This guide will introduce you to the enchanting world of Korean beauty products, but before you read on: lluminous bears no responsibility for any Korean cosmetics addictions that may result. ^_^

Famous Korean Beauty Products

The most famous beauty product to originate from Korea is probably BB Cream. BB actually stands for Blemish Balm, and it was used as a tinted moisturizer with SPF that protected the skin after laser/chemical peel treatments. Now, many European cosmetics brands are also marketing their own BB creams.

Another well-known Korean beauty product that has been adopted by other Asian brand cosmetics is the sheet mask or mask sheet. Extremely convenient, these cellulose sheet masks are soaked in skincare essence and individually packaged. All you have to do is apply one on your face, leave it on for 30 minutes like you do with a normal mask, then dispose of them without having to wash your face. I love Korean face masks so much that I have tons of sheet mask reviews!

All right, now on to the exciting part…

Korean Makeup Brands

This is a list of the more popular Korean cosmetics brands. Many of these are endorsed by Korean actors and actresses and have a presence outside of South Korea, but if you can’t find them in your country, not to worry – you can always get your Korean cosmetics fix from Gmarket Korea (click on each brand’s logo to see their product listings in Gmarket Korea).

Standalone Korean Cosmetics Brands

	With hundreds of stores across Asia, The Face Shop is well-known for their cheap nail polish which comes in a variety of colors and finishes. My favorite products are the Raspberry Roots Sleeping Mask and Collagen Eye Patch gel eye mask – they’re really soothing and do wonders for my skin.
	You can spot an Etude House store a mile away. Why? Because their stores are almost completely candy-pink both inside and out! With their sweet packaging and super-low prices (My favorite brow pencil costs just $2.50), it’s a fantastic place to shop for cosmetics and indulge your girly side.
	The first premium Korean skincare brand to expand beyond the borders of South Korea, LANEIGE is famous for its Water Bank range of hydrating skincare products, as well as for hiring world-famous actresses like Jun Ji-Hyun and Song Hye Kyo to endorse the brand.
	Their name certainly reflects their products very well – SkinFood‘s skincare products are mostly made of ingredients you’d more commonly find in your food, and they’re even packaged to look like a jar of jam or tub of yogurt. Their Black Sugar Mask is rather popular…don’t eat it by accident though!
	Beauty Credit
	TonyMoly (this gets my vote for weirdest Korean cosmetic brand name) is known for their super-light whipped hand creams, which have the consistency of Hazeline cream.
	Nature Republic
	Holika Holika stands out from the other brands with its dark yet cute concept – reminiscent of Urban Decay, but far more approachable.
	Banila co. is probably most famous for mimicking the simple yet feminine style of Benefit Cosmetics, but they have a much wider selection of products and colors. I love their lipsticks – creamy and color-rich.
	Started in 2009, Too Cool For Schoolis the newest Korean makeup brand around. I love their dark apothecary-style decor (very Kiehl-ish!) and preppy product packaging. Check out my review of their McGirly Whitening Gel Mask.
	Innisfree
	With their ’50s retro designs and characters, Baviphat isn’t really my thing but certainly has its appeal.

Drugstore Brands and Korean Skincare Brands

	The next things I wanna try from CLIOare their Kill Black eyeliner and Gelpresso Waterproof Pencil Gel Liner.
	VOV
	Peripera
	Although not as well-known as many other brands, I’ve found Dr. Jart‘s Whitening Water Drop to have a great texture and high absorbency. Unfortunately, its BB creams didn’t work well for me.
	Hanskin
Leader’s Clinic/Mediheal	I love the sheet masks from Mediheal, or Leader’s Clinic-Clinie as it was previously known. They’re really rich with essence but don’t leave an oily residue on my skin, and they never fail to improve my skin condition. Essentially the best Korean face masks I’ve used.
	I recently discovered this brand when shopping for face masks in Seoul. The first thing that caught my eye about Dewytree was their black face mask. No, not a charcoal or clay mask paste, but a black sheet mask! Like a madwoman, I impulsively grabbed a stack of the masks – so do read the Dewytree Deep Detox Black Mask review.
	Skin79 could probably survive on the profit of just 1 product – the worldwide bestselling Super+ BB Cream. It’s been touted as the best BB Cream of all, and that’s saying a lot considering the thousands of makeup brands out there trying to ride on the popularity of Korean beauty products.

