Save your skin with these Korean beauty products
If you’re like me, you’ve struggled with acne your entire life (and have the scars to prove it). I took horrible care of my skin for years until I discovered the magic of Korean skin care. Now, several products (and too much money) later, I have a list of what helped my skin and, hopefully, what can help yours too!
As a college student, I understand that skin care isn’t exactly at the top of your priority list when you have classes, internships, clubs and a social life. But with just three steps, you can transform and heal your skin. The most simplified version of a skin care routine usually involves a gentle cleanser (typically water-based), a serum of some kind and a moisturizer/sunscreen.
What are the best cleansers for acne? At night, to get rid of all the dirt and grime from the day, I like to double cleanse. This means I start off by putting a cleansing balm or oil on my dry skin, washing that off and then cleaning my face with a water-based cleanser.
If you wear makeup, oil-based cleansers remove it without irritating the skin as some makeup removers do. I personally only double cleanse at night because if I strip my skin of its natural oils, my skin produces excess oil to make up for the loss of it, and I end up getting acne.
My personal favorite oil-based cleansers include the Radiance Cleansing Balm by Beauty of Joseon (an affordable and effective brand), the Rice Water Bright Light cleansing oil by The Face Shop, and the Clean It Zero Revitalizing Cleansing Balm by BANILA CO.
My holy grail water-based cleanser is the Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser by CosRx. It cleanses the skin without making the face feel tight/dry after. The Rice Foaming Cleanser by 9wishes doubles as a gentle exfoliant and is a cleanser I cannot get enough of.
My new favorite, the Soonjung pH 6.5 Whip Cleanser from Etude House, has a short, simple ingredient list and contains madecassoside, a chemical derived from Indian pennywort, a plant that promotes healing and reduces inflammation.
A serum is meant to address a specific skin care concern. These little vials are full of concentrated ingredients that can combat everything from acne to redness to irritation.
The famous Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence by (yet again) CosRx single-handedly transformed the texture of my skin. While it may sound strange, snail mucin works to repair damaged skin barriers while moisturizing the skin, drastically reducing the appearance of acne scars and hydrating the skin.
The BHA Blackhead Power Liquid from CosRx contains beta hydroxy acids to soften blackheads and loosen sebum, getting rid of excess oil without drying out your face. The Glass Refining Serum by Peach & Lily has the skin glowing only after a few uses. It contains ingredients like yam extract, hyaluronic acid and peptides, making your skin glow like glass.
A proper moisturizer is essential to completing a comprehensive skin care routine. People have different preferences — some prefer to use a separate night and day cream while others only use sunscreen or moisturizer.
The Ultra Vitalizing Snail Cream by Dewytree is affordable and keeps your skin hydrated all day long. The consistency is a touch thick, but overall, it's a great option for a comprehensive moisturizer.
I love using the Dewy Glow Jelly Cream from Innisfree during the summer. It leaves my skin glowing and moisturized with a lightweight, jelly-like consistency. The Centella Calming Gel Cream by iUNIK contains Centella asiatica and tea tree extract to combat blemishes and soothe irritated skin.
If you spend all your money on serums and cleansers and face masks but don’t use sunscreen, all that money will go to waste. As a Brown girl, sunscreens that don’t leave a white cast are difficult to find, but Korean skin care gets the job done. I personally recommend the Relief Sun sunscreen by Beauty of Joseon. It's incredible for sensitive skin, leaves no white cast and contains rice extract.
Currently, I use the Daily UV Defense Sunscreen by Innisfree, which leaves my skin hydrated without the usual greasy feeling a lot of sunscreens have. The Aloe Soothing Sun Cream by CosRx is one of the most popular Korean sunscreen products on Amazon with more than 6,000 reviews. It contains an SPF of 50, leaves no white cast and is one of the more affordable sunscreens (without compromising on quality).
You don’t need $400 creams or 50 face masks a week to fix your skin. Great skin starts from the inside. Drink plenty of water, eat (generally) healthy and get enough sleep. Skin care is only meant to help you in that journey. Some of these products helped get my skin from acne-ridden to clear. I hope they can help you too!
