type 2. I did the MetroGel thing for several years early on with no improvement and a few red UV light treatments that didn't do much either. So I mostly just stopped doing anything and tried to avoid my known triggers which is almost impossible.

During one of my early trips down the rabbit hole, I watched a dermatologist on IG who said some of her rosacea patients showed improvement with azelaic acid. It sounds harsh and like somethingI should avoid, but is actually one of the milder ones. You can get 10% azelaic acid OTC or 15% by prescription. I went the OTC route. Later on, I learned about the 3 types of rosacea and saw some info that azelaic acid was for the Type 2 acne type but I'd already bough the tube so I kept using it. I apply it at night after cleansing and before my serum and moisturizer. That's about the max number of steps I'm willing to take, especially at night, but I'm now doing it consistently.

I don't know if it's the azelaic acid or some of the other skincare treatments, but I've had my largest broken capillary almost completely disappear in less than a month. I was shocked. I've had it for at least 5 years. The Peach Slice Redness Relief serum at Peach & Lily has 10% azelaic acid in it, the same as the Paula's Choice I have. The Redness Relief moisturizer does not have that acid - which makes sense because they'd expect you to use the serum first - but it might work for redness, Matata, because it's a color corrector. It's tinted green by spinach (!), and green is used to correct redness because it's on the opposite side of the color wheel. So that may be why it worked immediately. But it's got other good stuff in it too which may also help longer term.

So that's some of what I learned about rosacea and redness. I hope it's helpful. And thanks to your post, Matata, I've ordered some of the P & L products to add to the ZILLIONS I already have! I like that they're cruelty-free, clean, and I'm always on the lookout for what might work even better. It's all a matter of trial and error. I have some Korean skin care, some American, some European. I've loved some of it, liked some of it, and some has quickly made its way to the trash or donate pile. I try to remember what works is so individual, and what all those young people rave about isn't necessarily the best product for me with what the beauty industry refers to as "mature" skin. I also try to be realistic about what I'll be able to achieve. But as you said, it's a form of self-care, and that's all good.

 

[Matata]

For years I did very little, but went deep down the rabbit hole of both skincare and makeup recently.

Thank you for the rosacea info. It was very helpful and it appears that Type 1 category applies to me.

Late in 2022 I spent a lot of money trying to find a foundation for mature skin that didn't settle into wrinkles and pores. It was a completely frustrating experience. I found only one that works well for me -- Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk foundation. It's not full coverage but it's buildable. It doesn't settle in my lines and pores and lasts all day without puddling or melting off my face. It figures that I'd find a decent foundation and then commit to a skin care regimen focused on eliminating the need for a foundation lol. I'll spare you the ugly details of my search for a gray eyebrow pencil that isn't too dark, isn't too light but is just right.

 

[kenny]

I can't use Korean skin care.
My skin is American.

 

[rainwood]

I hear you! I tried the Armani years ago, people rave about it, but didn't really know what I was doing and it looked too makeup-y for me. I'd probably feel differently now that I have a better idea how to use a brush. I've experimented with foundation more lately, and have a Merit Beauty (love this brand!) foundation stick I like to use only where needed. I also like the Chantecaille Future Skin foundation which is a gel, but the closest match is a little too warm in tone for me except in the summer. I have a few more waiting to try when I'm ready to wage the foundation wars again.

I have relatively light skin and brows so have tried a number of things. I've found Anastasia Beverly Hills products to be good (I think I use blonde or taupe in that line), but I'm relatively inept and my results are inconsistent. One eyebrow will look good, but the other won't match or I've gotten the arch in the wrong place or made them too dark. Operator error for sure! I do really like the Merit brow gel which I never thought I would. I got it as part of their total collection (they only make 10 or so products) when they had a sale. I had no idea how to use it so watched the video and really like it now. My brows look better but not like I did anything to them. I get that in Blonde. Sometimes I supplement with the ABH brow pencil (the thin one, not the triangle one which I find harder to control) if I really feel like I need to fill in, and have time to correct any whoopsies.

 

[MMtwo]

Hey, Matata, thanks for giving us your P&L experience. I've heard good things about them. Like you, I've come to skincare later. For years I did very little, but went deep down the rabbit hole of both skincare and makeup recently. I was particularly curious about what I could and couldn't do because like some others on this thread, I have rosacea and also have generally reactive skin.

One of the things I learned is there are 3 types of rosacea.
Type 1 - flushing and redness that can be constant or triggered by something, and over time can lead to broken capillaries. That's the type I have.
Type 2 - breakouts that can resemble acne but may also be accompanied by the same symptoms as Type 1.
Type 3 - bulbous skin growths, often on the nose. Think W.C. Fields.

They say you can progress from one type to the next but I've had Type 1 for at least 30 years so doubt I will.

