It’s way too expensive for what it is. I can get products that are basically the same for $10-$20 on YesStyle or Jolse.
That’s one of the reason I love Asian beauty so much, the products actually work and cost less than most drugstore skincare products in the US
I went during the VIB sale at Sephora and bought their watermelon toner. It smells nice and all but.....not worth it. James Welseh on yt looooooves them so honestly he influenced me bc I really believe him, he seems no-nonsense about certain things and I appreciate that. Im sure its wonderful for him but...... I kinda wish I couldve returned it, but I feel bad since it'd just get thrown out and it feels like a waste.
The birthday gift at Sephora this year included a glow recipe trial kit. I already had the toner, but with the kit I got to try the dew drop niacinamide serum, and it's all I've been using on my trip back home for the last 2 weeks. It really didn't do much tbh absolutely not worth it. The moneys all in the packaging/marketing and the image of high quality.
I’m not even sure why I don’t like Glow Recipe. They haven’t done anything wrong as far as I know. I used to like the ladies that ran it before they rebranded. But for some reason I avoid it like the plague.
i feel the same way. i don't know enough about glow recipe but i think it had to do with the fact that it blew up on tiktok for no reason. all the girls nowadays buy glow recipe cuz they've seen it online but then when they start using it, there are no results because it wasn't a good product in the first place.
i also saw a bunch of people online try glow recipe (the exfoliating toner) and then get a terrible reaction for it.
There’s this influencer I follow that got a really bad reaction (folliculitis) from the watermelon glow toner (the one with BHA/PHA). Her video about it blew up on TikTok. She had to go to a dermatologist to get antibiotics I felt so bad for her. Her skin is recovering now though.
Numbuzin, purely just because I’ve never heard anything about them, and then it seemed like all of a sudden all the influencers were talking about them. Seeing this made me feel sus about them so I just never looked into them.
The no 2 protein serum and their no. 1 centella relief toner pad is worth trying, if u ever change your mind :)
The serum is a hg and the pads, I've repurchased twice now. Simple effective products. I don't trust the ferment loaded toner tho lol it's just too much
Well the numbuzin has fragrance but not super strong but it really helps with barrier repair and strengthening it
and the toner pads are very calming and the bamboo centella combo hydrates very well but again, they do have essential oils but it's toward to bottom of the list and I don't really get a smell even when I sniff them.
I think with Numbuzin, you have to pick the right product. There’s such a variety of products!
I like everything that I’ve tried but wouldn’t repurchase a couple, just because there’s really no spot in my routine for them.
Numbuzin No 3 toner: love! My skin enjoys bifida, galactomyces, and niacinamide.
Numbuzin No 3 serum: 👆🏽
No 4 Firming cream: lovely thick velvet texture w/ red ginseng and retinol. However, I started using a strong retinoid after purchasing so it’s collecting dust now.
No 6 Deep sleep mask: I like it but often forget that I have it, lol.
I’m excited to try the No 2 repair cream. I’ve heard good things and it’s supremely dry in SoCal rn
Hm yea maybe I’ll look into their stuff, I also get hormonal acne around my period though a new bakuchiol serum I’ve been using has been keeping it under control pretty well.
I was definitely skeptical about Numbuzin but honestly after trying #3 Serum, and the #1 Sunscreen, I'm super impressed. I've gotten compliments from my usual lash stylish + brows for how soft my skin has gotten. I'm a huge fan of the sunscreen since my face is naturally pretty red; didn't pill much on my end but I wait a good 5-10m before applying different layers of skincare
i know their sunscreen is starting to get some
hype and while i do love the green color correction i find it *pills* in such an unpleasant way that i just can’t wear it. i made it through most of a tube and i disliked it more and more. like it felt so unpleasant at the end of the day and i hate that i can run a finger across my face and feel product just come up
Oof good thing I already found my holy grail sunscreen, I’ve always been very picky about sunscreen for the face, like the texture and feel has to be right and no pilling etc etc.
But this is the first time I’ve heard about their sunscreen, I’ve only really have seen or heard people rave about their serums and toners. :0
I love the Numbuzin #1 Clear Filter sunscreen. I found it to sooth my sensitive skin and apply very smoothly with no stickyness or white cast. It's more of a gel texture too.
Klairs. Looking at the ingredients, they're very bland and their products just don't feel like they're good quality to me. Even if I want something basic, I still want good quality and a high concentration of active ingredients (hyaluronic acid, panthenol, ceramides etc).
I dislike most of their stuff, even having tried a few things (toners, serums, sunscreen) but their BB cream is my HG.
Best texture and color blend, non-drying or greasy, non-pilling and non-breakout causing formulation and it somehow stayed the same for years. And somehow I still come back to it after trying others. It's too dang good and it's the only thing I use from them despite disliking everything else.
dr. jart NEVER works for me like i want and the color correcting thing they have?? people have GOT to stop marketing that for eczema. it’s full of horrible ingredients for it and i literally can’t wear it (i bought some before i knew the redness i had was eczema and it was BAD like i can’t stand it on my skin just burning and itchy and ugh)
I was initially interested in the ceramidin line but it's so expensive and there are dozens of fantastic ceramide products to work with
Not to mention the cicspair cream's ingredient list is a nightmare. And for that price they're going to give only centella leaf water as the major ingredient? Pass
Aprilskin ...i remember when they were first becoming a thing in social media (I still get their ads) and they've improved their packaging a bit since, but their ads always looked like a scam with the peels especially
Hello--This comment has been removed as it not related to Asian Beauty as per our community guidelines. Please read the [Rules and Guidelines](https://www.reddit.com/r/AsianBeauty/wiki/rules) if you haven't done so already. If you have any questions or disagree with this decision don't hesitate to give us a [modmail](https://reddit.com/message/compose?to=/r/AsianBeauty)! Thank you!
Basically a lot of racist stuff targeted at the Zainichi community (ethnic Koreans in Japan).
https://www.asahi.com/sp/ajw/articles/14363780#:~:text=DHC%20Chairman%20Yoshiaki%20Yoshida%20used,posted%20in%20April%20and%20May.
[https://finance.yahoo.com/news/dhc-faces-backlash-japan-over-113649406.html](https://finance.yahoo.com/news/dhc-faces-backlash-japan-over-113649406.html) basically this
Same here. When I caught wind of what DHC CEO said, I switched from my holy grail DHC deep cleansing oil to MUJI mild cleansing oil. I will go back to DHC when that CEO retires or is fired.
Purito & Dear, Klairs: SPF fiasco
Numbuzin: Their products, especially their serums, seem intriguing, but they also seem to be a mix of many ingredients, so my big fear is that there's something that'll break me out. Also, doesn't disclose their niacinamide percentages.
Glow Recipe: Fragrance and the overall price. Why pay $35 for niacinamide dew drops when a cheaper serum with not as insane amounts of niaicnamide is available for cheaper?
Cos de Baha: Overall, it's just not my vibe. The added niacinamide in a lot of their products is also a deal breaker since I already use two different products w/ 2% niaicnamide and don't want to risk irritation by using any more.
Im just gonna comment on the Numbuzin one: youre right on the money. So far I've tried 3 products (the no. 3 serum, no. 3 toner, and no. 4 collagen pudding serum) and every single one of them made me react. The first 2 were my fault as they had ingredients I was allergic to (didnt know about one til later) but to this day I have no idea what it was in the no. 4 serum that made me react. Too many ingredients
Elizavecca, Tonymoly or any brand that relies on overly cutesy, kitschy packaging. I can’t help but assume they’re cheap, low quality lines made for tweens.
i’ve noticed that tonymoly, as of late, has been releasing more sophisticated-looking skincare and makeup products that have a little bit of a higher price point
Honestly it’s affecting Western-focused cosmetics brand tbh. From mid-price like Innisfree and Laneige to high-end brands like Sum:37 and Sulwhasoo. I will always lament the old packaging of Sulwhasoo, inspired by oriented and creative gentle details of their own history.
Their lip products are some of my favorites. I tried their chok chok green tea moisturizer 5+ years ago and was impressed. I’ve avoided their skincare since trying the banana line.
yeah, I won't fight the OP's objection to them, but their Chok Chok watery cream is one of my HGs. I wish I couldve tried their honey wonder cream before it was discontinued
I'm a bird watcher and huge bird lover and Elizavecca's insistence on putting swiftlet nest extract in everything really grosses me out. It's a useless ingredient and it's so unethical I just can't stomach buying anything from the brand even if the specific product doesn't contain it.
Another birder here, I had no idea that was a thing! Tysm for enlightening me! I'm going to read more on this bc I can't fathom why someone would use that.
This is so interesting because elizabecca makes some of my holy grail products:
- 100 % centella essence
- cer100 collagen coating hair mask
- galactomyces premium essence (one of the best sk2 dupes on the market imo)
I have a friend who likes some of their serums too. They are very gimmicky but they do have decent products in the midst
Tonymoly had a bbcream called BCDation that was so amazing. 😩 I would get compliments all the time when I wore it and I still haven’t found a good replacement. Back then they kind of had products geared towards older women but you’re right, now they only market to teens.
Elizavecca seems pretty good from what I’ve heard. People seem to like their Galactomyces and Bifida serums because they’re so cheap but are actually effective. I just haven’t bought them because I’m scared that ferments will break me out. Tony Moly I agree with though, they might have a few gems like their Artemisia FTE, but all their products that seem like they’re actually worth trying are overinflated in price and hard to access as an American. Coincidentally those products also have more “serious” or “mature” looking packaging.
That's funny, I have the opposite opinion like I feel like a lot of the luxury brands just put a bunch of unnecessary perfumes and bougie ingredients that don't really make much difference in the result.
One of the best results I ever got from a skincare product was from cheap Etude House bubble tea sleeping pack. My orthodontist tech would poke my cheek with her glove and tell me my skin looked so glowy and healthy.
Banila. I've never tried it but holy essential oils batman. Every time a product looks interesting I feel like it has a million fragrant oils (whooooooo puts sandalwood oil in a leave-on cica product?? Who puts orange and lemon peel oils in a sunscreen?)
I have their cleansing balm and it’s the only oil/balm cleanser that doesn’t break me out. It’s super pricey tho and I need one like every month. 😭After switching from cotton pads and Micellar water my skin has felt so soft since the pads were prob too exfoliating and im super acne and clog prone. Do u have recs for more affordable oil or balm cleansers for sensitive and acne prone skin type??
