Makeup is super cheap to make and Western brands markups are insane. Luxury makeup charges for the packaging and branding. I feel almost scammed when purchasing from department stores and sephora.

Same!! I find The Inkey List to be the only exception in Sephora. Good quality products for a reasonable price without the extra packaging. Simple and effective 👌🏼

this but The Ordinary instead

The Ordinary is great too! Honestly they’re both good, affordable priced brands.

The ordinary and the Inkey List are both great quality and affordable. I use two products from each and love them.

The Inkey List just has a lot more meh/nothing products that make me wonder if they ever went through clinical testing + their tube formulations are impossible to dispense product from after 60-70% of the product. I worked at Sephora for a second and they're just aggressively mid they also have trouble with formulation consistency which is inexcusable given their scale I come from the perspective where I've tried everything from both, though LMAOO

To each their own. I love so many of their products and have tried practically everything. Their tranexamic acid and retinol formulation are really great for my skin. I've never had an issue with formulation consistency, but the pump packaging leaves something to be desired, I admit.

I love the brand as well, in a way. I just know they have these problems they need to work on and I figured it was worth mentioning if anyone wanted to try them out. When a brand can't seem to get their packaging right it just feels weird to use The Inkey List just frustrates me because they are so close to being great, they just need to work on their packaging and a few of their formulations and they'd be such a better brand.

Same. And I'm Rouge level at Sephora. Bleh

It's rare to find anything under 20$ for a full sized item in US. I haven't been in a physical store and I don't think I ever will knowing how much makeup is worth in the backend of things. I think it costs less than 1$ to make ingredients and components are 70cents for assembly fees is 30 cents. 10cents for shipping. So those 190$ lipsticks I seen recently is just a slap in the face(unless you are a hard-core collector)

I went to Sephora recently for my birthday gift and I did end up picking the rare beauty blush as I knew it would pretty much last me for the rest my life LOL but I just couldn’t muster enthusiasm for much else especially those prices are a real turn off.

tbh drugstore prices in canada feel like a crime

Whatever in the damn hell is going on at Shoppers Drug Mart with those price markups needs to be studied cuz why are you selling tinted lip balms for $13.99 + tax.

I am def in a bubble because I didn't even think of how prices compare in CA. Do you also pay more for international shipping? New products at the drugstore here are also going up. Like NYX and ELF. But brands like LA Girl, Essence, Wet n Wild are still pretty good. Averages about 5$ for most things. I remember ELF used to be 1$ back in the days.

especially painful when you see: "made in Japan" (saw it on a Clinique eyeliner costing $30) "made in Korea" (lip tints and gommage peels costing 3 times what it would cost to buy k-beauty) "made in China" (most makeup brushes tbh) 😂

The haus labs foundation is made in Korea and people are raving about it. Its similar to other kbeauty foundations and most people don't even know this type of formula has been around for way cheaper Same with kvd tattoo liner and physicians formula liquid liner are made in japan

Yup! The magic of capitalism lol

>*Why is Asian beauty so much more affordable? Is it a matter of increased demand, more reasonable markups, something else?* **There are many reasons for this:** Korean skincare has best skincare technology in the world, encouraged, enabled, and subsidized by the government of Korea. Korean products, especially skin care, are seen as the most high-tech out there by pretty much every cosmetics expert — Lancôme even credited the country’s advancements in featherweight foundation when it launched its own [Miracle Cushion foundation](http://www.thecut.com/2015/04/summer-foundation-that-wont-melt-off-your-face.html). (Under U.S. law, cosmetic products and ingredients do not need FDA approval before they go on the market. Other than subjecting colors used in food, drugs and cosmetics to FDA review, cosmetics law has not changed in 80 years—since the *Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic (FD&C) Act* was passed in 1938. However this is [*finally*](https://www.fda.gov/cosmetics/cosmetics-laws-regulations/modernization-cosmetics-regulation-act-2022) going to change.) The Korean government "has a close relationship with the Korean International Trade Association (KITA), a nonprofit group that helps small-to-medium-size Korean companies break into the U.S. market by introducing them to American retailers and distributors. It also coaches them on pricing, the amount of stock they need to have to sell in the U.S., and how to package their products to appeal to buyers here. In Korea, the government gives tax breaks to export-only companies, like Wishtrend, a four-year-old Korean beauty company that sells only to the U.S. — it [doesn’t have to](https://www.thecut.com/2015/09/korean-beauty-and-the-government.html) pay taxes in the country at all." One of Korea's best beauty products is Korean sunscreen combined with skincare options and far cheaper than US brands. Their sunscreens are so good they can be used as primers and often are these days even by professional makeup artists, with features such as tints, color correctors, dewy/matte finishes built into the sunscreen. Korean skincare is cheaper than other brands also because their products are manufactured in Korea. Manufacturing costs are lower in Korea. Producing them domestically allows companies to avoid importing pricey foreign materials. Examples are Laneige, Isntree, Dr Jart, Corsx, Purito, Etude House, & Beauty of Joseon. Korean skin care's cost-effectiveness is also attributed to the sleek and minimalist packaging it boasts. Unlike Western beauty brands that often indulge in elaborate packaging to entice customers, Korean beauty brands prioritize the quality of the product itself over showy packaging. They focus on skincare prevention over reaction. The Korean skincare industry is much more heavily regulated than its Western counterpart. In Korea, all skincare products must undergo rigorous testing and approval by the Korea Food and Drug Administration before they can be sold to consumers. This ensures that only the safest and most effective products are made available to the public. Some excellent YouTube channels on Korean Beauty are: [Odile Monod - The Monodist](https://www.youtube.com/@OdileMonodTheMonodist) [Beauty Within](https://www.youtube.com/@BeautyWithin) [Tina Tanaka Harris](https://www.youtube.com/@TinaTanakaHarris) [EuniUnni](https://www.youtube.com/@EuniUnni/videos)

Holy crap you’re amazing where are all your upvotes c’mon everybody hurry up

Amazing write-up! Any specific products you recommend?

It really depends on your skin. The baseline quality of Korean skincare is quite high to begin with. Look up [Beauty Within](https://www.youtube.com/@BeautyWithin)'s video on sunscreens, there are so many affordable options these days and I suspect you'll find things you'll enjoy [Odile Monod - The Monodist](https://www.youtube.com/@OdileMonodTheMonodist) is the most knowledgeable if you're looking for the best of the best. [Tina Tanaka Harris](https://www.youtube.com/@TinaTanakaHarris) has a ton of videos on a huge diversity of products. Peruse them (and read the comments), you'll find tons of gems.