One great thing about Korean cosmetics brands is that they always give you lots of free samples with your purchase, be it in-store or online, so you get to try out a certain skincare range or new product before buying it. Remember, if you can’t get these brands locally, just click on the logos to find and purchase them – most of these brands will ship internationally via Gmarket.

Which is your favorite brand out of all these, or do you have other Korean makeup brands you want to add to the list? Leave a comment to share it with us. :)

I bought the cream from Gmarket Korea for about US$24, and it came with a free moisturizing face mask as well as a bunch of free samples.

First Impressions

Appearance: Although the jar is plastic, it doesn’t feel too cheap. Everything was nicely packaged in a plastic-sealed box.

Texture: I don’t like the thick, gooey texture of the Elicina cream (well, it purportedly contains snail slime after all), but despite the humid climate it was eventually fully absorbed into my skin without leaving a sticky or oily film on my face. Since it doesn’t spread too well, I had to use a bit more of the cream than with ordinary moisturizers.

Scent: The cream is totally odorless, which is excellent for sensitive noses and skins.

Results

Unfortunately, after more than 2 months of regular use, Elicina snail cream hasn’t managed to lighten the scars on my hands in the slightest bit. It did, however, do a decent job of keeping my skin moisturized – my face doesn’t feel exceptionally supple and hydrated like with the Biotherm Aquasource Skin Perfection 24h moisturizer, but my hands and arms are definitely smoother.

Oh, yes – I use Elicina cream for my arms and legs (like a body butter) when I travel to cooler and drier countries, and it absorbs almost instantly into my skin.

Conclusion

If you’re thinking of using snail cream for scars, be warned that it probably only works to reduce redness on new scars. It is, however, a wonderful all-round moisturizer that doesn’t leave a sticky, buttery feeling the way body butter does – especially if you live in dry and seasonal climates. While Elicina snail cream doesn’t give you an instant feel-good sensation on your skin, it industriously eliminates dry, wrinkly skin.

Snail cream for acne? Probably not when you’re having an ongoing inflammation, but it should help immensely for healing the skin.

 3.5/5

Did Elicina Snail Cream or any other brands of snail cream effectively lighten your scars? Or do they work well for other skin problems?

At $15.90 for 5 pieces, the masks are rather reasonably priced since more material and mask essence is required to make each mask.

First Impressions

Appearance: Call me picky, but the ordinary sweet pink and Taiwanese-style packaging didn’t really appeal to me. It looks just like any other drugstore brand. In each package, is a nice, thick sheet face mask.

Texture: I was impressed by the thick and stretchy fabric used for the Heme Rose Hydrating Ultra-White Lift V-Mask. I was initially afraid I’d tear the mask while trying to apply it, but the side ear holes were well-placed so that the mask stretched comfortably across my face.

Unfortunately, the V-mask area of the face lift mask that was supposed to go under my jaw and neck area was way too tight – I could feel my pulse throbbing against the material. Because of this, I couldn’t wait to remove the mask after the recommended 20 minutes even though I usually leave a beauty mask on for 30 minutes.

Scent: Oh my gosh. I nearly fainted from the odious rose scent of the face mask, it was so artificial and cloying.

Ingredients of the Heme face lift mask (click for larger image)

Results

I usually apply my face masks at night and remove them before falling asleep, so the next morning I got a pleasant surprise when I touched my face to find it soft and smooth as a rose petal. More importantly, my skin feels firmer and tighter, especially under my jaw where I have slightly more neck fat than most.

I’ve used the Heme Hydrating Ultra-White Lift V-Mask twice so far, and I do feel that my skin has become slightly less dull as well. On the other hand, I got a few small, dry, painful whiteheads – but I don’t know if they were due to the mask or my recent late nights!

Conclusion

The Heme face lift mask had visible lifting and firming results on my skin, as well as giving me mildly softer and fairer skin.  The fact that it fulfills multiple beauty functions already makes it better than most drugstore brand face masks I’ve tried. Great for my first time trying a face lift mask!

It’s a pity that the scent of the mask as well as the too-tight fit under my jaw means I probably won’t buy it again, as it’s just too tortuous to endure for just slightly firmer and softer skin. It will probably be more comfortable for those with smaller or narrower faces – perhaps mine is too long!

