The new K-beauty glass skin secrets with Amy Chang - plus the top 3 treatments that transformed her skin

Summary

Breaking Beauty Podcast — Episode Summary

Episode Title: The New K-Beauty Glass Skin Secrets with Amy Chang — Plus the Top 3 Treatments That Transformed Her Skin
Hosts: Jill Dunn and Carlene Higgins
Guest: Amy Chang (Founder of Bondenavant)
Date: April 8, 2026

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Episode Overview

This episode of Breaking Beauty Podcast dives deep into the cutting-edge world of K-Beauty and the coveted “glass skin” look with guest Amy Chang, renowned skincare influencer, writer, and new podcast host. Jill and Carlene explore Amy’s personal skincare journey, her most and least favorite treatments, and the innovative aesthetic scene in Korea. Amy candidly shares the highs and lows of experimenting in beauty, how she’s navigated acne and mental health, her go-to ingredients and routines, and the medical tourism boom in Korea. The trio also unpacks the lasting impact of top skin procedures and spotlights buzzworthy new products from Amy’s current regimen.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Amy’s Skincare Journey and Struggles (03:27–08:06)

• Background:
  • Amy's early skin struggles began at around age 19–20 after moving from Minnesota to New York, where she developed adult cystic acne.
  • Initial medical responses centered on antibiotics (“doxycycline”) and later Accutane, but with little guidance on aftercare.
• Quote:
  — “I did a round of Accutane and it was difficult... once I pushed through... my skin was flawless. But I was not given the proper tools and knowledge of, okay, now what?” (04:30, Amy)
• Takeaway:
  Amy underscored the lack of holistic advice from dermatologists in the early 2010s and the importance of self-advocacy, intuitive skincare and understanding ingredients.

2. The Psychological Impact of Skin Issues (08:06–10:26)

• Mental Health:
  • Amy described severe depression triggered by skin issues, isolation after moving to LA, and the social impact of severe acne: cancellations, declining confidence, and career pressures as a beauty influencer.
• Quote:
  — “When I was trying to make new friendships... I was dealing with horrific acne. It's really debilitating on one's confidence.” (08:17, Amy)

3. The Dark Side of Aesthetics — “Botox Gone Wrong” (13:17–17:07)

• Experience:
  • Early injectable experiences included excessive Botox in the masseter muscles (30 units per side, three rounds), leading to severe facial volume loss and sagging.
  • Amy spent years and tens of thousands of dollars correcting it with fillers, muscle rebuilding, and tightening treatments.
• Memorable Moment:
  — “I looked in the mirror and I was nearly unrecognizable to myself… I thought I was aging faster... And my derm was like, ‘you look fine to me.’” (15:38, Amy)
• Lesson:
  Amy stressed the need for personal advocacy and choosing skilled practitioners. She now uses minimal Botox only as needed.

4. Medical Tourism & Korea as Aesthetic Playground (22:50–29:52)

• K-Beauty Industry Evolution:
  • Korean beauty’s global dominance stems from cultural competitiveness post-war, government investment, and modern export strategies (K-pop, K-drama, clinics).
  • Medical tourism is booming: Over 1.17 million traveled to Korea in 2024 for medical/aesthetic procedures — a 93% increase from previous year.
• Innovation Highlights:
  • Treatments not FDA-approved in the US are accessible, e.g., Ultra Cool (advanced injectable) and Rejuron (Salmon sperm polynucleotide).
  • Korean clinics offer advanced pain management (including deep sedation), which requires caution.
• Quote:
  — “The KFDA is very efficient... They have injectables, lasers, and devices we don’t have here.” (27:08, Amy)

5. Most Transformative Skin Treatments (33:04–35:22)

Amy’s Top 3:

1. Pico Laser:
   • Picosecond technology for pigment/melasma — effective because it’s non-heat and doesn’t trigger hyperpigmentation.
   • “Pico laser... It's incredible for my melasma. I do that every year, a couple of times.” (33:14, Amy)
2. Fraxel Laser:
   • Used for deep acne scars with significant results after multiple sessions.
3. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT):
   • Helped with perimenopause symptoms, improved internal wellbeing, and gave skin a renewed glow.
   • “Mentally, I feel sharp like myself again. And that's really the best part.” (37:10, Amy)

6. Stand-Out Skincare Products & Routines (39:27–50:28)

Highlighted Products and Approaches:

• Serum Innovation:
  • Allies of Skin Multi Peptides and GF Advanced Lifting Serum: Growth factors stimulate collagen without irritation, unlike retinol.
    • “When I discovered growth factors, I was like, oh, this is it for me… it stimulates collagen using very similar pathways as retinol.” (41:15, Amy)
• Korean Exfoliation:
  • VT Cosmetics Cica By Hyal On Riedel Shot 100: Spicules sourced from marine sponges for physical exfoliation and deeper product penetration.
    • “Microscopic needle-like structures... stimulate the body's own healing response, stimulating collagen and exfoliation.” (43:01, Amy)
• Barrier & Calming Solutions:
  • VT Cica Cream Plus Exo Tea Tree: Features Centella Asiatica for redness, irritation, and acne support.
    • “Centella Asiatica... Tigers roll in it because it helps to soothe wounds, cuts, burns, all of that.” (47:36, Amy)
• Affordable, Effective Mist:
  • Cocokind Calming Magnesium Mist: Zinc and magnesium soothe, control sebum, and calm inflammation.
    • “It helps to calm and soothe my skin… I keep this in my bag.” (49:52, Amy)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On advocating for yourself:
  — “The onus is on me to be my own advocate and figure it out.” (07:25, Amy)
• On K-beauty innovation:
  — “It always gets me super excited… when there’s truly new innovation, I’m like, yes, this is what we want!” (40:11, Amy)
• On beauty media and pressure:
  — “Being in the beauty space... there’s an added pressure now that my skin needs to be a certain way.” (09:54, Amy)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Amy’s story & skin struggles: 03:27–08:06
• Mental health & social impact of acne: 08:06–10:26
• Botox gone wrong & lessons learned: 13:47–17:07
• Rise of Korean medical tourism: 22:50–29:52
• Innovative treatments & investing in Korea: 27:08–31:00
• Amy’s top treatment picks: 33:04–35:22
• Hormone therapy & perimenopause: 35:18–37:16
• Amy’s current skincare routine & favorite products: 39:27–50:28

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Closing Notes

Jill, Carlene, and Amy close with a show-and-tell of Amy’s latest skincare obsessions, emphasizing practical tips, sensitive skin solutions, and how K-beauty innovation continues to set global standards. Amy’s transparency about both wins and setbacks makes for a deeply relatable and educational listen for beauty enthusiasts and newbies alike.

Learn more and see product links at: breakingbeautypodcast.com
Watch the full episode on YouTube (@BreakingBeautyPodcast)

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Memorable Amy Chang Quote:
"Find what you feel like is not there that you wish was there.” (18:45, Amy)

This thorough, conversational, and insightful episode is a must-listen for anyone wanting a candid look at the realities of skin transformation—from both a technical and emotional perspective.

Transcript

[A]

The following podcast is a dear media production.

[B]

Welcome to Breaking Beauty the Podcast.

[A]

All about the breakthrough people, products and moments in beauty. We're your hosts, Jill Dunn and Carlene Higgins.

[B]

Welcome back to Breaking Beauty podcast, everyone. Happy to be with you on this fine Wednesday. I'm one of your co hosts, Jill Dunn, and I'm here with Carlene Higgins sitting on the couch as per usual.

[A]

Hey, Jill. Hey, Jill. And we're of course two longtime magazine beauty editors turned beauty podcasters. We're now in our ninth year. Yeah, I can't believe we're saying that. We're going into a whole other decade. Yeah, very soon. With each other. And every week we're chatting about the breakthrough people, products and moments in beauty.

[B]

That's right. And if it's your first time tuning in, welcome. We do have a catalog of over 430 episodes though, where we've been fortunate enough to share the microphone with makeup artists like makeup by Mario and Lisa Eldridge. And airtime with legendary beauty insiders like Dr. Shereen Idris and even Jennifer Aniston's hairstylist, Chris McMillan, as well as celebs like Tracy Ellis Ross, Haley Bieber. So there's a whole catalog to explore.

[A]

That's right. Plus we have solo episodes once a month with their damn good edit honest reviews of everything from viral skin care to budget friendly finds dominating the beauty aisles.

[B]

And we've gotten to interview Carlene. So many incredible beauty creators over the last decade almost together, like Michaela, Makeup Lab, Muffin, Beauty Science, Gothamista. And today we are thrilled to welcome one of the most preeminent skincare influencers of the moment, LA based beauty creator, Amy Chang. And many of you might be familiar with Amy. Her handle is at Bondon Avant. In French, it translates to leap forward. And Amy has more than 2.4 million followers across social media. So Instagram, TikTok, YouTube. Yes.

[A]

And what began at the Shiseido counter has evolved into a decades long career covering beauty's most innovative developments from around the world. So from skin care to medical aesthetic treatments, Amy is also a contributing writer for the Los Angeles Times and was named one of Marie Claire's 2024 power players.