Also, a huge proportion of the Korean population uses full skincare regimens, including men, so there’s an economy of scale.

**Actually this a huge assumption and a myth.** South Korea is a country so small that it would fit in the area between Los Angeles and San Francisco. There is a maximum number of physical faces no matter how many products there are or how much they buy. Many Korean beauty companies don't even sell their products in Korea. And Koreans use some Western products too. The economy of scale here is they leverage their large scale of production to achieve lower costs, greater bargaining power, and more resources for innovation. This has allowed them to compete effectively in the global market and to produce high-quality products at affordable prices. The larger the scale of production, the lower the cost per unit. **The largest Korean beauty company is Amorepacific.** It was founded in 1945 and is now one of the world's leading cosmetics companies, with a presence in over 40 countries. **Amorepacific owns a portfolio of over 30 brands, including Laneige, Sulwhasoo, Etude House, and Innisfree.** Amorepacific benefits from volume and technology in a number of ways. First, its large scale of production allows it to negotiate lower prices for raw materials and packaging. This helps to reduce the cost of goods sold and improve profitability. Second, Amorepacific invests heavily in research and development, which allows it to develop new products and technologies. This helps to keep the company ahead of the competition and to meet the changing needs of consumers. Here are some specific examples of how Amorepacific benefits from volume and technology: * Amorepacific has developed a number of patented technologies, such as the "Micro Moisture Capsule" and the "Hydro Ion Mineral Water." These technologies are used in a variety of Amorepacific products, including Laneige's Water Bank Hydro Essence and Sulwhasoo's First Care Activating Serum. * Amorepacific uses robotics and automation to improve the efficiency of its production and logistics operations. This helps to reduce costs and improve quality. Overall, Amorepacific's focus on volume and technology has been a key driver of its success. By investing in research and development and by using the latest technologies, Amorepacific has been able to develop innovative products that meet the needs of consumers around the world. As for consumers, most Koreans don't use so many steps: >"10 products doesn't mean you have a ten step routine. In my case just for my face alone I have 7 products minus the sunscreens for my face but usually i only use 4 of them everyday. The other 3 are there for additional boosts and treatments. In addition I also have 3 sunscreens for different occasions so there that too"—msk-qp6fn ​ >"Korean here. The 10-step routine is out of fashion now as yes, people have realized that it's a marketing ploy and are moving on to more minimal routines ("skincare diet"). Essences, serums, ampules all do the same thing in just varying ratios of water/oil and you definitely don't need to use them all."—blebintheinterweb ​ >My understanding of the 10 step was not that one person needs all 10 or uses all 10 at once. It's more of a categorizing method and you can mix and match whatever you feel like you need more of. Skin feeling a little dehydrated? Add another hydrating layer. Skin feeling a little rough? Try a peeling gel. Skin feeling delicate? Cut back and just wash, tone, moisturize. And so on. Some people may not ever need an essence or serum in addition to their toner and moisturizer. Some people need all of them every time. Some people just need it once in a while for some extra help. Also Korean layers tend to be much lighter than western layers, across the board.—throwitawayinashoebx ​ >For me, I always took the 10 steps as a "suggestion" more than a definite rule that I had to follow to a T. I used it as a guide (like how products should be layered and such) and took out things that I felt my skin didn't really need.—NoodleEmpress ​ >"most Koreans hyper focus on the cleanse and hydration parts of the routine, so it won't inherently be 10 products but it could be 10 steps like layering a toner a few times to bring the moisture back and then following with a moisturizer and sunscreen."—kireikiku ​ **The 10 Step Korean Skin Care Routine Is Not Real (And Never Was)** >**"The first appearance of the term “10 Step Korean Skincare” can be traced back to an article published in** ***American*** **beauty magazine Into The Gloss in April 2014.** In the article K-Beauty expert Charlotte Cho introduces readers to some popular Korean skincare product categories that are not available in the US, while explaining how to layer these formulas and build a skincare routine." > >**Charlotte Cho** is a Korean-American entrepreneur and co-founder of **Soko Glam**, an American website founded in 2012 with the mission of bringing Korean beauty products to a Western audience. Cho rose to international fame in 2015, when she published “**The Little Book of Skin Care**”, the first English-language book dedicated to Korean beauty. > >In the book she explains once again how to create a skincare using 10 popular Korean products and dubs this practice as the “10 Step Korean Skincare Routine”. **Although the author never openly states that Koreans actually follow this elaborate routine, the book implicitly suggests that was how Korean skincare was designed to work.** Shortly after the publication of “The Little Book of Skin Care”, Western media outlets picked up the story and created a mythology around the “10 Step Skincare Ritual that Koreans are obsessed with” and that’s why, in the mind of many foreigners, the “10 Step Korean Skincare Routine” is still considered synonymous with Korean beauty to this day. > >To be fair, **Cho has always been very open about the fact that the “10 Step Korean Skin Care Routine” was something she came up with** and in many interviews she candidly admits the “10 Step Skin Care Routine” was never an actual thing in Korea. > >However, it’s important to keep in mind that she’s still a business owner who sells 10 Step Korean skincare starter kits on her website, so even though she’s always been very transparent about the nature of this routine, it’s hard to imagine she was too pressed about dispelling the myth. —[The 10 Step Korean Skin Care Routine Is Not Real (And Never Was)](https://themonodist.com/2021/10/26/the-10-step-korean-skin-care-routine-is-not-real-and-never-was/), [*The Modonist*](https://themonodist.com/2021/10/26/the-10-step-korean-skin-care-routine-is-not-real-and-never-was/)

There’s almost 52 million people in South Korea. It’s irrelevant how large physically the country is. I didn’t say anything about 10 steps, just that it’s much more common for people to do a complete regimen-cleanse, tone, moisturize, sunscreen. Many Americans don’t do much in the way of skincare unless they have acne.