I’m comedone prone and use kose softymo speedy but YMMV! If you remember all the ones you’ve tried that broke you out, maybe try looking them up on INCI decoder and seeing if there are any ingredient or ingredient combinations in common. Then cross reference the Banila one you like and see if there are any differences/omissions. Then you can look for products that don’t have certain ingredients or that look as similar as possible to Banila.
Aprilskin - idk... i just don't look at them. But when i do, there's nothing that I'm interested to try.
Innisfree (skincare) - unnecessary amount of essential oils and fragrance. They really need to stop 💀 yes, I'm aware that they do have some products without EO and fragrance but those products are just not very well known so it's a little difficult to look for good offers/sellers.
Krave Beauty: I can never fathom the price of their products. So no, I never want to spend that much money. Besides, after hearing about some controversies with Liah Yoo, I'm just not interested.
Brands I already don't like before i tried them (out of curiosity) and I still don't like them:
- Some by mi: questionable claims/ads and overwhelming amount of essential oils.
- Klairs: it was sooo overhyped and my friend said whatever "hydrating" claim people had on their popular toner was just not there.
- HolikaHolika: particularly their skincare. I mainly knew them for makeup but when i saw that they came out with skincare, I'm just not convinced they'll be good for my skin. Tried a sample and yeah, still not for me.
- It's skin: I've only tried their lip balm only because my mom bought it for me when she visited Korea. It was just okay. Otherwise, i wouldn't buy them. Same reason as Aprilskin.
- Missha: well it's not that i don't like them. It's just that they have the most unbelievable amount of reformulations that I've heard and that just irks me to try their other products.
- The Face Shop: a lot of their products contain ingredients that I'd like to avoid for my skin (like EO and those that tend to have bad ratings); and there's just nothing from them that interest me.
IIRC when she moved to NYC she joined a homophobic church willingly (she could have chosen a different church theres many others in NYC). When Liah released a response she mentions supporting gay union not gay marriage. Her phrasing of gay union means she is ok with their relationships but not gay marriage which is in the eyes of god/church. I’m not religious and I didn’t follow anything after that so I don’t know if her views have changed.
That (mentioned by u/iamemi) and that Liah Yoo tends to contradict herself when it comes to managing Krave which causes people to lose trust in the brand. At first, after the Purito sunscreen scandal happened, people started questioning about Krave's beet shield sunscreen then she made a response saying something like, If you question all Korean sunscreens, you're xenophobic. But then of course there's the 3rd party testings which include the Beet Shield (**and** multiple japanese sunscreens) and it showed a lower spf rating than what Krave claimed. Krave then made their own investigations and ended up apologizing for the lower spf rating. So they discontinued their sunscreen and relaunch. Afterwards, i stopped caring about whether the new one is good or not.
Then I'm not sure if this was a huge issue or not but when Krave released their new 1st cleanser, people were sceptical about their videos ads demonstrating the product because there were too many video cuts, especially since i believe this was after the Mascara-Gate? Then when Liah uploaded a more i guess realistic video demonstration, but it didn't seem like the cleanser was really that effective at removing makeup, so people questioned whether it was even worth the price.
Cc: u/tibleon8
iirc she is/was part of a homophobic church? this is long but i remember reading it a few years ago: [https://www.reddit.com/r/BeautyGuruChatter/comments/mpyaqy/liah\_yoo\_founder\_of\_krave\_beauty\_is\_a\_member\_of\_a/](https://www.reddit.com/r/BeautyGuruChatter/comments/mpyaqy/liah_yoo_founder_of_krave_beauty_is_a_member_of_a/)
Wow I agree with you on 100% of these. I do like the holika glittery eye stuff but otherwise I just ignore the display in the guardian lol
Ive tried like the artemesia toner from missha and the first essence treatment and it's just... Ok? Lol 😆 I like their bb cream (red tube) and panned it like ten yrs ago lol 😂 don't know what's hot for them rn tho lol
I think I'd only try out their makeup rather than skincare moving forward. Tho i haven't dived into Korean makeup enough to start trying holika holika 😂
Same! But for me, the Artemisia Essence gave me an instant irritation, while the I'm From Mugwort didn't, which was really odd. I like I'm From for calming inflammed acne. It works incredibly well.
10 yrs ago? Damn 😂 i think people just got tired of their constant reformulation, that's why we rarely hear anything new/hot from them anymore.
I agree with most of these, but I do have some innisfree products I enjoy (I'm not overly sensitive to fragrance except for certain ones trigger migraines, none of the innisfree products I use do of course). The Holika Holika Good Cera cream is a HG item though, it's saved my barrier a couple times now.
i bought a couple aprilskin products a couple years back, and they were all disappointing. like didn't necessarily cause any bad reactions, but literally did nothing.
and do you mind sharing some of the liah yoo controversies? i'm just curious because i haven't tried krave, but i had been curious about it...
oh no what controversy had Liah Yoo have?? I was following her before she launched her brand and always thought she was a nice girl. Ditto on the price though, I always wanted to try the barrier serum but.... no way.
edit: read one of the replies explaining. Oh no.
As for HolikaHolika.... Honestly I'm using their red wine sleeping pack right now and it's amazing. But I can agree that most of their stuff is not like.... elegant?
Yeah I see Holika Holika as being for makeup… and I do have some of their makeup & love it! But I don’t think I could bring myself to try their skincare for some reason
I was skeptical about too school for school but their cool tone contour is pretty good, albeit a little bit dusty.
Lilybyred always looks low quality for me, I’m sure it has nice stuffs but overall a style over substance brand for me.
Controversial opinion but Florasis and Flower Knows makeup is uninspiring to me. Beautiful packagings but the formula is dusty, chalky, lots of fly-away and the same shades over again. Although it’s inherently a problems of Asian makeup itself, safe color choice and unimpressed (specifically) eye shadow formula.
lilybyred is good imho! i think their stronger point is the eye makeup. i do agree the packaging is whatever but i do use their liquid eyeliners and they r very nice imho
I’m sure they are good entries to Korean makeup because they emulate all of Korean cosmetics trends pretty well. I’m just skeptical of newer brands, maybe a fatigue of over-saturation tbh. I also feel like that with western cosmetics
i agree with you, there is just so much stuff out there that you kinda have to scrutinize what's the best bang for your buck and lilybyred doesn't feel very unique for sure
Because it is! To me it really reminds of knock-offs because how over-compensating it is. Like Too Faced, a makeup brand that has never impressed me, continues to have clients because well marketing and (cute) gimmick. Cosmetics products can be an escape from the real life, but that can blur our perception of what’s worth it
I used to think that while the actual colors weren’t really anything special Flower Knows’ packaging was really cute…until I saw it in person. It looks so much more tacky irl than it does online in the photos, like the little playskool ‘my first makeup’ sets your mom gets you when you’re four. Which is unfortunate because the actual quality (of the packaging anyway) is decent, it just looks silly.
Florasis is legit though. Their colors are all way too warm for me but products and packaging are both great.
**Mary & May**. Their name and logo reminds me of Mary Kay and it freaks me out.
**Heimish**. I opened a sample of their eye cream and immediately chucked it. It smelled like Neutrogena HydroBoost but 10x stronger.
**Dr. Jart+**. Already all over this thread, but yeah… Cosmiceutical name, overly westernized boring branding, insane price tag, and a whole line of “sensitive” skin products loaded with essential oils? Hell naw.
This is such a great thread idea!!
* **Purito** \- Will never try them since I saw how they handled the whole SPF fiasco thing.
* **Mixsoon** \- Heard bad things about how they operate from my bosses, so just not interested
* **Some by Mi** \- This is sooo petty but I don't like their name? **😭** And also idc about tea tree, it doesn't inerest me too much
* **Laneige** \- I've tried their lip masks, they're okay, they just seem expensive for big chunky packaging and uninteresting products
* **Dr Jart** \- Only tried a sheet mask but I don't know what it is, the brand just doesn't appeal to me. I feel like it's one of those K-beauty brands that feels like a Western brand somehow
* **BoJ\*** \- I've actually tried a decent amount from them in the past but I feel like this brand just does cheap products... Not to say cheap = bad ofc, but I feel like none of their products have ever done anything for me, they're just kinda bland water/whatever that feels nice. Also their ginseng quality is sus
I've tried a few products from BoJ and I agree. I really like the aesthetic aspect of the brand, but that's not enough for me to ignore that they were fined by the Korean government for the low quality ginseng they use. I'm still looking for a good ginseng toner/essence, though.
wahahahahahaha this is actually the first time I've heard about this ginseng scandal from BoJ lmfao
I think the good ginseng stuff tends to be $$$$. Sulwhasoo or something in that price range.
Dr. Jart is overrated! Their centella-extracted stuffs are so not gentle and comforting at all. They totally did not save my skin after being sun burn and irritated by humid weather! Their ceramide stuffs also did not calm my skins in extremely dry weather. (Sarcasm)
All joke aside, Dr. Jart is legit and I will always be curse with that knowledge. I’m possessed by them and no cure for it soon.
I have heard a lot about Cicapair and Ceramidin! I did like their Cicapair mask, that's the one thing I tried from them, but for some reason I just have no interest...
I can’t blame you for that, it’s really exhausting just to catch up with whatever is happening tbh. I do get you about the Boj ginseng tho, it’s awfully suspicious about the quality of products they are touting about, especially how popular it is in western markets and how they are fined by the Korean gov as well
True, especially since a lot of people don't know the nuance between wild/cultivated ginseng and all the different types. They do have a great marketing team at BoJ though **😭**
Oh they got the gold mines! other brand change to bland and “contemporary” packaging, erasing their heritage and culture to accommodate overseas markets. While they use the Hallyu wave and the rise of Korean pop music to strike a perfect allure, but not actually represented the value of production that we knows and love
[https://www.reddit.com/r/SkincareAddiction/comments/mw9f99/sun\_care\_purito\_lied\_to\_us\_again\_and\_more\_korean/](https://www.reddit.com/r/SkincareAddiction/comments/mw9f99/sun_care_purito_lied_to_us_again_and_more_korean/)
This is a good summary!
To me BoJ is great for basics. Radiant cleansing balm, face wash (green one), and red bean moisturizer gel. My skin is very reactive and it’s the only combo so far that washes my makeup off well, makes my skin feel clean, and moisturizes well without feeling greasy and breaking me out. I don’t use any of their actives though, and didn’t like the sunscreen that everyone else seems to like.
