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K- Beauty On A Ramen Budget? You Bet! My Must Have Products for Students.

Tired of K-beauty listicles with cutesy metaphors and endless praise? Me too. As a budget-conscious student balancing lectures, ramen meals, and late-night cram sessions, my skincare journey has been more practical than magical. But with careful research and trial and error, I've discovered K-beauty gems that transformed my stressed, ramen-fueled skin into something I actually recognize. Fear not, Glowing skin isn't reserved for royalty (or influencers with unlimited sponsorships). I'm here to prove that you can achieve healthy, radiant skin even when your bank account looks like a deflated balloon So, forget fairytales – let's get real about the products that deserve a shout-out in my everyday routine:.

Reiira user profile picture

Reiira

Dry/Resilient

dot146 Views

1

Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser

This milky cleanser is the perfect wake-up call for sleepy skin. It removes impurities without stripping, leaving your face feeling fresh and prepped for the next step. Plus, the travel-friendly size makes it ideal for stashing in your dorm room beauty nook

Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser product review
Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser product review
Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser product review
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RenceSkin


Oily/Resilient

𝗖𝗼𝘀𝗥𝘅 𝗟𝗼𝘄 𝗣𝗵 𝗚𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗲𝗿 ⎯ A low pH gel cleanser formulated with purifying botanical ingredients. Works to soothe, refresh, and soften the skin without the stripping feeling. 𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗻 𝗧𝘆𝗽𝗲 ⎯ oily, acne-prone, and sensitive skin. 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 + 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 Has a transparent and slight viscosity texture. And has a strong distinct smell to it that are likely the same of dishwashing liquid. Contains betaine salicylate that are bha derivatives which is much gentler than salicylic acid to target blemsihes and acne-prone causing bacteria. A little goes a long way of this product. When contact to water it creates a minimal foam that can already cleanse your face and up to my liking as well since I have oily skin even it claims to be a gel cleanser. It refreshed and cleanse my face without a stripping feeling. However, though it added betaine salicylate but it is not as effective as I thought because its much gentler than the salicylic acid. It doesn't help to lessen or even treat my breakouts. But it do help with its calming and soothing properties. I've almost finish the product and all I can say is that it's only an average cleanser to me. The downside are it has a strong gunk scent it that can be bothersome to smell. It also contains tea tree oil to it that can be irritating to some skin. The packaging also is not good thing and not travel friendly for sure since it leaks that can waste a product sm without noticing it. Overall, this is just more than the ordinary cleanser, it's even true to its claims but I can't vouch the effectiveness to it to help breakouts prone skin like me. Still worthy to try! Have you tried this one? What are your thoughts? Would rate it: 3/5 Personal Purchase 💸

Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser

COSRX
Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser

star rating

4.3

(1544)

favorite

2083

2

Deep Green Tea Toner

Toner on a budget? This green tea gem ticks all the boxes. It shrinks pores, soothes redness, and preps your skin for serums without breaking the bank.The green tea scent is like a mini spa break, and the lightweight formula doesn't feel heavy on my skin.Plus, the eco-friendly packaging makes you feel good about your glow.

Deep Green Tea Toner product review
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juliandeabs


Oily/Resilient

🧐 Claims: It immediately restores the skin’s natural moisture balance, calms irritation, controls oil production to improve rough and dull skin. Thanks mainly to Centella Asiatica and Houttuynia Cordata, which are antioxidants for the skin to heal and protect it from damage. ✨ Personal Tagline: “Having a rough time? Then have some TEA.” 🌈 #WhatJulianDSays: ❤️ Here’s another segment for my Benton series! This toner is ultra perfect for daytime and nighttime use, and sometimes even for my post-workout toning session.👊🏽 This toner has been really easy to incorporate into my routine as it tends to match any other products I use whether I’d go for something deeply moisturizing, or when I’d opt for something more ‘active’ like my Vitamin C and Niacinamide serums. 💚 I know this toner is moisturising but you can also try using it with a cotton pad for a bit more exfoliation, I do it when I feel like my skin becomes sluggish or dull, then afterwards you’ll see your skin immediately light up and the removed dirt on your cotton pads or balls. 🌟 This one doesn’t have any alcohol, fragrance or essential oil and the key ingredients are purely good for the skin, so irritation is virtually non-existent. 🍃 💫 In the end, it made my skin look healthier and more supple, while minimizing the risk of irritation from when I go out, I workout hard or when I use other actives in my routine. I haven’t had any major breakout after I started using this too.

Deep Green Tea Toner

BENTON
Deep Green Tea Toner

star rating

4.6

(449)

favorite

2307

3

Honey Mask

Ramen-induced breakouts? This honey mask is my lifesaver. The raw honey and propolis are intensely hydrating and calming, reducing redness and leaving my skin feeling smooth and baby-soft. It's a bit sticky, but hey, temporary stickiness for glowing skin is a fair trade, right?

