One of the things I love the most about having this blog and Instagram in particular - is that I get to meet a lot of wonderful, sincere, talented, smart and most importantly supportive ladies out there. I think there is nothing more empowering and liberating than women supporting and lifting each other up. So when one of my dear IG-friends, Lisa told me about her new venture called Be Mused Korea, I got very excited for a number of reasons. First of all, I always loved Lisa's skincare picks and wondered where I could find these unique brands? Secondly, I am a huge skincare enthusiast and with Lisa's excellent taste, I knew she would pick nothing but the best for her online shop. In this post I am going to review four K-beauty gems, which I received from Be Mused Korea, so if you take your skincare game seriously, just keep on scrolling!
About Be Mused Korea
Be Mused Korea is an online shop, which offers unique and "tried and tested" skincare products made in Korea. There are seven brands available at the moment, two of which I will be reviewing for you today. Be Mused Korea do ship worldwide and you can always read everything there is to know about every single product in English on the website. From my experience, my box arrived reasonably fast (a few days only, which is way faster than my American parcels anyway) and when I opened it - I had a moment of pure "wrapping-goals" happiness.
By the way, this post is not sponsored and I was never bribed to speak highly of pretty much anything. I always say it like I mean it and compared to hundreds of parcels I receive from all sorts of brands, online shops and PR - this is one of the most beautiful packages I have ever had a pleasure to open. I have been testing these products for almost a month now and here is what I think.
A. By Bom Ultra Watery Eoseongcho Cleanser
A. by Bom Ultra Watery Eoseongcho Cleanser was the first thing I spotted when I opened my parcel. The illustration on the box is simply the cutest and if you are familiar with my fashion sketches, then you know I love a good "flushed" cheek. From what I can tell, this is a limited edition holiday packaging, which I adore.
You get this beautiful pearlescent/duochrome jar, which contains 100 ml of an actual product. The consistency of this cleanser can be described as solid and buttery; you do get a spatula to scoop the product out of the jar. The formula is more nourishing/green, compared to what you would typically find on the market (it contains Camellia Japonica Seed Oil, Hippophae Rhamnoides Oil, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Chia Seed Extract to name a few).
As soon as you start applying the product onto your face, it turns into the most luxurious and"balmy" liquid, which delicately melts and removes dirt and grime from your skin. I typically use it right after my holy grail Caudalie Make-Up Removing Cleansing Oil; I remove my mascara first and then take a small amount of A. By Bom cleansing balm and massage my skin with it for a minute or two in order to ensure that I have covered my entire face with it. I find that this cleanser gets rid of layers of make-up really well, because whenever I run micellar water right after it, there are no traces of dirt left on the cotton pad (which is a terrific thing in my book).
This product has a very faint sweet/floral scent, which I enjoy and I believe it is one of the best cleansing balms I have ever tried in my life. Yes, that is a huge statement, but I don't think I have enjoyed anything else just as much as I loved this little guy. Definitely a product worth trying, especially if you have sensitive/dry/mature skin and want a delicate, nourishing solution to properly cleanse your skin. Ultra Watery Eoseongcho Cleanser reaches deep into pores and leaves my skin feeling refreshed, radiant and rejuvenated. Never strips, never dries me out. It is a winner. I can't recomment it enough.
Read more about the product here.
Earth's Recipe Energy Boosting Toner
I am relatively new to this whole "toner" game. I must admit, for the longest time I thought I could do without one. That is until I have discovered Institut Esthederm Osmoclean Hydra Replenishing Fresh Lotion a year ago; one of the key ingredients of that toner is Algae Extract, which my dry skin simply adores. Energy Boosting Toner, on the other hand, contains Tremella Fuciformis Extract (aka "mushroom extract" which can hold up to 500 times its weight in water!) and a ton of other natural ingredients, known for their moisturizing and invigorating properties.
