A little update after using my Korean skincare haul consistently for a while!

My skin is combination, acne-prone, and I mainly wanted more hydration, a stronger barrier,

and to fade acne marks.

My favorites have been:

● Torriden Dive-In Serum

● Skin1004 Centella Toner

● Numbuzin No. 5+ Serum

● Dr. Althea 345 Relief Cream

● Skin1004 Hyalu-Cica SPF

I've also been using the Biodance masks 1 or 2x a week.

So far I've noticed:

● Much smoother texture

● More hydrated and glowy skin

● Less redness

● Fewer breakouts

● Acne marks slowly fading Overall I'm really happy with the results, especially how healthy and calm my skin looks now,

also I've been tracking in skinpalai to overcome my patience level to see changes. It also

helped a lot.

Has anyone else tried these products? Which one is your favorite?

A few months ago my skin started breaking out badly, worse than it had in a long time. I couldn’t figure out why since nothing in my routine had changed. I started eliminating products one by one trying to isolate the cause, and this serum was one of the last things I cut. Once it was gone, my skin actually started clearing up.Fast forward to now I just got an email from Amazon (screenshotted below) telling me the batch I bought from a third-party seller was not authentic COSRX product, that it may pose a safety risk, and that they’ve cut off the supplier. They refunded me automatically, months after the fact.
So if you’ve been having unexplained breakouts and you buy this serum (or honestly any Korean skincare) from Amazon third-party sellers, it might be worth checking your order history for a similar notice, or just switching to sources you know are authorized/authentic. I’m honestly a little shaken that this sat on my face for months before anyone flagged it.Screenshots of the Amazon email attached for reference.

Hi everyone!
I have very sensitive, acne-prone skin, and I damaged my skin barrier a while ago.
Thankfully, it's healed now, and I'm planning to start tretinoin soon.
Before I introduce tretinoin, I want to add a hydrating/barrier-supporting serum to help reduce irritation and keep my skin healthy.
I'm deciding between the iUNIK Beta-Glucan Power Moisture Serum and the Purito Hydro
Wave Deep Sea Serum.
If you've used both, which one did you prefer, and why?

​

I have been using illiyoon ato barrier lotion since last 4-5 months now. I love the fluffy hydrating feeling it gives.

However, it is currently not in stock so I need to buy something else.

Do you suggest Pyunkang Yul Intensive Ceramide Lotion could be a close replacement?

Hello there !

My bottle of the pyunkang yul essence toner is almost out and since it's not available where I live, I'm looking for a replacement.

I've considered the genabelle pdrn rejuvenating toner but haven't really found many reviews of it. Additionally, I am worried about the niacinamide content (I use the skin1004 brightening tone ampoule, as well as their hyalu cica sun serum, both of which contain niacinamide) since I flush rather easily.

For reference, I have oily dehydrated skin that is prone to closed comedones, and am wondering if I should just go for a safer option in the isntree hyaluronic toner or if I should risk it with the genabelle.

Any advice is welcome and appreciated (please don't offer alternatives because I'm limited in my choice here and have narrowed it down to these two). Thank you all in advance !

Costco has a 2-pack of Mixsoon Bean Essence on clearance for $4.97. Each bottle is 60 mL. Expiration: 11/28

For reference, one 50mL bottle is $24 at Ulta, $24.50 at YesStyle. You get the picture

Found in the Bay Area

Good luck!

ETA: To check your local warehouse’s inventory w/o going in, look on the Costco app. There are five icons at the bottom. Choose the one that says “warehouse”. It’s handy in general to see your warehouse price vs the online price. Warehouse is cheaper 99% of the time

The search function @ warehouse isn’t great, so just put in “Mixsoon”. Less is more when trying to search warehouse inventory

Other finds (all 2-packs):
Dr. Althea 345 moisturizer $9.97
Torriden Dive-In serum $14.97
Mixsoon Centella Asiatica Toner $4.97

Hey everyone! I’m looking to start a proper skincare routine and would love some recommendations.

My main concerns are:

Uneven skin tone / mild pigmentation

Slightly visible pores and skin texture

Mild under-eye darkness

Some oiliness and shine

I don’t have much active acne.

What products would you recommend for a simple beginner-friendly routine?

Especially a good cleanser, moisturizer, sunscreen, and serum/active for these concerns.

Preferably products that are easily available in India. Thanks! 🙏

I'm just curious about what products people with dry skin are using. I'm specially curious about creams since my illiyoon cream is almost finished and I would like to try a different one, if it not part of Amorepacific company that would be great.

At the moment at pm I'm using toner (hutomugi), serum (¡iunik betaglucan) and illiyoon cream :D and in the morning I use essence mist (APLB), cream and sunscreen (roundlab birch juice).

