*Affiliate links and PR samples used. Full disclaimer details here.
For the longest time, I’ve stuck to the skin care regimen I spoke about here nearly a year ago. Yes, there are new products that I try out occasionally, but nothing that has completely revolutionized my routine until recently. Even though my skin was looking generally clearer and had little-to-know fine lines yet, it just always looked dull/lackluster. The best word to describe it would be DEHYDRATED. Dehydrated skin is characterized by ‘skin that appears lackluster and dull, sallow or “tired,” and when pulled taut, it almost seems to wrinkle a bit. Dehydrated skin doesn’t “bounce back” easily and is more prone to congestion (bumps, blackheads) and acne. It generally soaks up moisturizer yet looks oily in spots and feels dry as a bone in others’ –Reddit
This dehydrated skin phenomena led me to explore the K Beauty/Japanese skin care philosophy, where hydration via water (not thick creams and oils) is key. Let me introduce you to my NEW skin care regimen that’s seriously transformed my skin featuring Koh Gen Do…
The glow is REAL! Using Koh Gen Do Aqua Foundation in 143, Koh Gen Do Mandarin Orange Cheek Color, MAKE Cosmetics Eyeshadow and Koh Gen Do Lip Gloss in PK303
A little over a month ago, I attended a Beauty event at Forty Five Ten in the River Oaks District in Houston. They had the CEO of Koh Gen Do and a makeup artist teaching customers about the products that make Koh Gen Do truly special. I had already tried the Koh Gen Do Cleansing Spa Water in the past from Sephora and been a fan, so I was intrigued about experiencing the rest of the line.
Lucky for me, I got the VIP treatment right from the CEO herself! From cleansing, exfoliating, sheet mask, massage, and makeup application… I looked like I was 6 years old again. Totally glowing, poreless and well-rested. It was incredible. I became completely fascinated with this Asian skin care philosophy and the effectiveness of the Koh Gen Do products.
K Beauty (short for Korean Beauty) and Japanese skin care are similar in the fact that they both deeply believe skin care is a ritual. They believe in gentle, yet thorough cleansing and layering lightweight products to nourish the skin deeply. They typically have more steps than we’re used to in Western culture, but the results speak for themselves. They use simple yet powerful ingredients that have been around for generations. You’ll see a lot of products featuring words like anti-inflammation, soothing, calming, plumping, brightening, exfoliation, softening and hydration.
A basic Korean skin care routine has 10 steps. You do not need to perform all 10 steps AM and PM, but you can if you enjoy it. Both K Beauty and Japanese skin care believe you should be very tuned in to what your skin may need.
Here’s a general example of what the K Beauty 10 Step Routine looks like (via Sokoglam.com):
Here’s an example of Koh Gen Do’s Japanese skin care routine:
You’ll notice the Koh Gen Do routine has more optional steps. For instance, you don’t necessarily need both Step 1 and 2 depending on your makeup routine. You also don’t need step 9 if you’re not super dry. Sheet masks are available, but Koh Gen Do loves using their Oriental Plants Lotion as a quasi-sheet mask. They combine certain ingredients to still maintain the efficacy of a traditional Asian skin care routine but do so in a simplified manner.
I’ve been following this routine for over a month now and my skin has honestly never looked so even, calm, soft and glowing. My pores seem to be slowly diminishing and backing off of all the acids I was using (often twice a day) was doing me absolutely no good in reducing any redness or irritation. I have not touched my AHA/BHA acids or oils because my skin does not need or want it. Most importantly, my skin doesn’t have that dull, oily yet dehydrated texture to it that I hated.
These steps may seem ridiculously lengthy, but because the products are all so lightweight/watery, I slap them on back to back and it doesn’t take me longer than five minutes in the morning or night (unless I’m exfoliating or using a sheet mask… expect to add a few minutes then).
*Two days a week, I will use the Koh Gen Do Gommage Spa Gel to exfoliate after step 2, then follow with a sheet mask after step 6.
My FAVORITE products from this routine so far are the Koh Gen Do Oriental Plants Essence (saw a difference in one night of use), the Lotion I (at first I didn’t ‘get it,’ but now I can’t live without it. So hydrating without being greasy), and the Spa Moisture Gel (this stuff is amazing. Never want to be without it).
The staff at Koh Gen Do are amazingly well-informed about skin care and when they sent me a ton of their products to try complimentary (so I can maintain my new youthful glow), they included a perfect trial set for one of my readers!
Set includes:
Total value: $48
To win, all you need to do is enter through the Rafflecopter widget below. Entries are currently open to US residents only (apologies, international readers) and will close on midnight, April 1, 2017. The winner will be contacted by me (steffanie@brighterdarling.com) within 48 hours. *I DO VERIFY ENTRIES, so please don’t be a liar.* Rafflecopter selects a winner at random. The more entries you have, the better your chances of being selected.
THANK YOU FOR ENTERING + FOR YOUR SUPPORT!
-Steffanie
