I read and hear about Pyunkang Yul all the time, but until recently have never had the pleasure of trying it. The brand was started by a famous Pyunkang Oriental Medicine Clinic in Korea and focuses on gentle, safe ingredients. I was thrilled to win the Style Korean’s Try Me Review Me for a Pyunkang Yul gift set. You can purchase that set here or any other Pyunkang Yul products here. All of these items are made without artificial colors or fragrances and are hypoallergenic. T

The I’m From Mugwort Mask is a healing and calming treatment for red, irritated, and acne-prone skin. It typically comes in a jar and is sold on* eBay, Amazon, YesStyle (use reward code KBHOBBIT for extra savings), and Wishtrend. I have a smaller sized tube. The star ingredient in this gel wash off mask is mugwort - a traditional healing herb that is used both internally and externally (but please do not eat the mask). Mugwort grows in Asia, North America, and Northern Europe

Taking a bath and cleansing my face at the end of a long day is my favorite (yes, I’m a wild party animal, I know). There’s something deeply therapeutic about rinsing off the stress and dust of the world and getting ready to rest up for a new day. Cleansing oils are designed to be used as the first step of this wonderful process, dissolving dirt and makeup that a foaming cleanser alone can’t handle. The 2NDESIGN First Cleansing Oil Pure & Fresh contains only EWG (Environmenta

Ah, winter… The season of lovely fluffy white snow, holidays and presents, and dry, cracking, red skin! How sweet… I was first introduced to the Klairs Rich Moist Soothing Cream when a friend generously mailed me samples from Canada last winter. I don’t like keeping half-used sample sachets, so I just slathered the entire thing on my face, it felt too heavy, and I decided it just wasn’t for me. A classic case of user error! Then, in late 2018, I made a rather large purchase o

I have combination skin which tends to get oily in the t-zone. For years, since I was a teenager, I fought the oiliness with everything I could - harsh facial cleansers, alcohol wipes (gasp! How do I even have skin still??), lots of powder and so on. I just didn’t know any better. Now that I’ve been out of high school for a little over a decade, I know better and do better. The best way to keep the oil under control has been to properly hydrate the skin, especially during the

A few months ago, I was on the hunt for a very specific type of toner - it had to be fragrance free, without peptides and growth factors, without BHA and retinol, and with ingredients as “clean” as possible. It also needed to be moisturizing without being heavy, and suitable for my combination skin. Why such a long list of requirements? Because in July of 2018 I found out I was pregnant with our second baby. I am not a doctor, and some might argue with me that these ingredien

I love sheet masks. When I first started to experiment with Korean skincare, I would buy lots of different masks without giving them much thought. But now I’m more experienced and much more selective. I picked DearPacker Black Ginseng Gold Hydrogel mask for the best, most “legit” reason of all - the packaging (I’m giggling as I write this). Of course, the ingredients are very promising (more on that below), and hydrogel masks are usually my favorite type of sheet masks, but j

Do you ever find yourself just wanting to go to bed and skip the entire Korean beauty routine? Fall face first into the pillow, with makeup and all? I do, but I can’t in good conscience do this to my skin. The Giibon Care Cleansing Pads are designed exactly for these times - each pad is formulated to completely cleanse AND condition your skin. In one step (well, two, but read more about that below). The pads are sold on Jolse.com Each pad has two sides - an embossed side and

I’ve been dabbling in By Wishtrend products lately (perhaps you remember my review of their Mandelic Acid Skin Prep Water). One of the latest additions to my Korean beauty skincare collection is By Wishtrend Vitamin 75 Maximizing Cream. It promises to rejuvenate and hydrate the skin. The name comes from the main ingredient - 75% vitamin tree water (also known as sea buckthorn) and vitamin E. These two powerful ingredients have an anti-aging effect and promote elasticity. The

Every Fall and Winter, I struggle with chapped, irritated hands that sometimes even crack and bleed. I’m not sure if it’s the cold, the dryness of the indoor heated air, the soap we have at work, or some wicked combination of all of the above. Either way, it’s very painful and definitely not visually pleasing. I’ve had great experiences with Benton products so far (reviews here), so I was very excited to get my hands on (see what I did there?) Benton Shea Butter and Coconut H