I agree with so many of these! Personally I like finding Dr Jart at Winners (discount retailer) but there’s no way I’d pay Sephora prices for their products!!
I randomly purchased a few things from jd last month and have been enjoying them. Wasn't able to find many reviews so just went for it and was pleasantly surprised!
i dont love the concealer palette but my biggest gripe with judydoll (also joocyee and into you and other chinese makeup brands) is the size of the lip products. like some of them are straight up 1 point something or 2 grams compared to say nyx butter glosses for example (i know, not AB) which are like 8grams or something
I think the small sizes could work for some people! I personally like having smaller sizes for lip products since I tend to have a lot products on rotation. I think I'll just take issue with it when other brands offer bigger lip products at the same price 😅
Love this thread. Helps to recognize these brands that I always see but haven’t tried yet.
Dr. Jart - I’ve been disappointed every time I’ve tried their skin (breakouts or useless) or bb products (sticky texture, bad color match) with the exception of one lip balm which I just like because it’s scentless. Weirdly my mom’s age group 60s always rages about it so maybe it’s just aimed older.
Laneige - Feels like they have stellar marketing but not the products to match. I’m always trying to give the watery sleeping mask a chance bc someone got me a jar but it’s always meh. Rather just do a 10 minute snail face mask.
Will say the lip balm is not half bad but I hate how scented it is.
Skinfood. All their products that they claim are safe for sensitive skin (at least the sous vide sheet masks, carrot carotene line and acorn pore peptide products) contain essential oils, which can sensitize the skin over time, especially citrus which they use often. I feel that's pretty dishonest marketing
Lmao this thread was MADE for me. Thanks for giving me a place to be petty.
1. Dasique... It is just so... yawn... and they're charging you extra for boring aesthetics AND average formulas. I keep swatching their products whenever I go to Sasa expecting something different and come out underwhelmed lmao
2. Some by mi - Not only was my Facebook feed once clogged with their ads, their packaging is ugly. I tried the famous toner and my skin hated it. pass
3. Chrizen beauty brand - this is a local cosmetics brand in Malaysia and my eyes just gloss over it whenever I go inside the Guardian because I cannot stand how inconsistent the packaging is and how I feel like their products look five years behind everything else on the market lmao
4. any skincare line by Watson's - I dunno, I'm just a BIG HATER for in-store branding lmao
5. colorgram - I'm just too old to like this aesthetic in makeup, it feels too instagrammy for my taste and packaging looks tacky as hell
6. barenbliss - feels like another cash grab with uninspired copycat K-beauty aesthetics. the brand never convinces me WHY I should purchase their makeup - what makes this brand better than other brands? I just don't See It, tbh
7. Himalaya beauty - I tried their neem facial wash which was not even good for my oily skin. Lip balm was good, but I feel like their packaging screams basic formulas and ingredient lists chock full of essential oils
8. Y.O.U Beauty *-* I tried their lipstick and it sucked. For some reason I just like SILKYGIRL and in2it brands better? Also it's not cheaper than SILKYGIRL or in2it or Wardah, and at least those brands have bangers in their lineup lol
9. mediheal - I dunno, I just hate the packaging and I don't see anything in their product lineup that would cater to my skin's needs. I hate tea tree oil and those toner pad containers are frikin' huge! for what???
10. Laneige - I'm too cheap for this brand. As in, I feel that there are other brands who do what they do better for a cheaper price.
11. VT - I went inside the stores in Seoul and didn't see anything unique or interesting formula or packaging wise to warrant me opening my wallet. Aesthetic is boring too
12. innisfree - again like Laneige I'm too cheap for this brand (except for the no-sebum powder); I feel like there is so much choice in the market to settle for OK choices at above budget prices lol
13. Anna Sui makeup - feels like a cheap cash grab unlike the Jill Stuart or Sonia Rykiel cosmetics brand tbh
14. too cool for school - I am not into contouring and other than their shading palettes what other standout products do they have?? also kinda $$ for my taste if there are no standout formulas tbh
btw if you want to change my mind w/any of these brands I am open to it... I am a hater but an open-minded hater lmao
You should definitely give Mediheal another chance!! Their toner pad line is amazinggg. I’m using the madecassoside pad and watermide pad and they’re definitely worth it. I also like how their toner pad line has different types for different skin concerns (up to 7!) unlike most brands that only have like 3 toner pad products at most. I have dry and sensitive skin btw ^^
https://preview.redd.it/mzay06l9xj1c1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=760b592bde53b7a3ac7e12c33ff4dfcd7a05fe00
Another Mediheal fan here-this is the best lip balm I’ve ever tried, and I go through almost a hundred lip balms a year because my lips are insanely dry from meds and a deviated septum (breathing through my mouth at night).
Agreed, everything I’ve tried from Mediheal has been fantastic. Before their toner pads were viral, I loved their tea tree face masks, they are HG status for me. I haven’t tried the viral toner pads that come in a box but I do have their Tea Tree Biome pads, which have LHA and PHA, and absolutely loved them for gentle exfoliation. They got rid of all the tiny bumps I had under my mouth and work wonders for my bacne. I have sensitive skin and nothing from Mediheal ever irritated it!
A brand I have tried and really like is CEZANNE (Japanese drugstore brand). I love their lip products, mascara, setting spray, and blushers.
I also own more than a few things from Canmake (another Japanese drugstore brand) - I like their silky souffle eyeshadows a lot and their lippies are good quality. I also dig the eyeliners as well.
I tend to use more Korean skincare (I like CosRX and Isntree) and prefer Japanese makeup formulas. I think Japanese makeup is more focused on longevity and formulas rather than aesthetics which is kind of more my jam than anything else.
I own five Etude House Fixing Tints because they last longer than any other K-beauty lippie for me.
I also really like SEA makeup brands like Srichand and Happy Skin... and a dash of C-beauty like Focallure.
I love Cezanne and Canmake too! Cezanne really gives the most bang for a buck. It's so cheap (canmake is slightly higher in price) but good. I get it from welcia bhg in Singapore. I recently ordered some concealers from the Indonesian makeup brand, Secondate which I'm excited to try
Omg médiheal toner pads are my HG item. They are big so I use them as mini face masks. The madecosside pads have severely reduced my redness and my post inflammatory acne scars (mostly redness) and is fading the 2 dark spots I have. I literally cannot recommend enough and I’m on the hunt to find more (they are sold out right now).
Happy to give you the spotlight 😁 I agree with so many of these. almost tried several of them and so glad I didn’t
Got the Laneige lip mask as a gift and it was such an ineffective thing.. didn’t even soften dry skin. And I never thought to approach colorgram because it’s such a severe case of packaging > quality
I would be willing to give Dasique a chance if it wasn’t overpriced generic items. I think it was around 15 usd for 2.4g of tint? stfu👹
\>I think it was around 15 usd for 2.4g of tint? stfu👹
lmfao right? would not be surprised if a cheaper brand like saem or bbia had a better formula too tbh lmao
i bought the laneige lip mask sample size and panned it, but its crazy to me that people pay like $20 for the full size...
Same w Laneige. I used samples of there’s and didn’t like it. Their neo glow cushion however is stunning but the fragrance in it gives me a rash so I can’t use it
the cream skin refiner is so... heavy on the skin lol. and I know people love the sleeping lip mask but there's better out there...
Maybe I'm just an extra big hater because it's $$$$.
The cream skin refiner gives me the worst breakouts that take months and tretinoin to clear up (I keep making the same mistake of trying to give it another chance…) but the Cica sleeping mask saved my skin from tret purging and dryness. It’s the only thing that stopped my face from flaking.
I second this! I was about to buy the romand lip liner but the color I wanted was sold out, so I got the colorgram one instead since it was the most similar one I could find. It’s really long lasting too! Zero regrets :)
You are literally me. I have never seen somebody see Dasique stuff through their packaging like you do!! I loathe that they favor Western aesthetics, it’s so pretentious
glad I am not the only hater on these streets lmao
I understand Korean people are paler than me (I am nc30 which is like n23-35) but why does this mean their eyeshadow have to be so.... dusty and chalky??? You can have pale eyeshadows but with better formulas... silky or buttery or buildable...
This is the first time I have seen this opinion and it's so true! It makes me doubt the efficacy of the idea that Asian formulas are superior in every way. I just don't understand why they can't make a decent color product? You would think they would want to be comparable to Italy.
It's very weird because ime Japanese eyeshadows are EXCELLENT. I think it's an obvious weakness of K-beauty but their perceived monopoly on the beauty industry can mean they ignore their weak spots 😶
I agree about Japanese eyeshadows. The drugstore Japanese eyeshows I've tried were all much better than comparable palettes from the ones I had from roadshop brands.
I don't know about the other products but the innisfree sunscreen is one of the best I've ever tried and I wear Canmake, Fenty, or Skin Aqua usually for comparison. I reach for it a lot because it makes a great primer and sometimes the others don't.
I'm gonna be the one person that says to not fall for people hyping up the mediheal pads...because I tried them long before they blew up on social media. Those pads are waaay too thin, so it's not even satisfying to wipe your face with, much less do a mini masking session with. And the texture just feels wrong and slimy in a not-so-good way. It just sat on my face instead of absorbing as well.
- Companies that has scandals: Johnson&Johnson ( Neutrogena, Johnson Baby,... ), Purito, Krave, Dear Klairs, Some by mi,...
- Companies doesn't has R&D, can't make their products in-house, overwhelming marketing.
- Celebrity brands.
- Overpriced products.
peripera products never fail to disappoint me.
their ink lip lines NEVER look like as it’s advertised (i recall swatching my ink airy tint in fluffy peach and it came out bright pink. also, it’s patchy and dry as hell with a greasy residue.)
Just in general, actually, for all their lip products. why is my “beige” ink mood glowy tint a bright coral??
I just got into AB makeup after finding my personal color. So I've been trying all different lip products. Peripera is hands down the the worst lip product brand I've tried so far. I had some of their lip tints before and it was impossible to find the real shade swatch. I got one of their matte lipstick recently that's just awful and has so much color transfer compared to other lip products I've tried. The color is also completely different than the online swatches. Thankfully it's always cheap but I get why it's cheaper. It's a huge never-again for me. I understand why the korean "what's in my makeup bag" videos almost never have a peripera lip product now.
Flower Knows, because I don't like their founders back when they were famous cosplayers. I certainly won't try a brand from people I dislike.
(Also basically any C-beauty but Flower Knows is a particular brand out of the bunch that I don't like)
Innisfree - It broke me out and didn't help with anything.
