New to the world of K-Beauty? Start here!

When I first discovered the world of Korean skincare back in 2016 when I lived in my motherland, Seoul, I was completely overwhelmed by the sheer amount of brands and products available. It was part of the reason why I started Beauty & Seoul - to help review and sift out the good brands from the underwhelming ones. I wanted our community to feel like they had a trusted voice they could turn to for advice and it’s always been my aim to introduce the latest and greatest brands emerging from Seoul. 

Over the years working in this industry and then gaining my diploma in cosmetic science, there are many things I wish people would understand about embarking on their skincare journey. 

First of all, everyone’s skin is different. What may work for me, may not work for you, and vice versa. Environment, genetics, hormone levels all contribute to the state and condition of someone’s skin. Please always bear this in mind when viewing other people’s opinions, especially on social media. 

Secondly, our skin changes. For this reason, I like to have a few options available to me to help tackle whatever skincare concern is thrown my way. During summer months, or during that certain time of the month, my skin is a little oilier and my pores a little larger. During this time, I ensure I am exfoliating and opt for skincare with a thinner consistency. Sometimes my skin is a little more red and sensitive so I will opt for a cream cleanser or a foaming cleanser, or incorporate skincare products with soothing ingredients like Centella Asiatica. 

Skin Type 

If you’re looking to build up your skincare collection but don’t know where to start, I would first start with understanding your skin type. Generally speaking, this is either dry, normal, combinationor oily. 

Dry – “following cleansing,  my skin feels tight or itchy afterwards”

Normal – “my skin feels neither dry or oily’.

Combination – “my t-zone (forehead, nose and chin) area can be a little greasy but my cheek area feels dry”

Oily – “I have a lot of excess oil and sebum on my skin including blackheads”

Building a Routine 

On the whole, you can use the same routine for your morning and evening skincare routines. However, there are a couple of differences that I’d like to suggest. 

Cleanse

I will always recommend double cleansing as an effective way to thoroughly remove make up, sunscreen and other impurities from the skin as part of your evening skincare routine. It helps your other products such as serums absorb better and minimises enlarged pores. Double cleansing involves using an oil-based cleanser on dry skin first, followed by a foam/gel cleanser.

Toner / Serum

I like having a few different options for toners and serums, depending on how my skin is For example, if my skin is a little oilier or I’m suffering from a hormonal breakout, I’ll opt for a product with AHA/PHA. If my skin is a little red or irritated, I’ll opt for a product with soothing ingredients such as Centella Asiatica. I like to think of toners and serums as helping to tackle your skincare concern.

Moisturiser

You can absolutely use the same moisturiser for your morning and evening routine, but I personally like using a more nourishing one (such as a sleeping mask or night cream) as part of my evening routine. Your cream helps to lock in all the moisture and keeps skin hydrated. Even if you have oily skin, it’s important to still moisturiser, just opt for a lighter consistency.

SPF 

If there’s one thing you can do daily to improve your skin health overall, it is using SPF. Whether it be sunny, cloudy, winter, summer, using SPF (and re-applying throughout the day), helps brighten skin tone and minimise fine lines.

Additional products you can supplement your routine with:

I have to admit, I am usually quite lazy with adding an eye cream to my routine but since becoming a mother, my under-eye area has been in desperate need of some TLC. I like using a Retinal eye cream as part of my evening routine.  To add additional boosts of moisture to the skin, you may opt to include a more concentrated serum like an ampoule in addition or in place of your serum. You may also opt to treat your skin with a sheetmask!

Skin Concerns

Then, consider if there are any skin concerns you want to tackle and focus on. Minimise the appearance of pores? Fine lines? Reduce redness? Treat spots? This can help dictate what products you opt for and what ingredients may be for you. 

To help get you started, we have introduced 5 starter kits to help you begin on your K-Beauty journey.

New to K-Beauty Starter kit – designed for all skin types, a simple yet effective routine that will work for anyone and all skin types!

Pores – designed for all skin types looking to help minimise the appearance of pores, improve overall skin health and help tackle skin tone and texture.

Well-Ageing – designed to help all skin types, especially those with combination to dry skin types, looking to nourish and firm the skin.

Barrier Repair – designed to deeply nourish those with normal to dry skin, or those who have damaged their skin barrier due to over-exfoliation or other irritants.

Acne – designed for those with combination to oilier skin types suffering from breakouts.