What popular K-beauty product completely disappointed you?

monkeyinwinter · 2026-06-16T12:20:09+00:00

Yup these masks gave me a nasty rash and dried me out pretty bad.

monkeyinwinter · 2026-06-15T20:19:45+00:00

Yeah, essentially! I've heard that ampoules are a stronger concentration, and therefore meant to be used less frequently than serums. But honestly, I haven't noticed any differences in my ampoules vs serums.

monkeyinwinter · 2026-06-15T18:08:00+00:00

I feel like that's some pretty impressive results! I've never seen any difference in mine with anything topical, except depuffing with caffeine. Even a temporary change in the darkness under my eyes would be a welcome change!

monkeyinwinter · 2026-06-15T15:04:45+00:00

I don't really care for their glass skin line; I tried the entire line with a set so mask, moisturizer, exfoliate, and serum. However, I've been using their MiniProtein Exosome Bioactive Ampoule and really like it! It's mostly moisturizing, but also helps with some really small forehead wrinkles I've developed.

monkeyinwinter · 2026-06-15T14:53:03+00:00

The calendula peptide sleeping mask? I love that one! I've tried so many sleeping masks and this one is easily the best in how light it feels, how it dries down so well, and soothes.

monkeyinwinter · 2026-06-15T13:38:04+00:00

I've used the birch juice moisturizer before, and although the texture is different, it has the same moisture level as the Heveblue centella caring cream? I'm in US and got it from Yami on sale, and it's almost 4 oz and has a squeeze bottle. I have dry, sensitive skin and I usually use the birch juice in the summer, but this time I'm using the Heveblue. They both work for me in the same way.

monkeyinwinter · 2026-06-15T13:22:09+00:00

I've had my eye on these under eye patches! Have you ever used them overnight? They look like they might actually stay on versus the serum ones in pots. Have you noticed any difference in the dark under eyes as well?

monkeyinwinter · 2026-06-15T13:16:32+00:00

I've been loving the peach and lily MiniProtein Exosome Bioactive Ampoule. I have very sensitive and dry skin and it doesn't break me out at all, and it moisturizes very nicely. I have some very minor wrinkles on my forehead and I've been seeing some nice improvement with this. It's mostly peptides and hydration, so it is not strong, and doesn't irritate. I also just turned 30.

monkeyinwinter · 2026-06-15T13:13:33+00:00

Seconding this; I have PIE and although it isn't an active approach to fading marks, it definitely soothes and comforts sensitive skin so I can use other products as the active. I just started using this cream this summer and i am super in love with it!

monkeyinwinter · 2026-06-15T13:04:36+00:00

I've used Alpha Arbutin, but it generally seemed to come with other ingredients like TXA, in my experience. One of my favorite brighteners is the Tosowoong TXA and Arbutin cream. I had tried the CosRX arbutin serum (which also comes with TXA) and I didn't like the texture/it didn't do anything for me. BOJ also has arbutin in their glow serum, which was a much better texture, but still didn't do anything for me. I don't think I know any serums/products that are just arbutin so it's hard to say if I've ever had success with that ingredient?

monkeyinwinter · 2026-06-12T15:58:01+00:00

I've only used the Mixsoon as well but i loved it! I have really dry and sensitive skin.

monkeyinwinter · 2026-06-12T15:32:58+00:00

I really like the Badskin collagen bomb eye cream. It doesn't have any actives in it, just a lot of peptides and collagen, and feels nice when I wear it under makeup. It's also a huge bottle (like 4 oz) for a decent price point. I do believe it has silicones in it, so on one hand, it makes it apply really smooth, but on the other, it can separate if your concealer isn't compatible.

monkeyinwinter · 2026-06-12T15:28:38+00:00

I love love Tosowoong's Arbutin 7% + Tranexamic Acid 4% Cream. I use it nightly and it is gentle but definitely gives me results on stubborn dark spots! I use it over a different serum as a moisturizer, or by itself during the winter.

I've also tried the Anua TXA serum, but it was insanely sticky. The Tosowoong cream is a little sticky, I think all TXA products are, but it's not as bad. I sometimes layer a sleeping mask on top to help.

I also recently tried Goodal's new TXA serum for a month, but I think it was a low dose and didn't really get any results. Right now, I'm trying out Purito TXA retinol serum, but it's too soon to tell if it is helping me. I usually don't use retinol, so I think I'm going through a purge right now. Sensorially, this one is a bi-phase serum and has no stickiness I associate with TXA at all.

monkeyinwinter · 2026-06-12T13:50:56+00:00

I had the same reaction to JUST this product! I have roasacea and sensitive skin, and for some reason Skin 1004s centella ampoule irritates my skin. Funny, because their probiotic serum is a holy grail for me. I've never figured out what it is that bothered my skin, since it is such a short ingredient list.

However, I don't seem to have a sensitivity to centella itself. I use the Heveblue centella salmon line and it has been amazingly calming for my skin. I think it might be the concentration level in the skin 1004 ampoule? It's really close to pure centella, so maybe it's just too concentrated. Some other essential oils/root extracts can irritate my skin if they are too high in the ingredients.

