K-Beauty & Portion Control: Why Sometimes Good Value Can Be a Bad Idea

I know, it sounds a bit crazy.  Good value is good value, right?  Who doesn't love value?  As it turns out, me-- at least some of the time.  This is an idea that has been floating around in my head for a few months, peeking out in posts here and there, and finally I decided I was going to push aside a lackluster review that was too boring to write and explore this idea in earnest.

Korean Beauty travel sizes
Many tiny things; full-size sheet mask, cushion, toner, and lip balm for scale.
This is not a traditional or "authentic" Korean beauty concept (after all, I'm not Korean; I do believe that K-Beauty is accessible to everyone), it's just something that's been percolating around my head for a while, with roots in both Korean beauty and the international K-Beauty community.  The evolution of ideas that take root and then flourish into countless branches of inspiration and personal discovery is pretty fascinating, after all!

I've been really captivated by the concepts that have evolved naturally from the international K-Beauty community in the last year.  For better or ill, the international K-Beauty scene is as much of a force as the trends that are coming out of Korea itself, in no small part due to deliberate and official incentive from the Korean government for brands and shops to market only overseas instead of within Korea.  But back to the point, which is that the international K-Beauty community generates some very interesting ideas and concepts, as well as endless variations in approach and personal skincare philosophy.

I think it's important to give oneself room to evolve; ideas can stagnate and then become be perceived as the only "right" way to do something; skincare is so complex and there's just so many factors involved that there's no truism more apt than YMMV aka "your mileage my vary" and there's so much room for figuring out what works for your unique skin.

A lot of these concepts also work synergistically; for example, one can be a proponent of both the Skincare Wardrobe concept and also the Hauling Responsibly concept, by practicing mindfulness when making purchases.  The one I'm going to talk about today works well with both, even if it's going to sound a little crazy at first.


In this post:

  • The seed: Go Hyun Jung's skincare tips
  • Seasonal Skincare: not just capitalism at work
  • Portion control: in your hauls and on your face
  • Putting it together: Good value is not necessarily a good thing

So what's today's concept?  The idea that getting a great value on your purchases may not actually be a good idea, or sustainable.  I know, nuts, but hear me out.

The seed: Go Hyun Jung's skincare tips


If you're a longtime reader, you'll be no stranger to my respect for the ideas of skincare idol Go Hyun Jung, even if I cherry-pick the ones that work for me; her method of cleansing against the grain is something I still follow every time I cleanse.

Go Hyun Jung @ 40.
img credit: ajnews
She's also very concerned with hygiene, and according to blogger beautyswatch, advised in her 2011 beauty book that she throws out her open skincare after two months-- for hygiene reasons. [source]

This was admittedly a little shocking for me, since it's not uncommon in the west for people to have skincare or makeup for months or even (in the case of dry powders) years.  The only exception I can immediately think of is the recommendation to replace mascara every 3 months due to the vulnerability of one's eyes to infection, etc.

I already swap out my cushions every 3 months for hygiene reasons (I'm nervous about how sanitary cushions are, even if they're packed with preservatives) so it wouldn't be thaaaat much of a stretch to apply it to skincare, but it still seemed ... excessive.

Even though I brushed it off, it stuck in my mind as a niggling thought that just wouldn't go away, and it's been simmering there for a year or two now.  Should people be throwing out their skincare every few months, especially if they are acne-prone like I am?  It makes sense, although presumably there should be enough preservatives that such steps aren't needed.   What about emptying them within 3 months, so you don't have to throw them out?  What if aiming for 3 months-to-empty was just a ... best practice?  It would certainly cut down on the temptation to open too many things at once.  Hmmm.