Honey Mask product review
Honey Mask product review
Honey Mask product review
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ModestUnniTisnia


Dry/Sensitive

𝓘'𝓶 𝓕𝓻𝓸𝓶 𝓗𝓸𝓷𝓮𝔂 𝓜𝓪𝓼𝓴 (38$). I think I’m not the only person who was tempted to put it on toast or just taste it a bit (I gave in and do not recommend, its sweet at first but bitter afterwards, sorry). Happy #texturetuesday btw. To put it simply I love this mask because: * Extremely hydrating and nourishing * Contains 38.7% (generous amount) honey and smells like it * Creamy, silky texture * It is expensive but worth its weight in gold. * A perfect moisturising mask for dry skin 🍯𝓣𝓮𝔁𝓽𝓾𝓻𝓮 I think of the texture as honey being formulated as mask with lots of other good things. It is a silky, creamy, caramel like (but less sticky and lighter) texture that glides on easily on the skin. After washing it off it leaves almost like a thin oily coating on the which I find very hydrating for my skin type. 🍯𝓜𝔂 𝓔𝔁𝓹𝓮𝓻𝓲𝓮𝓷𝓬𝓮 The sensorial experience is wonderful, it is like slathering honey on your face. The directions say it can be left from 10 mins up to an hour. Whenever my skin feels dry, dehydrated or irritated, this mask takes care of all of that for me. I leave it on for more than an hour at times as it feels like a nice skin healing, pampering session for me. After washing the mask my skin is so soft, moisturised and nourished that I don’t even feel the need to carry on with the rest of my routine. The glow it leaves looks super healthy. 🍯𝓦𝓸𝓾𝓵𝓭 𝓘 𝓻𝓮𝓬𝓸𝓶𝓶𝓮𝓷𝓭 ? I 100% recommend it to anyone with dry skin. It will save your skin all winter and on. It can be very soothing and nourishing for oily skin too. I would suggest to reconsider to those with acne-prone skin as the can be too overwhelming (might cause breakout) for them. The glass packaging can be recycled and reused in many ways. The price can be a bit high but you get many washes from it which I think makes it worth it. I would totally repurchase it. 🍯𝓝𝓸𝓽𝓪𝓫𝓵𝓮 𝓲𝓷𝓰𝓻𝓮𝓭𝓲𝓮𝓷𝓽𝓼: 38.7% natural honey, Snail secretion filtrate, Macadamia nut oil, Sunflower Seed oil, Propolis, Beta Glucan, Shea Butter, Bee-Venom, Glycerine, Aloe leaf water etc. to soothe and nourish.

Honey Mask

I'M FROM
Honey Mask

star rating

4.5

(420)

favorite

711

4

Snail Repair Eye Cream

Dark circles from late-night studying? This eye cream is my secret weapon. The snail mucin hydrates and brightens, making my eyes look less like they belong to a zombie and more like a well-rested human. The cooling applicator is a bonus on puffy mornings.

Snail Repair Eye Cream product review
Snail Repair Eye Cream product review
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NehaW


Dry/Sensitive

I just couldn’t get myself to like this no matter what I tried it a couple of times it did nothing at all, not for fines lines or under eye bags! Neither did it hydrate under eyes well! I just use it on my hands, lol!

Snail Repair Eye Cream

Mizon
Snail Repair Eye Cream

star rating

3.9

(69)

favorite

71

5

No-Sebum Mineral Color Powder

Oily T-zone woes? This loose powder is my savior. It absorbs excess oil without looking cakey, keeping my shine in check throughout the day. The lightweight formula means I can reapply without feeling like I'm layering on makeup. Plus, the convenient puff makes touch-ups a breeze.

No-Sebum Mineral Color Powder product review
No-Sebum Mineral Color Powder product review
No-Sebum Mineral Color Powder product review
profile

Vivianie


Dry/Sensitive

Compact box, mint green tone - Extremely light powder (similar to baby powder) is odorless, colorless, extremely natural to use, looks smoother and covers pores well. - Oil control level is also average, not too excellent. I like this more because of its naturalness & lightness.

No.2 Green

INNISFREE
No.2 Green

star rating

4.3

(6)

favorite

13

6

Juicy Pang Sparkling Tint

Ditch the multiple lipsticks! This color tint does it all , from a subtle flush to a bold pop of color. The lightweight formula feels comfortable on your lips, and the range of shades makes it versatile for any occasion, from slaying presentations to grabbing ramen with friends.

#CR01 Jujube

A'pieu
#CR01 Jujube

star rating

5.0

(1)

favorite

1

upvote

7

comment

9

9 Comments

aziram0khtar user profile picture

aziram0khtar

Dry/Resilient

Love
upvote

1

comment

0

Reiira user profile picture

Reiira

Dry/Resilient

❤️❤️
upvote

0

comment

0

bunsdesk user profile picture

bunsdesk

Dry/Sensitive

I really wanna try that honey mask 🍯 I love products that have honey/propolis in it.
upvote

1

comment

0

Reiira user profile picture

Reiira

Dry/Resilient

Same! This Mask has helped me reduce my inflammation ❤️
upvote

1

comment

0

Gemtange user profile picture

Gemtange

Dry/Resilient

Absolutely needed review!!! Thank you 💛
upvote

1

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0