For many people, sheet masks are something they apply at the end of the day to practice a little self-care and get clearer, brighter skin. But devoted maskers know that applying sheet masks in the morning is a great way to boost your skin care regimen.
With everywhere from Sephora to CVS stocking Korean skin care products these days, it's easy to feel a little overwhelmed by the sheer amount of options. Enter Reddit: The AsianBeauty subreddit is packed with skin care aficionados who have tested and reviewed just about every K-beauty product under the sun.
If you're a fan of homeopathic medicine, you've probably heard of arnica — if not, listen up. Arnica, also known as arnica montana or wolf's bane, is a yellow flowering plant from the sunflower and daisy family that is native to Europe. It's commonly used in homeopathy to treat a large array of conditions. Arnica can be used topically or taken orally, but to do so, it must be diluted because consuming too much can be toxic.
We live in a world obsessed with time, particularly how little we have of it. ("Omg, you're so busy" is almost a compliment.) This means a lot of things slide because we don't think we have time for them, and that includes much-needed beauty treatments.
You've been seeing the word bandied around by your favorite beauty brands, but what exactly is an adaptogen? To start, it's an umbrella term encompassing non-toxic plant extracts that help reduce stress and restore balance to the body. Up until recently, the term has largely been used in the context of herbal supplements — but now it's quickly gaining traction in the beauty world.
Beauty gurus always mention how necessary sleep is for great-looking skin. But getting the required eight hours is easier said than done. That's why we sometimes have to resort to a little help from our skin care friends — sleeping masks. These overnight treatments act like supercharged moisturizers that work hard to repair and nourish skin while we sleep. So even if you spent half the night tossing and turning or scrolling through Instagram, sleeping masks will help you wake up glowing.
Fermented skin care is having a moment, though the concept has been a staple in K-beauty routines for centuries. Our skin loves natural food sources. Fermented skin care, much like fermented foods, means that microorganisms (bacteria) have been added, which release enzymes that break down the ingredients, yielding products that our skin (and tummies) love. Just like wine, beer, kimchi, sauerkraut and yogurt are fermented into foods that promote healthy gut bacteria, ingredients like yeast, milk, fruit and plants are fermented into skin care products with so many added benefits.
Considering how many skin issues there are — fine lines, acne, dullness, etc. — it's hard to believe there's actually one treatment that can help them all: exfoliation. We're not talking about scrubs and other forms of manual exfoliation, which can sometimes be too harsh and actually exacerbate the problem. We're talking about chemical exfoliation that penetrates the skin to help heal it from the inside out.
Flawless skin is hydrated, balanced, radiant and even. Bouncy is another word to add to the list of adjectives. It may initially seem like an odd way to describe skin, but bouncy skin equals youthful, perky skin. That's something everyone's after, right?
Everyone seems to have an opinion on the best way to maintain a healthy glow. While your mother might swear by a serum she's been using for a decade, your best friend will nag if you're not following the step-by-step regimen she recently discovered on Instagram. With so many recommended products and so-called "sanctioned" advice on skin care, how do we know what to follow and what to ignore?
You know what they say — beauty is pain. Almost all of us, at some point in our lives, have suffered in the name of beauty. From the first time you waxed your legs to performing your regular eyebrow tweezings, a little pain is pretty commonplace in the beauty world. It's almost always worth it... except, of course, when it isn't. Which brings us to the little topic of full-face threading (yep, pretty much exactly what it sounds like: using the popular eyebrow threading technique to remove all your peach fuzz). So, what's the deal? How much does it hurt, exactly? And is it worth the pain? Read on to find out.
Who doesn't love sheet masks? The often single-use (sometimes multi-use) beauty treatments can be used to treat a variety of skin concerns. You simply open the pouch, apply the sheet and in less than 30 minutes you're left with a radiant complexion, minus having to wash or peel off any product. From the Instagram-worthy to the seriously glow-inducing, sheet masks are great for travel as they come in their own sealed pouches. You can address anything, non-surgically, from acne to wrinkles with these magical, serum-soaked sheets.
Have you ever wondered about the intricacies of Gwyneth Paltrow's nighttime skin care routine? Well, thanks to Harper's Bazaar's Go To Bed With Me series, you can find out every last detail.
Have you been introduced to pimple patches yet? If not, prepare to fall in love. Put simply, they're little hydrocolloid stickers that you place on your blemishes as an acne treatment. Their genius is manifold: the sticker helps keep the area sterile, prevents picking and stays in place as long as you need it as it works on drawing out impurities and oil, shrinking your zits before your very eyes.
We've heard of using cold water to wash our face, but sparkling water? Fizzy face cleansing has been making headlines lately and, like so many other buzzy beauty trends, sparkling water facials originated in Korea.
Ah, Trader Joe's: A health-conscious haven where you can buy everything from some of the most sophisticated wines and cheeses to the latest-and-greatest health food crazes to...beauty products? Turns out, the popular grocery destination also has an ever-expanding beauty section, which, like their food, happens to be natural (and very affordable). Plus, as with their food selection, you can count on TJ's to stay on top of all the latest beauty crazes and fun seasonal offerings (pumpkin spice, anyone?).
Okay, so there's toners, serums, and facial oils... what exactly is an essence again? "An essence is a lightweight, creamy liquid that theoretically preps the skin for your moisturizer," explains Houston-based cosmetic and dermatologic surgeon Dr. Suneel Chilukuri. "It is used to pre-hydrate the skin."
As much fun as it is hanging out in the sun in the summer, it can do a number on your skin. While it's crucial to wear sunscreen every day (and reapply it every two hours) in order to minimize your chances of getting any sun damage, you shouldn't stop there. If you truly want a flawless complexion, you should be looking after it properly every day, morning and night and that includes using a mask at least once a week to alleviate any skin concerns.
When it comes to top-shelf skin care products, it can be tough to determine which products can actually walk the walk. Some really are worth the price, while others... well, not so much. That's why we've turned to the experts — AKA dermatologists, who make it their job to deep-dive into skin care ingredients and their efficacy — to find out which products you should be spending your hard-earned cash on.
Has anyone ever asked you what your desert island beauty product would be? For us beauty junkies (with our overstuffed makeup bags and 10-step skin care routines), it's a very difficult question to answer.