Seasonal Skincare: not just capitalism at work


Another contributing factor to this percolating idea was the concept of seasonal skincare.  What really drove this point home for me was an episode of Get It Beauty (a popular Korean beauty talk show) where they discussed the idea of having different skincare for each season, because the needs of the skin change.  Once I encountered this idea, I was surprised that it wasn't already common knowledge, because it made perfect sense.  Yet never in all my 30-odd, pre-K-Beauty, years of skincare use did I ever change my skincare around the seasons or really hear it discussed outside of "stronger/more sunscreen for the summer."  Maybe I just missed the memo.

Some brands have an entire schtick built around this concept; Lalavesi, beloved by Snailcaster Tracy of Fanserviced-b, releases Fall/Winter and Spring/Summer cushions, which have different formulations.  Innisfree also releases limited edition cushions that are (I hear, have not purchased them myself) seasonally-focused.

I don't have any "seasonal" cushions but I do use different ones based on the season; the Hera below is too dry for the winter, and the Sulwhasoo is too dewy for the summer without powder.

Image from: 2015 in Review, Part I: My Favourite K-Beauty Products of 2015
Do I think that brands are releasing seasonal skincare as some sort of public service, rather than attempting to generate revenue turnover by convincing people they need to buy a newfangled thing every few months?  No, it's obvious that seasonal turnover is a good business practice, but it doesn't mean that using a seasonal-sensitive approach to your personal skincare isn't a good idea on its own.

You don't have to buy what brands are telling you is a good product for X season; you should be making that call yourself since you know your skin best.  **A commenter pointed out that seasonal-appropriate skincare is really only necessary if you live in a place with noticeably different seasons, which is a great point!  All the more reason to be making decisions based off your skin, and not off of what external factors are telling you that you should do.

Personally, I tend to use the base routine products year-round and then just add/remove auxiliary products in the winter and in the summer, and I've already got a flexible and customizable routine which allows me to adjust things on a daily basis, let alone seasonally.

Image from: Updated Multi-Step Korean Skincare Routine Summer 2015: Sheet Masks Galore
Even if the root of the seasonal skincare idea was as much capitalism as good sense, it did get me thinking ... 3 months is the approximate length of a season, anyway.  I already aim to only purchase what I can use in a season, because there's no sense buying something that won't work for the weather conditions.

What if I was to be even more mindful of this 'seasonal buying' instead of 'oh hey, let's shove that interesting thing into my cart!' aka the classic beginner mistake we all make?


Portion control: in your hauls and on your face


So let's explore that a bit more.  What if I deliberately aimed to use and empty products within 3 months, as Go Hyun Jung does, and purchased things seasonally, with the intent to empty (or toss) those products by the end of the season when my skin's needs change?

Certainly I'm never going to use the last 3 uses of my Winter 2014/2015 creams, because no doubt there's something growing in there by now.  But those last 3 uses are still left in the jar, because the season change meant my skin no longer wanted something that heavy.  I recently realized that I was still using a lip balm that I'd had open and been using for over 12 months!  *horrified shrieking*  It's a wonder that I didn't end up with some sort of terrifying lip-flesh-eating bacteria or having my face fall off.

So there's really not much point in "stocking up" especially now that K-Beauty is so much more accessible than it used to be-- gone are the days where making $200 hauls a few times a year to maximize on shipping costs was the only sensible option.

Another concept which was floating around in the international K-Beauty community, and then eventually picked up on by shops, was the idea of "portion control" meaning that one does not necessarily thickly slather on all 12 steps in their routine; products are applied sparingly and in ultra thin layers.  Sometimes only a few drops' worth, meaning that products can last you months of use.  If you have a Skincare Wardrobe, that could take even longer.

Here's my current Winter 2015/2016 skincare wardrobe:

My Winter 2015/2016 Skincare Wardrobe, as seen in:
What's In My Skincare Wardrobe: Actives (Prescriptions, Antioxidants, and Acids) Edition
As you can see, it's quite a bit.  Granted, cleansers are not really 'seasonal' for me and I use them 2x a day (and there are two of us), so I'm comfortable with full sized cleansers, but what about things that you layer in drops of product, like essences, serums, creams, oils?

