The Best Korean Skincare Products for Oily Skin and Breakouts!

Tuesday, 1 August 2017 at August 01, 2017

2 months ago, I took a total of 3 flights and visited a total of 4 countries in a day to get my ass back from Korea to Singapore. I basically traveled for more than 12 hours which is insane considering that Korea is only a 6 hours flight to Singapore. All the travelling made me break out like crazy when I arrived back home and I was basically struggling with the worst breakout in my whole life for the past 2 months.

During this period of time, I tried out numerous Korean skincare products to treat my acne, so today I will be sharing with you which of those products work best for me (and hopefully for you too!).


1. Troiareuke Acsen Oil Cut Cleanser


When it comes to breakouts, cleansing is the most important step for me because I notice that this step really helps to improve and speed up the recovery process. If you have been following my channel for awhile now, you will know that I love foamy cleansers because I feel like they are the ones that really gets into your pores and clean out all the dirt. Well, things has changed and I'm now obsessed with gel cleansers instead.

After consulting Troiareuke about my bad breakout, my skin consultant Suha recommended me to go back to the Troiareuke Acsen Oil Cut Cleanser. This is a gel-type cleanser that doesn't foam at all, and the key to this product is to take your time and massage it around your skin to ensure that it properly cleanses your skin. Being a gel cleanser, it does not contain any surfactant which makes it suitable for people with sensitive skin. In general, I don't have sensitive skin, but whenever I have a breakout, I feel that it is good to avoid further irritating your skin as that might cause the breakout to worsen. Despite being a gel cleanser, I noticed that this really does effectively removes all the dirt and even make-up, leaving my skin feeling extremely clean and non-irritated.

2. Cosrx Good Morning Low Ph Gel Cleanser


Troiareuke products are definitely on the pricier side, so if you have a budget, another gel cleanser I will recommend is the Cosrx Good Morning Low Ph Gel Cleanser. As you can tell from its name, this cleanser helps to lower the Ph levels in your skin every morning as it is ideal to keep the Ph levels in your skin balance at around 5.5.

I'm no scientist or dermatologist, and to be completely honest, I have absolutely no interest in learning about what causes the Ph levels in my skin to fluctuate. But basically, after a good round of google research, having a high Ph level in your skin can cause your skin to be dry and sensitive, which is not what we want. There is always a misconception that if you have oily skin, its best to skip the moisturizer to keep your skin oil-free but that is a huge mistake as dry skin leads to an increase in production of sebum, resulting in clogged pores and breakouts. Which is a simple reason why people with dry skin can also suffer from bad breakouts.

Similarly, this gel cleanser is gentle yet effective so my skin is not irritated after the cleanse.

3. Mamonde Rose Water Toner


Like I've mentioned, I generally don't have sensitive skin, but whenever I have a breakout, I always feel that my skin (especially the breakout area) gets more sensitive than usual. Therefore, I always like going in with a non-acidic and low-irritant toner to soothe my troubled skin. The Mamonde Rose Water Toner is one of Mamonde's most popular product, it contains 90.89% Damask Rose Water along with a few other ingredients that aid in providing moisture to your skin. Rose water is pretty well-known for its skincare benefits. It has natural anti-inflammatory properties that helps soothe irritated skin, reducing acne, eczema, redness while also removing excessive oils, and accumulated dirt.

I simply pour a good amount of this toner onto a cotton round before sweeping it all over my cleansed face and neck. After using this toner, my skin feels extra clean, fresh and calm. It also has a light aromatic fragrance which is always a plus. This toner can also be used throughout the day as a refreshing mist, or as a mask by soaking a cotton pad with the product and letting it sit on any troubled areas.

For non-Korean toners, I also recommend The Herb Farm's Clarifying Facial Toning Mist and Lush's Eau Roma Water. I use these 3 toners interchangeably as they are all non-irritant and great for soothing and calming my skin.
4. Cosrx Advance Snail 92 All In One Cream


When you have breakouts, you're most likely to get spots and acne scars. Currently, I am obsessed with the Cosrx Advance Snail 92 All In One Cream. This moisturizer contains Snail Mucin, also known as Snail Slime or Snail Mucus which is a popular skincare ingredient, especially in Korea. Snail Mucin is basically mucus produced by snails and its most well-known skincare benefit is its ability to fade dark spots and heal acne scars. It is also said to have other skincare benefits such as anti-aging, but I have yet to see that work on my skin.

