– by Winter Wings
K-Beauty– Life is tough on your skin, why not give it a try!
Everyone’s skin is unique, and understanding your own skin is a big concern. My skin is extremely sensitive. I have battled redness and breakouts my entire life. I am someone who doesn’t believe in those facials at the saloon or using harsh chemicals. I have always loved DIY fixes with products straight from my kitchen. I love pampering myself with organic or relatively less chemical products.
From my regular normal day life I noticed the entire world’s sudden fascination about the KOREAN skin care. Not that i have NO knowledge about the skin care products (I obviously don’t use any of them), but seeing the world talk about the k-beauty (as it is often called) stuff I was super curious to know what it’s all about and what made it the recent Buzzword.
So that is when I decided to do some research, also the world’s hype made me want to know more about their brands, what makes their products so amazing and why are Korean women so beautiful?
In the last few years, Korean cosmetics have gone from non-existent to almost mainstream. By now, you probably have already heard about various Korean skin care regimen .Their rich beauty legacy and traditions passed down through the generations, shaping it into what it is today. The ingredients they choose are unique which are made to work its best way-out. Rice water, Green tea, mushrooms and various botanical extracts were used as well.
As I started to read, it was so vast and I learnt how much effort Koreans put in to taking care of their skin. It’s the fact that they just don’t clear up the acnes and brighten the skin, they actually makes the skin healthy from inside which in turns is reflected on the skin, their method is long term and NOT an immediate fix (which is the best part !!).
Chennai is a very humid place, and everything i used in the past are just a normal dermatologist suggested soap and a sunscreen, nothing else at all.
There are definitely some serious bloggers in Chennai who are doing a great job in spreading the skin care around, following them helped me so much. After being done with so many reading and watching professionals talk about the routines. I was definitely pulled In, I had a big list of their popular products to try. Few of their popular products are infused with ingredients like snail mucin, salmon eggs and bee venom (What!! I know) and also their very famous SHEET MASKS and RUBBER MASKS.
All I had in my mind is that “when you try a new skin product it will definitely cause breakouts, the product needs some time to know your skin so DONT PANIC. Breakouts are natural”. Also, I was clear with the concept of “stuffing the face with products is easy, but should be patient enough to allow the products to get absorbed properly before the last SF step.”
After being more involved in how they achieve their flawless “glass-skin“, I browsed for few products to be shipped directly and also there are few retailers who bring in products for you. But that’s not an easy task I couldn’t make that happen either. That is I found a new brand being launched in Chennai “INNISFREE”. It was such a relief to know that a K-beauty brand starts its new venture here. Was truly excited. After waiting for days, I visited the store right after the day of their launch. It was a small pretty store stuffed with all of their best products. I even found products which were already in my list, I really couldn’t wait to try them all.
ABOUT INNISFREE:
Innisfree, is the first natural brand from Korea, they follow the concept of eco-friendly green life. Their products are made of ingredients from the balance of nature. The best part is that, their products come in eco-friendly containers.
I walked around the store and found many new products, their benefits were even more attracting.
Few of my favorite products from the store:
GREEN TEA SEED:
They had their green tea seed signature set which has serum, foam cleanser, toner, tea seed cream, mist and cleansing water with the extract of green tea.
The entire set is the best for both morning and the night routine. Among the products the Green Tea Seed Serum remains the brand’s most popular and best-selling product.
I definitely wanted to try it, the ingredients were of less chemicals (which is what my skin is used to) and was completely infused with the natural tea. I tried the different products from the green tea range. Since it’s my first time for a skincare itself, I didn’t wanna overdo it. So I decided to first check if it suits my skin. They had a sample version of the entire set. Which is a small box with a complete 6-step routine. I was completely satisfied, it was definitely affordable. This 6- step is my daily morning routine to office, it’s not heavy and skin stays hydrated the whole day.
Two of my favorite products from the green tea range is the SERUM and the EYE & FACE BALL. Serum comes with a pump bottle, 1-2 pumps after cleansing will definitely do magic to the skin. It’s been 2 months since I started using the products, I feel great. Initially I did get breakouts! But I ignored and just continued to use.
The eye and face ball is a perfect remedy for dark circles, it comes with a massaging ball (really) which just gives you a perfect massage for your eyes .This roll-on can be used all over the face were you have dark lines . It’s my regular night routine before bed, trust me you will find a massive difference on regular use.
Overall, green tea seed products are completely natural and my skin is definitely hydrated.
JEJU VOLCANIC PRODUCTS:
This range is highly recommended for skin type with pores. I wanted to try it as well since at times I end up having open pores.
JEJU VOLCANIC range has a strangely strong odor. Their mask had some good reviews in clearing up the pores and I wanted to try it on my skin. So I ended up purchasing their sample set as well which had a cleanser, toner, mask and a cream.
I seem to find that the product tries to keep the skin from turning dry which is awesome. It is super effective at clearing out blackheads and impurities. The mask is gentle enough to use a couple times a week. considering my sensitive skin.
BIJA:
I must say that I’ve fallen in love with this range. It’s refreshing and I felt that it soothes the irritation on my face after cleansing. I do see slight improvement when it comes treating acne. My acne leave out scars, this product is recommended to have a thick application over the black scars before the sunscreen. What I love about this product is that it’s very much suitable for sensitive skin. No wonder the formula is lightweight and gentle.
The best part of the product is that, I apply this every day with the green tea morning routine after the serum. It kind of gives a glowing/shinning effect to the skin. Ones it’s damped and absorbed, I apply the sunscreen and I am ready for the day!!
I read somewhere that it treats your pores but I didn’t see much of a difference. Otherwise, I did see a slight improvement in fading out my scars.
Overall, I would totally recommend this if you are suffering from acne scars.
It does make wonders!!
SHEET MASKS:
Sheet masks are the over exciting product among the K-Beauty stuffs
They are cotton sheets infused with essences and serums with other effective ingredients that works on all kind of skin types.
This set covers a variety of skin concerns, from dehydration to wrinkles to oil control to brightening. I’ve used about half of these and so far I really like most of them. After its use, my skin feels calm and hydrated.
Believe me if you have a party to attend tomorrow and no time for a face spa, sheet masks are your thing. It definitely gives that glow to your skin.
The skin felt a little sticky at first from the essence residue, but that goes away as you massage the excess product into the skin.
CAPSULES:
Capsules are like a quick remedy which comes in a small handy containers. They look very pretty. They are masks that have a wide range of varieties addressed for different skin types. It comes in two different kinds one a wash off pack and the other is a sleeping mask. I have tried both the kinds, they are worth giving it a try. They are 150 bucks each and can be used for 2-3 sitting. Totally worth it!!!
Overall, INNISFREE is now my recent obsession, they have really few best products that shows the best result. Most of the products are affordable, or you can ask for samples (if you’re not sure of your skin type) and check on your skin if it’s your first time.
Recently when I visited the store I was even given a birthday hamper since it’s my birthday month (: p) customer service is at its best. I would definitely recommend the brand for people who are really looking for a regular skin care routine. The price is affordable, it’s completely price worthy.
To sum up I think it’s safe to say that Korean skincare has officially made its way over to the world. A quick Google search for “K-Beauty” will give you thousands of different products and places to purchase; it’s definitely everywhere! You’ve probably tuned it out because you’ve heard so much about it, but I encourage you to give K-Beauty a chance!! I think we can all learn something and incorporate the parts we like into our own skincare routines. When it comes to skin, Koreans know what they’re talking about. If you’re feeling brave, try the 10-step routine for a week and see how you like it!!
Take good care of your skin!!
Adios!!
The Writers Room 