If people are only using small amounts of their products instead of an indulgent slather, how do you reconcile that with a seasonal purge-and-replace?  Wouldn't that be a lot of waste?


Putting it together: Good value is not necessarily a good thing


Well, if you bought full-sized everything, yes, it would be wasteful.  It would be especially wasteful if you are someone like me, who loves trying new things and who quickly falls out of love with things, who treats skincare like a hobby, and who is aiming to overhaul/purge their products every season.  Unless it's an already-established base product that gets used daily (you can see what my actual daily routines look like on my instagram) there's just no reason for me to buy things full-sized.

Except for value per ml, that is-- but is that enough of a reason?

Sure, it's tempting to think about it that way; getting the "best bang for the buck" and maximizing on the return of our hard-earned cash.  It's what encourages people to buy in bulk or snag that second item for "half off" when we really only need one.  It's what gets us spending $30 on 500ml of product instead of $15 on 150ml, because we're aiming for the "best value" even if it means we're ultimately faced with grinding our way through a giant bottle of something that we're not enjoying anymore.

For example. take these two mists I have.  As you can see from the photo at the top of this post, the Sulwhasoo mist is quite tiny (30ml) in comparison to the Goodal mist (150ml).

Travel size Sulwhasoo is more than 50% empty, the Goodal is barely dented.
The Goodal is a "better value" coming in at $20ish for 150ml, whereas the tiny Sulwhasoo travel size mist was $11 for 30ml.  (It was one of my picks for Hanbang for the Holidays Gift Guide I: Little Luxuries Under $15, in fact!)  So why is the Sulwhasoo the purchase I'm the most happy with?

It's not just the formulation (it's nice, but it doesn't blow my mind) or the packaging (also nice, and I will repurpose it when it's empty) but it's also the portion; I've been using this mist a few times a week since December and I've only used a bit more than half of it.  That means it's the perfect size for a season's worth of skincare.

By the time I've finished it, the season will have changed, I will have been using it for 3 months, and I'll be bored and ready to try something else.

On the other hand, I've been chugging away at that Goodal mist since last summer, even using it on my feet, and it just won't die.  It's like the Mary Poppins carpet bag of mists; no matter how much I use, it never depletes.  I'm so tired of it and I don't want to use it anymore, it's been open since last summer, it's a 'refreshing, cooling, light' mist type, which is the last thing I want to be putting on my face when it's so cold I'm wearing toast handwarmers to be able to type.  I also feel guilty about exploring other, more winter-appropriate mists, because I've got this giant bottle of Goodal mist sitting there unused, but I really don't want to use it.  Sure, I can keep it for next summer, but then it will have been opened for a year, and should I really be using it at that point?  (Spoilers: no.)

Realization dawns.  I should only be looking at things that I will be able to empty in 3-6 months, because I'm not going to use it next summer.  I'm certainly not using things left over from Winter 2014/2015; even the repeats are fresh jars of the same product.

How do I reconcile this with my beloved Skincare Wardrobe concept?

The answer was in my Hanbang for the Holidays Gift Guide I: Little Luxuries Under $15 post, where I'd picked up several travel-sized luxury products to test them out on the cheap.  I discovered they let me try a wardrobe's worth of options without exploding my wallet, scratched my 'pretty packaging' itch, and contained just enough product to last anywhere from 1-3 months.

On the road to empty; travel sizes giving me all of the perks with none of the guilt.
As you can see from this image, I'm anywhere from 1/3rd to 3/4ths through the Sulwhasoo products, and the Innisfree capsule is a 1-2 use size which is perfect for those rare occasions I want to do a clay mask.  I've had two clay mask products go stale/old on me, because I only use them every two months or two.  Sure, buying these at $3 a pop isn't as affordable as buying an entire tube for $20, but when I only get 2-3 uses out of that tube before it goes bad, which approach is ultimately saving me money?