This toner has a refreshing herbal scent and an unusual consistency. Unlike any other toner I have tried in the past, this one feels a bit "slimy" but in a good way. I would describe it as a watery serum/essence, which you would typically apply prior to any moisturizer. Once it is fully absorbed, it will leave a smooth, hydrating film on your skin, which feels amazing (never sticky, gloppy or oily). I personally find that I waste a lot of product when I use a cotton pad, so I simply pour a few drops of this magical essence onto the back of my hand and work from there; hence not losing a single drop.
Be Mused Korea describe it as a "perfect first moisturizing step, preparing the skin to absorb subsequent products" and I couldn't agree more. I love using Energy Boosting Toner in the morning, right after washing my face, and find that it gives my skin that extra bit of love that I don't normally get from just a moisturizer alone. Great for normal-to-dry or dry skin in my opinion and a beautiful alternative to my Institut Esthederm holy grail.
Read more about this product here.
Earth's Recipe Dual Hydrating Liposome
Not going to lie, this product's name puzzled me the first time I saw it. Dual Hydrating Liposome is actually a mix of water and oil, which should "aqua-fill" and increase skin's natural radiance. I personally think of it as a serum, which is great for plumping your skin, which is why I use it overnight.
Ingredients here are a true dream team: you get Hyaluronic Acid (hey bae), African Walnut Oil, Collagen and the same wonderful Mushroom Extract that you can find in most Earth's Recipe products. To me this serum has an exact same scent as Energy Boosting Toner, but it is much more liquid-y and gets absorbed relatively faster than its little brother.
Although I am sensitive and somewhat allergic to Citrus Oils, I have noticed no irritation or any other side effects when using this product. I find that it works great on its own, as well as underneath most night creams I already have and love. Little goes a long way with this guy, so one full pump is all you really need.
I find that my skin feels well-moisturized, smooth and healthy whenever I use this serum as part of my skincare routine. I think Dual Hydrating Liposome is so well formulated; it combines the best of both worlds (nourishing oils and acids) and will work for all skin types in my opinion. Great natural solution for someone, who suffers from a dehydrated winter skin as well.
Read more about this product here.
Earth's Recipe Moisture Bound Cream
Last but not least, I have a wonderful (spoiler alert) moisturizer to talk about. This is, again, a true skincare gem from Earth's Recipe (I think I am a fan of this line now) and it is called Moisture Bound Cream.
Although it says "cream", to me it is more of a gel/cream hybrid. But unlike something gel/watery as Clinique Moisture Surge or Origins Ginzing Energy Boosting Gel Moisturizer, this one has a balmy texture. I must admit that this is exactly what I wished for in both Clinique and Origins - a richer formulation that leaves something "on the surface" even when the product is fully sinked into the skin. It also contains Ceramides, Niacinamide, Collagen to maintain healthy and radiant look of your skin.
At first I thought "okay, let's see how fast my skin will feel tight and dry again", but you know what? This is one of the finest gel-cream formulations I have (ever) tried. It did feel a bit tacky the first time I wore it, but once you get used to the Moisture Bound Cream unique formulation, you somehow end up falling for it. This product leaves no greasy, oily residue and as the day goes by - my skin feels just as hydrated and well-nourished as it did in the morning when I first applied it. It also sits incredibly well underneath make-up, which is an added bonus. I actually look forward to using this product every single morning, which is something that speaks for itself.
Read more about the product here.
I am incredibly happy to have discovered these wonderful Korean beauty gems and I should add that ever since I started using them regularly as part of my daily routine, I have noticed a massive improvement in the way my skin looked and felt. I almost stopped having dry patches and flaky skin; my complexion cleared up and even when things get "hormonal" I find that using these products in combination with my spot treatment work like magic. Both Earth's Recipe and A. By Bom formulations are so top-shelf, that there is really nothing for me to complain about. Huge fan here; will definitely repurchase these bad boys as soon as I run out and if you have dry skin in particular - all four products will make you cry unicorn tears. They are that good. And you no longer need to travel to Korea, in order to get your hands on these. BeMusedKorea.com has got you covered!
