K-Beauty: Missha Time Revolution Essence & Pure Vitamin C 21.5 Serum

I had such a good run with this Japanese beauty range so it was disappointing that it stopped working for me—especially since I had repurchased the whole expensive range a few weeks before that (for the second time, too), so I was left with leftovers.
PS: Any of you guys ever experienced that with any beauty product? You tested something out, fell in love with it because it was amazing, stayed faithful to it and then one day you woke up from your sleep with crappy skin that doesn't recover, and felt totally betrayed? Comment in the box below!

I might just return to my "Japanese beauty root" one day but for now I've taken a dive into the world of Korean Beauty—or K-Beauty, as it's called, and it is crazy-filled with numerous products. They have like four different kinds of moisturisers, guys. All with different names, too, so I didn't even know where to start! I find that the best way is to get recommendations from people—be it online or real-life—and read up on reviews.

A cousin of mine with exceptionally good skin, who almost exclusively uses K-Beauty products, advised on starting with two of K-beauty's most raved items: Missha Time Revolution The First Treatment Essence and Pure Vitamin C 21.5 Advanced Serum By Wishtrend.


My verdict: LOVE 'EM.

It wasn't love at first use; nothing changed whatsoever in my first two weeks of usage. Then I found out that you're not supposed to use these two together—at least, not to use one immediately after the other; apparently the niacinamide from the essence and L-ascorbic acid from the serum could react in such a way that render them both almost useless.
Read: More on that 'reaction' here.

Once I started using them separately, however, my skin got considerably brighter and more even. The result isn't magical; I won't be peppered with questions on my skin how-tos because it isn't flawless, but both these products definitely improve my complexion.
They're not advertised as a treatment for breakouts but I used to get more random spots around my face and nasty acnes along my right cheekbone, and happily the breakouts are coming much less frequent now.

Missha Time Revolution The First Treatment Essence Essences are an extra step in hydrating and nourishing the skin, and also work as a skin-brightener For my night-time use: I pour a dime-sized amount into the palm of my hand then quickly rub between my hands (do this very quickly as it's very watery!) and straight away pat all over my face; this is done right after I cleanse, tone and apply a facial acid (PS: "Facial acid" sounds scary, but I promise it's not; it's one of K-Beauty's secrets! I might talk about the facial acids I use in a future post...).

Pure Vitamin C 21.5 Advanced Serum By Wishtrend Vitamin C serums have anti-aging properties and improves the overall appearance of skin so I was excited to add this to my skincare routine. (Read: More on the benefits of vitamin C serums at Paula's Choice and here.) For my daytime use: After washing and toning, I place four Vitamin C drops into the palm of my hand, dip my finger into it and apply to all over my face. I find that I waste less Vit C with this form of application, rather than rubbing the solution between the palm of my hands and rubbing it all over, as it dries very fast and doesn't spread well. Wait for 20-30 minutes after applying before continuing with your skincare routine to let it "do its thayng", if possible Might sting a little the on first few uses, or if you use too much than needed! Note: It's best to keep this in the fridge to maintain the consistency of the solution; I read that it could turn very orange if it's not stored properly (thus potentially giving you an unwanted Oompa Loompa-like orangey tan!).

I definitely recommend these two babies to anyone who wants to elevate their skincare regime, but I would advise you to read more reviews to determine if they would suit your skin type.

Any of you guys already into K-Beauty?