Today we have a special guest and we want to give Sun Jae some room in this blog post to share her experience with K-beauty while she has been dealing with Rosacea.
Sun Jae: In a world where a perfect skin and a perfect figure are what everyone thrives for, I am way behind. First of all, I like to eat a lot. And second, I have rosacea. So bye bye perfect and flawless skin, hello redness, rough skin and huge pores! Thanks Mother Nature for this wonderful gift you gave me for my 38th birthday, you’re too kind.
First, I am not blond with fair skin and blue eyes because those people are most likely to suffer from rosacea. I’m Korean with dark hair and thick- skinned. I had an amazing skin when I was in my 20s to 30s but when I almost reached my 40s, I started to have flushes. Those are redness episodes that suddenly appear on the cheeks, nose and chin, which can become a permanent concern. When there is a rosacea flare-up, It feels like an intense sunburn and stinging sensation that is warm and sensitive to touch. Along with it, dry and flaky skin, enlarged pores and tiny red spots. Marvellous isn’t it!
Rosacea is a lifetime skin disease, once you have it, it’ll stay with you. If left untreated, the flushes can become permanent redness like a ripe tomato and spider veins can appear on the cheeks. If you have rosacea, it is very important to pay a visit to a reliable dermatologist as it does not go away on its own. There are different types of rosacea and require different treatment. I tried a almost everything for my rosacea before finding the right dermatologist, and spent a fortune on led light therapy. I even tried laser then turned my face into a Bogdanov’s brother for 2 days so that didn't work so well. The only treatment that works for me are Azelaic Acid creams that I find awful and it's available on prescriptions only. Most brands in the market contains only 10% whereas the one I have to use on my skin is 20% - and it burns.
Before discovering Korean beauty, I had to use the two creams every two months. My rosacea kept coming back very quickly. I only used an anti-redness and hydrating cream for dry skin in between the use of these forsaken creams. Then a friend of mine, Dominique (who happens to be a Coos fellow), introduced me to K-beauty.
I’m being fully honest here: I did not believe in K-beauty especially when I can't be bothered with hundreds of beauty steps for every morning and evening. Rosacea has affected the quality of my life, which is an added stress not knowing my face is going to look like when I wake up! I felt hopeless and doomed for the rest of my life. It sounds dramatic but believe me, when people ask you if you’re drunk all the time when what you actually have is a bad rosacea flush. It crushed my self-confidence and some moments it felt like I want to disappear from the surface of this planet. Rosacea can take terrible emotional toll on you while it can also effect your self-esteem.
So I decided to give K-beauty a try. I tried the double cleansing, toner, essence, serum, cream, and it was a major change from my one and only step routine. I took baby steps by trying different products and after 6 months I noticed a significant change. I didn't need to use the two prescription creams as an add-on to my new routine! I can't believe this was happening after many years of struggle, I feel hopeful but I still have some flushes of course. At least I wake up looking much less like a red tomato, but rather a pale pink rose cheek. I was so amazed.
K-beauty for me is not a miracle but it sure did made an impact on my skin. It is the most gentle way to treat your skin effectively with lots of natural ingredients, the right dose of elements and routine that you can stick to. Did I make mistakes along the way? Of course there are trials and errors. I purchased products that were not hydrating enough, cleanser that stripped my skin, or products that did nothing. I’m still learning, but I’m actually having fun searching for new Korean skincare products. I still have to use the two prescription creams of course, those are forever and ever, but now I only apply them two to three times a year instead of every two months.
Products I use and love for my dry and often dehydrated skin with rosacea:
- Heimish All Clean Balm
- Heimish All Clean Green Foam Cleanser
- Sioris Cleanse Me Softly Milk Cleanser
- Sioris Time is Running Out Mist
- Sioris You look So young Night Cream
- Whamisa Organic Flowers Lotion Double Rich
- Whamisa Organic Flowers Nourishing Cream
- Urang Glow Oil Serum
- Urang Cica Soothing Ampoule
So did K-beauty cured my Rosacea? No it did not but it made my skin healthier, softer and stronger. For those people who are going through the same thing, please do not feel discouraged. While it can’t be cured but it can be treated. Tell yourself, it is only a small part of you and that ' You are not your skin'. Seek out help and share your stories with other people who are dealing with rosacea as well because you are not alone.
Written by Sun Jae