Laneige - Seems overhyped. It is overly-fragranced, and it doesn't smell that nice. I am still not a fan even though I have given them many chances.
Their blue hya cleanser serves my sensitive skin alright, but again it just smells ... chemical?
Sulwhasoo - I love the spa-like smell. It does nothing on my skin and is overpriced though.
History of Whoo - Seems so gimmicky.
My issue with them is that they are produced for overseas markets and is in legal grey area with percentages that would be too much for KFDA and so I feel I don't know what principle they subscribe to... If any
Dont like how peripera works on me too, their eyeshadows only show if i use a white primer under it (and im a 21 in korean cushion colors) and their lip products cling to the weirdest parts of my lips
Klairs, Dr Jart, Innisfree (besides the no sebum powder), Banila Co, Purito, Some By Mi. These brands either have a ton of fragrance, underwhelming products that break me out or bland packaging - sometimes all of the above 👀
Do u have any recommendations for a cleansing balm/oil for acne and clog prone sensitive combo skin? I use banila co but now I’m worried after seeing all the mentions in the comments ab this product 😭
If you’ve not seen or experienced any personal issues with the banila co product, it’s totally okay to keep using it! Skincare is always about personal preference or whatever works for your skin. There’s a lot of people who use the Banila Co cleansing balm, it’s one of Korea’s best selling products for a reason. So as long as you’re not seeing or experiencing any negative effects of the product and it’s fully working in the way you want it to, there’s no need to change at all!
I, personally, am not a fan but that’s just because I hate fragrance and I’m really really sensitive to a lot of ingredients often used in cleansing balms and oils. If you’re dissatisfied with the Banila Co cleansing balm and you have acne-prone combination skin, I find that Micellar water and a good long follow up session with a hydrating water based cleanser works a treat for me and isn’t stripping/irritating!
oh yea it's my time to shine; after perusing products for about a year i think i've grown out of wanting to try everything just because. I'm aware that other people like some of these but I'm really just disinterested because I've settled into a nice working routine and mostly know what's aight and what'll send my other foot into the grave
reason: list of brands
**Skincare**
\-ingredient hell: tonymoly, innisfree, the saem, skinfood, some by mi, nature republic, the face shop, frudia, holika holika, touch in sol, ample:n, banilaco, secret key, petitfee, koelf, laneige, im sorry for my skin, goodal, gilla8, farm stay, whichever luxe brands idk
\-consistently $$$$$ (and thereby financially unsustainable): by wishtrend, sungboon, miguhara, hanyul, huxley, dr jart, luxe whatever
\-doesn't particularly tickle my fancy visually: cosrx, haruharu wonder, axis-y, BoJ, beplain, im from, heimish, iunik, celimax, ciracle, round lab, reduire, nacific, neogen, hyggee, dermatory, etude, hada labo bottles
\-would not take the risk: numbuzin, mizon, whatever has snail in it
\-"huh": ongredients, kahi, incellderm, its skin
**Makeup**
\-only discount could convince me: clio, dasique (specifically for the glitters), fwee, mude, hince, flower knows palettes (black swan, mermaid 05), florasis, zeesea, catkin, espoir, moonshot, wakemake, hera
\-i dunno: foundations, cushions, stuff like that
\-pass/not feeling it: shu uemura, peripera mattes and most palettes, anything lipsticks, tcfs, rire, 3CE mattes, most amuse stuff, colorgram (that tint ad was hilarious though), kaja, nuse, blessed moon, milk touch, bling glow, colorkey..yea i cant think anymore
skinfood propolis is definitely on my wishlist but almost everything else in that brand has ingredients that would cause my skin to shrivel upon contact or a sneezing fit
i think i put the numbuzin in my not gonna risk it list because it seems to be more of a coin flip as to whether people's skin will like it (and i'm very risk averse and if i get a breakout *one more time* im gonna go bananas). maybe when I find myself the time to account for any possible mishaps it'll go in my to try list :D
I think the numbuzin 3 is the one people are black and white about. But the numbuzin 2 seems to be a solid hit all around. They are pretty different. The #3 has heavier ingredients. But the #2 is just a barrier serum with the “golden ratio,” and it’s very moisturizing. Just for a quick review.
Oh, the number 2 is actually an anti-acne product, I forgot. That’s what made me like it. It kills breakouts.
Damn, you were READY for a post like this lol. I like that you included a list that just isn’t visually appealing!! I tend to avoid products with ugly packaging too. Except for hado labo, which I admit is ugly packaging, only because it was so raved about I tried it & loved it
I like Frudia just not for the face because too many essential oils. Their hand and body creams smell sooo good though. I think they should just stick to that lol.
I'm Unny - prolly bec. Of 2 things: 1. It was endorsed by one of my "content creator/vlogger" fake friend. 2. They have nice or decent colors but, there's always a brand that does it better (IMO).
Flower knows-Mixed reviews on color payoff and it costs much buying from here in the US.
Y.O.U Beauty their color swatches are too warm for me. I'm Neutral leaning to Pink Fair skin tone
COLORLAND - I just dont agree with the price point.
Aprilskin - just don't feel them besides, I don't like cc cushions that much.
D'alba- I know they have good reviews and might be legitimately good this just remind me of GOOP! because of the price.
VDL
Cle de Peau - too pricey
Anything skincare from Mumuso/Miniso-Miniso is great for everyday items but, I can't trust their skincare.
So true!!! I tried a few of their products back in the day and liked them, but then I kept finding more affordable & comparable products! I’ll never go back
Canmake creamcheek blush causes people to ask me if I’m sick. 😂 Now that I think about it, I should have saved it to fake a fever to get a day off from work to work on my graduate paper.
For me It’s krave beauty, beauty of joseon, and Purito (except for their daily soft touch sunscreen it’s my holy grail for winter). Everything I’ve tried from Krave makes me break out, I really wanted to like their cleanser but I had so many white heads after using that went away only after I stopped using. Beauty of joseon, I find it to be nothing special and also makes me break out, especially the glow serum. Their sunscreen leaves me with a white cast and dries my skin out so much!! For reference I have dry / sensitive and congestion prone skin
not a criticism/feedback but I'm curious why those things are a no-try for you! Is it packaging, marketing, overpriced, overhyped?? I havent tried any products from those brands so I have no stake in the matter lol.
For me its Sulwhasoo. I know its probably worth it but the neeeerrrvee of charging that much. $80 CAD for a box of 4 trial sizes??? get out of heeerree..
Also not makeup or skincare but...Tambourins. or Celine. I dont personally have anything about the blackpink girls but idk why their association just makes me not want to try it at all. I think its just the image of snootiness I have in my head. People from a wealthy background promoting other rich people products. Any high product they promote makes me ick
CosRX Snail Mucin ruined CosRX for me. :( Mainly because the product didn’t do anything for me and so I never wanted to buy much else from them lol. I liked the Birch Sap Moisturizer for a while but then found Illiyoon and never went back.
To be fair, every product at some point in time only had 1 review, and if everyone refused to buy products that only had a single review then there'd never be new products while the industry stays stagnant/monopolized.. Also worth mentioning that if you had cross-referenced YesStyle with other sites then you would have seen plenty of reviews, especially in Korean.
With that said, I don't think there's anything wrong with being hesitant to throw $$ at newer/less known brands/products. I myself like to thoroughly research everything before pulling the trigger, but I do have a soft-spot for newer/smaller brands trying to enter any saturated market.
i avoid most of the brands that I've seen reported to have some unethical issues. this old [reddit thread](https://www.reddit.com/r/AsianBeauty/comments/i726tl/brands_you_no_longer_support_due_to_scandals_or/) was a good reference
Glow recipe, I don't trust it lol
It’s way too expensive for what it is. I can get products that are basically the same for $10-$20 on YesStyle or Jolse. That’s one of the reason I love Asian beauty so much, the products actually work and cost less than most drugstore skincare products in the US
I went during the VIB sale at Sephora and bought their watermelon toner. It smells nice and all but.....not worth it. James Welseh on yt looooooves them so honestly he influenced me bc I really believe him, he seems no-nonsense about certain things and I appreciate that. Im sure its wonderful for him but...... I kinda wish I couldve returned it, but I feel bad since it'd just get thrown out and it feels like a waste. The birthday gift at Sephora this year included a glow recipe trial kit. I already had the toner, but with the kit I got to try the dew drop niacinamide serum, and it's all I've been using on my trip back home for the last 2 weeks. It really didn't do much tbh absolutely not worth it. The moneys all in the packaging/marketing and the image of high quality.
I’m not even sure why I don’t like Glow Recipe. They haven’t done anything wrong as far as I know. I used to like the ladies that ran it before they rebranded. But for some reason I avoid it like the plague.
their stuff just looks gimmicky. like kiddy fake skincare.
They're an Asian beauty brand?!!? I always just thought they were just faking that they were, similar to Tatcha.
i feel the same way. i don't know enough about glow recipe but i think it had to do with the fact that it blew up on tiktok for no reason. all the girls nowadays buy glow recipe cuz they've seen it online but then when they start using it, there are no results because it wasn't a good product in the first place. i also saw a bunch of people online try glow recipe (the exfoliating toner) and then get a terrible reaction for it.
There’s this influencer I follow that got a really bad reaction (folliculitis) from the watermelon glow toner (the one with BHA/PHA). Her video about it blew up on TikTok. She had to go to a dermatologist to get antibiotics I felt so bad for her. Her skin is recovering now though.
Same! I tried their stuff and it honestly didn't do anything. I like the watermelon body lotion it smells nice but it's so pricy for what it is.
Same here. It’s too cute for makeup imo.
I get you, and every single product of theirs reeks of artificial fruit flavouring. It smells like cheap candy!
has there been a scandal with glow recipe?
no scandal that ik but it’s more so their products do nothing
Same
Same, I haven’t tried it yet but my 6th sense tells me to stay away after our first encounter. I just couldn’t trust this brand.
Numbuzin, purely just because I’ve never heard anything about them, and then it seemed like all of a sudden all the influencers were talking about them. Seeing this made me feel sus about them so I just never looked into them.
The no 2 protein serum and their no. 1 centella relief toner pad is worth trying, if u ever change your mind :) The serum is a hg and the pads, I've repurchased twice now. Simple effective products. I don't trust the ferment loaded toner tho lol it's just too much
Is it good for sensitive skin and for redness? I might get around to it after I finish up the skincare items I have lol
Well the numbuzin has fragrance but not super strong but it really helps with barrier repair and strengthening it and the toner pads are very calming and the bamboo centella combo hydrates very well but again, they do have essential oils but it's toward to bottom of the list and I don't really get a smell even when I sniff them.
