Hi there & happy December! 

I'm Joy, you can find me @joysroutine on Instagram. 

I’m a mom of a 3 year old toddler so being able to take care of my skin and doing my routine is such a luxury. I take selfcare seriously and cant function without coffee first thing in the morning. I enjoy reading a book, masking, long baths, watching my fave Netflix show, windy day at the beach and watching the sunset brings me joy and makes me calm.

- Age Range: 25-34

- Skin Condition/Type: I battle with hormonal acne and my skintype is oily during summer, combination on winter.

- Some of the ingredients I like in skincare are Ceramides, Sodium Hyaluronate, Squalane, Centella Asiastica Extract, Artemisia Extract. I don’t mind fragrance in my skincare as long as it isn’t overpowering & wont cause irritation. 

ABOUT ME

ABOUT ME is the beauty brand of Samyang group that was founded in 1924. Their philosophy is “Different Ingredients, Different Results”. They create products with 100 years of experiences, with the different industries they are working in, such as food production, chemistry, and biomedical.

I received a box with four products from About Me and Style Korean TryMe ReviewMe Program. There’s Peeling Gel, a Hydrogel Mask – Im quite familiar with these 2 products and have used few from different brands before so im a bit curious if theyre bit different or maybe even better than the ones I have used.  The other 2 which is the Skin Tone Up Massage Cream & Lift Band are totally new to me. The Massage Cream is my favorite from this bunch so Im gonna go and talk about this unique product!

#1 SKIN TONE UP MASSAGE CREAM  

K-beauty always there releasing cool concept when it comes to skincare. This Massage Tone up cream is just one of those "oh, that kind of product exists!" I honestly thought this was the usual tone up cream to be applied at the last step of morning routine or like a tone up sunscreen but upon searching for ingredients list since the box/packaging doesn't really have enough information on how to use this. i found out that its actually a cleansing + exfoliating cream. Now, now, now, that's unique. I have never tried anything like this before and I gotta say it does pique my curiosity.

So its basically similar to milk-to-oil cleansers but thicker. The texture is light, soft easy to spread, massage on skin. If applied on dry skin, it turns into light oil which emulsifies like how most cleansing oils are when in contact with water. When applied on wet skin, it turns milky then just keep massaging it, rinse off. I find it suitable for morning as my cleanser + a minute or 2 mask. Takes off dead skin cells, dirt, excess oil, softens dry, rough skin. easy to rinse it off & doesn't leave a residue. It basically feels like in between washing off an oil based & milk non-foaming cleanser. I follow it up with cleansing water or toner to make sure i got a clean canvas for my morning routine. It slightly brightens skin nothing drastic. Just the right amount oh, I look a bit alive today, skin-wise!

Some notable ingredients are lemon, moringa, royal jelly, pumpkin, licorice, mushroom stem & kiwi extracts. The jar contains 150 ml and i only need a small amount to make it work. Unique’ lovely and a perfect pick me up quick mask + gentle exfoliator + cleanser on mornings. Also a good first cleanser to be used on no-make up days for night routine. This smells like Lemon Cake, so nice and isn't at all overpowering. Doesn't sting, works okay even on eye area.

#2 RED RECIPE MILKY PEELING GEL 

Peeling gels are my go to for when I wanna do a quick in shower mask + exfoliate. Was a huge fan of face scrubs but ended up using it on my lips and neck ever since I tried peeling gels.
This Red Recipe Milky Peeling Gel (12usd/120ml)* is the softest I tried. It's a mild and gentle gommage type thats a lil fun to use as it balls up and can immediately soften skin. It contains milk-derived lactic acid (ferment milk extract) so i guess it serves as a physical + chemical exfoliator in one. It also has Damask rose, lotus, desert rose, peony, pomegranate, tomato, red wine, and vitamin-rich fruits extracts such as berries. Peeling gels effect is pretty straightforward and similar to usual face scrubs result minus the dry, tight feeling post scrub, redness and possible irritation. It makes the skin soft and smooth, slightly brighter. Scent is okay, there's a hint of alcohol (it does contain alcohol like most peeling gels) + fruity and creamy scent in it. I usually like using peeling gels in the morning, before an event/when i wanna apply make up so I'll have a softer, smoother base. It's also a good in-shower mask, pre-shaving scrub, gentle and quick exfoliator for lips,neck, hands sometimes i use it on my underarms, the possibilities is endless.

#3 REAL SKIN FIT COLLAGEN MASK and COLLAGEN LIFT UP BAND

Always finding ways to mask because i consider it as form of ~self care~ i use toner/pads,compressed, sheet masks from time to time. These masks from is on another level of making me feel extra!

Real Skin Fit Collagen Mask

A hydrogel mask that contains 81% French collagen extract, Niacinamide, Panthenol, Trelahose. Fits perfectly, has a mild cooling upon application, it feels so good on skin i wore it for 1 hour coz it doesnt actually dry and i love how 'plump' & slightly firm my skin feels. The lower half of mask slips a bit when i do normal chores so I wore the band from the same line to keep it in place. If i could choose one type mask to use all my life I'd go for Hydrogel masks. This type of mask fits my face well and i could wear them longer than usual plus i always get better result compare to normal cotton masks.

Collagen Lift-Up Band

 its my first time using a lift band! I've seen it around and always been curious if they're worth it! I thought it was gonna be uncomfortable and I have to just stay put or not move/talk. It's really comfortable, i wore it also for an hour along with the collagen mask. I could move freely and do stuff without worrying about it. It's like a huge band aid but isn't as painful when peeling it off. Think peeling off a pimple patch. It does remove some of my facial hair but didn't have any redness or irritation.
It contains the brand's own SY-MIXTURE, to deliver collagen to the dermal layer.
Contains thread-lifting ingredient PGLA for therapeutic improvement of V line.

These two would be a nice treat on a slumber party/for bridesmaids,night before the big day if we aren't in a pandemic. In the meantime, it's the best choice for a long selfcare sesh or pre-event addition to your skincare routine!

OVERALL THOUGHTS

These may not be an essential when building up your skincare routine. To be honest, I can get away with cleanser, moisturizer & SPF. These products are the perfect pick me up for when youre having a tough day & just wanna lay there while you pamper yourself, the peeling gel & skin tone up cream is a good alternative for harsh physical exfoliators or if your skin doesn’t go well with chemical exfoliants. I for one love having these kinds of products on my routine. Its okay if you wanna keep it simple but don’t be afraid or limit yourself to try a product or two from time to time.