Back with another Travel Guide to Korea again! Bangkok is the shopping paradise for clothes, and as for Korea? Needless to say Cosmetics.
I wouldn't say that Cosmetics are dirt cheap, but they are indeed cheaper than Singapore and many other countries that I have been to. Not forgetting, the infamous services of SAMPLES and more SAMPLES that you get from purchasing from a cosmetic stores there. Some of them even give you free masks before you step into the store, you know, just to lure you in.
Sharing just some of the many things that I have purchased and also some of shopping tips you can take note in Korea, Seoul specific.
1. Facial Masks
Many people told me how cheap the masks are in Korea, and I believed it wholeheartedly until I was in the stores buying masks myself. The claims of "its only 20 cents or 50 cents for a sheet!" didn't seem to apply when I was in Korea. The masks were priced at almost 1000 won - 5000 won per sheet, converting to SGD that's $1.23- $6.15. Whuuuut? Exactly.
The prices might have increased (dramatically) over time. I did manage to get better deals for masks at Tony Moly as compared to other brands like Etude House, Skin Food, Nature republic etc. They were going for buying a pack of 20 masks get 5 masks free for 20,000 won if I remembered correctly. Costing about 800 won (SGD $1). More reasonable than paying 2000 won for one mask.
Tip: Scout around the various brands before purchasing, comparison shopping is done best at MyeongDong where all the beauty brands are lined up in many alleys side by side. Moreover, in each alley there will be more than one outlet of the same brand. (Eg. 2 Etude House in the same stretch.) So fret not that you would not be able to find the store again.
Items in photo:
Lip Pigment // Mellow Pink
Nail Lacquer // Pink, Leather (LE05)
If you have been following Korean fashion scene, you would have definitely heard of Style Nanda.
This brand is considered to be the leading online Korean fashion store and has an outstanding style and manufactures one of the best quality of clothes. Fashion forward and daring, this young brand only established in 2007 came up with a line for cosmetics in 2009: 3 Concept Eyes.
I went to the outlet in Lotte Young Plaza (Review will be up soon!) which was fairly a small outlet, but big enough for you to fawn over all their products and displays. I had so much fun with their lip pigment, and I especially adored the White one, yes white. I wanted to feel like Elsa.
Tip: If you really want good cosmetics.. 3CE is just almost an average brand. I wouldn't deny, I was sold by their packaging with seemed so classy and cute at the same time. I bought the items because I wanted to give them a try. Their prices are considered to be "Expensive" in Korea beauty world, about 2-3 times the price you will pay for cosmetics at Innis free or Etude House for example. But I do encourage you to buy more in Korea if you are a fan. The last time I checked out the prices of their products in Singapore, they were sold 2 times the price (you could have 2 of the product of you buy it in Korea!!)
3. Etude House
Play 101 Pencil // in No.8 (flesh - toned)
Soft Touch Auto Lip Liner // in No. 1 and No. 2
Precious Mineral BB Cream SPF30, PA++ // Perfect Fit in Light Beige, No.2
Nail Polishes // #33 - Beige, #98 - Dark Grey, Base Coat, #27 - Raspberry and Top Coat (Clockwise)
Ahhhh! That's how I screamed in my head every time I see an Etude House. Regardless whether I would buy something or not, the interior (and exterior - in Korea) of the shop always gets my attention. That small girl in me squeals in excitement when I'm near an Etude House. Pink Pink and more Pink. Can we too take a moment and appreciate their packaging?
I have been using their products every since secondary school, and that goes a long way. I would say that it has been doing a decent job in keeping my skin healthy and their make-up (especially the BB cream) is one of my favourite to use.
Tip: You will find their outlets almost everywhere in MyeongDong, and here and there around Seoul. The price difference is not that great, maybe saving you a few dollars. But let's not forget the service of heaps of samples they will throw into your bag!
4. More Cosmetics! (TonyMoly, Missha and theFaceShop)
Items in photo:
TonyMoly Perfect Eyes Long Kinny Gel Pen Liner // in No. 1 Gel Black
TheFaceShop Ink Graffi Brush Pen Liner // in No. 2 Ink Brown
TonyMoly Cheektone Cream // in CO1
TonyMoly Blusher // in No. 7
Missha Eye Shadows // MCR02 - Lightest Brown, MBR03 - Medium Brown, MBR04 - Dark Brown
I would have gotten more than just this if I could. Majority of these make up cost me less than 10,000 won each (Less than $13). My favourite would be the Missha's eye shadows as they not only are matte but they double as my eye brow powder as well. Alongside, I purchased an eyebrow brush at Missha and it was way easier to apply powder to brows as compared to the free brush I got in my old brow kit.