As it turns out, travel sizes are perfect for seasonal use; there's enough product to last me through a season with my Skincare Wardrobe approach.  The cost is low compared to full-size products, even if it's not as good a 'value' per ml compared to the full size.  If I don't like it or if there's a tiny bit left at the end of 3 months, I can toss it without guilt.  If my skin's needs/the season changes or I feel the whim to try something new, I've only put a small portion of product on my plate that I need to finish before I can have a new product for dessert.

So, does this mean that my skincare philosophy has shifted to travel-size zealotry?  Of course not.  Not everything is available in travel sizes.  But I've recognized that travel sizes are one way for me to get everything I want, without wasting money or product, and that sometimes, getting the "best value for your dollar" isn't always the best fit for my needs.

Have you found a way to reconcile different concepts that seemed at odds with one another?  Have an unpopular practice that works best for you?  Hit me up on Facebook or Twitter and let me know!

Have something you'd like to share with me in general?  Snap a pic and tag me on Instagram at @snowwhiteandtheasianpear because I'd love to see it!

All the best,
-Cat

**Disclaimer:  There are no product links in this post.  All products reviewed/mentioned in my blog, are 100% purchased with my own money, with a single exception of a press sample I reviewed in 2015 which swore me off of them forever.  This blog contains  both affiliate and non-affiliate links, and clicking the former before you shop means that this blog will receive a small commission to assist in this blog supporting itself.  Please see my Contact Info & Disclaimer policy for more information.

29 comments

  1. The concept seasonal purging might works best for those in sub tropics, with 4 seasons to consider. But those who live in tropics, with nary a difference in season, it would require much more consideration.

    Personally, moisturisers are the only thing I swapped out of my wardrobe. Lighter, gel like during moonsoon/raining season and light cream during the dry season. Everything else is pretty much the same concept.

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    1. That's a really excellent point! That's very true; in places where the temperature and climate are very stable, one will need minimal adjustment.

      Thank you for pointing that out <3

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    2. You're welcome~

      Though, it would make us, tropics dwellers, very loyal or very wasteful. We can, theoretically, use the same products until the last drip. But who does that, when the temptation to switch into new shinier things are just to great?

      And dont let me start in the difficulties of finding the right products. I can only haul in summer, as any winter specific products would only breaks me out.

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  2. i love this post. it's definitely off the beaten path but totally gets down to the thought processes we skincare fanatics must consider if we're going to do this thang right! i think these thoughts were somewhere on my back burner in an abstract way and i thank you for bringing them to the fore and clarifying them in a way i couldn't have done on my own. i super appreciate it!

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    1. "it's definitely off the beaten path but totally gets down to the thought processes we skincare fanatics must consider if we're going to do this thang right!"

      Yes, exactly! It's so, so important to be mindful and continually examine how one approaches skincare as a hobby, otherwise it just devolves into "buy and hoard and feel guilty about all things!" and that just doesn't work on any level.

      It's really interesting that you also had similar thoughts-- what were the seeds that planted them for you? :)

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    2. your post was very thorough so it's very much what you addressed, namely, the idea of being responsible, restrained, thoughtful, efficient, budget-conscious, etc. all while taking into account seasonal shifts (depending on geography), and therefore, having to take into account volume of product. and of course you brought up technique and hygiene so right here i have to thank you for cueing me in on hand washing and proper cleansing technique. i adopted these methods after reading one of your posts several months ago and my skin improved so much. more grits and dead skin came off during the oil cleanse which made my skin more refined and revitalized and my skin tone become more firm. best of all, it wasn't a product i bought but something FREE that did more than any serum or cream could ever do! i passed this info on to anyone who would listen and for those who don't roll their eyes but take me seriously, results followed!

