Tag: skincare

Korean Skincare Products To Watch Out For This Year: A Google Trends Analysis

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Korean skincare has seen a massive rise in popularity over the last few years. The first time I heard about Korean skincare & beauty products was when I was doing a 3 month stint in Taipei and one of my friends was looking for BB Cream. Until then I had no idea that there exists a country full of people that are obsessed with skincare and companies that create skincare product & design innovations from texture changing face washes to under-eye cream in panda shaped packaging. This knowledge was the turning point of my current skincare obsession.

I went back to the US and raved about Korean skincare to whoever would listen to me. Then in 2013 I moved to India and tried convincing people that Korea is where the real skincare game is at. No one really believed me though mainly because, at the time, it was so difficult to get your hands on Korean skincare & makeup. Fast forward to 2018 and K-Beauty is everywhere. People now recognize K-beauty companies for the innovative, effective and affordable products. Brands like Innisfree, The Face Shop and Laneige are widely known now.

My K-beauty obsession is also now stronger than ever. I’ve taken this obsession beyond my vanity shelf to Instagram & blog posts. I also send out weekly newsletters of the biggest beauty news that week. I was researching this week’s newsletter content when I decided to look at the progressive of K-beauty popularity over time. I turned to Google Trends for the data.

Here’s what I found:

  1. Overview

    • Searches worldwide about Korean skincare have exponentially grown since 2011 with the highest number of searches in Feb 2018.
    • In the last 12 months the #6 related query when people search ‘skincare’ in Google is ‘Korean skincare’
    • Korean skincare searches are well below searches related to ‘Fenty’. Pop culture status trumps everything.

  2. Biggest trends & products to look out for

    • Glass skin searches are rising which means that people will be looking to purchase products that help them achieve that look.
    • These ingredients will be hugely popular this year:
    • Essences, sleeping masks and sheet masks will maintain their popularity over this year with essences perhaps seeing an increase in popularity.

  3. Products that will lose popularity this year

    • People haven’t searched much for derma-rolling compared to jade rolling over the last 12 months so I think it is unlikely to become as big a trend as jade rolling. I think that one of the biggest reasons why derma-rolling won’t take off is because it sounds surgical and intimidating compared to jade rolling.
    • Snail mucin is losing its popularity compared to earlier this year.

It’s hugely promising that the number of Korean skincare searches are increasing. This growing popularity means that more K-beauty products will be hitting the shelves worldwide and I can hardly wait!

 

The best natural and cruelty free skincare – India Edition

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India is the country that brought Ayurveda to the world. The centuries old Indian system of medicine provides super effective solutions for all your pitta, vata and kapha problems.

However, when it comes to skincare, super natural = preservative free = can last up to 30 days only if refrigerated. If you’re into that, check out Waterline – skincare so pure you can eat it (seriously).

For those who lack refrigerator space or prefer to store their skincare stash in their bedrooms/bathrooms – Kama Ayurveda and Forest Essentials give you all the Ayurvedic luxury minus the high maintenance. (On a side note, both of their hair care lines are top notch and I personally vouch for Kama Ayurveda’s Bringadi Intensive Hair Treatment Oil.)

Ayca is another all-natural Ayurvedic brand which brings more of a modern twist to Ayurveda by incorporating new-age aromatherapy to their products. Their Jasmine and Rose Body Oil is light on the skin and olfactory system. Perfect.

Moving on from Ayurveda to their Korean counterpart – Innisfree. (Note: Innisfree isn’t doesn’t have any ancient Korean medicine roots.) With stores around the country, they are definitely the biggest Korean skincare company in India — and I love them. The Innisfree Green Tea Seed Serum is a best seller in its own right — use it as an essence and apply right after toner before serum.

Yes, this article is about skincare but a little organic, cruelty-free makeup never hurt anyone. Ruby’s Organics lipsticks and blushes are DA BOMB — super high quality at an unbeatable price point. Must buy.

The best skincare for oily skin

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You know how you’re never supposed to pour water on an oil fire? When it comes to skincare for oily skin, the same principal holds… almost.

The media, a few dermatologists and your aunt love to tell everyone how oil-free cleansers, moisturizers, everything are the best way to go for people with oily skin. Not true. As someone who has had oily skin from literally day 1 of life, I can attest that this is just not true.

In fact, the renaissance of my skincare routine began the moment I added an oil cleanser, facial oil, oil-based moisturizers, a weekly oil hair mask and oil serum before styling my hair. Here’s how it’s done:

  • Adopt a 2-step face cleansing routine. Start with an oil cleanser and end with a foam cleanser. Your skin will thank you. (Oil cleansers are magic because only oil removes oil… from your face.)
  • Use an oil-based moisturizer during the day. It sounds intimidating and probably not the best idea if you live in a hot/humid climate but this is a total win for the winter/colder climates. I really believe that too little moisturizer makes my skin over-secrete oil thus making it look wayyy oilier than it is. The key to keeping your oily skin at bay is to make sure that your skin is nice & dewy (counter-intuitive, I know).
  • !SKINCARE GAME CHANGER ALERT! A wonderful, aromatherapy inspired, soothing cocktail of face oils for the night. Almond oil + rosehip oil + argan oil = THE BEST your skin will ever look in the morning. Puffiness be gone! Acne be gone! Dark circle be gone! I can’t even begin to tell you just how amazing this blend is — try it and let me know how it works for you! (Any face oil at night is great – lots of options out there!)
  • Weekly oil mask – I usually massage some warm coconut oil into my scalp on Saturday night while I’m binge watching something on Netflix. Coconut oil is my fav and it smeels soooo good that I sleep with it on and wake up to lightly scented, moisturized hair. The coconut hair dreams must end so I wash it off and then let my glossy locks air-dry. If coconut oil isn’t your thang, a cult-favorite (and mine) is the Bringadi hair oil by Kama Ayurveda.
  • Oil on wet hair + before styling. I love love love Ouai Hair Oil. It is seriously da bomb. I can rub it on wet hair, dry hair, semi-dry hair — it just always works.

