About Seoul Skin Diary

Who writes this blog

Hi, I am the editor behind Seoul Skin Diary. I am bilingual in Korean and English, and I write this blog to explain Korean skincare in plain English: what ingredients actually do, how routines fit together, and how to read the claims on a label.

I got into skincare during my military service in Korea. The base PX carried a wide range of skincare products at low prices, so I tried a lot of them without spending much, and that is where my interest in what actually works started.

What you will find here

  • Ingredients 101: honest, research backed breakdowns of ingredients that keep showing up in K-beauty products, such as snail mucin, centella asiatica, and niacinamide. No hype, just what the evidence supports.
  • K-Beauty Routines: practical, adaptable routine guides, from the famous and often misunderstood 10 step routine to simplified 5 step versions.
  • Product Reviews: reviews of specific products, written only for products I have used.
  • Comparisons and Guides: brand comparisons, buying guides, and the cultural context behind Korean beauty practices.
  • Trends and Culture: why Korean beauty trends spread, and how to judge them.

How posts are made

Ingredient and routine explainers are based on published research, ingredient lists, and Korean language sources, which I read and translate. I try to separate evidence backed advice from marketing hype, including the hype that comes from K-beauty itself. I am not a dermatologist, and nothing here is medical advice. If you have a skin condition or are pregnant, check with a doctor or pharmacist before changing your routine.

Reviews and personal experience

Most of the product experiences on this site come from my time in military service in Korea. Since moving to Australia, I write using that experience together with published research, and I say so when a post is not based on my own use.

I only write in the first person about products I have actually used, and I say how long I used them. Some posts summarize what other reviewers and testers reported instead of my own use. Those posts say so in their first paragraph and credit and link the source. Posts that are explainers rather than reviews are labelled as such.

A note on affiliate links and advertising

Some posts on this site contain affiliate links (to retailers like YesStyle, Stylevana, or Amazon), meaning I may earn a small commission if you purchase through them, at no extra cost to you. This site also displays advertising through Google AdSense. These help keep the site running and independent. You can read more in the Privacy Policy.

Get in touch

Questions, corrections, or product claim fact checks are welcome through the Contact page. If a post contains a mistake, I will fix it and note the change.