      i digressed, so... what i found works for phoenix, az (basically a oven hot summer and dry cool winter, desert as you know...) is a haul right before spring/summer (feb/march) and a haul right before fall/winter (august/september). that way I'm only keeping products for around 6 months, i get to use the whole bottle and my products are aligned with the climate/my skin's needs. sure, you'll have to plot, plan and research your products but over time you will have discovered your "repeats" and rely on them for your "baseline routine" while leaving certain product categories or slots open to experimentation so you may always be refining and perfecting your routine as your skin's needs change.

      more proof of my skincare love: i made tables of the most scientifically proven skincare ingredients that help with "anti-aging" (collagen production/protection, prevent thinning, prevent drying) and brightening (reverse/prevent hyper-pigmentation). so for example, in my reverse/prevent hyper-pigmentation table, one of the ingredients is niacinimide. next to each ingredient i listed products i have that contain that ingredient. this way i can easily see if my "skincare wardrobe" is well-rounded. I'm in my late thirties so these ingredients address my skincare concerns/goals. once i set these tables up, it became clear i could use more peptides and vitamin c, for example, so the search was on...

      basically, there are a lot of moving parts! so i thank you for bring this up!! it's so interesting to me.

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    3. oh and just another tid bit pertaining to hygiene: the second i open a product, i always put a label sticker on it stating the expiration date. many products will have the container symbol with a number inside which is the number of months a product is good for once opened. so if i open a product on january 1st and the product is good for 6 months, i write "6.1.16" on a sticker label and place it on the container. no matter what, i will throw it out on that date even if it's not used up. i do this for all skincare and cosmetics.

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  3. Very interesting reflexions. I am one of those who can't resist special offers and bulk buying, so this was definitely food for thought.

    Personally, I think that if you take care of your cosmetics and make up, I don't think there is really a need of chucking things out of the window just because a certain time period has gone by. Decanting things into smaller containers might be a good approach, but unless I see a change in texture or smell, I am not getting rid of a cream or a foundation.

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    1. Food for thought is definitely the goal-- even if it's something that people decide doesn't apply to them, it's always good to be reflecting on one's personal approach. :)

      There was a time where I planned to get a skincare fridge, as it happens, and focus on decants in my bathroom. I found that I still wanted to have a lot of things open and available to me, so I had to find another way, but that's going to be so specific to each person and their needs, you know?

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  4. Your thoughts mirror mine, but from a tiny different perspective. I want to try many different products. However, how am I to know if they will work for me? I don't want to commit to a full size Whoo product without that knowledge. So travel/trial size enters. So far, the small sizes have been economical and a great way to see if they work for me. By the way, I started purchasing these smaller sizes after you December Holiday posts. It's just logical for me. I do get bored with products quickly and it makes perfect sense that your skincare needs may change seasonally. I intuitively noticed that already. You just gave me the words to articulate it. I think like Vtah above it was abstractly in my mind and has now taken on concrete meaning. On to find some more reputable EBay sellers.........

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    1. I'm so glad that it was helpful for you! It's interesting that you mention that you had similar thoughts (for similar reasons) for a while but hadn't articulated them-- I sort of feel like it's really obvious now that I've been doing it but it hadn't occurred to me to deliberately seek out travel sizes instead of full sizes before.

      I think if people aren't the time to get easily bored, then there's not as much of a benefit for them, but for those of us who are fickle, it's a great way of staying balanced in our purchases. :)

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  5. I think that the travel/sample sizes are great for trying out a product to see if it works out, and then I'd invest in the normal size product.
    Value will always be a top concern for me, but I don't think it's as simple as $/Ml. There's also the intangible value of the benefit of the product which adds to the denominator, the accessibility of it and the joy I get from using it. So in my mind the actual cost benefit analysis formula of buying a product is more $/(Size + Benefit + Joy).

