Photo 5/26
An Aloe-Infused Sheet Mask
The Product: Whamisa Organic Seeds & Rice Fermented Hydro-Gel Mask
The Reason: "Sheet masks are a beauty staple for women in Korea and just starting to fly off the shelves of Sephora and Target in the US," say Christine Chang and Sarah Lee, founders of GlowRecipe.com, a site that gives consumers all over the globe access to a curated collection of natural Korean beauty products. But what makes this mask different than the ones you can buy stateside is that they're made with a hydro-gel sheet, not a paper or cotton sheet that's hard to keep on, and it's packed with good-for-skin ingredients like Aloe and "drenched in a full bottle of fermented rice extract serum."
Map image courtesy Destination Sport
Photo 6/26
A Textured Blush That Delivers Amazing Results
The Product: Sonia Rykiel Glowing Gel Blusher
The Reason: "I love the sponge texture of this gel blush," raves celebrity makeup artist Mai Quynh (she's worked with the likes of Reese Witherspoon, Jessica Chastain and Rosario Dawson). She says it gives skin an incredibly natural flush, because it "melts into skin" and leaves it with a "subtle, dewy glow."
Map image courtesy awalkinhirakatashi
Photo 7/26
The Nail Polish That's All the Rage in France
The Product: Kure Bazaar Nail Polish
The Reason: This is "the chicest polish brand in France," says Marie-Laure Fournier, founder of Fournier PR + Consulting. It's all natural, trendy and innovative -- she says that it truly changed the health of her nails, and that they no longer break.
Though the company is relatively young, they already have a salon in one of the nicest areas of Paris. If you get the chance to try this product, "You will die, you will die, you will die." It's that good.
Map image courtesy dogsanddoubles
Photo 8/26
The Shine Spray to Rule Them All
The Product: Percy & Reed Shine and Fragrance Spray
The Reason: Jodi Shays, owner of Queen Bee Salon and Spa in Culver City, Brentwood and Seattle, enlists her mum, friends and even clients who are visiting London to bring her back this amazing shine spray. (Shays knows a thing or two about the best British products, as she hails from England herself).
It "smells like morning roses and it just makes my hair look so healthy with a shine that is not greasy looking. It's really an alternative to perfume as well and this is a must-have for me in the spring and summer," she explains. She's also a fan of the brand's Totally Intensive Treatment Oil, which softens crunchy hair ends and smells good enough to eat.
Map image courtesy freepngimages
Photo 9/26
A Multi-Purpose Face Treatment
The Product: Secret Key Starting Treatment Essence
The Reason: Essences have a special place in the multiple-step Korean skin care routine -- they're a bit like a serum on steroids.
"This essence has a higher percentage of galactomyces and fewer preservatives than in the very popular and pricey SK II," Jones says. In addition to sounding like a bad ass gladiator name, "galactomyces is a fermented yeast that is thought to improve skin tone, increase elasticity, fight aging and also helps with acne or troubled skin."
Map image courtesy Destination Sport