Hi guys!

Though the weather's just getting a bit colder, I wanted to get ahead of the unbearably dry weather and amp up my skincare routine.

I've been hearing a lot of hype about Asian beauty products, and in particular, Korean skincare products, so I stopped by Nature Republic to check a few things out!

It was my first time in the store and I spent a lot of time browsing but even so, the salespeople were friendly. They kept to a distance so I didn't feel like I was being tailed, but when I asked for recommendations, they did a great job of showing me both their most popular products and their personal favorites.

Highlights of the experience:

• Everything was super cheap!
  • The foaming facial cleansers were only $5 and they had a buy-10-get-10 mask sale for only $13. That's $13 for 20 masks!
• Knowledgeable staff!
  • The employees were well trained and knew the products inside out. They were able to present the merchandise in a positive light and highlight the key ingredients that made each product different.
• Lots of free samples!
  • Tell me you don’t like free stuff. Who doesn’t like free stuff?!?!

Without further ado, here are the items from my haul:

Real Nature Acai Berry Ampoule:An ampoule is a skincare product that is supercharged with high concentrations of the active ingredients. Its viscosity is similar to that of a serum; however, it’s not intended for daily use, but rather as additional aid for when your skin needs the extra help. 

The Real Nature Acai Berry Ampoule that I purchased was supposed to aid in brightening my skin. I applied three drops on my fingers and gently patted it on after my toner and before my moisturizer. Surprisingly, three drops was enough to cover my entire face!

Unfortunately, I felt that it didn’t make much of a change to my complexion, and that it actually might have caused a few closed comedones to pop up. It’s not my favorite product, but I think I’ll give it a few more chances before I completely give up.

Super Aqua Max Deep Moisture Sleeping Pack:A sleeping pack functions as a night cream in that it is meant specifically to give your skin an extra moisture boost while you sleep. The difference, however, is that the consistency is much lighter and you’re meant to layer it on top of your regular nighttime moisturizer.

The saleslady recommending this product described it as the most hydrating product in their sleeping pack selection.

First off, this product smells AMAZING. It has a slightly floral fragrance that isn’t abrasively strong but oddly enough permeates the entire space. The sleeping pack has a buoyant, gel-like texture that is light and easy to spread. Just a little goes a long way. Because it spreads so well, it’s easy to use this product to cover the entire neck and chest area as well.

I didn’t notice an immediate difference the next morning, but it was so comfortable to sleep with I’m going to continue to use it as additional help on those brutal winter days anyway.

Green Tea and Peach Hand and Nature Hand Creams:Hand creams to carry you through the winter! The packaging was cute and they even had packs of two that were especially wrapped for easy gifting.

Both products were lightly scented. One thing that I really enjoyed about this cream was that while it was a little sticky to apply at first, the product fully absorbed after 5 minutes and I didn’t have to deal with feeling greasy the entire day.

Real Nature Sheet Mask: RoseAck! Not a fan! This was one of the buy-10-get-10 mask products that I chose.

The mask smelled quite nice and was packaged in a very thick serum. I expected it to absorb completely into my skin, but even after the recommended 20 minutes, a lot of the product remained superficially on my face. I took the mask off and continued with my regular routine, hoping that the stickiness would go away, but even after an additional hour, nothing changed and I ended up washing my face to rid myself of sensation.

Real Nature Sheet Mask: AvocadoI liked this mask more than the rose one. The serum it was packaged with felt less sticky. Again, the mask left a lot of residual product after use, but I felt that it was much more refreshing in general. 

Real Nature Rose Foam Cleanser:

When it comes out of the tube, the cleanser is pearly white with a pink tint. It smells of roses and is a creamy product that foams well. My face always feels squeaky clean after using it, but because of that, I feel that it might not be great for sensitive skin.

In NY, Nature Republic has two locations. One in Manhattan (151 Centre St, New York, NY 10013) and one in Flushing (136-80 Roosevelt Ave, Flushing, NY 11354).

Have you tried any Korean skincare products? Which are your favorites?

• G