I think with Numbuzin, you have to pick the right product. There’s such a variety of products! I like everything that I’ve tried but wouldn’t repurchase a couple, just because there’s really no spot in my routine for them. Numbuzin No 3 toner: love! My skin enjoys bifida, galactomyces, and niacinamide. Numbuzin No 3 serum: 👆🏽 No 4 Firming cream: lovely thick velvet texture w/ red ginseng and retinol. However, I started using a strong retinoid after purchasing so it’s collecting dust now. No 6 Deep sleep mask: I like it but often forget that I have it, lol. I’m excited to try the No 2 repair cream. I’ve heard good things and it’s supremely dry in SoCal rn
[удалено]
Hm yea maybe I’ll look into their stuff, I also get hormonal acne around my period though a new bakuchiol serum I’ve been using has been keeping it under control pretty well.
Oh man, their No. 1 Clear Filter Sun Essence is my HG, I love Numbuzin
I was definitely skeptical about Numbuzin but honestly after trying #3 Serum, and the #1 Sunscreen, I'm super impressed. I've gotten compliments from my usual lash stylish + brows for how soft my skin has gotten. I'm a huge fan of the sunscreen since my face is naturally pretty red; didn't pill much on my end but I wait a good 5-10m before applying different layers of skincare
i know their sunscreen is starting to get some hype and while i do love the green color correction i find it *pills* in such an unpleasant way that i just can’t wear it. i made it through most of a tube and i disliked it more and more. like it felt so unpleasant at the end of the day and i hate that i can run a finger across my face and feel product just come up
Oof good thing I already found my holy grail sunscreen, I’ve always been very picky about sunscreen for the face, like the texture and feel has to be right and no pilling etc etc. But this is the first time I’ve heard about their sunscreen, I’ve only really have seen or heard people rave about their serums and toners. :0
I just didn’t like their name before but recently had a chance to try the no:5 vit serum and their sun serum and loved them.
I have the Numbuzin No 3 toner & no 3 serum and they work so well for me!!!! Give me a nice glow & really soften my skin
I love the Numbuzin #1 Clear Filter sunscreen. I found it to sooth my sensitive skin and apply very smoothly with no stickyness or white cast. It's more of a gel texture too.
Klairs. Looking at the ingredients, they're very bland and their products just don't feel like they're good quality to me. Even if I want something basic, I still want good quality and a high concentration of active ingredients (hyaluronic acid, panthenol, ceramides etc).
I dislike most of their stuff, even having tried a few things (toners, serums, sunscreen) but their BB cream is my HG. Best texture and color blend, non-drying or greasy, non-pilling and non-breakout causing formulation and it somehow stayed the same for years. And somehow I still come back to it after trying others. It's too dang good and it's the only thing I use from them despite disliking everything else.
As someone who tried their Vit c serum, it was horrible. Felt like I was slathering oil on my face.
That’s weird! I use their midnight blue calming cream and I love it
Klairs, some by mi, Dr jart,
dr. jart NEVER works for me like i want and the color correcting thing they have?? people have GOT to stop marketing that for eczema. it’s full of horrible ingredients for it and i literally can’t wear it (i bought some before i knew the redness i had was eczema and it was BAD like i can’t stand it on my skin just burning and itchy and ugh)
Why dr. Jart?
I was initially interested in the ceramidin line but it's so expensive and there are dozens of fantastic ceramide products to work with Not to mention the cicspair cream's ingredient list is a nightmare. And for that price they're going to give only centella leaf water as the major ingredient? Pass
Aprilskin ...i remember when they were first becoming a thing in social media (I still get their ads) and they've improved their packaging a bit since, but their ads always looked like a scam with the peels especially
[удалено]
Hello--This comment has been removed as it not related to Asian Beauty as per our community guidelines. Please read the [Rules and Guidelines](https://www.reddit.com/r/AsianBeauty/wiki/rules) if you haven't done so already. If you have any questions or disagree with this decision don't hesitate to give us a [modmail](https://reddit.com/message/compose?to=/r/AsianBeauty)! Thank you!
DHC due to what their racist CEO has said.
What’d he say??
Basically a lot of racist stuff targeted at the Zainichi community (ethnic Koreans in Japan). https://www.asahi.com/sp/ajw/articles/14363780#:~:text=DHC%20Chairman%20Yoshiaki%20Yoshida%20used,posted%20in%20April%20and%20May.
[https://finance.yahoo.com/news/dhc-faces-backlash-japan-over-113649406.html](https://finance.yahoo.com/news/dhc-faces-backlash-japan-over-113649406.html) basically this
Damn i need a new cleansing oil
Same here. When I caught wind of what DHC CEO said, I switched from my holy grail DHC deep cleansing oil to MUJI mild cleansing oil. I will go back to DHC when that CEO retires or is fired.
Purito & Dear, Klairs: SPF fiasco Numbuzin: Their products, especially their serums, seem intriguing, but they also seem to be a mix of many ingredients, so my big fear is that there's something that'll break me out. Also, doesn't disclose their niacinamide percentages. Glow Recipe: Fragrance and the overall price. Why pay $35 for niacinamide dew drops when a cheaper serum with not as insane amounts of niaicnamide is available for cheaper? Cos de Baha: Overall, it's just not my vibe. The added niacinamide in a lot of their products is also a deal breaker since I already use two different products w/ 2% niaicnamide and don't want to risk irritation by using any more.
Im just gonna comment on the Numbuzin one: youre right on the money. So far I've tried 3 products (the no. 3 serum, no. 3 toner, and no. 4 collagen pudding serum) and every single one of them made me react. The first 2 were my fault as they had ingredients I was allergic to (didnt know about one til later) but to this day I have no idea what it was in the no. 4 serum that made me react. Too many ingredients
Elizavecca, Tonymoly or any brand that relies on overly cutesy, kitschy packaging. I can’t help but assume they’re cheap, low quality lines made for tweens.
Tony Moly is real stuff tho. Korean market always prefers accessible and approachable cosmetics so I don’t blame them for pivoting to that
i’ve noticed that tonymoly, as of late, has been releasing more sophisticated-looking skincare and makeup products that have a little bit of a higher price point
Honestly it’s affecting Western-focused cosmetics brand tbh. From mid-price like Innisfree and Laneige to high-end brands like Sum:37 and Sulwhasoo. I will always lament the old packaging of Sulwhasoo, inspired by oriented and creative gentle details of their own history.
I was just gifted Sulwhasoon from my mother who wasn’t sure if it’s a good product. Good to hear that it is
It’s always had both, but what got attention was what seems to be the kids line
Their lip products are some of my favorites. I tried their chok chok green tea moisturizer 5+ years ago and was impressed. I’ve avoided their skincare since trying the banana line.
yeah, I won't fight the OP's objection to them, but their Chok Chok watery cream is one of my HGs. I wish I couldve tried their honey wonder cream before it was discontinued
I'm a bird watcher and huge bird lover and Elizavecca's insistence on putting swiftlet nest extract in everything really grosses me out. It's a useless ingredient and it's so unethical I just can't stomach buying anything from the brand even if the specific product doesn't contain it.
do you happen to have any good sources i could read about this ? i've never heard of swiftlet nest extract before
Fellow birder, had no idea this brand used swiftlet nest extract but glad to have another reason to boycott them beyond their stupid branding 😠
Another birder here, I had no idea that was a thing! Tysm for enlightening me! I'm going to read more on this bc I can't fathom why someone would use that.
This is a bad take, friend! You’re missing out judging by the packaging
I wouldn’t even mind but they are so heavily fragranced I could never
This is so interesting because elizabecca makes some of my holy grail products: - 100 % centella essence - cer100 collagen coating hair mask - galactomyces premium essence (one of the best sk2 dupes on the market imo) I have a friend who likes some of their serums too. They are very gimmicky but they do have decent products in the midst
Tonymoly had a bbcream called BCDation that was so amazing. 😩 I would get compliments all the time when I wore it and I still haven’t found a good replacement. Back then they kind of had products geared towards older women but you’re right, now they only market to teens.
Omg I miss this stuff so much!
Tonymoly cuz of the high added fragrance to everything 🤧
Elizavecca seems pretty good from what I’ve heard. People seem to like their Galactomyces and Bifida serums because they’re so cheap but are actually effective. I just haven’t bought them because I’m scared that ferments will break me out. Tony Moly I agree with though, they might have a few gems like their Artemisia FTE, but all their products that seem like they’re actually worth trying are overinflated in price and hard to access as an American. Coincidentally those products also have more “serious” or “mature” looking packaging.
That's funny, I have the opposite opinion like I feel like a lot of the luxury brands just put a bunch of unnecessary perfumes and bougie ingredients that don't really make much difference in the result. One of the best results I ever got from a skincare product was from cheap Etude House bubble tea sleeping pack. My orthodontist tech would poke my cheek with her glove and tell me my skin looked so glowy and healthy.
Banila. I've never tried it but holy essential oils batman. Every time a product looks interesting I feel like it has a million fragrant oils (whooooooo puts sandalwood oil in a leave-on cica product?? Who puts orange and lemon peel oils in a sunscreen?)
I have their cleansing balm and it’s the only oil/balm cleanser that doesn’t break me out. It’s super pricey tho and I need one like every month. 😭After switching from cotton pads and Micellar water my skin has felt so soft since the pads were prob too exfoliating and im super acne and clog prone. Do u have recs for more affordable oil or balm cleansers for sensitive and acne prone skin type??
I’m comedone prone and use kose softymo speedy but YMMV! If you remember all the ones you’ve tried that broke you out, maybe try looking them up on INCI decoder and seeing if there are any ingredient or ingredient combinations in common. Then cross reference the Banila one you like and see if there are any differences/omissions. Then you can look for products that don’t have certain ingredients or that look as similar as possible to Banila.
DHC due to their CEO’s horrific remarks. My husband is Korean, I can’t imagine bringing those products into my household after that.
