It’s no secret that Koreans are obsessed with beauty products and are always a few steps ahead in their beauty game versus the rest of the world. Some Korean products and techniques have launched in the U.S., but now you can discover a full range of K-beauty products at newly launched InsiderBeauty.com. Founded by Angela Kim, a former financier turned beauty entrepreneur, the site offers the kinds of products Kim knew were hits in her culture but weren’t being offered yet in the U.S. market. “A lot of cult products that are really popular in Korea weren’t accessible here in the U.S.,” Kim told The Daily. “HERA, IOPE, and Primera are a few brands that are considered cult brands in Korea but not available to purchase here. I wanted to create a pipeline where women could easily access these hard-to-find products from a place that’s consistent and reliable.” Kim is a Southern California native who now lives on New York’s Upper West Side, but grew up trying the skincare regimes rooted in her family culture. The site offers everything you never knew you needed like a tinted “tattoo” brow and eyebrow shaping kit by Clio, a lip sleeping mask by Laneige, or a hydrogel mask sheet by Banila Co. Unfortunately, the latter is so in demand that it’s already sold out, so you better start placing your orders for everything else pronto!
Plus, the site offers editorials on Korean “old wives’ tales” that might just be true, like bathing in rotten milk or sleeping on your back to avoid wrinkles. It also doles out makeup tricks, like ombre lips, and the benefits of ingredients, like sea kelp’s power to create “dewy, supple, and hydrated skin.” Kim even has a few tricks of her own that you have likely never heard of. Eyelash curling with a q-tip, anyone? “I have a hard time keeping my eyelashes curled so a Korean trick I love to use is breaking the end off a q-tip, warming it up with a lighter, then using it as a want to curl up my lashes,” said Kim. “It’s amazing how effective this is and now my lashes stay curled all day long.” For beauty fanatics looking for the next best thing or anything they’ve never heard of before, this site is truly a must. Check out a list of Kim’s favorite products below:
