Guides

Ingredients

Niacinamide in Skincare: What Vitamin B3 Has Been Shown to Do, Which Concentration Makes Sense and How to Get Started
Niacinamide is the most versatile active in Korean skincare: it regulates sebum, makes dark spots look paler and strengthens the skin barrier. What studies with 2 to 5% show, why 15% does not do more and how to build niacinamide into your routine. Read more...
Heartleaf (Houttuynia Cordata) in Skincare: Origin, Effects and How It Differs from Centella
Heartleaf, the extract of Houttuynia cordata, soothes and hydrates and is particularly suited to oily, blemish-prone and sensitive skin. Where the ingredient comes from, what studies show and how it differs from centella. Read more...
Centella Asiatica (Cica) in Skincare: Effects, Studies and Which Cica Products Suit You
Centella asiatica, cica for short, is the soothing ingredient of K-Beauty. Which triterpenes do the work, what studies show on hydration, irritation and the skin barrier, and in which format the extract suits sensitive, irritated or blemish-prone skin. Read more...
Toner Pads: How the Korean Pads Work and Which Ones Suit Your Skin
Soaked pads instead of toner from the bottle: toner pads combine hydration, gentle exfoliation and soothing in one step. How to use them correctly and which pads suit pores, redness or dry skin. Read more...
Snail Mucin: What Snail Secretion Really Does in Skincare
Snail slime on your face sounds strange but has been a bestseller for years. What snail mucin contains, what it realistically does, how it is collected and which alternatives exist. Read more...
PDRN in Skincare: What the Korean Trend Ingredient Can and Cannot Do
Salmon DNA in a serum? PDRN is the most searched-for K-Beauty ingredient of the year. We explain what polynucleotides do cosmetically, where the line to medical use lies and how to fit PDRN into your routine. Read more...
Strengthening the Skin Barrier: How Korean Skincare Helps Irritated, Tight Skin
When the skin suddenly reacts to everything, the skin barrier is usually weakened. How to recognise it, what the triggers are and how a Korean barrier routine helps within two to four weeks. Read more...