hi! i'm running out of skincare products and figured this would be the perfect time to treat myself to a full size set! i have normal / acne prone combination skin (can't use products meant for oily skin, they dry out my skin so fast) what i'm looking for is a gentle set (no alcohol / too much perfume etc) that includes everything i need for a day / night routine, for around 40 - 65 usd (if possible). anyone have a skincare set they swear by? i'd love to hear your recommendations!

I'd use this community to research your products. They're fanatically knowledgeable.

I don't use a set but a few different things together. Thayers Alcohol-free Rose Petal Witch Hazel with Aloe Vera is what I mist with. GOODAL Moisture Barrier Fresh Gel Cream is my daytime moisturizer. Nature Republic Honey & Herb Sleeping Pack is my nighttime moisturizer. I use a bunch of other things too, but that's what I've pared down to on a regular basis. Too lazy for a complicated routine, and my skin is happy with less atm.

By Korean skincare set, you mean "lotion" and "skin" right? Like the cylindrical bottle pairs with the milky lotion in one and the milky liquid in the other?

thanks for that link, i didn't know about that community! sorry for the uneducated question, but what's mist? is it like tonic/toner? uhh just a box that holds all the producs needed (day/night cream, tonic, essence, eye cream etc), i'm not familiar with what you mentioned haha

Generally, if you’re going with Korean skincare it’s

Oil cleanser Foam cleanser ( once I use that up I’ll be switching to a rose foam cleanser from nature republic) Toner Essence Serum

And then added onto that, exfoliation twice a week or so, or masks as extra.

I can give my current but my skin type isn’t quite the same since mine’s sensitive combination. It’s also overall, probably more than 60$ since I bought them piecemeal over time.

But they’re uh, currently,

banila clean it zero ( oil cleanser) Clearasil Son and park beauty water(toner), also use it to remove eye makeup. Skin food celery essence No serum but I do wear masks occasionally, moisturizer. If you’re exfoliating it’d be after toner I believe.

But definitely check the reddit. I also found general info on sites like sokoglam which sell k-beauty products.

I don’t have acne except on my forehead, but I have heard good things about products with aha/bha to treat acne.

Note that double cleansing will dry your skin out but it removes everything dirt wise from your skin and it actually ended smoothing out the random forehead acne I’ve had since I was a kid. It hasn’t gottten rid of it completely but I’ve mostly stayed away from heavier aha/bah products because of having sensitive skin.

Mist is toner. I like to spray it on and pat it in more than applying it any other way.

I’ve seen those boxes. The boxed set with the pair of products I’ve mentioned is something my mom likes a lot. It’s popular in Korea. Korean women actually prefer prestige European brands over anything domestic. Go figure.

I’m not big on all the steps and products of K-beauty because money and lazy haha. 10 or 12 just aren't practical imo, but half that could work for me.

My best advice is to only buy new products with the intention of not buying more until you’ve emptied a container. There’s a subreddit called Asian Beauty Rehab that’s an interesting counterpoint which points out shopaholic behaviors in the main subreddit I linked.

The SU:M37 Miracle Rose Cleansing Stick is a great cleanser. I like to wash my face with that product day/night. Other random things I've used and liked are My Skin Mentor Dr. G Red Blemish Soothing Ampoule and Goodal Wash Up Deep Clean Pore Glacial Clay Wash Off Pack for my t-zone. You might like the Stridex pads for sensitive skin for your acne concerns. Acne stickers for spot treating are effective too. Good luck!

this is such a late reply but i didn't want you guys to think i didn't read / appreciate your comments! y'all were so helpful ❤️ i also checked out the reddit page and managed to order way too many some nice skincare products! thank you for the help :D