If you can’t
get your soul to Seoul, you might be feeling a little bit depressed! Unless you
have been under a rock for the last few years, you will have heard about the
rise of covetable Korean beauty products. So, why the hype, and what is it that
the Korean girls are demanding that is bringing us this trend? Well, these
ladies are clear – their products must be innovative, with gentle, natural
ingredients, delightfully pleasing packaging; and no one wants to pay a small
fortune for it. Sounds great to me – you go girls, help us all out and turn the
beauty industry on its head while you’re there – ok?
When did this revolution happen?
So, when did
this all happen? Eight years ago the cosmetics and beauty industry was
dominated by American products, with some European ones making their presence
felt. Do a hop, skip and a jump to today, and Korean products are all the rage.
One of the things that women all over the world have moved toward is a holistic
view of beauty, a penchant for the most natural products possible and wanting
to be part of the solution to saving the earth, not the cause of it! But, don’t
despair if you want yourself a little slice of this Korean beauty pie and it
hasn’t come to your neck of the woods yet! COSME-DE.COM has all the Korean beauty products you could want, at
great prices with free shipping to most countries, so settle in and check a few
out with me, then choose your own to enjoy, delivered to your door!
A quick History lesson
It all
started with the BB cream – while not a completely new invention having been
around since the 1950’s, it was popularised in Korea in 2006, taking the West
by storm by 2011. Following hot on its illuminating heels were CC creams, BB
creams with ‘cushion’ compacts, brightening products, sheet masks, essences and
oil cleansers; and plenty more followed suit.
And the
Korean beauty market has grown more than the US and European markets in the
last few years – why? It is the aspects I mentioned earlier that have us all
going gaga over Korea – the innovation, ingredients, textures, affordability
and packaging. All this is wonderful, but most importantly, do Korean products
work? Well, therein lies the real secret – after all the cute packaging and fun,
the products deliver results, and that is at the heart of what we all want from
our beauty products!
The Beauty Balm Boom
So, let’s
start with a product that has become a staple for me – the BB cream. Only this
one comes as part of a ‘cushion’, meaning it is a delightful, easily
transportable ‘pod’ that you can open up anytime and with a few stamps of the
specially-designed ruby-cell puff you can moisturise, cover, reduce fine lines,
whiten and protect against sun damage, for a flawless, glowing finish that can
last up to 12 hours. What is this wonder product? Sulwhasoo Perfecting Cushion SPF50+
/ PA+++ – you won’t want to ever leave home without it! Comes in medium pink,
medium beige and light pink too.
Some biology…
So, talking
about homes, which molluscs carry their shells on their backs? Yes, snails,
well done – go to the top of the class! Why are you going about snails now?
Yes, I know what you are thinking. Well, whether you like these slimy little
critters or not, snail extract has major beauty benefits. Just try using Mask House
Celebrity Series Snail Extract Moisturizing Gel Mask, and you will be so
delighted with the results, you forget about any misgivings on the snail part
of things!
Five regenerative ingredients include the friendly
snail secretion, hyaluronic acid, acetyl hexapeptide-8, amino acids and adenosine.
And if all these names sound a bit too much like chemistry class for your
liking, then what you really want to know is that this will dramatically
improve your skin’s hydration, stop aging in its tracks and lock in moisture
day and night.
Hydration Pump System
And
while we are on the subject of hydration, there is another Korean product that
is amazing for this. It is Mask House Aqua Pump Instant
Hydration System, a 3-in-1 product that packs a punch and doesn’t cost the
earth! It can be used as a deep moisturiser in the morning and evening, a
makeup base and an overnight mask if massaged into skin before sleep. The
system contains Ceramide 3 (from yeast) that helps to rapidly penetrate deep
into the skin to lock that moisture down and create a moisture barrier.
The essence of it
all
So, one of the trademarks of Korean beauty products
is the use of essences. What is an essence? It’s something in between a toner
and a serum, but is neither of these things! An essence usually comes in a
beautiful glass bottle, and is used after you have thoroughly cleansed your
skin, to give your skin a very comforted, hydrated, nourished and cared for feel. One of the most interesting brands
coming out of Korea is The History of Whoo. The concept behind The History of Whoo, is a strong
emphasis on the use of premium eastern medicinal herbal ingredients; in
combinations and complexes that enable skin cell self-regeneration for powerful
and effective anti-aging benefits. You also cannot help but fall in love at
first sight with the regal, elegant packaging. With so many available, the
choice is hard but I chose the Gongjinhyang Qi & Jin Essence. A
lightweight essence that delivers a deep moisture, containing Gong Jin Dan, an
ancient Korean court formula, in addition to Agilawood extract, Wild ginseng,
Cordyceps Sinensis, and natural olive oil. It is best to apply gently with a
massaging motion.
Keep it coming, Korea!
So, now you know why we are all rushing off to find
Korean beauty products, I can’t wait to see what comes out of Korea next!
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