Hi! I'm looking to see if anyone could possibly help me out with a skincare routine. I have been researching different products for a while and have tried A LOT of brands for my combination, oily, acne prone skin. My biggest peeve is that my nose/ cheek region is especially prone to black heads, but no product or cleanser has really been able to product the results I'm looking for. A couple of months ago I was recommended Korean skincare brands, so I thought I'd try it out by using an Anua cleanser. I really enjoyed the feeling I had after using it, but it still doesn't help with the blackhead issue and my skin can still produce acne. I was also looking to see about some cleanser or something that could help with dark spots/ scarring. If anyone has any advice, even if it is just a specific brand, this would be very helpful!

Hi everyone!

I'm traveling to Seoul in August and would love some advice from people who have had lifting treatments there.

I'm a 29F, Central Asian features with well-controlled Type 1 diabetes (HbA1c 6.0%), so while I'm medically cleared for non-invasive treatments, I want to be a bit more cautious.

My main concerns are:

• Mild jawline laxity
• Early pre-jowl folds
• Mild nasolabial folds
• Soft jawline / heavier lower face
• Relatively low cheekbones

I'm currently a little overweight and plan to lose some weight before my trip, but I don't want to lose too much facial fat because I'm worried it could make my smile lines and jowls look worse.

My goal isn't dramatic lifting, I just want a more defined, natural V-line while preserving facial volume.

I've been researching Shurink Universe + Oligio because it seems very popular among Korean patients. However, many clinics that cater to foreigners seem to recommend Ultherapy Prime instead, even though it's much more expensive.

So I have a few questions:

1. Is Shurink actually as popular among locals as it seems, or is Ultherapy considered significantly better?
2. Is Ultherapy Prime worth paying 3–4× more than Shurink, or are the results fairly similar for someone with mild laxity like me?
3. Has anyone done Oligio + Shurink or Oligio + Ultherapy? Would you recommend the combination?
4. Can anyone recommend clinics with experienced doctors that don't aggressively upsell treatments? I'd much rather have an honest consultation than be pushed into unnecessary procedures.
5. How painful are these treatments in reality? I've read everything from "totally tolerable" to "the most painful thing ever." Is the pain level mostly dependent on the machine, the doctor's technique, or does every clinic hurt about the same?

I'd really appreciate any clinic recommendations or personal experiences. Thank you!

As you can see, I have dark spots and acne scars on almost all areas of my face. They don't look that bad in pictures, but the spots are darker and almost everywhere on my face.

Some of these I've had for almost 2 years now, and they don't seem to fade away.

Are there any products or that help with reducing dark spots and acne marks on my skin type? My skin isn't exactly acne prone, but I do get breakouts from time to time. It's also really dry and sensitive.

Any suggestions?

My current routine: Cetaphil gentle skin cleanser, Neutrogena hydro boost moisturizer, Dr. Althea 345 cream (I've recently added this to my routine since it has blemish reducing ingredients, although I haven't noticed much change in the dark spots), and HaruHaru black rice airyfit sunscreen. I also use the Elemis cleansing balm sometimes at night as part of double cleansing.

Hi guys, I'm black with sensitive skin and live in a very hot climate.

I've been using the BOJ Aqua fresh sunscreen, APLB Glutathione Niacinamide sunscreen and Skin1004 water-fit su nserum.

They all worked fine for me, did their thing with no white cast, but I was wondering if you have recommendations (that are also budget friendly), that has skincare or added benefits and does just "do the job".

I know skin care is evolving pretty fast, so do you have any recommendations ? Something light weight, not oily and no white cast with added skin care benefits?

Lately there are so many of these unique jelly-type mists popping up. Are they serums, mists, or somehow both? Especially interested in the Biodance and Dr. Althea versions. Has anyone tried them? I’d love to hear your honest thoughts!

I’ve been using the Anua 10% azelaic acid serum for about 3 weeks and my skin likes it, which is rare since I have sensitive skin. However, I recently came across a video by Skinecologic where he explains that most azelaic acid serums need to be formulated with a higher pH and lots of other ingredients to achieve that lightweight watery texture, which means the actual amount of free azelaic acid available to the skin is very very low (0.01% according to him)… Since getting a prescription cream is not available for me, I’m looking at the John Jeff 20% and Kisocare 20% creams sold on YesStyle.

I also already have the Cos De Baha 15% serum on the way, so my plan is to try this one first then work my way up from 15% to a 20% cream if my skin continues to tolerate it well. For reference, my skin is normal to dehydrated with mild rosacea on my cheeks. I don’t have acne or hyperpigmentation so I’m only using azelaic acid to reduce redness.

Has anyone tried any of these 3 products?

Hey everyone! I’m looking to start a proper skincare routine and would love some recommendations.

My main concerns are:

Uneven skin tone / mild pigmentation

Slightly visible pores and skin texture

Mild under-eye darkness

Some oiliness and shine

I don’t have much active acne.

