I don’t know what it is with me and Korean (pop) culture. I like everything else about Korea except for K-Pop1 and I know that there are still a lot of things to discover about this particular Asian country. I had my first exposure to Korean (pop) culture back in college, when I used to train in Taekwondo for two and a half years2, got a bit of an exposure to some simple Korean phrases and Hangul thanks to the sabumnim,3 first played my very first Korean video game of a classic MMORPG called Ragnarok Online,4 watched some K-dramas that I enjoyed,5 and have had homemade Korean food during our annual local Asian-American Heritage Month Festival every May.
I don’t go all out fangirling like many of the “Koreaboos” out there, just as how I don’t go all out fangirling Japanese (pop) culture like many of the “Weaboos” out there,6 and if it were to me, it feels good to be Asian.7 It’d be nice if the Philippines have their own skincare brands, but I’ve searched everywhere for anything “Made in the Philippines,” and so far I haven’t found any.8 Anyway, moving on.
I’ve left a few comments on some blogs stating that after reading articles about Korean skincare, to me, they’re pretty much similar, if not exactly the same, as Japanese skincare.9 I admit that I didn’t understand the whole hype with Korean skincare10 other than they’re created using its native natural resources11 because most of the time, they’ve reminded me of Japanese skincare. I thought to myself, I’m happy with what I’m doing, and if I tried Korean skincare, it’d probably be the same. 10+-step Korean skincare routine, as written by a lot of blogs and other sites out there? Japanese skincare also has 10+ steps too. Well, you get the picture.
So, regardless of what I wrote there, how on earth did I end up buying my first dose of Korean skincare products? Pretty simple, actually. I was looking for a charcoal peel-off mask because my sisters have been hyping about them. I already started using a charcoal-based cleanser12 and even though my face isn’t very oily, more like on the dry to combination skin, I just had to try anything based on charcoal or clay. My sister recommended me a particular peel-off charcoal mask sold at Sephora,13 and I got curious about it. I decided to head off to the nearest Sephora store to my area14 to purchase a small tube as a sample. To my dismay, the product has been sold out for a long time. I did buy something from there though15 and add another charcoal-based product in my regimen.
At the Valley Fair mall, I had my lunch at their eatery area. While I was eating my small bowl of Tonkotsu Ramen, I was looking around its neighboring shops and one store suddenly piqued my curiosity: The Face Shop. I often buy some skincare products at The Body Shop myself,16 but The Face Shop? After I finished with my ramen, I went directly to the store. Cue in K-Pop music in the background, spot the sales staff speaking Korean to each other, and they welcomed me with open arms and friendly smiles. I realized that this is a Korean skincare shop, to be more specific, The Face Shop brand.
The staff was very helpful and knowledgeable with their products, considering that I’m still looking for a charcoal (peel-off) mask.17 They had a lot of items on sale and I ended up indulging on a few of them. See, this is what happens to me and skincare in general: I only look for one or two items and I ended up buying more. Bad Adri, bad!
The items I ended up purchasing are as follows:
- Jeju Volcanic Lava Pore Cleansing Foam18
- Jeju Volcanic Lava Pore Cleansing Wipes19
- Photo Blur BB Cream20
- Eco Beauty Charcoal & Konjac Cleansing Puff21
And I signed up for their mailing list too, and because this is my first purchase, I got the Lemon Citron Face Mask for free22, as well as two sample packs of Dr. Belmeur Ato Salt Cream and Clarifying Moisturizer. Overall total – $54 (tax not included). To compare them to my binge usage of The Body Shop products and here and there at Sephora, The Face Shop products are pretty inexpensive.
Maybe that’s the huge difference between Korean skincare and Japanese skincare— the pricing sold here in the U.S. That’s why it’s being hyped a lot. Maybe. I’m pretty sure there’s more that I need to try out, but that can wait next time. ????
I don’t really write about beauty-related products here. After all, this is a niche-less blog LOL. But writing about this has a lot of fun. I’m very anxious right now. ????
So, I ask everyone: do you have a particular skincare regimen that you follow daily and what do you normally do and the products you use? If you’re familiar with Korean skincare, what would you recommend?
I’m always open to exploring. ????