I love a good hydrating toner. Keeping my combination skin's moisture levels up has been one of the best ways to cut down on excess shine in the t-zone (when the skin is parched, it can produce extra oil to try and compensate). A travel size of Isntree Hyaluronic Acid toner was included as a free gift when I bought another toner by the same brand (review here). The full size bottle is 200ml. Even my small one lasted about two weeks of nightly use (I kept it near the bathtub a

INSbyN AC Calming System Mask promises to heal and soothe irritated skin. I have combination skin with an oily t-zone and dry-to-normal cheeks. I can’t say it’s acne prone, but I still get an occasional breakout. And being so light/fair means that any sort of mechanical irritation or cold weather turn my skin red. The mask is available on eBay and Facetory. Active ingredients: Witch hazel extract - heals irritation and blemishes Tea tree Extract - reduces inflammation and soo

Update 3.21.21: As many of you already know, the Purito sunscreens tested below the SPF stated on the label. I decided not to take down my reviews of them, but in the spirit of full disclosure I am adding this update. The brand is currently working on new formulations, and I signed up to be an early tester. I’ve had a long-standing love affair with Purito products. They were some of the very first Korean beauty items I purchased, and pretty much everything has worked for me.

I’ve seen the MITOMO Vitamin + Lithospermum Essence Mask get rave reviews online. Imagine how thrilled I was to find one lonely box of ten masks in a local discount store. Yay! Finally, something amazing came my way (usually, the physical stores where I live do not have anything exciting). It’s also available on eBay and Amazon. The mask is Japanese and recommended for sensitive skin. It contains vitamin E to protect the skin from free radical damage. Lithospermum helps reduc

Everyone is hoping for a Christmas miracle, but last year I had a huge Christmas disappointment. I picked up these Missha Home Aesthetic Paraffin Treatment Foot Masks, available on* eBay and Amazon, hoping to pamper myself during the busy holiday season. I imagined sitting on the couch, sipping tea, and feeling the warmth of the masks on my feet. Aaaah! What a perfect evening! The masks promised to treat hard, rough skin, filling it with moisture and nourishment. How to use:

What’s in your first aid kit? Probably some bandages, antibiotic cream, something for a headache and a fever. Mine also has acne-fighting masks, just in case (although I keep them in a separate spot). I have combination skin with an oily t-zone and dry-to-normal cheeks, and the breakouts are rare. But when they do happen, it is so annoying! A good sheet mask used at the first signs of trouble can make a huge difference. My latest “emergency” mask is Benton Goodbye Redness Cen

The Clearouse Healing Ginseng Nourishing Mask is designed for dull, tired, stressed out skin. Ginseng contains many phytonutrients, which makes it an ideal and prized anti-aging ingredient. It's sold on Facetory. How to use: Apply to a clean face after toner Leave on for 10-20 minutes Remove, pat in the remaining essence and follow with the rest of your routine My impressions: I’ve had a couple of ginseng sheet masks and a peeling mask (review here), and most of them have ver

As a pale, sun-aware person prone to freckles, I am always using some sort of sun protection, during any time of the year and in any weather. Even on my laziest days, I may skip all the skincare steps and all makeup, but I won’t set foot outside without sunscreen. Because of that, I finish bottles and try new ones regularly. Today I offer you a review of Etude House Soon Jung Mild Defence Sun Cream SPF49 PA++. This is a non-irritating, mineral sunscreen from a line designed f

Sheet masking is an almost daily part of my skincare. The beautifully packaged Feliz8 Nature Flower Aqua Mask contains a dozen of calming botanicals such as chamomile, peppermint, lotus, jasmine, and rose to soothe sensitive and irritated skin. It's available on eBay, Amazon, and Facetory. How to use: Apply to a clean face after toner Relax for 10-20 minutes Remove and follow with the rest of your routine My impressions: A good, solid mask, and it must be a popular one as I c

CICAGO is a new to me Korean skincare brand that focuses on natural, safe ingredients and products containing cica. What is cica? It’s just another term for Centella Asiatica, a medicinal herb praised for its healing and antibacterial properties. Cica is especially popular in products meant for sensitive and acne prone skin. The CICAGO toner promises to soothe and calm sensitive, reactive skin and improve complexion. It comes in a form of a mist and can be sprayed directly on