 

Supplements that REALLY work

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I am obsessed with self improvement and I try almost anything that is a) safe b) recommend by the internet c) comes from a reliable source. As a result, I’ve tried almost every supplement out there and continue to take the ones that prove their efficacy over time. Here are the supplements that have really worked:

  • Zinc to prevent colds. This is an absolute miracle pill. I pop one as soon as I feel the sniffles and voila – after a good night’s rest I am virtually sniffle free.
  • Fish oil is amazing for my hair, my skin and my brain. Enough said.
  • Marine collagen makes my skin glow, my hair grow faster & thicker AND reverses all the damage done to my nails through the numerous acrylic nail sessions. I drink it first thing in the morning but it’s also a popular addition to my smoothies.
  • Magnesium – I take it right before I sleep and wake up feeling ah-mazing. 

What supplements have worked for you guys? Would love to hear from you in the comments!

The Beauty Dose – August 3

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It is an understatement to say that I love Korean beauty. If you look at my beauty stack, all you will see are Korean brands and I’m very happy labeling myself as obsessed. Literally every new skincare tech is created in Korea and then adopted by brands around the world months or maybe even years later. I remember, BB cream (which originated in Korea) was super popular in South Asia when I was in Taipei in 2011. I only started seeing BB cream around the US in 2012/13 and in India in 2015.
Also, the Korean skincare market is SUPER competitive and companies release new products literally every month. Isn’t that crazy? Makes me want to move to Korea right now hehe
So, today’s focus is Asian skincare because I’ve also included a piece about a cool Japanese carbonated face treatment.

Today's focus: Asian Skincare

One K-Pop Star Shares the Secrets to Korean Dream Skin

Japanese Carbonated Face Treatment
 
Other News:

Try-On Beauty Apps Cher Horowitz Would Totally Use Today

Feed Your Face: The Foods You Should Try If You Want Perfect Skin

The Beauty Dose – August 2

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In addition to clear skin, clean, shiny, well groomed hair is the key to looking well put together. This is my first post highlighting hair care news – from great shampoo & conditioner recommendations to how to care for your hair. Happy reading!

Today's focus: Hair!

Summer Hair Care Rotation - Shampoo and Conditioners

5 Quick Ways To Color & Care For Hair

Other News...

Luxury Beauty Brushes - Are They Worth It?

Milky Dress Vita C+ Powder Review & It's Time To Get Nerdy About Vitamin C

The Lazy Girl Beauty Edit

The Beauty Dose – July 28

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The world of skincare can be intimidating. It can be difficult to navigate through all the products, the skincare steps or even figuring out what type of skin you have. It took me a good year to figure out my skin type and what routines & products actually worked for me. After a lot of internet research and even more trial & testing, I have realized that your skin type can change over time which means that you skincare routine must evolve depending on the season/your skin.

Here are some pieces that can make the process easier – from multi-tasking products to a list of the tried & tested best products.

Two-In-One: Makeup Products with Skincare Benefits

How to Create a Skin Care Routine for Beginners

Ideal Skin Care Routine for Combination Skin

Vogue Beauty Awards 2016: Best of Skincare

The Beauty Dose – July 26

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So today I discovered two exciting skincare news. The first is that washing your face with water that’s just been drained through raw rice makes it super radiant! It’s an ancient Chinese technique that’s still used today. That’s one more thing to add to my natural skincare routine 🙂
The second piece of news is this awesome new mask technology that looks like a regular ‘ol sheet mask but is COMPLETELY dry! Check out the review below.

Have a beautiful Tuesday, guys!

JULY 26, tuesday
 

Culture Insider: Skincare In Ancient China

Introducing Dry Masks - The Canadian Skin Phenomenon That's About To Hit Stateside

The 10-Product Summer Beauty Routine

How To Layer Your Skincare Products

5 Skincare Mistakes Every 20-Something Should Avoid

Confessions Of A K-Pop Star

The Beauty Dose – July 25

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I’m a strong believer in aging gracefully. No amount of moisturizer & SPF is going to keep your face completely wrinkle free so it’s best to come to terms with it and instead of fighting time, make it your friend. Today’s pieces include tips on using the right products to maintain or improve the elasticity of your skin. But since beauty is skin-deep, the food you eat also impacts how young you look. So, I included a piece on turmeric, my favorite super spice. Enjoy and please let me know if I have missed anything you would like to see 🙂

July 25 – monday

Kim Kardashian’s Dermatologist On The Future Of Anti-Aging

6 Things You Didn’t Know About Your Beauty Products (But Should)

The Super Spice That’s Taking Over The Beauty Industry

 

The Beauty Dose – July 22

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So, someone gave up beauty products for a week and at end of the week realized that life without beauty products < life with beauty products.

Skincare and makeup doesn’t just refine my face but is also a fun activity that allows me to focus on myself 🙂 However, it can be time consuming which is why I’m a fan of the no-makeup makeup look mainly because it takes less time to achieve that look and with a packed work week I can only really set aside 15 min/day for skincare + makeup application. Today’s pieces include tips on creating a strong base for a quick, yet effective makeup routine.

July 22 – friday

What Happened To My Skin When I Gave Up *All* Beauty Products For A Week 

8 Of The Best Hair And Beauty Tips Selena Gomez Has Ever Given Out

A Step-By-Step Guide To Eyebrow Grooming

My Everyday Summer Base

The Micellar Water Showdown