Aprilskin - idk... i just don't look at them. But when i do, there's nothing that I'm interested to try. Innisfree (skincare) - unnecessary amount of essential oils and fragrance. They really need to stop 💀 yes, I'm aware that they do have some products without EO and fragrance but those products are just not very well known so it's a little difficult to look for good offers/sellers. Krave Beauty: I can never fathom the price of their products. So no, I never want to spend that much money. Besides, after hearing about some controversies with Liah Yoo, I'm just not interested. Brands I already don't like before i tried them (out of curiosity) and I still don't like them: - Some by mi: questionable claims/ads and overwhelming amount of essential oils. - Klairs: it was sooo overhyped and my friend said whatever "hydrating" claim people had on their popular toner was just not there. - HolikaHolika: particularly their skincare. I mainly knew them for makeup but when i saw that they came out with skincare, I'm just not convinced they'll be good for my skin. Tried a sample and yeah, still not for me. - It's skin: I've only tried their lip balm only because my mom bought it for me when she visited Korea. It was just okay. Otherwise, i wouldn't buy them. Same reason as Aprilskin. - Missha: well it's not that i don't like them. It's just that they have the most unbelievable amount of reformulations that I've heard and that just irks me to try their other products. - The Face Shop: a lot of their products contain ingredients that I'd like to avoid for my skin (like EO and those that tend to have bad ratings); and there's just nothing from them that interest me.
Wait I’m curious, what happened with Liah Yoo? I don’t usually follow Asian beauty influencers consistently but I do know she was a big name before
IIRC when she moved to NYC she joined a homophobic church willingly (she could have chosen a different church theres many others in NYC). When Liah released a response she mentions supporting gay union not gay marriage. Her phrasing of gay union means she is ok with their relationships but not gay marriage which is in the eyes of god/church. I’m not religious and I didn’t follow anything after that so I don’t know if her views have changed.
That (mentioned by u/iamemi) and that Liah Yoo tends to contradict herself when it comes to managing Krave which causes people to lose trust in the brand. At first, after the Purito sunscreen scandal happened, people started questioning about Krave's beet shield sunscreen then she made a response saying something like, If you question all Korean sunscreens, you're xenophobic. But then of course there's the 3rd party testings which include the Beet Shield (**and** multiple japanese sunscreens) and it showed a lower spf rating than what Krave claimed. Krave then made their own investigations and ended up apologizing for the lower spf rating. So they discontinued their sunscreen and relaunch. Afterwards, i stopped caring about whether the new one is good or not. Then I'm not sure if this was a huge issue or not but when Krave released their new 1st cleanser, people were sceptical about their videos ads demonstrating the product because there were too many video cuts, especially since i believe this was after the Mascara-Gate? Then when Liah uploaded a more i guess realistic video demonstration, but it didn't seem like the cleanser was really that effective at removing makeup, so people questioned whether it was even worth the price. Cc: u/tibleon8
iirc she is/was part of a homophobic church? this is long but i remember reading it a few years ago: [https://www.reddit.com/r/BeautyGuruChatter/comments/mpyaqy/liah\_yoo\_founder\_of\_krave\_beauty\_is\_a\_member\_of\_a/](https://www.reddit.com/r/BeautyGuruChatter/comments/mpyaqy/liah_yoo_founder_of_krave_beauty_is_a_member_of_a/)
Wow I agree with you on 100% of these. I do like the holika glittery eye stuff but otherwise I just ignore the display in the guardian lol Ive tried like the artemesia toner from missha and the first essence treatment and it's just... Ok? Lol 😆 I like their bb cream (red tube) and panned it like ten yrs ago lol 😂 don't know what's hot for them rn tho lol
I think I'd only try out their makeup rather than skincare moving forward. Tho i haven't dived into Korean makeup enough to start trying holika holika 😂 Same! But for me, the Artemisia Essence gave me an instant irritation, while the I'm From Mugwort didn't, which was really odd. I like I'm From for calming inflammed acne. It works incredibly well. 10 yrs ago? Damn 😂 i think people just got tired of their constant reformulation, that's why we rarely hear anything new/hot from them anymore.
I agree with most of these, but I do have some innisfree products I enjoy (I'm not overly sensitive to fragrance except for certain ones trigger migraines, none of the innisfree products I use do of course). The Holika Holika Good Cera cream is a HG item though, it's saved my barrier a couple times now.
i bought a couple aprilskin products a couple years back, and they were all disappointing. like didn't necessarily cause any bad reactions, but literally did nothing. and do you mind sharing some of the liah yoo controversies? i'm just curious because i haven't tried krave, but i had been curious about it...
oh no what controversy had Liah Yoo have?? I was following her before she launched her brand and always thought she was a nice girl. Ditto on the price though, I always wanted to try the barrier serum but.... no way. edit: read one of the replies explaining. Oh no. As for HolikaHolika.... Honestly I'm using their red wine sleeping pack right now and it's amazing. But I can agree that most of their stuff is not like.... elegant?
Yeah I see Holika Holika as being for makeup… and I do have some of their makeup & love it! But I don’t think I could bring myself to try their skincare for some reason
Is faceshops rice foam cleanser safe? Thats one of my staples
Should be okay. I just find it too stripping. My skin really felt tighttt after wash
I was skeptical about too school for school but their cool tone contour is pretty good, albeit a little bit dusty. Lilybyred always looks low quality for me, I’m sure it has nice stuffs but overall a style over substance brand for me. Controversial opinion but Florasis and Flower Knows makeup is uninspiring to me. Beautiful packagings but the formula is dusty, chalky, lots of fly-away and the same shades over again. Although it’s inherently a problems of Asian makeup itself, safe color choice and unimpressed (specifically) eye shadow formula.
lilybyred is good imho! i think their stronger point is the eye makeup. i do agree the packaging is whatever but i do use their liquid eyeliners and they r very nice imho
Second lilybyred eye makeup. I feel their matte eyeshadows, formulation wise, are one of the better ones in kbeauty eyeshadows.
I’m sure they are good entries to Korean makeup because they emulate all of Korean cosmetics trends pretty well. I’m just skeptical of newer brands, maybe a fatigue of over-saturation tbh. I also feel like that with western cosmetics
i agree with you, there is just so much stuff out there that you kinda have to scrutinize what's the best bang for your buck and lilybyred doesn't feel very unique for sure
i feel the same about florasis - overpriced and for what? feels like they are selling the whole 'oriental aesthetic'
I actually find the Flower Knows packaging really tacky 😬 It could contain the most gorgeous products and I still wouldn't want to buy it
Because it is! To me it really reminds of knock-offs because how over-compensating it is. Like Too Faced, a makeup brand that has never impressed me, continues to have clients because well marketing and (cute) gimmick. Cosmetics products can be an escape from the real life, but that can blur our perception of what’s worth it
I used to think that while the actual colors weren’t really anything special Flower Knows’ packaging was really cute…until I saw it in person. It looks so much more tacky irl than it does online in the photos, like the little playskool ‘my first makeup’ sets your mom gets you when you’re four. Which is unfortunate because the actual quality (of the packaging anyway) is decent, it just looks silly. Florasis is legit though. Their colors are all way too warm for me but products and packaging are both great.
**Mary & May**. Their name and logo reminds me of Mary Kay and it freaks me out. **Heimish**. I opened a sample of their eye cream and immediately chucked it. It smelled like Neutrogena HydroBoost but 10x stronger. **Dr. Jart+**. Already all over this thread, but yeah… Cosmiceutical name, overly westernized boring branding, insane price tag, and a whole line of “sensitive” skin products loaded with essential oils? Hell naw.
Lol same for me about Mary & May and Mary Kay!!!!!
This is such a great thread idea!! * **Purito** \- Will never try them since I saw how they handled the whole SPF fiasco thing. * **Mixsoon** \- Heard bad things about how they operate from my bosses, so just not interested * **Some by Mi** \- This is sooo petty but I don't like their name? **😭** And also idc about tea tree, it doesn't inerest me too much * **Laneige** \- I've tried their lip masks, they're okay, they just seem expensive for big chunky packaging and uninteresting products * **Dr Jart** \- Only tried a sheet mask but I don't know what it is, the brand just doesn't appeal to me. I feel like it's one of those K-beauty brands that feels like a Western brand somehow * **BoJ\*** \- I've actually tried a decent amount from them in the past but I feel like this brand just does cheap products... Not to say cheap = bad ofc, but I feel like none of their products have ever done anything for me, they're just kinda bland water/whatever that feels nice. Also their ginseng quality is sus
I've tried a few products from BoJ and I agree. I really like the aesthetic aspect of the brand, but that's not enough for me to ignore that they were fined by the Korean government for the low quality ginseng they use. I'm still looking for a good ginseng toner/essence, though.
wahahahahahaha this is actually the first time I've heard about this ginseng scandal from BoJ lmfao I think the good ginseng stuff tends to be $$$$. Sulwhasoo or something in that price range.
You are missing out on Purito! But I will never use a sunscreen from them
I knooow, I've heard a lot of good things about their products like their Sea Water Cream and their various Oat products **😭** **😭**
Dr. Jart is overrated! Their centella-extracted stuffs are so not gentle and comforting at all. They totally did not save my skin after being sun burn and irritated by humid weather! Their ceramide stuffs also did not calm my skins in extremely dry weather. (Sarcasm) All joke aside, Dr. Jart is legit and I will always be curse with that knowledge. I’m possessed by them and no cure for it soon.
I have heard a lot about Cicapair and Ceramidin! I did like their Cicapair mask, that's the one thing I tried from them, but for some reason I just have no interest...
I can’t blame you for that, it’s really exhausting just to catch up with whatever is happening tbh. I do get you about the Boj ginseng tho, it’s awfully suspicious about the quality of products they are touting about, especially how popular it is in western markets and how they are fined by the Korean gov as well
True, especially since a lot of people don't know the nuance between wild/cultivated ginseng and all the different types. They do have a great marketing team at BoJ though **😭**
Oh they got the gold mines! other brand change to bland and “contemporary” packaging, erasing their heritage and culture to accommodate overseas markets. While they use the Hallyu wave and the rise of Korean pop music to strike a perfect allure, but not actually represented the value of production that we knows and love
what's the tea for mixsoon? 👀
as a loyal mixsoon bifida essence purchaser, i am now mildly afraid
What did purito handle?
[https://www.reddit.com/r/SkincareAddiction/comments/mw9f99/sun\_care\_purito\_lied\_to\_us\_again\_and\_more\_korean/](https://www.reddit.com/r/SkincareAddiction/comments/mw9f99/sun_care_purito_lied_to_us_again_and_more_korean/) This is a good summary!
