I’m so excited to share this post with you because I really think that the products I’m going to share with you will literally change your skincare routine. I know they did mine.
For the longest time — despite my Mom’s recommendation — I completely ignored my skin. Truthfully, I’ve never had bad skin. A few breakouts here and there — especially when Aunt Flow came to visit — but never anything terrible. But all throughout college and post-undergrad I continued to have mini breakouts — stress breakouts, hormonal breakouts, poor eating breakouts, lack of hydration breakouts. You name it, I had it.
I started to develop my makeup routine in college and unfortunately, a skincare routine didn’t follow. I broke the cardinal rule and slept in my makeup (gross!) and didn’t use a cleanser or toner. A little Olay moisturizer & I thought I was good to go.
Boy was I wrong!
I thought that wearing lots of foundation and/or concealer could hide my sub-par skin. And I had no idea how to get that poreless, porcelain skin like movie stars Lucy Hale or Blake Lively. Until I lived in Seoul, South Korea for a summer.
I don’t have a single Korean friend who doesn’t have a 9-step+ skincare routine. It’s something they are raised to prioritize from a young age.
As basic as brushing your teeth.
Skincare stores in Korea like Innis Free, TonyMoly, and Banila Co. are dime a dozen. As frequently spotted on the street as Starbucks in America. Watson’s — an equivalent to CVS or Walgreens in America — is stocked with top skincare products. And it’s reflective of the importance Koreans place on caring for their skin. It’s phenomenal!
I’ll admit, I was skeptical at first, but when walking around outdoor shopping centers in Seoul, like Myeongdong or the shopping area near Ewha Women’s University, I was given lots of free samples. Especially of face masks (separate post to come on those).
And I started to see a huge difference in the health of my skin.
I originally invested in cheaper products and was truthfully amazed by the results. I will do another post on my entire skincare routine. When I purchased some products, I received some samples from Sulwhasoo. The samples included both the Essential Balancing Water Ex and the Essential Balancing Emulsion Ex. I used both on a vacation to West Virginia (see old post) my family took a last year and I was amazed.
Within a day, my skin was glowing! Like literally glowing!!!
My foundation went on smoother and there was a brightness, a renewed youthfulness, to my skin. I looked it up, and not going to lie, was a bit shocked by the sticker price. (Pro-tip: Amazon often has a set on sale and it ships free with Prime.)
But it is so worth it. I’ve never used a product with similar results, even other Korean skincare products I’ve tried or used for a long time have never been as transformative.
I usually apply it twice per day. You literally put a dime size dollop on your hands and that’s all you need for your entire face of each product, so it lasts for a year or more. If you want to conserve the product, I would recommend using it at nighttime before bed.
But if you really want that dewy, glowy skin, apply it in the morning as well. Apply it before you do your make-up. Do your eye makeup first to allow time for the Balancing Water and Balancing Emulsion to sink into your skin and then apply your foundation.
I cannot underestimate the significance of investing in a solid, consistent skincare routine. It will completely change your makeup routine and even your look.
If you have any additional questions that I didn’t answer about the product, please leave a comment below.
Cheers loves,
Liv
Outfit Details:
Yellow turtleneck: Express (*now 40% off and under $50), Black pants: Uniqlo, no longer available, similar here and here
* This post was not sponsored by Sulwhasoo*
“The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light.” ~ Matthew 6:22
Liv in the District 