- that is, since the dissolving of some of my fave K-Pop groups like H.O.T. and Fin.K.L. back in the good ol’ days… [↩]
- I only got up to a red belt, just two more and I would’ve gotten 1st dan black belt [↩]
- In fact, we had to use a lot of the Korean simple phrases to greet and exit, such as Annyeong and Kamsamnida. As for Hangul, it was easy to pick up and it’s a lot easier to learn than the Japanese Kana and that other set that we call Kanji. ???? Sabumnim is the Korean term for teacher/instructor, equal to sensei. [↩]
- and I played many others after that, such as Mabinogi, Elsword, Archeage, Blade & Soul, to name a few. Also, I played a Korean console game in Magna Carta: Crimson Stigmata for the PS2. Right now, I’m currently playing Mystic Messenger mobile otome game, and 707 is pure ???? [↩]
- their original ones, not the ones based on Japanese anime/manga. I especially enjoy their historical ones and fantasy ones such as Goong and Rooftop Prince. [↩]
- okay, not quite true… [↩]
- Filipinos are Asian because the country is part of the Asian continent (Southeast Asia), okay? If people argue that we’re Pacific Islanders because of our location in the Pacific Ocean, then that should also mean Indonesia, Taiwan, and Japan should also be Pacific Islanders, since they are island nations located in the Pacific Ocean. I rest my case. [↩]
- if you know a brand or so, please let me know! [↩]
- Moreso on the skincare routine, the natural resources that they use to create their products, so on and so forth… and the fact that historically, both Japan and Korea highly influence each other in (almost) everything cultural… [↩]
- probably because of the huge popularity of K-Pop and K-dramas, all of a sudden, anything else Korean is now the “in” thing? Korean martial arts such as Taekwondo and Hapkido have been all around the world way before them, keeping that in mind. [↩]
- nature-based cosmetics are everywhere now, to be honest, so it’s not really a new thing… [↩]
- Biore Deep Pore Charcoal Cleanser — yes, it’s a drugstore product, but Biore is also a Japanese skincare brand. It’s very refreshing and it does wake me up because it feels so tingly, I’m loving it so far! [↩]
- Boscia Luminizing Black Mask. Boscia is a Japanese skincare brand, one of the more higher end types like Shiseido and the very pricey Tatcha line… [↩]
- San Jose [↩]
- Boscia Charcoal Deodorant – $20 [↩]
- because it was close to my workplace [↩]
- The Boscia one is $34. It’s even more expensive at Amazon, dang… [↩]
- $16. I’ll be using this right after I’m done with my Biore cleanser [↩]
- $16. I just remembered that I ran out of cleansing wipes [↩]
- $15. I realized that I just ran out of BB cream, so I got this [↩]
- $7. Charcoal & Konjac cleansing puffs also exist in Japanese skincare too (konnyaku), and eventually, it spread throughout the world… [↩]
- $2 [↩]
January 27, 2017 @ 10:45 pm
OMG, that PI argument. Haha. TBH, I don’t know where it comes from. The thing is, it is believed(in the academe and by anthropologists) that many Pacific Islanders (though not all) are descendants of Austronesian speakers who migrated from the Philippines (who then migrated from Taiwan) rather than the other way around.
Anyway, I generally like Face Shop products, even their cheaper lines. It’s the only one that doesn’t cause me acne (I have sensitive skin). Even the “natural” ingredients from Lush don’t really do much (and they are very expensive). I think Asian products are best for Asian skin since they have the Asians in mind when making these. One thing Notice though is Asian products tend to use “Essence” to refer to face lotions and sometimes “milk” meant toners or something like that. It can be confusing at first.
Did you get these at he Valley Fair in Santa Clara or do you have Valley Fair in Union City?
Tamz recently posted Month Ender: January on her blog!
January 28, 2017 @ 5:59 pm
Valley Fair in Santa Clara, but there’s actually a stand-alone shop in Milpitas, at the Milpitas Mall. It’s kind of funny because it’s right smack in the middle of a small mall completely filled with Filipino restaurants and businesses. Then again, you know how Filipinos (in the Philippines) are so obsessing about anything Korean…
I’ve never purchased anything from Lush. I have purchased a lot from DHC and The Body Shop, and sometimes from Sephora (mainly Boscia, Caudalie, and a few brands), but not once have I tried any Korean skincare until very recently. I actually stopped by the one in Milpitas earlier today and I ended up buying 5 masks (with 5 more for free), a nose clay mask (I just ran out the other day and forgot about it), makeup base, and along with it, I got a lot more samples from this store than the one in the Santa Clara shop. I’m still happy all the same.
