When I got my first paycheck in Seoul, I practically blew it all at Olive Young. At the end of the month, when I looked at my bank account, I felt horror and disgust as I saw that I hadn’t saved anything at all. I frantically looked at my monthly spending to see that a glorious 1/5 of my monthly pay had been spent on skincare the very first day I had gotten it. I’d like to say that as the months went by I became better about how much I spent at the Olive Young down my street. That would be equal parts a truth and a lie. Regardless of my own personal squandering of financial assets, I did manage to try out an overabundance of Korean skincare products. I found products that I have come to swear by and maybe I can save you and your bank account too.
This serum is how I made my first friend in Seoul. My current best friend and I had initially bonded over our hyperpigmentation. She was the one who recommended this serum to me when I noticed her skin wasnoticeably clearer and glowing a month into our contracts. Over the course of one month, I had also noticed brighter, clearer skin that glows. It’s definitely a fantastic pick for anyone that has suffered from cystic acne and scarring.
Another serum! This is tied with the Goodal Green Tangerine Vita C Cream as a product I swear by for my skin. I’ve noticed a more even skin tone, less dark spots and less redness all over my face. Not to mention it helps keep my skin perfectly moisturized! I use both this one and the Goodal Green Tangerine serum as my primary issue with my skin is hyperpigmentation, uneven color and scarring. It contains arbutus which is a type of hydroquinone. Basically, it prevents the formation of melanin when applied topically, thus combatting hyperpigmentation which is an excess of melanin. The difference is definitely noticeable!
The first toner I tried in Korea and it was a winner. None of the others came close. I used it during my nighttime routine as it has more of a tingling, revitalizing feel on the skin due to the AHA/BHA’s. My skin would feel nourished after a long, fatigue inducing day at work. For an extra punch, I would sometimes leave the pad on my face for 5 minutes (one on my forehead and one on each cheek).
My skin would get so dry during the workday and felt stale under the mask for several hours. I started seeing fine lines around my eyes due to dehydration (which is panic inducing at 25 years old). During lunch, I would spray it on my face to refresh it and energize me for the rest of the day. The best part is it felt really smooth and light on my skin, not at all sticky like the Mario Badescu facial spray I used to use.
The dryness of my face extended to the rest of my body. It was the result of too much hiking and not enough fabric to protect my legs from arctic winds. The moisturizer contains ceramide’s which strengthen the skin’s moisture barrier and sooth itching skin. After a couple of applications after showering, my skin had gone back to normal.
Ah yes, the OG morning cleanser. I found this cleanser to be gentle on my easily irritable skin. It contains Beta Hydroxy Acid (BHA!) to unglue all the dead skin cells on your skin so they’re easier to wash off. I noticed a difference in my subclinical acne (you know, those tiny little bumps that form on the face, ugh) resulting in a smoother texture to my skin!
Dr.Jart Ceramidin Facial Barrier Mask
This mask was so much cheaper at Olive Young on its holy grail sales Sundays. Regardless, I think it’s still worth it for the whopping $6.00 per sheet mask. I use it on days where my skin feels particularly dry and, for lack of better words, crusty. It has a 5-cera complex which is a fancy way to say it uses 5 of the 9 different types of ceramides identified in the skin. These ensure that a barrier is created on the skin to prevent permeability which locks in moisture.
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