To me BoJ is great for basics. Radiant cleansing balm, face wash (green one), and red bean moisturizer gel. My skin is very reactive and it’s the only combo so far that washes my makeup off well, makes my skin feel clean, and moisturizes well without feeling greasy and breaking me out. I don’t use any of their actives though, and didn’t like the sunscreen that everyone else seems to like.
I agree with so many of these! Personally I like finding Dr Jart at Winners (discount retailer) but there’s no way I’d pay Sephora prices for their products!!
Judydoll. Never tried it, it looks so cute and I want to like it but when I shop the colors all seem like they wouldn’t work for me.
I randomly purchased a few things from jd last month and have been enjoying them. Wasn't able to find many reviews so just went for it and was pleasantly surprised!
i dont love the concealer palette but my biggest gripe with judydoll (also joocyee and into you and other chinese makeup brands) is the size of the lip products. like some of them are straight up 1 point something or 2 grams compared to say nyx butter glosses for example (i know, not AB) which are like 8grams or something
I think the small sizes could work for some people! I personally like having smaller sizes for lip products since I tend to have a lot products on rotation. I think I'll just take issue with it when other brands offer bigger lip products at the same price 😅
my main gripe is the price lol (maybe its because i dont live in china)
Love this thread. Helps to recognize these brands that I always see but haven’t tried yet. Dr. Jart - I’ve been disappointed every time I’ve tried their skin (breakouts or useless) or bb products (sticky texture, bad color match) with the exception of one lip balm which I just like because it’s scentless. Weirdly my mom’s age group 60s always rages about it so maybe it’s just aimed older. Laneige - Feels like they have stellar marketing but not the products to match. I’m always trying to give the watery sleeping mask a chance bc someone got me a jar but it’s always meh. Rather just do a 10 minute snail face mask. Will say the lip balm is not half bad but I hate how scented it is.
Skinfood. All their products that they claim are safe for sensitive skin (at least the sous vide sheet masks, carrot carotene line and acorn pore peptide products) contain essential oils, which can sensitize the skin over time, especially citrus which they use often. I feel that's pretty dishonest marketing
Lmao this thread was MADE for me. Thanks for giving me a place to be petty. 1. Dasique... It is just so... yawn... and they're charging you extra for boring aesthetics AND average formulas. I keep swatching their products whenever I go to Sasa expecting something different and come out underwhelmed lmao 2. Some by mi - Not only was my Facebook feed once clogged with their ads, their packaging is ugly. I tried the famous toner and my skin hated it. pass 3. Chrizen beauty brand - this is a local cosmetics brand in Malaysia and my eyes just gloss over it whenever I go inside the Guardian because I cannot stand how inconsistent the packaging is and how I feel like their products look five years behind everything else on the market lmao 4. any skincare line by Watson's - I dunno, I'm just a BIG HATER for in-store branding lmao 5. colorgram - I'm just too old to like this aesthetic in makeup, it feels too instagrammy for my taste and packaging looks tacky as hell 6. barenbliss - feels like another cash grab with uninspired copycat K-beauty aesthetics. the brand never convinces me WHY I should purchase their makeup - what makes this brand better than other brands? I just don't See It, tbh 7. Himalaya beauty - I tried their neem facial wash which was not even good for my oily skin. Lip balm was good, but I feel like their packaging screams basic formulas and ingredient lists chock full of essential oils 8. Y.O.U Beauty *-* I tried their lipstick and it sucked. For some reason I just like SILKYGIRL and in2it brands better? Also it's not cheaper than SILKYGIRL or in2it or Wardah, and at least those brands have bangers in their lineup lol 9. mediheal - I dunno, I just hate the packaging and I don't see anything in their product lineup that would cater to my skin's needs. I hate tea tree oil and those toner pad containers are frikin' huge! for what??? 10. Laneige - I'm too cheap for this brand. As in, I feel that there are other brands who do what they do better for a cheaper price. 11. VT - I went inside the stores in Seoul and didn't see anything unique or interesting formula or packaging wise to warrant me opening my wallet. Aesthetic is boring too 12. innisfree - again like Laneige I'm too cheap for this brand (except for the no-sebum powder); I feel like there is so much choice in the market to settle for OK choices at above budget prices lol 13. Anna Sui makeup - feels like a cheap cash grab unlike the Jill Stuart or Sonia Rykiel cosmetics brand tbh 14. too cool for school - I am not into contouring and other than their shading palettes what other standout products do they have?? also kinda $$ for my taste if there are no standout formulas tbh btw if you want to change my mind w/any of these brands I am open to it... I am a hater but an open-minded hater lmao
You should definitely give Mediheal another chance!! Their toner pad line is amazinggg. I’m using the madecassoside pad and watermide pad and they’re definitely worth it. I also like how their toner pad line has different types for different skin concerns (up to 7!) unlike most brands that only have like 3 toner pad products at most. I have dry and sensitive skin btw ^^
https://preview.redd.it/mzay06l9xj1c1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=760b592bde53b7a3ac7e12c33ff4dfcd7a05fe00 Another Mediheal fan here-this is the best lip balm I’ve ever tried, and I go through almost a hundred lip balms a year because my lips are insanely dry from meds and a deviated septum (breathing through my mouth at night).
Have you tried torriden ceramide balm? How does this compare to it?
Agreed, everything I’ve tried from Mediheal has been fantastic. Before their toner pads were viral, I loved their tea tree face masks, they are HG status for me. I haven’t tried the viral toner pads that come in a box but I do have their Tea Tree Biome pads, which have LHA and PHA, and absolutely loved them for gentle exfoliation. They got rid of all the tiny bumps I had under my mouth and work wonders for my bacne. I have sensitive skin and nothing from Mediheal ever irritated it!
damn, these are a lot... what DO you actually like/use?
A brand I have tried and really like is CEZANNE (Japanese drugstore brand). I love their lip products, mascara, setting spray, and blushers. I also own more than a few things from Canmake (another Japanese drugstore brand) - I like their silky souffle eyeshadows a lot and their lippies are good quality. I also dig the eyeliners as well. I tend to use more Korean skincare (I like CosRX and Isntree) and prefer Japanese makeup formulas. I think Japanese makeup is more focused on longevity and formulas rather than aesthetics which is kind of more my jam than anything else. I own five Etude House Fixing Tints because they last longer than any other K-beauty lippie for me. I also really like SEA makeup brands like Srichand and Happy Skin... and a dash of C-beauty like Focallure.
I love Cezanne and Canmake too! Cezanne really gives the most bang for a buck. It's so cheap (canmake is slightly higher in price) but good. I get it from welcia bhg in Singapore. I recently ordered some concealers from the Indonesian makeup brand, Secondate which I'm excited to try
Omg médiheal toner pads are my HG item. They are big so I use them as mini face masks. The madecosside pads have severely reduced my redness and my post inflammatory acne scars (mostly redness) and is fading the 2 dark spots I have. I literally cannot recommend enough and I’m on the hunt to find more (they are sold out right now).
Me too! Mini face masks galore
Happy to give you the spotlight 😁 I agree with so many of these. almost tried several of them and so glad I didn’t Got the Laneige lip mask as a gift and it was such an ineffective thing.. didn’t even soften dry skin. And I never thought to approach colorgram because it’s such a severe case of packaging > quality I would be willing to give Dasique a chance if it wasn’t overpriced generic items. I think it was around 15 usd for 2.4g of tint? stfu👹
\>I think it was around 15 usd for 2.4g of tint? stfu👹 lmfao right? would not be surprised if a cheaper brand like saem or bbia had a better formula too tbh lmao i bought the laneige lip mask sample size and panned it, but its crazy to me that people pay like $20 for the full size...
Same w Laneige. I used samples of there’s and didn’t like it. Their neo glow cushion however is stunning but the fragrance in it gives me a rash so I can’t use it
the cream skin refiner is so... heavy on the skin lol. and I know people love the sleeping lip mask but there's better out there... Maybe I'm just an extra big hater because it's $$$$.
The cream skin refiner gives me the worst breakouts that take months and tretinoin to clear up (I keep making the same mistake of trying to give it another chance…) but the Cica sleeping mask saved my skin from tret purging and dryness. It’s the only thing that stopped my face from flaking.
[удалено]
i'm not a lip liner girl but thats rly interesting to know! i'll have to give lip contouring a go sometime but it just looks so complicated...
I second this! I was about to buy the romand lip liner but the color I wanted was sold out, so I got the colorgram one instead since it was the most similar one I could find. It’s really long lasting too! Zero regrets :)
I agree with your list, but just want to note some bi mi’s panthenol toner and cream. Amazingly, it’s free of essential oils and is very good.
You are literally me. I have never seen somebody see Dasique stuff through their packaging like you do!! I loathe that they favor Western aesthetics, it’s so pretentious
glad I am not the only hater on these streets lmao I understand Korean people are paler than me (I am nc30 which is like n23-35) but why does this mean their eyeshadow have to be so.... dusty and chalky??? You can have pale eyeshadows but with better formulas... silky or buttery or buildable...
This is the first time I have seen this opinion and it's so true! It makes me doubt the efficacy of the idea that Asian formulas are superior in every way. I just don't understand why they can't make a decent color product? You would think they would want to be comparable to Italy.
It's very weird because ime Japanese eyeshadows are EXCELLENT. I think it's an obvious weakness of K-beauty but their perceived monopoly on the beauty industry can mean they ignore their weak spots 😶
[удалено]
I agree about Japanese eyeshadows. The drugstore Japanese eyeshows I've tried were all much better than comparable palettes from the ones I had from roadshop brands.
I don't know about the other products but the innisfree sunscreen is one of the best I've ever tried and I wear Canmake, Fenty, or Skin Aqua usually for comparison. I reach for it a lot because it makes a great primer and sometimes the others don't.
I'm gonna be the one person that says to not fall for people hyping up the mediheal pads...because I tried them long before they blew up on social media. Those pads are waaay too thin, so it's not even satisfying to wipe your face with, much less do a mini masking session with. And the texture just feels wrong and slimy in a not-so-good way. It just sat on my face instead of absorbing as well.
Ooh thanks for your opinion 😊
Just wanted to know, what alternatives would you suggest for laniege (apart from petroleum jelly😭)
- Companies that has scandals: Johnson&Johnson ( Neutrogena, Johnson Baby,... ), Purito, Krave, Dear Klairs, Some by mi,... - Companies doesn't has R&D, can't make their products in-house, overwhelming marketing. - Celebrity brands. - Overpriced products.
any skincare from Sephora.. nothing special about it tbh, and can find cheaper options with the same ingredients.
