‘I saved over £200 by swapping my pricey skincare for this Boots K-beauty brand'
With Korean beauty proving to be a big trend at the moment, I tried out key products from the viral K-beauty brand that's just launched into Boots – and I was super impressed
K-beauty isn't a new trend, but we've seen a huge rise in the popularity of Korean skincare this year, with shoppers after the 'glass skin' glow its hydrating formulas are famous for. It's also now easier than ever to buy here in the UK, with a number of top brands recently launching into mainstream retailers – including the brand Beauty of Joseon, now available from Boots, and already proving to be a big hit.
Keen to see what all the hype is about, I put aside my tried-and-tested skincare routine and instead reached for some of Beauty of Joseon's bestsellers, most of which retail for around the £15 mark – and I couldn't believe how glowing they made my skin look. Here's what I would re-buy...
Korean skincare products are all about hydration and glow via applying multiple light layers, rather than using thick, heavy formulas, and Beauty of Joseon is perfect for this. After cleansing, I started with the Beauty of Joseon Revive Eye Serum : Ginseng + Retinal, £15, which feels cooling and refreshing, and ideal if you're trying to tackle puffiness and dark circles , but if probably unlikely to make many long-term improvements to dryness and fine lines.
Next up was a product I'd never really used before, but which I feel made the biggest different to my skin: an essence. Glow Replenishing Rice Milk, £15.50, is designed to be patted into the skin. It's an excellent way to get extra hydration and radiance into the skin without piling on heavy layers, and I saw a noticeable glow from this. Our shopping writer Grace is also a fan, saying how one person actually stopped her in the street to compliment her glowing skin after using this.
I also tried a couple of serums from the Beauty of Joseon Hanbang Serum Discovery Kit, £23, which, although all lovely and lightweight, I don't really feel had enough 'anti-ageing' ingredients as my late-30s skin needs (perhaps better suited to younger skin). This was followed by Dynasty Cream, £21, the brand's moisturiser and currently stocked in the Love Island villa, which has a gel-cream texture; I think it would be great for oily to combination skin.
If you normally hate the feeling of greasy sunscreens on your face, you should definitely check out Korean formula, which are typically high factor but very lightweight – and Beauty of Joseon's are no exception. I'd probably use Relief Sun : Rice + Probiotics SPF 50+, currently £13.95, in winter, but Relief Sun Aqua-Fresh Rice + B5 SPF 50+, also now £13.95, feels like water, and it ideal in hot weather or if you have oily skin.
After using this full K-beauty routine, I couldn't believe how good my skin looked – fresh, juicy and glowing. The products that I think made the biggest difference were the Glow Replenishing Rice Milk and the Relief Sun Aqua-Fresh Rice + B5 SPF 50+ – I'll repurchase them, I'd definitely recommend looking at these ones first if you're thinking of trying the brand.
I would also save a huge amount of money if I stuck with this routine. My previous morning regimen consisted of Austinus Bader The Face Mist, £76, Skin Rocks The Eye Cream, £65, Medik8 Liquid Peptides Advanced MP, £79, ALLSKIN|MED Barrier Defence Emulsion, £82, and Ultra Violette Future Fluid Superlight Mineral Skinscreen SPF50+, £38, which together comes to a rather eye-watering £340. These Beauty of Joseon products I used, however, come to around £80 in total – a saving of around £260.
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