[B]

All of that and now Amy is also a podcast host. Officially, she just introduced her brand new show that features in depth conversations about all things beauty with experts and friends alike. It's called Mirror Mirror. And this is true Pod Swap, everyone. So we were honored to also be guests on Amy's podcast. So check it out over there. We're talking all about Aging Gracefully, Beauty media, and what all that means in 2026 and beyond.

[A]

So in our conversation today, we're going to chat with Amy all about her adventures in skin care, trying all of the most cutting edge treatments from Japan, Korea and North America to find out what she would and would not try again after her very emotional journey to transform and make peace with her skin.

[B]

And because Amy is a SK care guru, we're going to ask her all the questions about her routine now. And we'll link to everything that she mentions over on our website, which is breaking beauty podcast.com. and if you want to watch this conversation, of course, join us on YouTube and our channel handle is Breaking Beauty Podcast.

[A]

Welcome to Breaking Beauty Podcast. Amy Chang.

[C]

Thanks for having me, ladies.

[A]

So for. For our listeners who might not be familiar with your story, tell us your journey and how you became infatuated with the world of beauty and skincare.

[C]

I mean, it just started with a struggle. I have struggled with my skin since I was about 20 years old. I'd say like 19, 20. I grew up in Minnesota, where there's a lot of fresh air, blue skies, clean water, all of that. And then I moved to New York. New York also has fantastic water, but air pollution, different climate, different lifestyle. You know, I was going out a lot, partying at that time. I was going to school in New York, and suddenly I developed adult acne. And I was getting really deep cystic nodules. And at that time in dermatology, the ethos, or at least from the derms that I went to go see was doxycycline. It was antibiotics. Let's just try this. They threw that at me. I did it for months. And then at one point they were like, how about Accutane? There was very little conversation around it. It was just like, here, this is a great pill. Go ahead, you want to take it. Don't get pregnant. You know, you got to be on birth control and do that. So I did a round of Accutane and it was difficult. My skin was so dry, it was raw. I didn't have a clear understanding at the time of, like, what was going on. I just knew that if I pushed through and got to the other side, my skin would be great. And it was, once I pushed through that first round, got to the other side, my skin was flawless. Oh, my gosh. I was so happy. I didn't have to think about it. But I was not given the proper tools and knowledge of, okay, now what? How do I take care of my skin?

[A]

Yeah, what's the off ramp.

[C]

Exactly. And so it rebounded like it does for many people who go on Accutane and they have to do multiple rounds. I didn't want to do another round. And so my dermatologist was like, all right, let's put you back on doxycycline. I was on doxycycline for nearly six years, which is insane.

[B]

It's an antibiotic.

[C]

It's an antibiotic.

[B]

Oh, my goodness.

[C]

And so what we know now is that that long term use of antibiotics just completely wreck the gut microbiome. And we know that there's a direct access between the skin and the gut. And so of course, I was dealing with all of these issues because I was constantly on these antibiotics. I was not. I didn't know about probiotics at that time and I didn't know about good skin practices also. And so going out and not, you know, fully cleansing and getting everything off, I thought I was washing everything off. But when I would, after I would wash my face once with a foaming cleanser, I would then go to the towel, rub my face and there would be makeup all over the towel, not connecting. Oh, wait, I need to go and wash my face again. So there was all of these things that I was trying to get through to understand and really just struggled with. So I, I had to rely on myself because I was like, hey, this is not working for me. Doxycycline's not cutting it. You know, if I even miss it for like a couple weeks, my skin breaks out like crazy. I can't be on this for long term. And it got to a point where my gut health was so sever, really damaged that. I mean, I feel like this is a little tmi, but I would drink a green smoothie and it would just come out the same. Green smoothie, right?

[A]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean, I think that that was, that's a telltale sign of those times with dermatologists. It, you know, it, the answer was a drug. It's all really like, if you have to come to a dermatologist, you're. You need a medication, right? And so that, that was the immediate go to versus now where they're giving you more at home tools.

[B]

And I think you touched on something very important. It was like there was no conversation, right? It's just like in and out. And now I do think, you know, social media has certainly helped with that. But there is, people are having more of these conversations and being like, what can I do? And they're, you know, more Informed. Yeah.

[C]

It was a difficult time to navigate it. I felt very isolated, very alone with it and I felt like I wasn't getting the right answers I was looking for. So at a certain point I just realized, okay, the onus is on me to be my own advocate and figure it out. And so then I started. I was like, okay, I have to learn about these ingredients so that when I go into Sephora, I understand what it is that I'm. I'm looking at and really know myself and my skin. I'm such a huge proponent of intuitive skin care and intuitive everything, Intuitive skincare, intuitive eating, intuitive fitness. Because each of us is so individual and we have to find what works for ourselves.

[A]

I wanted to ask you about the psychological impact. I wonder if you could share some of your own experience and just how taxing that really was. Because we don't talk about that that much.

