“Dominion”

Paolo Sebastian | The Passage of Spring

Timothée Chalamet for Dazed China — March 2020

elie saab fall/winter 2017 haute couture

Korean Skincare on a Budget 💸💸

Or- Someone should really stop me before I run out of funds

Pictued: Me counting what I have left after dropping $130 on an order for skincare products.

First of all, I would like to thank @arcanuspeony for giving me this idea to do a post about finding skincare products on a tight budget. 💕

None of us have an infinite source of money. Though why do humans need to use money? Everything should just be free, because living on this planet is already too exhausting for money to but put in the equation. Is that what communism is?

Anyway. I would say the best option for budget-friendly Korean skincare is to check out the Four Pillars of K-beauty brands. (That is a term that I came up with in the shower. You heard it here first.) Etude House, Innisfree, COSRX, and maybe MISSHA. Other brands are only famous for one or two products, but these are the Big Four of Korean skincare. If you are looking for cheap yet effective skincare, this is where you should start.

Product recommendations based on the ten steps of Korean skincare (under $20) ⭐️

Oil cleanser: I love The Face Shop’s Rice Bright Light Cleansing Oil. Another one I like is Innisfree’s Green Tea Cleansing Oil, which is great for oily skin.

Foam cleanser: COSRX low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser and any cleanser from Innisfree.

Exfoliant: This is an item I think you can splurge on, as with exfoliation it is so important to use something that is gentle and won’t tear your skin. I would recommend the COSRX BHA Blackhead Power Liquid, which is mainly for people with acne-prone skin. Dr. G’s Brightening Peeling Gel is good for all skin types.

Toner: Secret Key has a great line of toners for different skin types. Dear, Klairs’ Supple Preparation Toner is nice. You can never go wrong with Etude House’s Soon Jung pH 5.5 Relief Toner for sensitive skin.

Ampoules/Serums/Essences: You can basically skip this step if you’re on a really tight budget. Otherwise, for an essence, I would recommend MISSHA’s Time Revolution The First Treatment Essence Rx (pictured blow- a few dollars over 20 but it’s worth it). What do ampoules even do? I stopped using mine a long time ago. As for serums, iUnik is a brand with alright products at a low price.

Sheet mask: Innisfree! All day, every day! Nature Republic’s Real Nature Mask Sheets are good too. (Japanese sheetmasks that come in a package like hand wipes are the cheapest and the best though.)

Moisturiser: If you have to get one product on this list, it has to be Etude House’s Moistfull Collagen Cream. I accidentally dropped my jar and had to throw it away, but trust me. This cream is so nice and hydrating without being too thick. Perfect moisturiser imo.

Sunscreen: Etude House’s Sunprise Must Daily Lotion SPF50+ PA+++ or Missha’s All Around Safe Block Essence Sun EX SPF45/PA+++. Super affordable. ☀️

A real girl-on-a-budget knows that sometimes it’s better to DIY. For the more adventurous, you could try making a green tea facial mask or a rose water facial spray! Skincare also means eating and drinking right so be sure to drink barley tea. (Chill it and it will be the best tea you have ever tasted)

I use YesStyle to buy almost all of my Korean skincare products because once you become a Gold Member everything becomes less expensive and there are always sales where you can pick up great products for low prices! (You could also find some of these products on Amazon, but please boycott that site.)

Cave beach in a Portugal. Via reddit user Palana.

Dev Patel and Imaan Hammam for VOGUE

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