Hardly anyone differentiates among the different types - my dermatologists never have - but from what I can tell, most treatments are geared toward Type 2. I did the MetroGel thing for several years early on with no improvement and a few red UV light treatments that didn't do much either. So I mostly just stopped doing anything and tried to avoid my known triggers which is almost impossible.

During one of my early trips down the rabbit hole, I watched a dermatologist on IG who said some of her rosacea patients showed improvement with azelaic acid. It sounds harsh and like somethingI should avoid, but is actually one of the milder ones. You can get 10% azelaic acid OTC or 15% by prescription. I went the OTC route. Later on, I learned about the 3 types of rosacea and saw some info that azelaic acid was for the Type 2 acne type but I'd already bough the tube so I kept using it. I apply it at night after cleansing and before my serum and moisturizer. That's about the max number of steps I'm willing to take, especially at night, but I'm now doing it consistently.

I don't know if it's the azelaic acid or some of the other skincare treatments, but I've had my largest broken capillary almost completely disappear in less than a month. I was shocked. I've had it for at least 5 years. The Peach Slice Redness Relief serum at Peach & Lily has 10% azelaic acid in it, the same as the Paula's Choice I have. The Redness Relief moisturizer does not have that acid - which makes sense because they'd expect you to use the serum first - but it might work for redness, Matata, because it's a color corrector. It's tinted green by spinach (!), and green is used to correct redness because it's on the opposite side of the color wheel. So that may be why it worked immediately. But it's got other good stuff in it too which may also help longer term.

So that's some of what I learned about rosacea and redness. I hope it's helpful. And thanks to your post, Matata, I've ordered some of the P & L products to add to the ZILLIONS I already have! I like that they're cruelty-free, clean, and I'm always on the lookout for what might work even better. It's all a matter of trial and error. I have some Korean skin care, some American, some European. I've loved some of it, liked some of it, and some has quickly made its way to the trash or donate pile. I try to remember what works is so individual, and what all those young people rave about isn't necessarily the best product for me with what the beauty industry refers to as "mature" skin. I also try to be realistic about what I'll be able to achieve. But as you said, it's a form of self-care, and that's all good.

While not Korean skin care, related to rosacea, I found IPL to be a dramatic improvement to discolored skin with broken blood vessels.

 

[chrono]

Been using Asian (Korean and Japanese) products for the past few years. They are more focused on healing and hydration. I use them to balance the harshness of tretinoin.

ETA
I don't do the 10 steps thing though, preferring a minimal routine of cleanser, tretinoin, toner, and moisturizer in the PM.

 

[missy]

Interesting thanks for sharing.

I am very minimalistic in my skin care routine
I use no anti aging products or exfoliators

I use Avene thermal water spray to wash my face
I use Soolantra in the morning and that keeps my face quiet and calm (I have rosacea too)

After my workout I use La Roche Posay Dermo cleanser with the Avene water spray
I use La Roche Posay Ultra toleriane moisturizer once a day
I use Cotz face sunscreen
That's it


I was using Bimatoprost for my brows but eh even that has proven to be too much maintenance for me lol
Occasionally if I have the energy I will apply to my brows but that works out to be once a month if that

 

[CircularBrilliant]

I'm glad it's working so well for you! Despite being asian, asian skincare has never worked out that well for me. I have a pretty simple 3-step routine that I'm happy with now, using a combination of Biologique Recherche, Valmont, and Retrouve products.

For anyone looking to address redness, I have a korean friend who swears by the Erborian red correct cream. She's apparently entirely stopped wearing foundation most of the time, and if you knew her, you'd understand how huge that is lol

 

[jaysonsmom]

I started using 2 Korean Skincare products about 3 years ago, since the beginning the pandemic when I was at home binge-watching Netflix Korean Dramas, where there was a lot of product placement. These were 2 things I looked up because I was curious as to what the actors were putting on their face. I still use both to this day, and I swear they have both worked so well, I don't even need to wear make up (foundation) when I go out anymore.

 

[Calliecake]

Thank you for taking the time to write about these products @Matata. Your comments and your friends comments are enough for me to give it a try. Oh the joy of trying to find products that help older skin.

 

[ame]

I can't use Korean skin care.
My skin is American.

This felt very DF, and I love it.

 

[hardwear]

2-3 step skincare morning and night. I like most have tried pricey and drugstore, finally feel like I have a nice skincare routine that doesn't mess with my skin.
Our skins change as we age, so that also makes a difference.
List of my skin care:
Cerave hydrating cleanser or LaRoche Posay gentle face cleanser, VICHY hyaluronic acid, cerave daily moisturizer, Avene and LRP products are great for sensitive skin. SPF, Glow Tonic glycolic acid, Neutrogena hydro boost, Clinique moisture surge overnight mask, Vitamin C, Avene retrinal, Matrixyl 3000.
Not all at once, not everyday. I shuffle skincare and give my face a breather every day or 2 as well.