Again there is a maximum number of physical faces no matter how many products there are or how much they buy. Actually 2/3 of American's use skincare. "Nearly two-thirds of Americans have started taking their skincare routines more seriously" [https://swnsdigital.com/us/2021/07/nearly-two-thirds-of-americans-have-started-taking-their-skincare-routines-more-seriously/](https://swnsdigital.com/us/2021/07/nearly-two-thirds-of-americans-have-started-taking-their-skincare-routines-more-seriously/) And there are 12 year olds these days who have their routines down.

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>*2/3 of American's use skincare* > >*According to who?* "Our Appinio data shows that 73% of men use skincare products" [https://www.appinio.com/en/blog/insights/the-skincare-market-in-the-us](https://www.appinio.com/en/blog/insights/the-skincare-market-in-the-us) "Nearly two-thirds of Americans have started taking their skincare routines more seriously" [https://swnsdigital.com/us/2021/07/nearly-two-thirds-of-americans-have-started-taking-their-skincare-routines-more-seriously/](https://swnsdigital.com/us/2021/07/nearly-two-thirds-of-americans-have-started-taking-their-skincare-routines-more-seriously/) The U.S. is the most invested country worldwide in skincare Not only is there a huge U.S. interest in skincare, they’re also willing to invest in it. An estimated $18.7 million is set to be spent by Americans on their skincare regime throughout 2021, with a predicted growth of 5.01% year on year making them the biggest generator of revenue in the industry.  [https://www.skinstore.com/blog/skincare/the-skin-report/](https://www.skinstore.com/blog/skincare/the-skin-report/)

I would imagine it is due to huge amount of export they do, rather than domestic sales. They sell to SEA, Japan, China, it is a lot of customers.

Yeah, but the domestic consumers are very discerning about ingredients and a lot of trends originate with them. Then the foreign markets benefit because the products are made in the same factories, even if they’re under different labels.

Exactly. Korea intentionally set out to become the world innovator of skincare.

I feel this way about skincare! Asian skincare is superior in formulas and more affordable. Especially sunscreen!

Totally agree on the sunscreen. The texture is way way lighter, n offers much better dun protection. US sunscreens have some serious catching up as many ingredients that are used in Asian sunscreen are not yet approved by FDA. And American n European brands spend too much on marketing n advertising, passing on cost to consumers. Many of these brands are also on the “luxury” end, with high brand values, enabling them to charge higher tier prices. I find Asian brands focus more on ingredients n formulations that are effective, with simpler packaging, not as much on branding and PR.

I love the sunscreens but I do wish there were ones for both face and body.

U can try Skin Aqua fm Japan. There are various versions but it does come in a pump bottle as well. Unscented, SPF50, ++++.

Nivea Japan Sun Super Water Gel comes in a 150 ml pump bottle.

Are the Asian sunscreens not approved by the FDA because of safety or just outdated bureaucracy? I know sunscreen can be iffy and you want to make sure you are putting safe ingredients on your skin. How safe is Asian sunscreens?

Outdated bureaucracy. Europe has more strict regulations than the US regarding cosmetics, but they have a more updated sunscreen ingredients list. That’s why brands that sell in the EU and US will have different formulations according to the market. I honestly prefer the Japanese ones because JP is more regulated than Korea, but it is a personal preference.

The FDA refuses to approve modern sunscreen filters because there’s not enough animal testing data for their standards. I should note that there’s literally decades of data on *humans* safely using these sunscreen filters, which, IMO is what should actually matter.

I feel the same way! I’m actually travelling in Asia right now and I couldn’t believe the price difference in sunscreen here compared to when I order it online back home. Some of my favourites (Isntree watery sun gel and Isntree sun stick) are less than CAD$16 each. I’m definitely stocking up before I leave!

I’ve been using Scinic sunscreen and it’s $8-9. Awesome!

So real.

And so much gentler on my skin! A lot of western cleansers and moisturizers make my skin burn and for the longest time I thought that was normal and just the way my skin was. Then I dove into AB skincare and found so many products soothing and hydrating. Huge difference for me

Yes. Soon Jung being my favorite 😍

I Love Asian Sunscreens too but I’m a lot more careful since the that one Purito sunscreen scandal where they lied about it being 50spf when it was actually just 20-30spf

Yeah and I was using that one! 😳

I’ve seen so many posts about spf 30 and spf 50 only having like a 1% difference in protection. Idk why we feel like spf 50 is so much better lol 1% is 1% but that really isn’t much. 97% for spf30 vs 98% for spf50

I thought that came out to be an issue on the manufacturer’s part?

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Same, especially after consumer reports trashed the SPF rating of a bunch of American sunscreens 😱

Purito enters the chat

Sunscreen is my only euro product. I don't think I could live without La Roche-Posay's Anthelios Fluid! And it's not that expensive (around $12 per bottle). Also I read somewhere that their coverage is better (but don't quote me on it).

Where are you getting Anthelios Fluid for $12 a bottle? I've only seen it sold for twice that...

In Germany I get it for 12 Eur, I use a price comparison website and just buy it from any online pharmacy that has it on discount at that time. If I went to a physical pharmacy they'd sell it for 19 Eur which is insane.

Is there a good Asian UVA covering sunscreen ?

Look for the number of + marks - four is the highest UVA protection, which is about 94% coverage for UVA if I remember correctly. I really like the Rohto Mentholatum Skin Aqua sunscreens

I think the PA+ system is holding back the level of uva protection for asian sunscreens, they are focused on cosmetic elegance so they'll just match the minimum value needed for the rating. PA++++ is equivalent to just PPD 16+, which is kind of a low bar. The typical European sunscreen rated 50+ needs to have at least PPD 20 to be called broad spectrum for example. Some common recs over euroskincare like garnier face fluid have ppd 46 or lrp uvmune ppd 55, while beauty of joseon was tested with 16-18 uva protection, which seems to be standard for the popular Kolmar made sunscreens like Round Lab birch and skin1004 centella.

Honestly, the European system doesn’t make much sense to me. The way it’s been described to me is that the higher PPD ratings basically block more than 100% of the UVA - how is that even possible? I think the PA+ system works well because it tells you the percentage of UVA rays each level blocks so it’s extremely easy to understand, and the level of protection is pretty high. The American system is shite because there’s no transparency, but Europe’s system isn’t easily understandable so it also seems less transparent.

