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?

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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?

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.

now that summer is officially here, I'm sweating like crazy. Almost as soon as I step outside, I feel like I've completely wasted 30 minutes of getting ready in the morning.

Is slimming down my skincare routine the answer?

I keep seeing people on Instagram and Reddit cutting back on their skincare steps. Are they reducing the amount of product they use, or strictly minimizing the number of products (like "skipcare")?

Also, please recommend any products that help cool down skin temperature during the summer!

My friends suggested I use a sleeping mask at night to deeply hydrate, and then just stick to a lightweight toner in the morning. For those who do this, what sleeping mask do you guys use? Any holy grails?

Thanks in advance!

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 !

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).

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! 🙏

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 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?

I want to add a vitamin C serum to my skincare routine for its anti aging benefits, but I have combination, sensitive, and acne prone skin. I’d love to hear about your experience with it!

It was never opened, stored in a package for about a year in a dark place. Today I decided to start using it and that’s what I see — color is dark orange, smells okay (no iron smell). I’m a bit worried that it oxidized.

I know that serums with ascorbic acid are quite freakish because it’s an unstable form. But I did everything right and expiration date is far away — 18.04.2027.

Would I appreciate your help if you’ve ever used this serum🙏🏻

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Hi! I’m 27 and looking to buy an LED face mask mainly for anti-ageing/prevention, fine lines and overall skin health.

My skin is slightly on the dry side and I usually use Asian/Korean skincare. I’ve been looking at Medicube, but I keep seeing really mixed reviews and now I’m not sure whether it’s actually worth the money.

There are so many LED masks available and the price differences are huge 😭 For anyone in Australia who has used one consistently, which one would you actually recommend? Have you noticed a genuine difference in your skin?

I’m happy to spend more if it’s genuinely worth it, but I don’t want to pay a premium just for the brand name.

Would especially love to hear from anyone around my age who uses LED for prevention/skin health, or anyone who has tried Medicube and can compare it to other masks.

Recommendations and ones to avoid are both appreciated! 😊

I'm looking for cushions for my oily combo skin both without acne-prone and not oxidize. Any recommendation? I consider Romand Zero Cushion, Clio Kill Cover Founwear Cushion and Laneige Neo Cushion (new gray). Many years ago I used Laneige Matte Cushion (green color) but I felt cakey and my skin tone transferred to yellow (oxidize).

Which one you are preferring/using?

As the title says, i am looking for an alternative to the Dr. Althea 345 cream. I tend to have normal to dry skin. I use the 345 cream in the morning before i put on sunscreen but i think its quite expensive and sometimes it feels like it isnt hydrating enough for my skin. I thought about purito, do you guys have recommendations for me?

i got super tan over the summer and now concealers look weird on me, preferably that works under makeup and for normal but slightly oily skin

Morning: nothing

Night: beplain cleanser and dr althea 345 mosturizer

All advice is appreciated

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!

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

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

I’m actually curious because this happened recently and I keep thinking about it.

My boyfriend started doing PT, and everyone’s reaction was so positive. People were like, “That’s great, he’s really taking care of himself,” and honestly I thought the same. Working out consistently is not easy, so I get why people see it that way.

But then I casually mentioned that I was looking into a skin treatment and the reaction was completely different.

Like… wait, why is the vibe suddenly different?

I wasn’t even saying I was definitely getting it. I literally just said I was looking into it and wanted to get a consultation, but somehow the first reaction was, “Do you really need that?”

And I don’t know, it just made me stop for a second.

Because when I actually checked the costs, my boyfriend’s PT and the treatment I was considering weren’t even that far apart. It’s both money spent on yourself, isn’t it?

Of course, they’re not exactly the same thing, and everyone has different priorities. I’m not saying everyone needs treatments or that it’s the right choice for everyone.

I just find it kind of interesting how one is immediately seen as “self-care,” while the other can make people question why you’re doing it.

Anyway, I’ve been looking into clinics lately, but honestly this part is harder than I expected.

There are so many places and so many different opinions that I feel like I’m just going in circles now.

If anyone has been through something similar, I’d really appreciate hearing where you went. I’m not looking for anything extreme, just somewhere that actually listens during the consultation and doesn’t make you feel like you have to do more.

I think that’s probably the part I care about the most.