Never had the red flush/blush guess Type 1 as some noted above, but now its been there for the last 5 years or so on/off ? Again, aging or hormones has made on an impact on me at least. It gets worse with hot weather/ hotflash/ probably spicy food and alcohol.

@Matata I am glad you found something that works for you and has made you happy.
Please be careful about ingredients in skincare. Especially that P/L gel moisturizer, it has way too many fruit extracts and that may cause irritation. Also there must be dupes for the P/L, so be on the lookout. As P/L is pricey for tiny bottles

I go on these 2 sites below that are very helpful for ingredient decoding and its come in handy for future purchase as well. Good luck!

Find skincare that works - WIMJ

Get honest, free, science based skincare advice & product reviews

whatsinmyjar.com

INCIDecoder - Decode your skincare ingredients

Decode skincare ingredients fast with our science-based but easy-to-understand explanations. Analyze ingredient lists at a press of a button.

incidecoder.com

 

[Matata]

As P/L is pricey for tiny bottles

Yes but a tiny amount of all the products I have goes a long way. I doubt I'll have to reorder this year for most of it

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

I love reading this kind of stuff! One of my colleagues and one friend yak about products and regimens all the time. I watch doctorly on you tube. LOL,

cheers--Sharon

 

[rainwood]

Never had the red flush/blush guess Type 1 as some noted above, but now its been there for the last 5 years or so on/off ? Again, aging or hormones has made on an impact on me at least. It gets worse with hot weather/ hotflash/ probably spicy food and alcohol.

Hot weather, hot flashes, alcohol, and spicy food are all classic Type 1 triggers. I have most of those.

 

[Tonks]

Oh jeez, new products are such a gamble with my skin but y’all are really making me want to try these. Type 2 rosacea here (the kind with the acne, lovely). I mean, glass skin? That would be nice……

As to IPL for rosacea, I did it and it was wonderful, however, it’s not a lifelong result. My dermatologist says most patients redo it once a year. So fairly expensive as treatments go. I haven’t signed up to redo it yet. I was amazed at the reduction in redness and in sun spots.

 

[Matata]

Oh jeez, new products are such a gamble with my skin but y’all are really making me want to try these.

This comment I see most often when comparisons are made between Korean and American skin care products is that Korean products use gentler less harsh ingredients that have been passed down through generations. Korean skin care focuses on hydration and brightening and Western focuses more on exfoliation. Korean products contain more natural and unique ingredients than Western products.

I have no idea whether your skin will react well or negatively to Korean skin care products so recommend that you proceed with the usual caution you undertake for the products you now use.

 

[House Cat]

https://www.amazon.com/CHARMZONE-Control-Moisturizing-Exfoliating-Removing/dp/B08R34SMFV?ref_=ast_sto_dp&th=1

This is one of my favorite products. I’ve been using it for about 20 years. It’s an exfoliator but it doesn’t use acid or abrasives. You’re supposed to smooth it on, wait a few minutes, massage, then your dead skin rubs off.

 

[rainwood]

For those of us with sensitive skin, I don't think it's Korean v. American products so much as ingredients and formulations. I tried a Korean Vitamin C serum (the brightening stuff) that everyone raved about but it was too harsh for my skin. I've had the same reaction with a cleanser from the Korean company that makes my favorite gentle retinol face serum so you never know. And I bought the House of Joseon retinol eye cream that is so popular, and I like it, but I keep reaching for my Versed Smooth Landing retinol eye balm instead. It would seem like the wrong product for me because it's quite oily when it first goes on and I'm prone to milia - those hard little white bumps that look like whiteheads but aren't - but it's gentle enough to use every night and it's actually helping with the milia just like one of the reviewers on their website said. I was really surprised.

@Tonks - I'd suggest trying a 10% azelaic acid first. I've been using Paula's Choice with no issue for months, but I also have the Peach & Lily version coming soon based on Matata's opening post. I'm sure there are other good brands too. I use the AA on damp skin right after cleansing.

And you might be able to use a retinol type product at night but get one that's formulated to be gentle. I use a Korean one from Innisfree every other night. My skin isn't ready for every night applications yet, and might never be. And I've seen some dermatologists say that it might help to start with a moisturizer "sandwich" by cleansing then applying a light layer of moisturizer before the retinoid then adding a normal layer of moisturizer after.

Vitamin C is the problem child for me. I used the Paula's Choice one but not consistently before it went bad (if it starts to smell smoky, it's gone off) then the Korean one that made my face red and tingly, and now an American one that does cause some redness. I've got another Korean one coming that's supposed to use a different formulation of Vitamin C so will give that one a try too. It's all trial and error, that's for sure.

 

[SparklieBug]

My list. The first 2 are my faves.
Glass skin refining serum
Glass skin gel moisturizer

Curiosity finally got the better of me. Haha. I've ordered the small, travel sizes of the above to try.