I’m familiar with “essence” and “milk” with Japanese skincare, so still, it’s all the same to me LOL. ^^
Adri recently posted Korean Skincare and Me on her blog!
January 28, 2017 @ 1:09 am
Hi Adrianne! I don’t think I remember your site but I remember someone called Erin. Is that you? When did we first interact? I’m so sorry that I don’t remember you but I used to like J-Pop boy bands like Arashi so we might have met there… Shall we be affies if that’s the case?
Yes, Korean skincare is very similar to Japanese skincare… In fact, I think Japanese skincare product can be more expensive than Korean skincare products. I always wanted to try Fancl but it’s too expensive. :(
Personally, I don’t recommend using any The Face Shop and Tony Moly products because you can get much better products (with a slight increase in price) from other brands under Amore Pacific company.
January 28, 2017 @ 8:42 pm
Eri… and yes, I used to own a massive Arashi fansite before under the domain name amnos.net LOL. And sure, we can do affies/link exchanges (though I don’t really have any affies. Just link exchanges LOL). I guess like you I grew out of it, but I still keep in touch with their music from time to time when I have the chance. ^^
I’ve heard of Fancl before. I normally would order from DHC, but lately, my budget has been pretty tight to the point where I couldn’t afford the products anymore and had to find a bit more affordable alternatives. Maybe they’re not as good as DHC, so to speak, but bearable.
As for Korean skincare, I’m pretty sure you know a lot more, but I’m an amateur, and The Face Shop is (probably) the nearest existing shop for Korean skincare products in my area. Maybe there’s more out there, but I would have to drive out there to search for them. Therefore, The Face Shop products would have to be my “beginner set.” Also, I care more for the products that actually work for my skin, not necessarily the brand name or that what’s “pricier” is better. Many of my friends who commented love The Face Shop, and I have grown to love their products too, so I’ll stick with it.
Adri recently posted Korean Skincare and Me on her blog!
January 29, 2017 @ 1:29 pm
lol I like kpop and kdramas… and 707 XD haven’t tried any products yet
January 29, 2017 @ 3:26 pm
If they turned “Mystic Messenger” into a K-drama, I would so watch it. They better have a really hot actor portraying 707 LOL. ;) I’m not into K-Pop, I like some K-dramas, but I do love their video games, especially their MMORPGs. :D
Adri recently posted Korean Skincare and Me on her blog!
January 29, 2017 @ 2:43 pm
I’ve never tried any of those myself. I don’t really have a major skincare thing. Usually just use this nice face soap from Vintage House Soap and sometimes put argan oil on.
January 29, 2017 @ 3:29 pm
I think that all depends on the person’s skin, as every person is created different from one another, right? My face tends to get really oily and at times get dry and flaky, and just over-the-counter drugstore products aren’t enough or are too brash against my skin. Being Asian myself, I felt that skincare regimens based in Asia would probably be the best for me, and so far with the usual Japanese skincare (and more recently, Korean) have been working really well for me.
When you have the time and the budget, you can shop around, try out some samples, what works and what doesn’t. Maybe you might discover something new and add it to your routine. :)
Adri recently posted Korean Skincare and Me on her blog!
January 30, 2017 @ 5:10 pm
Hello. Sounds like you have a new plan!
I wish I could get into the habit of skincare routines and such. My face breaks out simply because I only sometimes wash it in the shower… Otherwise it stays dirty which is so bad but luckily my breakouts are far and few between even though I have n oily face.
All of that stuff looks interesting though. I hope you like it!
January 30, 2017 @ 7:13 pm
Hello Erin, nice seeing you here!
Asian skincare (Japanese, Korean, etc.) really emphasizes on clean, healthy skin. If you want to try it out one day, aim for the charcoal/clay based ones. For example, if you go to Walmart or Target or any drugstore, look for Biore Charcoal Cleanser. It’s very refreshing (it’s black gel liquid but it smells really nice) and I’m currently using that cleanser. After toning, a peel-off mask is recommended (that’ll do the trick with removing oil, dirt, blackheads, fuzzy hairs) before you put moisturizing cream (or anything similar).