After my breakout subsided, I was left with numerous spots and acne scars. That was when I decided to steal this product from my boyfriend to test out the ability of Snail Mucin. The results? It worked! Usually, it can take up to 2 weeks for my acne scars to fade away, however with the help of the Cosrx Advance Snail 92 All In One Cream, I noticed that the scars drastically faded away within a week. Apart from simply aiding in the healing process, I also love how this product is not oily at all, and I genuinely feel that it also improved the overall appearance and condition of my skin.

5. Cosrx Acne Pimple Master Patch


I have used pimple patches from a few brands and I have concluded that my favourite is the Cosrx Acne Pimple Master Patch. One pack contains a total of 24 patches in 3 different sizes, and the packet is also a resealable zip-lock bag which is very hygienic. The best part is, it only costs a few bucks! The patches are mild yellow which blends okay into my skin, but I'm not gonna lie, it's still pretty obvious that it's there. I do wear them out, but I do also have people coming up to me, asking me what I have sticking on my face. So I usually use them at night and go to bed with them as I find it less embarrassing and much more effective as well.

What I like about these patches is its effectiveness in speeding up the recovery process of my pimples. In the morning when I remove the patches, I notice that it does extract all the sebum, oils and junk out of the pimple and my pimple looks significantly smaller and less red. For bigger pimples, it takes a few nights, but for smaller ones, they can be gone in just a matter of one night of using these patches!

Another thing I love is how well they adhere to my skin. I've read reviews that it even sticks on well during shower and washes... Well, I always remove the patches before I shower or wash my face, but I'm always amaze to find every single patch still in place after sleeping with them.

6. Laneige Clear-C Peeling Mask


8. Eclado Oil-Free Sun Cream


Sunscreen is an essential product whether or not you have normal. oily, dry, or combination skin. When you have a breakout, it is important to protect the affected area from external factors such as dirt, dust, and most importantly, UV rays. So my current favourite sunscreen for troubled skin is the Eclado Oil-Free Sun Cream and the reasons are pretty straight forward.

One, it is oil-free. Two, it is lightweight and hence doesn't make me feel like I'm clogging my pores. If you like wearing make-up over your sunscreen, this also sits well under make-up. And three, it doesn't leave an unnatural white cast.

9. InnisFree Jeju Volcanic Color Clay Mask in Black (Purifying)


Not too long ago, InnisFree released their Volcanic Color Clay Masks and it comes in 7 different colours and functions. The purpose of this range is to efficiently tackle different skin problems on the different areas of our face. Example, using the Yellow (Brightening) mask under your eyes and the Black (Purifying) mask on your T-zone as you don't necessarily need to purifying your under eyes area. The one I got for my oily skin is the black one which is meant for 'purifying'. I would mention the popular InnisFree Volcanic Pore Clay Mask, but this is a cheaper alternative (8,000won a tube) and does pretty much the same job.

Since this mask comes in a medium sized tube, I use this to only spot treat any troubled areas instead of using it all over my face. This mask helps to control the production of sebum, as well as remove any skin impurities and dead skin cells. You can also use it as a cleanser (when mixed with water), but I'd rather use it as a mask. I personally love to use this mask on the areas that I frequently breakout at, even when I'm not having a breakout so as to prevent a breakout from occurring. I also make sure to not use this mask more than twice a week as using a clay mask too often will dry out your skin and you should know by now that dry skin can lead to breakouts.

A non-Korean purifying mask I love is the Glamglow Supermud Clearing Treatment.

10. Annie's Way Snail Repairing Mask


This last product is not from a Korean brand, but I use this so often whenever I have a breakout and I absolutely love it, so I thought I'll just quickly plug it into this post. Annie's Way is a brand from Taiwan and its most well-known for its Jelly Masks. The one I have is the Annie's Way Snail Repairing Mask and if you need a recap on all the skincare benefits of Snail Mucin, just scroll up.

Apart from the skincare benefits, I also love the thick, smooth, bouncy, gel texture of this mask. I keep it in the refrigerator and so whenever I apply it onto the troubled areas, the cold mask really soothes and calms my skin down, especially when my skin gets a little itchy and irritated due to the dust around.


So that wraps up my top Korean skincare products for whenever I have a breakout! Have you tried any of the products listed? And what are your to-go products when it comes to healing a breakout?

Labels: beauty, face, korean, review, skincare, tips