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.

Goodal Green Tangerine Vita C Cream

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.


Isoi Bulgarian Rose Blemish Care Serum

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!


Neogen Wine Toner

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).


LANEIGE Cream Skin Mist

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. 


ILLIYOON Ceramide Ato Lotion

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.

COSRX Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser

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.

Hyaluronic acid, retinol, collagen, vitamin C...the list of skin care must-haves are seemingly neverending. After all, this is the age of the skin care connoissuer. We hear an avalanch of advice on all fronts; social media, youtube, magazines and more. In the end, all we have is a disoriented consumer. However, it's important to know not every touted and praised miracle substance is necessary for everyone. If your primary concern is hyperpigmentation and achieving brighter skin, then Vitamin C might be your go to ingredient.
Collagen Synthesis
To understand the importance of Vitamin C you must know the importance of collagen. Collagen is what keeps skin looking supple, full and young. It's the slowdown of collagen production in the body with age that leads to clear signs of aging. Vitamin C is vital in collagen synthesis, or how the body produces more collagen to maintain its youthful appearance. Vitamin C is required for the body to create the compounds hydroxyproline and hydroxylysine. These two are major components of collagen's structure and its stability. If you're taking a collagen supplement, then you'll want to supplement it with vitamin C. Vitamin C stabalizes the RNA of collagen, thus supporting and maintaing the amount of collagen between cells.
Hyperpigmentation
Vitamin C can help fade hyperpigmentation. Hyperpigmentation occurs when melanin is overproduced in the skin . Melanin is a pigment that's naturally occuring in the hair, eyes, and skin. When skin heals from acne too much melanin can be produced, leading to darker spots on the face. Vitamin C can impede the production of the skins melanin due to damage and fade dark spots.
UV radiation
Vitamin C also plays an important role in sun protection. The sun is one of the biggest culprits of the skin showing signs of aging. Vitamin C can protect against free radical damage due to UV radiation. Applying Vitamin C has been shown to prevent and treat the damage caused by UVB rays. It can do this by supressing cell death, DNA damage and working as a potent antioxident.
Antiaging
Signs of aging such as wrinkles and age spots occur due to oxidative stress. Oxidative stress happens when the amount of free radicals, highly reactive oxygen containing molecules, outweigh the amount of antioxidants in the body. Antioxidants, such as vitamin C neutralize these free radicals and slow down these destructive processes.
Skin already contains plenty of Vitamin C. It's an integral component necessary in various bodily processes. If you haven't used Vitamin C yet and want to try it out, invest in a serum and up your daily intake through dietary measures. Vitamin C can be found not only in citrus fruits but peppers, strawberries, broccoli and more. It might even boost the current products you use such as hyaluronic acid or collagen.

Living in Seoul, there are a few things one can count on seeing on every corner. GS25's, ubiquitous coffee shops, and Olive Young. The bright, green logo is effervescent. For those who aren't familiar with the name, Olive young is a health and beauty store based in South Korea. Not only does it sell hundreds of brands from COSRX to Clinique, it’s also a fantastic place to get a deal especially on Sunday's. If you’re in Korea looking to purchase skincare (which you definitely, definitely should) then Olive Young is the most convenient place to peruse. It’s almost impossible to walk out without a bagful of products. However, the sheer volume of products can be overwhelming, especially when some of them are unfamiliar brands to the foreign eye. Here’s a list of the top 10 recently best selling skincare products from Olive Young.

Dr.Jart+

$9.00

Dr.Jart+ Dermask Water Jet Vital Hydra Solution.

This mask is hydrating and rejuvinating. It prevents moisture loss by the ingrediants aquaxyl and xylitol while maintaining the skin barrier. Dr. Jart+ can be pricey in the states but Olive Young frequently has a sale on its mask packs. A true necessity during the dry, winter months.

ILLIYOON

$16.99

ILLIYOON Ceramide Ato Lotion

This is a daily, light weight lotion that's deeply hydrating and soothing. It's hypoallergenic and perfect for sensitive skin.It's perfect for keeping your skin fresh during Seoul's coldest, harshest months. 


Real Barriar

$28.99

Real Barrier Extreme Cream 50ml Special Set

This multifaceted cream set hydrates and moisturizes skin while reducing inflammation and signs of aging. It's suitable for all skin types. The set includes various creams and ampoules, perfect for holistically integrating into a skin care routine.

Round Lab

$24.40

ROUND LAB 1025 Dokdo Toner Jumbo Size 500ml (Free Gift: Toner 100ml)

This toner hails from Ulluengdo Island's healing deep sea waters and contains 72 types of nature-derived minerals. It has undergone clinical tests that have shown an improvement in skin texture as well as decrease in sebum and dead skin cells. If that's not enough, it's a 3 year consecutive winner in the Hwahae beauty awards.

COSRX

$4.00

COSRX Acne Pimple Master Patch 24 Count

If your current skincare routine still can't prevent a breakout, COSRX Acne Pimple Master Patch is your hail mary. It latches onto the skin, blending well for a sticker and even manages to mask some of the breakout, then pulls out all of the gunk from deep inside the pumple. It's the perfect supplement to your current routine.