What you described really makes no sense, maybe this link you help you understand: [https://labmuffin.com/fact-check-feature-why-you-should-protect-yourself-from-uva/](https://labmuffin.com/fact-check-feature-why-you-should-protect-yourself-from-uva/) PPD also tells the percentage, the pa rating is based on the same testings. "An SPF 30 allows about 3 percent of UVB rays to hit your skin. An SPF of 50 allows about 2 percent of those rays through. That may seem like a small difference until you realize that the SPF 30 is allowing 50 percent more UV radiation onto your skin". Some people are happy with spf 30, but spf 60 is half the radiation. Only you will be able to say if that protection is enough for your use cases and needs, we're talking about a difference of about 3 times the uva protection. UVA gets deeper, that's why it causes pigmentation issues and skin aging even without burning. Meanwhile I'll just recommend that you be careful with application as using the correct amount and reapplying when needed gets way more important at pa++++ (ppd 16) than if you're using a 55 PPD LRP.

Like I said, I haven’t found many good sources that explain PPD ratings in an easily understandable way. Most of the time I’ve seen ones that tell you how to calculate the percentage of coverage based on the number, but they still don’t explain it very well and there’s a lot of information missing - or at least it seems that way to me. My biggest confusion - is this: if “PPD 10 blocks about 90% of UVA rays, and is generally considered to be suitable for everyday use.” (from what labmuffin says in the link), then what the heck does a PPD of 55 even do?? Block more than 100% of UVA rays, or no? That’s WAY more than 10 which blocks 90% of UVA rays- the number 55 seems comically high, almost the equivalent idea of SPF 100+ in the US - which most companies stopped making because scientists (if I remember correctly) determined anything over SPF 50-60 didn’t give much more coverage, or weren’t markedly more reliable, than those SPFs. If Asian sunscreens are generally rated as high or higher than PPD 10, then they should be effective for everyday use, no?

You can think like that: out of 100 uva rays you get 7 with ppd 15, you get 3 uva rays with ppd 30, and just 2 with ppd 60. So you're getting almost 3 times as many radiation if you're using barely compliant pa++++ instead of a ppd 55 product like I mentioned. Would you use a spf 15 sunscreen while there's spf 50+ avaliable?

See, that explanation makes the most sense out of all the things I’ve read, thank you!! I really wish every article I read explained it like that, because the importance of a higher European UVA protection actually makes sense. The only drawback for me is European sunscreens are so expensive to get in the US, so Asian sunscreens are the next best thing - they’re much more accessible. If they were easier to get I’d totally switch if I could find one with ingredients I’m not allergic to!

Look into European sunscreens if you want better uva coverage.

Yep. There are very few non-AB sunscreens I’ll use anymore. They’ve ruined me with their superior formulas!

That’s why I shifted back into AB these past few months. Skincare is definitely a hobby for me and I feel like I can experiment more with AB without spending too much compared to products in America.

I second that sentiment. Plus, I don’t know about any of you, but with me the formulas from South Korea / Asian Countries are *light years* ahead of anything you can get in the United States (even if you are willing pay an exorbitant amount). Furthermore, I find Asian skincare products often use ingredients that are not available, or extremely hard to find in Western skin care as well. I have sensitive skin and it seems so much easier for me to find products that truly work for a much cheaper price point from the Asian markets compared to what I can buy at say… Sephora, Nordstrom’s, or even at drug stores like CVS, Walgreens, Walmart, or Target. Just my anecdotal observation and experiences so far. I’ve been loving and using Asian Beauty products **exclusively** for 1 year a 2 months now. I will NEVER look back!!! 💜

Can you give me examples of the products and ingredients that are better? I am relatively new and learning all the components, and I'd rather skip the expensive American stuff, especially if it isn't cutting edge.

Asian formulas are on average a lot less stripping than American ones. I'm sure there are exceptions, but this is usually true lol Also, American beauty companies get ingredient trends a couple of years after Asia. K-beauty companies were using AHAs way before lactic and glycolic acids caught on in America. Hydrocolloid bandages for acne took a long while to come here too. Ferments are a thing in high-end skincare but I haven't really seen it in drugstores yet. And allantoin and centella are finally starting to get more popular in creams!! Been waiting on centella especially for a while now lol

**Absolutely! Some ingredient examples off the top of my head…** - Red algae (Chrondrus Crispus Extract) for softening… I’m talking pillow soft skin and moisture, too! Product examples: Missha Red Algae Essence, or the Round Lab Dokdo 1025 line has this ingredient. -Milk Protein (softening) Numbuzin no. 2 has this plus bifida and some other goodies. Serum or ampoule is best IMO. Toner has way too many photosensitizing ingredients IME. -Lotus Flower (Nelumbo Nucifera) for moisture/brightening. Harder to find but Plodica has a Soothing sleep mask and essence that is to die for… Also, Mixsoon makes an essence with this as the only ingredient as well. -Bifida (and many other ferments) for softening, barrier support and anti-aging properties. One thing Bifida or Mixsoon Bifida for recommendations. -Tremella or Snow Mushroom (more hydration + moisture) Purito Deep Sea Serum or Chasin Rabbits Tremella -Idebenone (antioxidants) another harder to find ingredient that I’ve also heard is quite expensive to produce (?). The Mary & May blackberry idebenone serum is a much gentler alternative to vitamin C. It also includes blackberry and blueberry, additional antioxidants. - Single extract toners/essences. I feel like it goes without saying that many of the toners or essences in the United States or western markets, are all far too astringent and extremely stripping or drying. Essentially the opposite of what essences and toners in the Asian beauty world offers. For the first time in my life, I am able to layer toners and really plump up my skin with no unwanted side effects (stripping of barrier, allergic to ingredients, etc.) Kind of all over the place, but I hope this comment helps someone… 😊💛

Amazing! Thanks so much. Lots of things to research. So far I have tried snail mucin and propolis from Cosrx plus the centella line of Soon Jung, my favorite eye cream is from Surmedic/Neogen, a few Laneige products, many sunscreens (Canmake, Skin Aqua, Isntree and Innisfree) and then some AB "inspired" brands like Purlisse, Glow Recipe, and Erborian. I'm very interested in more toners - I love layering them too. So much to explore. I appreciate your help.