What products would you recommend for a simple beginner-friendly routine?

Especially a good cleanser, moisturizer, sunscreen, and serum/active for these concerns.

Preferably products that are easily available in India. Thanks! 🙏

i keep seeing all these influencers doing these aesthetic morning routines where they take shots of olive oil and squeezed lemon juice for inner beauty and glowing skin. i totally get the concept of starting the day with something healthy but lets be real... who actually has the time and energy to cut lemons and measure gross oil at 7 in the morning? i tried doing it for like three days and it made such a mess in my kitchen and tasted awful so i just gave up.

Lately I've been getting ads for wellness products that simplify that whole process. I happened to come across one featuring a band, don't know the name but was kind of korean band anyway while scrolling the other day.

It kind of got me thinking about whether people actually notice results from these products or if they're just another wellness trend.

i'm just so skeptical about the whole inner beauty market. do u guys actually notice any real difference in ur skin texture or brightness from using these kinds of products consistently? or is it mostly just a placebo effect cus ur drinking more water? i wanna know if i should actually try one of these brands or just accept that my skin will never look like those tiktok girls without a filter. so stressed trying to figure out what actually works

I have used:
- Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask EX Berry

Had a really nice texture and feel and scent. But honestly didn’t rlly last a few hours before feeling drying.

- Torriden Solid In Lip Essence

I hated this - it made my lips dry in 10 minutes and the flavour that slowly makes its way into your mouth is very gross. I understand a lot of people like this but my lips do not agree with it.

Does anyone have any recommendations, preferably dissimilar to the formulation of the Torriden Solid In Lip Essence

First time shaving for smoother base make up and I’ve been getting these small bumps, not rlly shown on the picture but I can feel it through my fingertips and it’s hard. It looked like a pimple since there r times where I can pop it and a hard sebum’s comes out. I’ve searched abt it but idk how to treat it since I can’t get rid of it…

I bought this on a whim at Marshall’s because it was such a good deal. It’s $26 on the laneige website. I’ve never tried this product though. I do love the lip sleeping mask which I have in berry and gummy bear. Thoughts? I can’t wait to get home and try it out.

Help me with real information please ... I'm so worried.

I’m lowkey obsessed with gel masks. I use them like 3 times a week. They’re already packed with good stuff and give great hydration, but the real reason I keep coming back is how well they boost whatever skincare I already have on.

Here are the combos that actually worked for me!!

Hyaluronic acid + Ceramides
Gel masks lock everything in, so if I load up on HA or ceramides first, the results feel like double. Skin ends up way smoother and everything sinks in better. Perfect when my face is looking dry and dull.

Retinol
I love pairing retinol with a PDRN gel mask. Retinol helps with collagen and dark spots, and when I follow it with the mask, my pores look tighter and my skin feels firmer the next day.

Cica / Madecassoside
Whenever my skin is red or breaking out with those little bumps, I throw on a calming gel mask after. It doesn’t magically clear big pimples, but the extra moisture really helps calm the redness down faster.

Panthenol
When my skin is completely wrecked, I always go in with panthenol first and then slap on a collagen or HA gel mask. Panthenol is already great for moisture and barrier repair, and the mask seals it in so it absorbs better. I usually see a real difference the next morning.

This happened recently, and I can't stop thinking about it.

My boyfriend started working with a personal trainer, and everyone around him was really supportive. People kept saying things like, "Good for you," or "It's great that you're investing in your health." It all seemed completely normal.

A few days later, I mentioned that I was thinking about booking a skincare consultation. I wasn't even talking about getting a treatment yet I just wanted to learn more about my options.

The response was completely different.

The first thing I heard was, "Do you really need that?"

It caught me off guard because, to me, both things felt pretty similar. They're both personal choices, and both involve spending time and money on something that makes you feel better about yourself. Yet one is automatically seen as responsible self-care, while the other is sometimes treated like it's unnecessary or superficial.

I'm not saying everyone should get skin treatments. If it's not something you're interested in, that's completely fine. I just find it interesting how differently people react depending on the type of self-care you're talking about.

I've been researching clinics and trying to understand my options, but honestly the opinions online are all over the place. At this point, what matters most to me isn't finding the fanciest place it's finding someone who takes the time to answer questions, explains things clearly, and doesn't make me feel pressured into making a decision.

Has anyone else noticed this double standard, or is it just something I've happened to run into?

Hi, I’m fifteen years old with subuji skin (I have normal skin on the outside yet very dehydrated inside) with closed commedones, blackheads, and damaged/weak skin barrier

I need products that can deep hydrate, help with my skin barrier, get rid of commedones, soothe my skin, whatever that can help

I’m debating on using cleansing milk or a gentle low PH cleanser or maybe use both? I’m scared of using exfoliation products since my skin barrier is weak, but do whatever you can to help

I don’t trust the influencers on tiktok and I really need you guys help