When I was younger, I used to not care about the importance of proper skincare with specific products, but it turns out that I’m sensitive to a lot of drugstore (and even the higher-end) products bought at department stores like Macy’s or Nordstrom, and I’ve had really bad, irritated skin because of it. There were a few times where my eyebags were really swollen. A few friends recommended to start off with Japanese skincare, and they worked really well for me. I’ve stuck to it for a long time, trying out various products (and seeing my wallet getting empty because of it T_T), up to the point where I can’t afford them anymore LOL. I also use products from The Body Shop also, and they have products that also work well for my skin.
I’m really enjoying The Face Shop products now, especially their face masks. So refreshing. If you order online for any Japanese or Korean products, you get plenty of samples of other products too, which is something I love. :)
Adri recently posted Korean Skincare and Me on her blog!
February 4, 2017 @ 4:03 am
I’ve not tried any Japanese products yet, so I cannot compare. But being in Korea gives me access to all of the skincare here, so I’m quite content using them. I have to say they are a lot better than the US products I’ve used in the past (especially for toners and sunblocks!), so I’ll choose Korean over the US products, haha. Glad to hear they are working out for you!
February 4, 2017 @ 9:02 am
I actually thought of you when I was writing this entry LOL. I was like, what brands or products Tara would recommend should she read this? LOL. Nice seeing you here. ^_^
Japanese skincare products are very similar (if not completely the same, but similar) as Korean skincare products, but the prices (in USDs) make a huge difference. Also, what I’ve noticed about Korean routine compared to Japanese routine are the face masks. I love them, and I started incorporating them in my night routine. I feel refreshed right now after waking up in the morning. I still use products from The Body Shop too, as they have some items that are also nice and gentle (the essence lotion and the serums mainly). After I’m done with the cleanser and the moisturizing creams, I’ll check out The Face Shop again.
Few days ago, I bought a Laneige BB cushion at Target (at $35 XD), loving it. The Face Shop in my area didn’t have the shade that’s perfect for my skin so I had to go out for an alternative. It’s a great substitute for a compact powder or foundation. They feel really light and fresh. ^_^
Adri recently posted Korean Skincare and Me on her blog!
February 8, 2017 @ 5:14 am
Japanese brands are generally more expensive ( I want to try Dolly Wink and Kpalette products for so long now, but why buy that when you can buy a cheaper Tony Moly alternative?) and finding shops (online or not) that sells them is a hassle, unlike Korean cosmetics which is almost everywhere ( I live in a province here in PH, and I do not have a credit card so it’s hard buying online through money remittance) , so I don’t often buy them. I’ve wanted to try Narukooooo, but I can’t find it anywhereee. I think Japanese products also lack exposure here, for some reason. Aside from Shisheido, I guess? It’s pretty much a skincare must-have.
Anyway, here’s my fare share of K beauty products:
I recommend Innisfree Jeju Volcanic Clay Mask. I’ve heard pretty good review, and I am planning on buying one, myself.
I also recommend Etude House. It’s one of my fave Korean cosmetics, it’s cheap, and it’s usually got great packaging.
Peripera has great lip products but they’re not that great at skincare.
I think IOPE has the best BB cushion. But of course, I couldn’t speak for everyone.
I’ve never tried anything from April Skin but everyone’s loving it, so it must be great.
Some of PH beauty products: Care line, HBC, Hortaleza, Ever Bilena, and Personal Collection , but I don’t think the quality is great. There’s also Snoe Beauty, which I have only heard great things, but I’ve never tried any of their products.
I hope this helps! :)
– Gretch of GG Memochou
February 9, 2017 @ 10:56 am
Thanks for stopping by Gretch! The PH brands you mentioned may or may not exist in the local Asian/Filipino stores here, I’ll make note of the ones you mentioned. :)
Knowing the Philippines, anything Korean is a trend over there LOL. (probably except for anime/manga and probably video games) My mom visited the Philippines last year and she would often ask me how is it that a lot of my relatives there watch so much K-dramas and couldn’t even understand a thing. I told her that it’s the same with me watching a lot of J-dramas with and (sometimes) without subtitles (I know enough Japanese to understand a bit). They even talked about Korean cosmetics too and I made research myself thinking “They’re pretty much the same as Japanese cosmetics,” except of course, the price difference.
I’m heading off to my local Ulta Beauty shop. I heard that they sell a good number of Korean skincare over there. I’ll just explore around and see. :)
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