 3/5

If you’ve tried the Heme 24hr Hydrating Ultra-White Lift V-Mask or other face lift masks before, please share your reviews and recommendations in the comments :)

We all know how quickly MAC limited edition products sell out (this Fabulously Festive Face Kit is already sold out on the MAC website!)

I can't resist white and shiny silver during Christmastime. The palette case is actually a glitter snowglobe!

The Fabulously Festive Face Kit / Wintercool called out to me as I walked past the MAC store in Sephora.

“Look at me, I’m all white and silver and sparkly. My colors suit your face so well! And I’ve got brushes and a pretty case! Take me home and you will be filled with Christmas joy for the rest of the year!”

Oh, what the heck. I have plenty of valid reasons for this impulse buy:

• I deserve a little Christmas present for myself.
• It’s only S$110 (US $59.50) and I should grab this limited edition MAC make up kit before it’s sold out.
• The colors aren’t bold or dramatic, they’re perfect for everyday wear, so it won’t go to waste at all.

But honestly my head at that time was just screaming “It’s so PRETTY…”

I’m not using it yet though! Probably only after I’ve finished up all my other tons of blushes, eyeshadows, and lipsticks. Really.

^{MAC Case | Lipstick in Hot Gossip (frost) | Lipglass in Emancipation | Snowglobe palette – Blush in Mocha, Eyeshadow in Ploof! (frost), Quarry (matte), Dance in the Dark (matte), Brun (satin) | Glitter-handled 266 SE, 275 SE, 129 SE brushes}

What do you think of the colors? Honestly I think the snowglobe palette is a little dangerous for over-enthusiastic glitter / snowglobe lovers like me – I might just drop it while shaking it!

Have you bought any of the MAC Holiday ’11 limited edition products? Share your review in the comments!

Sometimes I just want to let my skin breathe  - which is why I’ve compiled this list of fantastic natural beauty products to love! Not only are they made of natural ingredients that won’t harm your skin, they’re also eco friendly and made of responsibly sourced ingredients. Most importantly, all these natural beauty products are very affordable – so get them now!

1. EcoTools Makeup Brushes

EcoTools brushes are not only eco friendly, but also uses cruelty-free and recycled materials. The handles are made of bamboo, a fast-growing and highly sustainable plant, while the ferrules are made of recycled aluminium with a sleek matte finish. Most importantly, the brush bristles are made of 100% synthetic Taklon. They feel really smooth and soft on the face, and pick up and deposit color quite well.

This 6-piece brush set, at just $12.99, is my favorite. (Click image to purchase)

2. Josie Maran Cosmetics

Not content with being a supermodel and actress, Josie Maran created her own line of eco friendly cosmetics that not only use 100% organic Argan Oil from Morocco, but is – get this – fragrance free, cruelty free, paraben free, and toxin free. Argan Oil is known to be rich in Vitamin E and fatty acids, and helps heal blemishes and scarring. Of course, the beautiful packaging helps too :P.

The Argan Color Stick $22, glides smoothly onto cheeks and lips for feminine, rosy color. (Click image to purchase)

3. NVEY ECO Pure Organic Makeup

This company from Down Under is making waves worldwide with its NATRUE certified organic beauty products. Although their range of cosmetics is small and the prices a little steep, NVEY ECO uses certified organic ingredients (which is a higher grade than plain organic) and their makeup works great.

The Moisture Rich Fluid Foundation is one of NVEY ECO’s most popular products for its soothing formula and even coverage. (Click image to shop)

4. Alima Pure Mineral Makeup

Unlike the many other brands of mineral makeup you can find online, Alima Pure mineral makeup is cruelty-free and possesses BDIH natural cosmetics certification, which is a highly coveted German certification for natural cosmetics.

Alima Pure is currently holding a Black Friday special, and their holiday collection is also out. (Click image to shop)

5. The Body Shop Body Care

The Body Shop is known for using natural, community trade ingredients and supporting social good initiatives. Although not all their beauty products are great (I swear the Extra Virgin Minerals makeup is a nightmare),  I love the fragrances of their body care products.

My favorites are the Japanese Cherry Blossom and Moroccan Rose Body Butter, which have a really refreshing fragrance and absorb well into the skin. Perfect for weekend pampering and supporting community trade! (Click image to shop)

Got your own favorite stash of natural beauty products that you love using? Please share them in the comments, so I can try them out too. :)