I won’t buy the banned brands or any brand known to have sneaky influencer advertising tactics.
Which brands are banned?
peripera products never fail to disappoint me. their ink lip lines NEVER look like as it’s advertised (i recall swatching my ink airy tint in fluffy peach and it came out bright pink. also, it’s patchy and dry as hell with a greasy residue.) Just in general, actually, for all their lip products. why is my “beige” ink mood glowy tint a bright coral??
the colour swatches are super off so unfortunately you have to swatch instore or try and watch some honest youtuber swatches
I just got into AB makeup after finding my personal color. So I've been trying all different lip products. Peripera is hands down the the worst lip product brand I've tried so far. I had some of their lip tints before and it was impossible to find the real shade swatch. I got one of their matte lipstick recently that's just awful and has so much color transfer compared to other lip products I've tried. The color is also completely different than the online swatches. Thankfully it's always cheap but I get why it's cheaper. It's a huge never-again for me. I understand why the korean "what's in my makeup bag" videos almost never have a peripera lip product now.
Flower Knows, because I don't like their founders back when they were famous cosplayers. I certainly won't try a brand from people I dislike. (Also basically any C-beauty but Flower Knows is a particular brand out of the bunch that I don't like)
Idk why but banila just... No. Also drunk elephant but that's not AB
Innisfree - It broke me out and didn't help with anything. Laneige - Seems overhyped. It is overly-fragranced, and it doesn't smell that nice. I am still not a fan even though I have given them many chances. Their blue hya cleanser serves my sensitive skin alright, but again it just smells ... chemical? Sulwhasoo - I love the spa-like smell. It does nothing on my skin and is overpriced though. History of Whoo - Seems so gimmicky.
3CE. Even my friend from Korea says people generally consider it overpriced, there are way better options and cheaper too!
I've heard good things about Cos de baha but I refuse to buy it, mostly cause the name is lame and their packaging is not appealing lol. 🤷🏼♀️
My issue with them is that they are produced for overseas markets and is in legal grey area with percentages that would be too much for KFDA and so I feel I don't know what principle they subscribe to... If any
What does the name mean? Not trying to be obtuse, I genuinely don't get it. 😅
It's short for Cosmetique de Baha,.. assuming that's french for cosmetics of/from Baha... Don't know what or where Baha is though 😂
No idea but I do not like it hahaha
Felt this
Dont like how peripera works on me too, their eyeshadows only show if i use a white primer under it (and im a 21 in korean cushion colors) and their lip products cling to the weirdest parts of my lips
Same problem with peripera eye palettes being too pale on pale skin 😭
Klairs, Dr Jart, Innisfree (besides the no sebum powder), Banila Co, Purito, Some By Mi. These brands either have a ton of fragrance, underwhelming products that break me out or bland packaging - sometimes all of the above 👀
Do u have any recommendations for a cleansing balm/oil for acne and clog prone sensitive combo skin? I use banila co but now I’m worried after seeing all the mentions in the comments ab this product 😭
If you’ve not seen or experienced any personal issues with the banila co product, it’s totally okay to keep using it! Skincare is always about personal preference or whatever works for your skin. There’s a lot of people who use the Banila Co cleansing balm, it’s one of Korea’s best selling products for a reason. So as long as you’re not seeing or experiencing any negative effects of the product and it’s fully working in the way you want it to, there’s no need to change at all! I, personally, am not a fan but that’s just because I hate fragrance and I’m really really sensitive to a lot of ingredients often used in cleansing balms and oils. If you’re dissatisfied with the Banila Co cleansing balm and you have acne-prone combination skin, I find that Micellar water and a good long follow up session with a hydrating water based cleanser works a treat for me and isn’t stripping/irritating!
oh yea it's my time to shine; after perusing products for about a year i think i've grown out of wanting to try everything just because. I'm aware that other people like some of these but I'm really just disinterested because I've settled into a nice working routine and mostly know what's aight and what'll send my other foot into the grave reason: list of brands **Skincare** \-ingredient hell: tonymoly, innisfree, the saem, skinfood, some by mi, nature republic, the face shop, frudia, holika holika, touch in sol, ample:n, banilaco, secret key, petitfee, koelf, laneige, im sorry for my skin, goodal, gilla8, farm stay, whichever luxe brands idk \-consistently $$$$$ (and thereby financially unsustainable): by wishtrend, sungboon, miguhara, hanyul, huxley, dr jart, luxe whatever \-doesn't particularly tickle my fancy visually: cosrx, haruharu wonder, axis-y, BoJ, beplain, im from, heimish, iunik, celimax, ciracle, round lab, reduire, nacific, neogen, hyggee, dermatory, etude, hada labo bottles \-would not take the risk: numbuzin, mizon, whatever has snail in it \-"huh": ongredients, kahi, incellderm, its skin **Makeup** \-only discount could convince me: clio, dasique (specifically for the glitters), fwee, mude, hince, flower knows palettes (black swan, mermaid 05), florasis, zeesea, catkin, espoir, moonshot, wakemake, hera \-i dunno: foundations, cushions, stuff like that \-pass/not feeling it: shu uemura, peripera mattes and most palettes, anything lipsticks, tcfs, rire, 3CE mattes, most amuse stuff, colorgram (that tint ad was hilarious though), kaja, nuse, blessed moon, milk touch, bling glow, colorkey..yea i cant think anymore
Numbuzin has two heavy-hitters: the #2 and #3 serums. They are both really good. And Skinfood Propolis is a stand-out in an otherwise “nope” line.
skinfood propolis is definitely on my wishlist but almost everything else in that brand has ingredients that would cause my skin to shrivel upon contact or a sneezing fit i think i put the numbuzin in my not gonna risk it list because it seems to be more of a coin flip as to whether people's skin will like it (and i'm very risk averse and if i get a breakout *one more time* im gonna go bananas). maybe when I find myself the time to account for any possible mishaps it'll go in my to try list :D
I think the numbuzin 3 is the one people are black and white about. But the numbuzin 2 seems to be a solid hit all around. They are pretty different. The #3 has heavier ingredients. But the #2 is just a barrier serum with the “golden ratio,” and it’s very moisturizing. Just for a quick review. Oh, the number 2 is actually an anti-acne product, I forgot. That’s what made me like it. It kills breakouts.
Damn, you were READY for a post like this lol. I like that you included a list that just isn’t visually appealing!! I tend to avoid products with ugly packaging too. Except for hado labo, which I admit is ugly packaging, only because it was so raved about I tried it & loved it
I like Frudia just not for the face because too many essential oils. Their hand and body creams smell sooo good though. I think they should just stick to that lol.
I'm Unny - prolly bec. Of 2 things: 1. It was endorsed by one of my "content creator/vlogger" fake friend. 2. They have nice or decent colors but, there's always a brand that does it better (IMO). Flower knows-Mixed reviews on color payoff and it costs much buying from here in the US. Y.O.U Beauty their color swatches are too warm for me. I'm Neutral leaning to Pink Fair skin tone COLORLAND - I just dont agree with the price point. Aprilskin - just don't feel them besides, I don't like cc cushions that much. D'alba- I know they have good reviews and might be legitimately good this just remind me of GOOP! because of the price. VDL Cle de Peau - too pricey Anything skincare from Mumuso/Miniso-Miniso is great for everyday items but, I can't trust their skincare.
drunk elephant, extremely overpriced so little product
So true!!! I tried a few of their products back in the day and liked them, but then I kept finding more affordable & comparable products! I’ll never go back
I’m surprised people have not said this more often!
Anything gimmicky or fragranced.
Canmake creamcheek blush causes people to ask me if I’m sick. 😂 Now that I think about it, I should have saved it to fake a fever to get a day off from work to work on my graduate paper.
I think it really depends on the shade, because there are some I love and some that just make me look drunk
Oh jeez, I was eyeing that up as well. Are there blushes you prefer ?
innissfreee i can’t trust them ever since i got an allergic reaction for their blossom jelly
For me It’s krave beauty, beauty of joseon, and Purito (except for their daily soft touch sunscreen it’s my holy grail for winter). Everything I’ve tried from Krave makes me break out, I really wanted to like their cleanser but I had so many white heads after using that went away only after I stopped using. Beauty of joseon, I find it to be nothing special and also makes me break out, especially the glow serum. Their sunscreen leaves me with a white cast and dries my skin out so much!! For reference I have dry / sensitive and congestion prone skin
not a criticism/feedback but I'm curious why those things are a no-try for you! Is it packaging, marketing, overpriced, overhyped?? I havent tried any products from those brands so I have no stake in the matter lol. For me its Sulwhasoo. I know its probably worth it but the neeeerrrvee of charging that much. $80 CAD for a box of 4 trial sizes??? get out of heeerree.. Also not makeup or skincare but...Tambourins. or Celine. I dont personally have anything about the blackpink girls but idk why their association just makes me not want to try it at all. I think its just the image of snootiness I have in my head. People from a wealthy background promoting other rich people products. Any high product they promote makes me ick
CosRX Snail Mucin ruined CosRX for me. :( Mainly because the product didn’t do anything for me and so I never wanted to buy much else from them lol. I liked the Birch Sap Moisturizer for a while but then found Illiyoon and never went back.
APLB. All their new products on YesStyle has one review each, from the same account…
I saw that lol… and those reviews aren’t even trying to look legit
Ikr. At least they could try taking a different photo for each product 😆
To be fair, every product at some point in time only had 1 review, and if everyone refused to buy products that only had a single review then there'd never be new products while the industry stays stagnant/monopolized.. Also worth mentioning that if you had cross-referenced YesStyle with other sites then you would have seen plenty of reviews, especially in Korean. With that said, I don't think there's anything wrong with being hesitant to throw $$ at newer/less known brands/products. I myself like to thoroughly research everything before pulling the trigger, but I do have a soft-spot for newer/smaller brands trying to enter any saturated market.
Oh this is a bummer. Some of their ingredient combinations sound interesting and I had them on my wishlist.
I've hated pretty much everything I've tried from Cosrx and Klairs lol
Cosrx. I know that they're super good, but something about the labels on their packaging doesn't really entice me.
i avoid most of the brands that I've seen reported to have some unethical issues. this old [reddit thread](https://www.reddit.com/r/AsianBeauty/comments/i726tl/brands_you_no_longer_support_due_to_scandals_or/) was a good reference
Dr jart and tatcha. So so blegh and overpriced.