Tip: Missha is having a huge sale at all their outlets this Spring! So check out their insanely low prices for almost everything and their deals. Not sure how long this sale will last.
Tony Moly make up would not make it to my favourite list, but ironically enough I purchased so many from their brands. (That's cause I wanted to hit 30,000 won to get tax refund). Their make up are passable, but just not fantastic enough for me to go gaga.
Item in Photo:
Etude House Collagen // Toner and Emulsion
Missha Tornado Ampule Mask // Stem Water
Skin Food // Tomato Series Whitening Toner
I have tried all of the above previously before, they are merely just to replenish my beauty stash.
I would really recommend shopping at Skin Food. A brand that my mum and I personally really like as it uses natural food and produces as its original form in ingredients of their products. They sell good nail polishes that I bought a few too.
Also noted that many of the brands have changed their packaging. My old bottles are all made of glass while the new ones that I got are made of plastic. Which was a good thing when I had to lug them back, did not have to worry about the bottles breaking in my suitcase and they lessen the weight of the products.
Tip: Spend more in one store to receive more samples instead of buying the items individually on different trips. Sales assistants can be very generous, especially if there are very few customers in the stores.
6. Nature Republic
Items in photos:
Nature Republic // Rose Real Nature Ampule
Nature Republic Snail CC SPF30 PA++ // Vital Cream
Ok, EXO is their ambassadors, let's not forget Tae Yeon from SNSD, but EXO is their ambassadors. Just take my money.
I kid, it is not the only reason I support the brand. Almost like Innis free, Nature Republic is very particular about the ingredients used in their products and place more emphasis on these ingredients during sales. With very similar concept, they sell their products in the various ingredient category. Not that I did not get any Innis free product, but just felt that Nature Republic's products were more worth mentioning as they were priced more reasonably for its effective products.
Jeju Chocolate // Hallabong and Cactus
DMZ Chocolate // Soybean
Lotte // Soybean Milk Soft Candy
Definitely not all of the food that I bought from Korea, no worries I bagged a few KimChis, Tteokbokki, Seaweed and so on.
The jeju chocolates that I bought in Jeju were of unique flavours, as you can see.. Cactus.. Will it taste prickly? Hahahaha no. Unexpectedly, it tasted sweet and almost berry-ish. Interesting for a first time encounter with my taste buds. The Hallabong, if you would have known is a type of orange, tasted like your normal orange chocolate but slightly sweeter. Jeju is known for their fruits, especially oranges so do give it a try! (Will be doing a post on my orange farm-picking experience)
You can definitely find many of "Jeju Chocolates" in Seoul as well, but just that the prices are marked up. I would give the ones that I bought a 7/10, for the cute jeju island shape on the chocolates.
The DMZ chocolate is only available within the DMZ zone. I got this at the souvenir store at the 3rd tunnel that North Korea dug to South Korea. I expected so much from this chocolate as my guide told us that this was a local produce by the village residing within the DMZ zone and soybean is one of the most popular product in this area. When I got to taste it together with my family back home, the verdict? It tasted almost like those chocolates with rice cracker in the center but not that tasty, 6/10. But do give it a try if you can! I have never seen it elsewhere.
You can buy many other kinds of products there, food, DMZ clothes, magnets, sweets etc. I would strongly recommend you to give the DMZ a visit, its rather interesting to know more about North Korea - South Korea relationship and you really get to experience the tension first hand. (Which I will of course have a post about and provide my guide's contact!)
Last but not the Lotte Soybean Milk Candy. 5 words, I'm never eating other candies.
Yes it was that good! My whole family is addicted and I'm considering trying to find them at local kmart stores. They are so soft and chewy, and if you would know, I am a lover of milk. The texture of the sweet is a little rough when its on your tongue, but after a few chews, it melts like marsh mellows and the taste of it is like soluble chewy milk cubes. 10/10.
Tip: As good as Lotte Mart can be to buy all your food items, not everything is cheap there. But I would still recommend it as the place to get last minute food items if you have not already. The variety there is one of the best you can get in Seoul. There is also another supermarket near the Digital Media City. Overall, Lotte Mart? Really meant for tourist. Ohh! But you will get to see a large variety of food, especially new products. Tried a chocolate coated prawn cracker there, just no.
Where do you shop at in Korea? Do share by leaving a comment here or on my social medias. Would love to check out new places the next time I visit Korea. :)
Thanks for reading, love yourself and others
X Sharleen.
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