Torriden

$20.00

Torriden Dive-In Kit (Serum 50ml + Cream 20ml + Skin Booster 30ml)

The Torriden Dive-In Kit is another all in one, containing serum, cream and a skin booster. This product is perfect for dry skin. It contains a 5D hyaluronic acid formula to maintain moisturization. The witch hazel relieves inflammation and the ceramides prevent dehydration while fortifying the skins natural barrier.

BE PLAIN

$11.80

BE PLAIN Greenful PH-Balanced Cleansing Foam

This cleanser is for those with thin and sensitive skin who feel dehydrated and tight after using normal cleansers. This cleanser is gentle and effective. With a pH of 5.5-6.5 it gives the skin a comfortable clean without disrupting its own pH level.

ROUND A'ROUND

$19.00

ROUND A'ROUND Green Tea Pure Cleansing Foam Double Edition Set

A foam cleanser for all skin types. A gentle formulation that works well in a routine with double cleansing. Comes in a pack of two so it's efficient and cost effective.

Manyo Factory

$29.00

Manyo Factory Pure Cleansing Oil 200ml

Another contender for a double cleansing routine. This cleansing oil is ideal for sensitive skin and those of us who wear makeup on a daily basis. It contains plant derived oils such as olive oil, jajoba oil and argan oil. The camellia oil and evening primrose extract revitalizes skin and reduces the appearance of fatigue.

dear, klairs

$20.40

dear, klairs Soft Airy UV Essence SPF50+PA++++ 80ml

The final item on this list is vital to every skincare routine. It's the best selling sunscreen at Olive Young, perfect for those who have sensitive skin or wear makeup daily. It has a high SPF and is rated EWG green. The final outcome is a natural, dewey finish with a comfortable cream feeling.

We face a constant barrage of skin care tips, often conflicting, from all sources. With the amount of skin care products on the market, it can be frustrating trying to find products worth their cost. As these products need to be constantly replenished, we also want to feel that it's worth it to keep throwing money at them in a constant cycle. What makes a product good anyways? How do we know what labels to trust? Surely, one would think terms such as'dermatologist tested' as well as ' clinically proven' would steer us into a better direction. Unfortunately, most of the labeling we rely on to validate the effectiveness of products doesn't hold much validity at all. The realm of skin care is highly unregulated and it can be difficult to make sense of what you're seeing. Here are some things to look out for the next time you're out to restock your skincare routine.

1. Higher SPF's don't provide higher sun care protection.

The rate of effectiveness for every increasing SPF above 30 is negligable. If you want to protect your skin from the sun you're better of with liberally applying SPF 30 to SPF 50 in a consistent fashion through out your time in the sun. In addition to SPF, you should be including shade, hats, and clothing as a part of your sun protection routine as well.

2. Collagen doesn't work topically.

Collagen is the main structural component of connective tissue in the body. This includes your skin. It's the bodies slow down of collagen production with age that creates the visual effect of aging. While collagen supplements can aid the look of skin, topical treatments are worthless. Topically applied collagen does nothing to stimulate collagen growth in studies conducted. This is due to it's large molecular structure and inability to penetrate the skin. The most it can do is act as a moisturizer.

3. Hypoallergenic is somewhat of a myth.

According to the FDA, the phrase hypoallergenic isn't really backed up by evidence. The U.S. government doesn't have any set standards a product must meet to be labeled as such nor does it require any testing as proof. Most beauty manufacturers will stick this word on their products without any proof that it causes fewer reactions than competing products. In fact, it's usually used when a product is fragerance free.

4. Dermatologist tested doesn't mean a product is better.

The phrase dermatologist tested means that the product has been tested on human skin and has found to be safe without major skin reactions. It doesn't tell us anything about who the product was tested on, how long, or what results were achieved. In the end, there's no practical value to the phrase and doesn't give any information about the ffectiveness of the product.

5. More expensive doesn't make a product more effective.

Most high end products aren't better than their drugstore counterparts. Typically, they'll use the same ingrediants such as hyaluronic acid, niacinamide or retinol. Most often the biggest expense for a company comes from thier marketing campaign. Their draw comes from the desire to be a part of the luxury and high end lifestyle these brands sell. People who can afford these products revel in their ability to do so while those who cannot strive to be able to buy them. In the end, expense does not equate to effectiveness.

6. Clinically proven doesn't mean anything

There is no regulation to when the term "clinically proven" can be used. It's a marketing tactic that gives a deceptive stamp of approval to the product. At times no study is conducted and even if one was, there's no assurance that it was a properly undertaken or provided significant results.

7. SPF in non suncreen products doesn't mean there's much protection.

Seeing your makeup or skincare products have additional SPF can be reassuring. However, this can be misleading. In reality, SPF is added to products to protect them from degrading in the sun. If you look at the ingrediants list and see suncreen as the third or fourth ingrediant, it's not going to protect your skin from the suns rays. So regardless of the SPF contents of your products, make sure to apply suncreen as a step in your skin care.