    Now onto the serious talk, I think it's very important that people keep in mind their own financial circumstances. In an ideal world I'd love to buy all the things and try them out. But considering I'm only in my second year of the "real" world, I don't have that much disposable income. So I get my excitement from reading blog posts and reviews of different products.

    http://mapletreeblog.blogspot.co.uk/

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    1. (hey hey over here too! ;) )

      I think that's a really healthy way of looking at it, especially since it's something that you have worked out as being suited to your needs and resources. :)

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    2. Hello again :P

      Ah the reality of the world stopping us from buying all the things ....

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  6. This was really great on every front. I actually live in a four-season environment, and I was already worrying about some of the full-size products I purchased in December (i.e. Shara Shara Berry Bomb; jeepers, that's a big bottle!). Other than cleansers, toners, and my bottle of Missha's First Essence, most of my products are samples. And I adore the flexibility of that approach.

    I love the pretty bottles and jars as much as the next girl, but using an expensive cream as a body lotion ('cuz it's too far gone to put on my face) just feels sad.

    Thanks for putting all of these thoughts together. You have me rethinking my current RoseRoseShop wishlist. :)

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    1. Hi five! Living in a 4 season region is definitely going to give you a lot of variables that need to be dealt with, and yes those AIOs are huuuuge, gosh!

      "Other than cleansers, toners, and my bottle of Missha's First Essence, most of my products are samples. And I adore the flexibility of that approach. "

      Yess, I feel this. I love having those core products + auxiliary products that I can swap around to handle the changing needs of my skin.

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  7. This was so interesting to me. I am new to K-beauty and bought so eagerly full sizes as I was not even sure it would be around for long.
    It was a leap of faith and thanks to your blog my wishlist slowed down a bit. My skin is loving everything and looks really plump now. I do need to up to more product for dehydrated skin, but didnt know where to start. I do think products get contaminated easily and the three month range is really prudent. I am going to try some travel sizes in future. I am still wading through some of my regular Shea terra products that are lovely but just not getting to the dehydrated problem I have.
    thanks for the great post

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    1. It's always a relief when one's wishlist slows down! I think if you feel that the 3 month limit makes sense for you, then the travel sizes and samples will definitely make it easier to finish your products within that time. :)

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  8. (This is Cat_F4ng btw ^-^ from IG)

    Another wonderful and thought provoking post! For the most part, I agree with you and/or I can understand your reasoning. It just made me think about some stuff so bear with me, I"m not trying to be an asshole, just genuinely curious^_^:

    Just to be clear, are you suggesting that we should consider adopting a philosophy of always/usually endeavoring to finish each of our products within three months or else throwing them out? If so, then buying sample sizes makes obvious logical choice.

    However, what if it's a product that you like to use year-round? would you continue using the same bottle past the three month mark? Or would you re-purchase that product after 3 months and/or resort to sample sizes when you can? Does it depend on the packaging type?

    The reason I ask is this: say I have a product that I like to use year round, and it comes in a package that doesn't involve my sticking my fingers in, like a pump bottle - would you still strongly consider throwing it out after 3 months just because it's "opened?" Is it because of oxidation, potential germies or "freshness"? Would your answer change if it were an airless pump? Does it matter whether the product was delivered to you in an airless pump vs decanting it yourself into an airless pump? What if you refrigerate your products or shield them from light? Just curious where you might draw the line.

    For tubs, compacts/cushions, anything transparent or even for tubes, I could definitely understand wanting to toss them after a certain amount of time. Especially if it's something like cushion, mascara or lip balm. For things that are a little less "hands on" and potentially germy, I'm just not sure whether 3 months is the limit. I think maybe at 3 months, depending on what the item is, I could start to consider throwing it out. But maybe for some other things, I might be willing to keep it around up to a year... if it lasts that long.. ^_^

    lol weird.. usually I'm a wee bit of a germ freak, relative to everyone else around me, but I guess in this, I'm not so much xD

    hmm..

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    1. I'm glad you asked, and I definitely don't think you're being "an asshole" as you put it, haha!