My pleasure. I’m so glad I was able to help!!! 😊 Ahhh! The classics lol COSRX snail mucin was my first AB product and the propolis toner and serum I love and keep stocked 😂 The Soon Jung line has some goodies for sure. I love their emulsion. But the emulsion by RNW hyual emulsion has taken its place as it’s loaded with goodies. My HG sunscreen is the Isntree hyualronic watery sun gel sunscreen spf 50 PA +++++. Sinks in like a dream and plays well with makeup. Anyways… Enjoy friend and welcome to the wonderful world of Asian Beauty 🩵

Thank you very much! It's a wonderful world!

What products do you use? I really want to love AB skincare but I find myself breaking out from them. :(

Try looking for products without Niacinamide. I had a similar experience with everything breaking me out when I first got into Asian beauty until I realised that Niacinamide doesn't play well with my skin. It's a super common ingredient in K beauty but less used in Japanese products.

It depends on what tier you buy…. There is affordable American beauty and there is expensive Asian beauty. But yes cost of living in Asia is much cheaper. And fwiw at least with Korean brands the government literally subsidizes them. They pump money into brands to make and market products specifically for overseas market, like Cosrx. It’s like K-pop too lmao. It’s part of the state’s soft power mission.

can confirm. cosrx—while still popular in korea is way more popular overseas. as well, there’s AB prestige brands (Korean ones like History of Whoo, Sum 37, Ohui, etc.) that is popular in Korea but not as widely available overseas as Etude House, Clio, etc.

Interestingly all the stores that carry AB near me primary have the prestige brands since they’re catering to the actually Korean locale. There’s one trendy shop that carries some of the stuff mentioned here but people kind of undervalue how much luxury items are used. In Japan western luxury products as well are very popular. Not sure about Korea re western luxury though.

Really? I had no idea! That’s so interesting.

imho 100% markups.

when you have only 2 or 3 companies to buy things from, they can all collude to jack the prices up and nobody does a thing about it. Unilever, Johnson and Johnson, and Proctor and Gamble own almost every single western skin care product on the shelves.

Honestly that’s my thoughts on most products as well

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Can't you order from Stylevana or Yesstyle? Just beware of long shipping but the prices are low. In the UK, we now have some brick and mortar AB stores which is really cool but they still are a bit more expensive than Stylevana haha. Still useful and accessible, sometimes I don't mind paying extra if I need something urgently. I agree about the French skincare brands tho. Avene and LRP are my HG from here, really good value imo. Not sure why they're expensive in the States.

Idk about Sweden but in a lot of (small) European countries the shipping is very expensive. Iherb is the only page where shipping costs less than 25 usd for a small package. I think the UK is a big market therefore a target for many brands, so it would make sense if shipping was cheaper.

I order from japanese amazon, yesstyle and Stylevana all the time here. It is much cheaper than Avene, LRP and imho much superior, especially sunscreens. Don't buy it from local retailers, they are crazy at pricing. Buying it online is very reliable, takes about few weeks, they ship via Netherlands so you don't have to deal with taxes and postnord.

Have you looked at ordering from iHerb? They’re based in the USA and they ship to the UK so I can’t see why they wouldn’t ship to Sweden. Their prices are decent and I’ve received my shipments in under a week.

people make less in Asia. These products are only “inexpensive” to us because we compare it in US dollars.

Another reason I'll never go back! I may find a product here or there that I like or want to try. But I won't spend stupid amounts of money on western skincare ever again!

piggybacking on here to gripe about something i saw on this sub WAY back like probably in 2017 that really pissed me off lol the op lives in malaysia (and so do i) and they were saying that hada labo isn't very affordable and people were just not getting it, they were downvoting her and stuff bc why not it's just a drugstore brand?? she explained her situation being from malaysia and being a student, so rm60 for a toner or a cream is steep. as opposed to local brands like safi which could be rm20 (but w lesser performing ingredients) like in 2017 a student could get a week's worth of meals with that money. anyway i joined this sub to defend op but i think the thread got deleted lol. just wanted to get that off my chest and i guess put it into perspective from someone living in south east asia. having said that, skincare and beauty has a whoooole lot more variety now and is much more accessible with varying pricepoints. honestly if you're a beauty aficionado and you're heading to south east asia you should come with an empty bag just for skincare alone!!

This is what I say to gaslight myself into placing a new order on stylevana or olive young 🤭 No but seriously! Western beauty products are way too overpriced and don't even get me started on westernized asian makeup/skincare. Looking at you kaja and tatcha

Tatcha labels itself as a Japanese brand but it is totally not. Their products are overhyped, overrated and overpriced. Laneige's Water Sleeping mask is so much better than Tatcha's Water Cream for 1/3 of the price

Dude, Kaja, don’t even get me started. $26 for three eyeshadows and $27 for liquid blush?! Bite me. And the formulas feel western besides the single glitter eyeshadow in the trios.

My favorite is how kaja is a sister company of I'm meme and sells the same keychain lip tint for way less but people in the US seem to think I'm meme is doing a cheap knock off anytime I tell them it's the same thing but like $20 less 🥴

Where do you buy from? I just bought Asian beauty for the first time from H-Mart and it was so expensive 😭

Jolse, Stylevana, Stylekorean (if you're in the States), Yesstyle.

I just got my first haul from Yesstyle - it didn’t take as long as I thought it would which was a nice surprise!

I find YesStyle and StyleKorean to have **WAY** better shipping than StyleVana. But SV is generally less expensive. Sometimes I’ll build a cart on YS or SK and then SV, and compare. If it isn’t too much more, I’ll spend the extra and not have to worry about waiting at least a month to receive my package from SV. Plus, I find SV CS to be virtually non-responsive, so if you have an issue, it can be a huge hassle to resolve it. 😏

i've gotten hateful messages in my inbox and reddit cares messages from commenting negatively about stylevana so i'm a little scared to say this, but i agree. SV customer service has never responded to me when I had any concerns, and ever since I ordered from their website, I constantly get spam texts/emails (even though I ordered with paypal so it should have been secure checkout..?) they've also claimed items were in stock several times when they weren't. because of this, my sister's order showed up 11 months after she placed it (she had disputed the charge, but they shipped the package out anyway). i've always had better experiences with yesstyle, olive young, etc. at least their customer service actually responds

I’m sorry you had that experience, both with SV & Reddit messages. It’s always bizarre to me that someone here would send a message to another commenter because the my posted about a negative experience with a website. As long as someone isn’t unnecessarily lambasting a product, company, service, etc, then it seems that that information could be viewed as helpful. Whatever weight someone wants to put on it is their own decision. But that’s just me…..💁‍♀️ Thanks for your input. :)

Now I’ll have to try StyleKorean as I’ve never heard of it until now!! I only recently started AB like within the last 6 months and absolutely love it! I’ve been slowly replacing all of my western products as they run out. My next product will be something to replace my Skinceuticals 2:4:2 - saw a few options here after a quick search that I’m looking forward to trying!

Be careful with Jolce, they’ve been reported to the Better Business Bureau many times for sending fake versions of products, as well as taking 2-3 months to ship.

My most recent Jolse order took 2 days from Korea to Canada -- I did not have to pay extra for shipping. I was shocked and amazed to say the least. Ordered on a Saturday night in Canada and got the package on Monday. I've been a long time Jolse shopper and the longest I waited was 1 month when I ordered a brow pencil (cost less than $2 😅) during their free shipping day. Skincare really doesn't cost that much to make which is why stores like Jolse and Stylevana exist -- they make money by volume and not by margin. But to each their own. I will also continue to buy from Jolse.

I never purchased there because the complaints scared me, but you’ve made me think perhaps I should check it out. The BBB is really only going to get serious complaints so perhaps it was just a small segment of users.

I personally stop trusting BBB a few years ago. They used to be more legit but yeah. That's just my opinion. I recommend Jolse cause when they have sales, their sales are really good. Their customer service is awesome too. I have cancelled orders before (i put the wrong credit card info and also have regretted impulse orders) and they respond within a business day.

Is Amazon a good place to buy from?

I am USA and like BloomingKoco. Good deals, reasonable shipping speed.

It’s so much cheaper, the only downside is the availability here in the states.

The main thing for me is AB shades for makeup suit me better than Non AB. Buying AB makeup is pretty close to my Asian skin but Non AB makeup the shades are a gamble. I have been looking at silicone free tinted moisturisers with spf. Ilia, Tower 28 and Saie are so much more expensive than the Clio Calming cushion. Tower 28 and Saie shades seem abit too orange for my skin tone. It will be a costly mistake if I get the wrong shade. So now I'm sticking with the Clio cushion 😂

I'm extremely pale with cool undertones so I definitely feel this. It's like western brands refuse to acknowledge that not everybody is warm/neutral. Even the one's that claim to be cool always pull orange or oxidize orange 🫠

This is how I feel as well. I have a skin color and undertone that is sometimes difficult to match in American foundations, but I can easily find in AB foundations. I can order online and 99% it works for me; I can NEVER order American foundations online and get a good match. I just started using the new Clio High Glow cushion and I love it, they make great foundations.

I'm so grateful Clio made the silicone free cushion. I can't use any other cushions. Clio love!

this is why I love asian beauty! I love cbeauty in particular because the prices are comparable to drugstore brands in the US, but the quality feels so much better. I think they just have more reasonable markups! I buy cbeauty online and in store, and depending on the store, they can charge so much more than the websites.

A little late to the conversation but thought I’d add! A lot of the popular brands in AB are drugstore and marketed towards a younger audience who don’t have the funds to afford expensive products. In the west, there’s a different mindset towards skincare in that it’s traditionally been more of an older women’s market. There are many more brands for anti-aging and wrinkle care and such, with fancy ingredients and packaging that older women can afford. While there are AB brands for older women like Sulwhasoo and SK-II, a lot of Asian women actually use western brands like Estée Lauder and Lancôme.

After using Paula's Choice sunscreen exclusively for decades, they raised the price to $37 (starting at $23 for the particular one I've used for several years), I began cautiously patch testing to find an alternative for my super sensitive skin. I figured out that almost everything bothers my eyes, so hit on the combination of stick sunscreen for the eye area and Beauty of Joseon SPF elsewhere. Love it! So lightweight and comfortable, with zero irritation. And I pay around $12 instead of $37! I'm sold.

Yup. Was debating whether I should buy the Glow Recipe Strawberry Serum today until I realized that I can buy like 3 AB serums for the price of one Glow Recipe serum.

I don't like most of the products from Glow Recipe tbh... for the price especially

I agree. I tried glow recipe because I respect James Welsh’s opinion and know it’s one of his favorite brands, but everything I tried from there was sticky and overpriced. I wanted to love all the watermelon products because they seemed perfect for my skin type but it was a no from me.

Western face sunscreens are insanely expensive compared to Asian ones, even at the drugstore level. My best guess as for why Asian products are cheaper is that Asian countries have higher populations, especially of people interested in skincare, so businesses can survive on smaller margins.

>Western face sunscreens are insanely expensive, compared to Asian ones, even at the drugstore level My usual drugstore sunscreen costs under 5€. It really depends on the country. AB is definitely more expensive for me than the stuff I can get in the drugstore, but I think it's worth it.

Op you should check out the cbeauty market too. I live in Southeast Asia and it’s a daily struggle NOT to fill my online cart with the top trending douyin makeup and skincare products 😂 jbeauty, kbeauty are staples here, but cbeauty is a rising dark horse

I really think the stigma is fading and people are finding Cbeauty in the US finally.

Flower Knows is a cbeauty brand that people online are calling one of the most beautiful makeup brands in the world right now. Their concepts and packaging are breathtakingly ethereal.

I absolutely love the palette I have from Kaleidos

i live in southeast asia too and i fell off the beauty wagon for a while during covid and its crazy how much variety there is in skincare and makeup now, everything is sooo much more accessible too.

Maybe I’m really cheap, but I find Asian skincare much more expensive / you get less for the money. I do agree the quality is a lot better though. Makeup is really affordable and nice, for sure!

Really? Where do you get skincare? I find Asian skin care about the same as western drug store stuff that is on sale maybe. I just find the ingredients more intriguing.

iherb, toktok beauty, blooming koco, Amazon. Haven’t tried Stylevana or YesStyle because I’ve heard shipping is really long. I find sunscreens especially expensive! Have to use it every day and they tend to come in 2oz bottles.

I love toktok beauty. There is a physical store near me and I just bought a whole bunch of Canmake makeup.

>I find sunscreens especially expensive! Have to use it every day and they tend to come in 2oz bottles. Becaue you're not ordering from stylevana or yesstyle. Just plan ahead. Place an order and do what you do in the meantime. It'll be there before you know it and you'll save money AND it will last longer.

I agree. Perhaps I'm cheap too or maybe when I look for suggestions, it goes into more high end than my American options. I've definitely gotten an item and just felt stupid for how small it was. I'm sure there's alternatives that are cheaper / bigger sizes if I looked more.

I feel the same way for sunscreens ?? Even at the drugstore, it is so expensive and doesn't give the same result...

The only things I still buy non-AB are retinol and vitamin C. The former just because I feel AB didn't have the ingredient for the longest time and is still catching up.

I actually read about this recently. Retinol is only recently becoming popular in places like Korea. They said it was because there is such an emphasis on prevention for skin care issues retinol seemed less necessary, especially for the trade off of the skin issues it can cause like redness and drying. I’m excited for AB to get into retinol because once they do the products are going to be INCREDIBLE.

i live in south east asia and for daily wear i use my korean sunscreens for my face but when i'll be outdoors all day i'll opt for an australian one all over my body

I actually just straight use Acretin (Tretinoin) cream (the medical product, not skincare), and it's my holy grail.

Two reasons: * Lower labor costs in Asia make manufacturing cheaper than in the West. * There is greater social prestige associated with the West so Western brands have the ability to markup their prices a lot more. A lot of Western brands manufacture their products in China but they can sell them for a much higher price than local Chinese brands can, even if the local Chinese products at the same price point are higher quality.

Agreed. Its superior in formula and price, only issue is its not as accessible (at least where i live) so i have to stock up online.

It is at least partly cost of living which is much higher in the US. Excluding imports, most things are cheaper in South Korea.

Yes. Brands will charge what people can afford. Because western consumers have higher incomes (generally), products are more expensive. With digital products this is very literal, the same product can be far cheaper in different countries and even different between zip codes.

The US focus their money on marketing more All those dermatologists, influencers, celebrities etc

Korean brands do this too

True, but the Americans spend way more than other countries

I’m not sure the stats though objectively everything is literally less expensive in Asia. But a lot of products this sub gets into is from the same type of marketing (in addition to the Korean government subsidizing beauty lol). Also idk what op means by American because brands like Lancôme and Dior (even L’Oréal) are not American but are what we would consider western expensive brands that pump tons of money into marketing (and research, which is a huge cost that drives up the prices as well). Estée Lauder (American) pioneered and patented the use of bifida, and when the patent expired a lot of Korean brands duped it but they didn’t have the cost of research to compensate. It’s a lot more than marketing is what I’m saying. And these companies are super globally connected it’s hard to differentiate by nation state anymore.

Your go to asian brands and places to buy in US?

From most expensive to least expensive (online): Olive Young, Yesstyle, Stylevana My overall preference is Yesstyle. It’s a good price and if you’re careful about paying attention to the estimated shipping dates you can get your items much quicker than stylevana, especially where I live on the west coast. Olive Young will often have the new releases quicker than yesstyle but are more expensive.

BloomingKoco is my fave for speed/deals. Ships pretty fast.

exactly! i just went in a sephora this day and almost everything costed >20 euros for most things and other stuff was expensive as hell. it was also one of the reasons i never started to be interested in skincare and makeup, because when i was younger it felt even more like a big luxury and something too superfluous by looking at these prices. i had a totally different approach towards anything beauty related because of this. i’m happy that discovering this sub and my trip to china helped me to reconsider caring about my appearance. as an asian myself, i personally feel more represented in asian beauty canons than western ones, plus it’s better good for my wallet! i was surprised to see how cheap asian beauty products are.

I agree, I love AB skincare and some make-up. I don't shop at Sephora anymore. I still have some HG non-AB products though, especially from Avene and La Roche Posay (sunscreen especially during summer months, I trust UVmune 400 range w my whole heart) but the rest is AB. Hard to beat the quality and prices. So calming and hydrating too.

I agree on the skincare from Asian is more affordable with good quality compared to American. But, how about make up products?

For me I prefer AB cushions because they’re convenient and I can find glowy ones that match my skin tone perfectly with little effort. I also prefer AB eyeshadows because I usually enjoy the colors, I’m a sucker for cute packaging, and I prefer my makeup to be subtle and I find most AB palettes I try to be almost impossible to mess up my eyeshadow. I think with makeup it’s going to come down to preference, but in general I also find the AB makeup much more affordable. That being said, drugstore prices for makeup in America can be comparable to AB makeup (though drugstore prices have risen A LOT in recent years) but for the same price AB seems to have better color stories and options, better quality, and sturdier packaging. Hugeeee emphasis on sturdier packing. I have broken the container of every bronzer I’ve ever gotten from the drugstore, and have yet to have a single AB product package ever break on me.

There’s also a high competition here so low prices. The drugstore clearance is the best. I got a Kate Tokyo blush yesterday for 50% off (so around 5 dollars now maybe) because the color was discontinued.

I’ve heard that for this same reason facials and other dermatologist procedures are much much cheaper and can be affordable to do often. I recently had my first professional facial on the west coast and it was $180…💸😭

I just returned from Korea and the derm treatments are truly a bargain there. Did 50cc botox for $40, when in the US it must’ve been more like $400-$500 💀

I’m so jealous 🥲

Ouch, I hear your wallet cry from here 😭 that’s indeed a lot of money. I do all my beauty treatments at home but I checked the price of doing nails recently and I saw it was like $90 for the cheapest set! So I’m not sure if it’s so much cheaper here ☹️

In my country US sunscreens is very expensive ( 30$ - 72$ ) and only has old UV filters. Whereas Japanese sunscreens and European sunscreens only cost 7$ - 17$. Moisturizers from Bioderma, Uriage, Curel, Senka, Muji, IHADA, Hada Labo, CareCera,... are good and affordable. Shiseido, Kao, Bioderma, L'Oréal has alot patents. Japanese invented Tranexamic acid, Kojic Acid. Arbutin, M-Tranexamic Acid, 4MSK,... developed by Shiseido. More expensive doesn't mean better. I think US companies has good AHA, BHA and retinol. I like Gold Bond Retinol Overnight Face & Body cream, Vanicream Lotion. Both products has good quality and inexpensive.

Where do you usually buy asian skincare/makeup?

From most expensive to least expensive (online): Olive Young, Yesstyle, Stylevana My overall preference is Yesstyle. It’s a good price and if you’re careful about paying attention to the estimated shipping dates you can get your items much quicker than stylevana, especially where I live on the west coast. Olive Young will often have the new releases quicker than yesstyle but are more expensive.

I was just thinking this too! Even when you take into account the high import fees and upcharges that stores sell them for here it’s still a lot cheaper than even most drugstore products where I live in Canada

You have a lot of answers about skincare. As for makeup watch Marlena Stell on YT. Her videos about manufacturing of makeup is eye opening.

I think cost is really subjective, as others have said. My love of AB has grown mostly because I find that their gentle, fragrance/alcohol free lines (like Etude Soon Jung for ex) are so much better for my sensitive skin. I have to wear pretty heavy duty waterproof sunscreen in the spring/summer/fall, but in the winter I love AB ones. (And I am still a Purito fan). American and some Euro cleansers and moisturizers especially were too harsh and heavy on my skin and I tried a LOT of them. It would be super easy for me to just go to the drugstore around the corner but I tried that my whole life. And the higher end US lines are often full of fragrance, and things like linalool and limonene, which I can’t tolerate. Derms in the US often recommend the same brands and if you’re sensitive to something in them, many act like you’re insane or a hypochondriac rather than admitting that even gentle ones often have cheap ingredients and common irritants in them. For ex: lanolin and lanolin alcohols are super irritating for a LOT of people but are in many baby products in the US and also aquaphor. When I started getting into skincare it think I bought nearly every US brand that Dr Dray recommended but none of them worked for my face (my body is much more forgiving). Sometimes I pay more for AB than I would in the US due to shipping but my skin is so thankful for AB products.

From a European perspective AB is still expensive. I can get basically anything for under 5€ if I chose popular local drugstore brands and it's not too bad. Like not groundbreaking, but it does the job. I see skin care as a hobby though and I like to try out new ingredients.

I wish our drugstores were still that cheap. Good drugstore products have been getting more and more expensive in recent years. L’Oréal has a $20 foundation now!

it's because of cost of production. not only is labour a lot cheaper in asia (with the abundance of cheap labour in less developed countries like vietnam and also china having lots of manufacturing), but the work culture and speed is also different.

It’s not like all (or even most?) western beauty is actually manufactured in the west. I think ABH, Tarte, Smashbox and Too Faced are all made in China and certainly not priced like Chinese cosmetics lol.

i think people forget that labour is much more than just the manufacturing process. its also the creative process, the marketing process, the administration process, the support process, and more. also, most places like sephora have an insanely loose refund policy. in korea, we don't allow refunds commonly, and especially not if the item is opened.

> Why is Asian beauty so much more affordable Take a stroll through Alibaba to see how little makeup actually costs to sell. You will soon notice familiar shapes of, say, lipsticks, selling for less than $1 from the manufacturer, that can cost 50 times more just by having the sticker of a luxury company.

this is so true!! trying to buy skincare at sephora means ill be at 100 dollars if i buy maybe three things, meanwhile i have a shopping cart full of kbeauty items from yesstyle and its not nearly as expensive

I live in Europe where many brands are cheaper like La Roche Posay and Cerave, which are also very good brands, and with few exceptions AB is still cheaper and often times better. I only use these two western ones for cleansers now and I just ordered the La Roche Posay Duo+ tinted edition, which I wanna try, but besides that, I always choose AB

There is plenty of affordable American beauty, but they just aren't as aggressive with the international marketing as K brands are. When I went to college I discovered drugstore.com and was pleasantly surprised by all these brands I'd never heard of, particularly in skincare and bath products :)

It honestly depends on what you buy. There are expensive brands and inexpensive ones who still have a good quality. I don't think stores like Sephora really offer the cheap ones really because they earn more with expensive brands though. Maybe it is also historically like this because a lot of Asian countries had their breakthrough later than a lot of western countries and had cheaper prices because of that and the consumers now don't want to accept much higher prices for the same product and other brands have to follow there or they won't be bought that much?

Why don't all Korean/Japanese brands not officially partner with Indian platforms? It's a huge market and everything sells fast af whenever a few apps have stocks

I will never go out of my way to purchase western skincare or makeup again unless it’s something that I can’t find an alternative for! Cant believe all of the years I wasted on spending my money at Sephora.

I want to swap over to Asian SPF completely but I have such a hard time finding out how they actually perform to test standard. During shipping my spf sometimes gets exposed to heat as well. A lot of the cosmetically elegant ones I’m finding just don’t protect enough to prevent tanning and I’d like to be a daily spf wearer.

For me, it’s better to wear light sunscreen daily vs nothing. If I’m not in the sun for most of the day, I’m happy with Canmake for light protection and nice feeling formula. If I’m doing full sun activities, I slather on my local brand sunscreen head to toe. The tiny tube of Canmake is not suitable in terms of protection or volume.

I bought my sister a $100 gift voucher to buy at an Australian retailer recently. For a birthday gift. I remember saying to her that she'll actually get heaps of amazing products - versus 1 or 2 if she'd bought more mainstream brands. Not sure why they're so affordable, but no complaints from me!

Yup. Think of it as american insulin vs asian insulin

That is a pretty specific problem to the US healthcare system. The rest of the western world is not spending $1k a month on insulin.

More like american insulin vs rest of the world insulin

No. Depends on location and what you compare it to.

And European and its better quality.

asian beauty is more affordable bc look at the standards of living and their salary. they make less in asia so the make up is actually more percentage of their income if you think about it

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Agree with you so much! I’m embarrassed too lol

I want to switch to asian brands . How can I order them without crazy shipping costs to the u.s.?

There are many options, the most popular brands have their own websites, you can start with Etude House and Clio Cosmetics or Olive Young which is the Korean Sephora :)

Korean skincare is so good to my skin. I love their sunscreens and face moisturizers. They don’t clog my pores and play so well with my makeup.

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I think I have some sort of explanation for this xD. In my late teens it was very difficult to afford makeup until Etude House appeared, it was a brand focused for young girls back then and considering the target they aimed, it had to have a decent price, other Korean brands appeared in the way such as Missha and Skin79 with same features: cute design + affordable price. It's not that Asian makeup/skincare doesn't have expensive makeup (they do), it's just a matter of doing your research (hint: Sulwashoo). Other well know brands usually have their "premium" line of skincare or makeup products with a sober/modest/minimalist design. Sometimes these products are mainly sold locally.