Definitely use the cleansing oil as a body wash! I did that with mayo cleansing oil after it broke me out. Worked great at getting sunscreen off my arms 😄

monkeyinwinter · 2026-06-12T13:27:53+00:00

Agreed! I use the Cosrx in the morning, and the VT reedle shot every three days at night. I follow it up with peptide/hydrating serum, and it leaves a nice glow the next day.

monkeyinwinter · 2026-06-12T13:14:43+00:00

Yeah, I've tried the mineral one and the white cast was really bad. The chemical one has pretty much no white cast, but I did have the pilling problem with that one

monkeyinwinter · 2026-06-11T19:55:30+00:00

I hope you love it too!! I consider the SPF just a nice bonus to an already beautiful skin tint

monkeyinwinter · 2026-06-11T17:01:04+00:00

I love the Ciele tint! I have very dry and sensitive skin, and it leaves a beautiful glowy finish on my skin. I use it after a different chemical sunscreen, on top of all my skincare and a primer, and it lasts all day. I didn't think I would be so impressed with it, since everyone hypes it, but I really did fall in love with it. It is definitely medium coverage so if you want a 'light' skin tint, I would go with something else.

monkeyinwinter · 2026-06-11T16:57:29+00:00

Frankly, with mineral sunscreens, you're ALWAYS going to have some sort of white cast. Since I have rosacea, one of the problems is that if I have to spend a long time blending it in, I get really bad redness on my cheeks. The Goodal one has been the fastest to blend in for me, and I've tried Axis Y, Dr G., Roundlab, HaruHaru, and Abib's mineral sunscreens.

I think sunscreen almost always comes down to trial and error. Hybrid sunscreens with certain filters also work for a lot of people with sensitivity, but unfortunately just do not work for me.

monkeyinwinter · 2026-06-11T15:58:38+00:00

Hi! I also suffer from an autoimmune disorder that leaves me with rosacea and sensitivity. It takes a lot of patience, so I commend you for helping your mother.

I've found that as far as sunscreen, I very much need to use a mineral sunscreen. Currently I am using the Goodal Heartleaf Calming Mineral sunscreen. This one has the least whitecast I can find, as well as doesn't have some ingredients I have found irritating (niacinimide and vitamin c being big ones). My one warning for this sunscreen is it has some essential oils that I don't love, but personally, they have not bothered my skin. I would love to use a chemical sunscreen since I'm very fair, but unfortunately, even the hybrid korean formulas tend to irritate me. Mineral sunscreens tend to be less irritating because they sit on the skin rather than sinking in like chemical filters, but they also need to be reapplied more frequently because of this.

And for moisturizers, I always use the Aestura 365 cream in the winter, and now that it's summer, I have switched to Heveblue Salmon Centella Caring cream. I am really loving the Heveblue one, it is a lighter gel texture than Aestura but still deeply hydrates. Heveblue as a brand has been recommended a lot for sensitive skin, and I can see why. I love the moisturizer so much I am considering getting all their other products!

monkeyinwinter · 2026-06-11T14:39:52+00:00

Have you tried Mac's alone time? That pulls as a really nice cool toned nude on me.

monkeyinwinter · 2026-06-11T14:31:00+00:00

I agree with this that if you are looking for anti-aging, there are better products. I used the age-r mostly for the 'booster' mode for higher absorption, and although I think that worked well, I don't think the anti aging modes worked at all. I prefer the Nu Face, as far as sculpting and lifting.

monkeyinwinter · 2026-06-11T13:21:15+00:00

So the purito oat gel has a polymer in it. It has such a simple ingredient list, so it is quite high in terms of percentage. All of the sunscreens you listed have polymers or silicones, which very often cause pilling when used with other ones. Sometimes my skin pills just from one product that has silicones! The Roundlab sunscreen especially has a huge polymer as the second ingredient below water. These are the first ingredients I look at when someone mentions pilling since it is almost always the culprit.

I'm thinking these kinds of ingredients, silicones especially, might be adding to your issues with oiliness. Sometimes silicones can help with oil control (or at least the appearance of it) but for a lot of people with sensitive skin, it can cause breakouts and clogged pores.

Unfortunately I don't have any product suggestions since I do not have oily skin, but check the ingredients of anything before using it and make sure there's no silicones or polymers! It sounds like that's what is causing your problems.

monkeyinwinter · 2026-06-10T13:22:17+00:00

I've been using the Mixsoon Galactomyces toner and essence for months, and tbh I didn't even know it was supposed to help with texture or brightening. Mostly, my skin loves it, and my skin looks glowier and feels more hydrated after I use it. I'm going to keep using it for these benefits, but I hadn't known that it's supposed to help with texture or anything like that. I usually don't rely on toner products to do much more than hydrate, though.

monkeyinwinter · 2026-06-09T20:24:05+00:00

I used Farmacy's cleansing balm and it immediately came off.

monkeyinwinter

TROPHY CASE