      I'd say that I'm just suggesting that people explore their thoughts on the subject, and come to a conclusion that suits them best, whatever that may be. :)

      For example, as I mentioned above, this is what I do:

      "Personally, I tend to use the base routine products year-round and then just add/remove auxiliary products in the winter and in the summer, and I've already got a flexible and customizable routine which allows me to adjust things on a daily basis, let alone seasonally."

      So, I like having base routine full-sizes (especially things like cleansers and actives) because I know those are going to be consistent and they work for me. Things like facial oils (only in winter) and ultra light gels (only in summer) I would consider to be 'auxiliary' products in the above quote, so those would be the ones that I would personally look to find in travel sizes, because I'm not likely to continue to use them in the next season.

      I think the 3 month = throw out thing doesn't really work for me (unless it's something like cushions or mascara) but it did inspire me to try to focus on getting things that I could empty within 3 months, and make the point moot. I'm living in a 4 season zone right now, and there's no guarantee an auxiliary product is going to continue working for me in the next season, so there's lots of reasons (for me) to aim to finish things within that 3 months.

      I hope that makes sense, and I'm glad that you asked! :D

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  9. Thanks for this post! I kept it in mind last night and picked up the smaller of the two Goodal Super Seed Oil Plus Skin Mist selections (40ML).

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  10. I found this post to be very informative as my daughter and I are just starting to explore the world of K-Beauty and are somewhat overwhelmed by all the products! I love sample sizes as a way to get an idea of how a product will work for you. I really like reading your reviews of different products and the reviews are very helpful. I was wondering if you have tried Shiseido products and what your thoughts are about Shiseido? From what I can tell, these are Japanese products, not Korean?

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    1. Sample sizes are definitely a good option if you want to explore a lot of different things quickly. I do have some Japanese products and a Shiseido cleanser was my favourite until I learned about high pH vs low pH cleansers and sadly had to give it up. :(

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  11. Hi there, I am very very interested in that Sulwhasoo face oil :) Could you tell anything about it? I have just found your blog and its like a treasury cave for me! Thank you :)

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    1. I actually plan on reviewing that facial oil relatively soon compared to the History of Whoo oil, so keep an eye out!

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  12. Chiming in to say I loved this post & totally hear you on the particular advantages offered by sample sizes. There are a few types of product I only ever buy in the trial size--especially mascara. Years back, I got a free trial size of Tarte Lights Camera Lashes at Sephora. I loved it and when it was gone, I ordered the full size--which I turned out to dislike immensely. The brush was bigger, was the main thing. I realized I like the smaller brush head of trial-size mascara, and now that's all I buy. (Usually Benefit "They're Real.") The full size kind always dry up before I finish them, anyway.

    I also prefer the trial size for my Vit C serum. I can use it up before it oxidizes. As you said, shelf life can play a big part in the sample vs full size decision.

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    1. That's a really great point! I know that mascara is also one of those products that you should be thrown out on a regular basis, so it also makes sense from a hygiene perspective to get a smaller amount that you know that you can easily use up before it goes bad. So it's just a great all-around choice for a smaller size, isn't it?

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  13. I think you are right when you say, buying smaller packages (even if the price per ml is higher) is more effective, but I can´t avoid them. It´s like a little torture to finish a product, while I jave a new different one already waiting.
    I think I´m also a collector, see beauty more as a hobby and want to try out new things ...

    But if there is a certain product I absolutelly want to try out, there is often no smaller package. :/

    Anyways, yesterday I finished one of my favourite products and I was so sad. Since the bottle was kind of transparent, I didn´t know it was on the time and I also wasn´t ready. :,(
    It needs so long to ship here to germany, so I´m kind of helpless what to do now.

    Well ... Live has to go on, right?

    Anyways, this is a really interesting post. (I also love watching "Geti it Beauty") ;-)

    Greetings, Violetta from http://twinblogg95.blogspot.de/

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