One of the questions we most often get is ‘What on earth do all of these names mean? How do I properly use a [insert exotic name here]’? So without further ado – our guide to decoding the Korean Skincare Routine, Part 1. After your cleanser and toner comes the treatment step of your routine that is meant to address your primary skin concern – which are often named essences, serums or ampoules. These products are all essentially designed to treat your skin, but have slight differences. Essences are often referred to as ‘lightweight serums’. They tend to have a specific texture, where the formula is more watery out of the bottle, or it has what is called a ‘water break’ when patted into the skin, where you feel a release of hydration during application. Essences can come in larger bottles sizes, such as 50~75ml, than serums, which range from 30~35ml. The general thought is that essences are less concentrated than serums and thus available in a size where you can apply generously to the skin.
One of our bestsellers: LJH’s Tea Tree 90 Essence Essences are not to be confused with a new, burgeoning category called ‘Treatment Toners’, or ‘Treatment Essences’ (or even ‘Treatment Lotions’). These toners, which will be covered in a later post, are often thicker than typical toners as they are infused with nutrients and anti-aging ingredients. They are a great way to kick-start your skincare routine, but they should not take the place of your essence, serum or ampoule which has a higher concentration of active ingredients. A classic example of this category is SKII’s Facial Treatment Essence – other recently launched examples include Clinique’s Essence Lotion or Estee Lauder’s Micro Essence. Easy ways to tell the difference between a true essence and a treatment toner is the packaging, texture and size. True essences are fluid, but still thick enough to require being in a pump or dropper bottle. A treatment toner will almost always be over 75ml and close to a liquid, enough to require a bottle with a narrow opening, like the below.
The plug neck helps to control the dosage. Serums are the most well known product category and a staple in many of our skincare routines. While typically, serums are thought to have a thicker texture then essences, recent launches have had some standout lightweight textures, which have been blurring the lines. isoi’s Bulgarian Rose Blemish Care Serum also has a lightweight texture What adds to the confusion is that until recently, all serums in Korea were referred to simply as ‘essences’. It’s a common practice to ‘nickname’ cosmetic products locally as the English names can be difficult to pronounce, and an example is Estee Lauder’s renowned Advanced Night Repair being called the ‘Brown Bottle Essence’ (갈색병 에센스). It’s only recently, with the influx of serums from overseas, that this term is more widely understood and used in Korea. Ampoules are the easiest to tell apart, since they come in smaller sizes due to their concentration.
Some brands sell ampoules in small one-time use vials, in sets of 15~30 to use daily, while others offer ampoules in bottles similar to a serum or essence, but smaller in size. Ampoules are formulated to deliver a maximum dose of ingredients to your skin. In Korea, they are not only used in place of a serum, but also as a 2~4 week special treatment course – to be layered on before your essence or serum to boost your routine. LJH’s Propolis Ampoule packs a powerful punch in a 15ml bottle Our take on it? No need to stress about whether a product is an essence, serum or ampoule – all of these active-packed treatments will do wonders for your skin when layered properly within your skincare regimen – after cleansing & toning and before a moisturizer. (more on how to do that here). Choose one that has the right ingredients for your skin concern and right texture for your skin type. Another question we get is whether you can layer your essences, serums and ampoules.
The answer is, absolutely. For example, if you feel a little dry, you can use a hydrating serum with an essence that treats your primary skin concern. The rule of thumb for layering is to use the most lightweight products first. Need a little help picking the right treatment for your skin? We’re always here at love [a] glowrecipe [dot] com to answer any questions! Get your glow on, The Glow Recipe TeamHave you checked out our post on New Year Skincare Resolutions for 2015? P.P.S Want to check out more Glow Recipe approved serums? > > > vitamin c ampoules > Relevancy Transaction Level Response Rate vitamin c glass ampoules Yangzhou Dasheng Pharmaceutical Glass Co., Ltd. US $28-48 50 Cartons Transaction Level Vitamin C Ampoule 2ml Yangzhou Dasheng Pharmaceutical Glass Co., Ltd. US $41-45 50 Cartons Transaction Level Pharmaceutical ampoule Donge First International Co., Ltd. 50000 Pieces Transaction Level HA ACTIVE CONCENTRATE AMPOULES GLORY SPA INTERNATIONAL INC. US $55.99-56 60 Boxes 3ml plastic bottles
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