[C]

On our show Top Line, I was severely depressed. Severely depressed. And at the time that it was at its height and really bad. Well, actually, I mean, it kind of cycled. There was a lot of ups and downs on my journey. But when I moved from New York to la, it got really bad and I was fairly isolated. The thing with LA is that physically you're isolated for a good portion of the day. You're in your car, you know, there's wide swaths of land and so people are far apart. People are not walking on the street. You're not regularly like bumping into people in the same way you are here in New York. Which is one reason why I love New York so much is because you, like, get that energy, you're constantly around people. And so I felt isolated, didn't have a lot of friends there. When I was trying to make new relationships, new friendships with people, I was dealing with horrific acne. And it's really debilitating on one's confidence. I felt so insecure about myself. I would constantly cancel, make plans and then cancel last minute on plans because I was like, oh my God, my breakouts are so bad. And I can't cover these whiteheads because really, makeup can only do so much when your acne is that severe and bad. And then it just creates this loop and cycle of like canceling on plans and not, you know, going to show up for friends. And then of course, the relationship doesn't advance. And then feeling alone and. And I really struggled so much. And even now, like, if I get a few breakouts, like, I can feel it. I mean, I wish I didn't feel so triggered anxious. About it, but I do. And then part of that also is like being in the beauty community and beauty space. An added pressure now that my skin and my presentation needs to be a certain way because I am like a a Kol, like in this space now. Save me. Sa

[A]

this episode is brought to you in part by Skims. Okay, so let me tell you why I'm on the skims train. It's because discovered the Fits Everybody Scoop Bralette. It is the best bralette I have ever owned, hands down. And I'll tell you why. First of all, I love the scoop shape. It works really well with T shirts. And because it's not the V shape, I'm not falling out, which I have found with past bralettes. And then number two is because it's so lightweight, something about the fabric and the construction, it holds me in, but it feels like I have nothing on at all. I. I've even been known to wear them to bed because they're just so comfortable. They actually are better than wearing nothing at all. I could wear it every night to bed, honestly. And third, I love the fact that they have eight different shades of nude. So there really is one to match your skin tone if you want to wear it under a white top and it's not going to show through. And then they also have such a vast array of sizes, hence the name Fits Everybody for their collection. It goes from extra extra small to 4x. So I love that as well. There really is one for everybody. I want it in every color and tone. And truthfully, the whole Fits Everybody collection is great. There are other items I really want to try. There is a turtleneck that I am eyeballing for fall. They have bodysuits as well. Like just just really basic necessities for your wardrobe. And I love a bodysuit because I have a longer torso. So it's just again, just such a great wardrobe builder. But if you want to start on one thing, trust me, it's that Scoop Bralette. Now if you want to try it for yourself, shop Skims Fits everybody [e-mail] and after you place your order, be sure to let them know that we sent you select podcast in the survey and be sure to select our show in the drop down menu that follows. Breaking [e-mail] hi y', all, I'm Kinsey

[C]

and I'm the host of Houseguest podcast. I am a Gen Z Want to be Martha Stewart meets Dolly Parton trying to live in a Nancy Myers movie. We talk all about life, relationships and navigating your 20s. I'd like to say I'm multifaceted. I'm either waking up at 4am in the sauna, tending to my garden, or closing at the bars until 2am you just never know what you're gonna get. It's either me at home in my house in Texas that I spend way too much time in, or in the studio with some pretty cool guests. You can follow us at the houseguest pod and listen or watch all new episodes every Thursday, wherever you get your podcast or on YouTube.

[A]

I want to ask you, because you have been kind of a guinea pig in this space. This is what we do as well. But I love talking, sharing stories with. With other people. And one of the things that I think has connected you to your audience is that it's not always a thumbs up, right? It's. It's real kind of reviews and experiences and. And one of the things you've been open about is a. A potential dark side to aesthetics. So tell us about, you know, Botox gone wrong, that journey.

[C]

Yeah. So this happened early on me exploring injectables, and after I had dipped my toes in with some Fraxel laser, I was like, what else do you have? Especially once I got engaged and thinking about getting married, I was like, okay, I want to try a few other things. That was the first time I ever had hyaluronic acid, you know, filler injected into my lips. This was 2015, and I was like, let me try Botox masseter injections because of I'm Korean descent and Koreans typically have like, very strong cheekbones and like a more prominent jaw and large masseter muscles. So I was like, okay. You know, my dermatologist at the time in LA was like, let me just like, try this for you. It's off label use of it, but, you know, at this dosage, it'll be fine. Treated me, you know, as he was instructed and by manufacturers, and it was. It was way too many units for me. You know, he did 30 units either side for three rounds spaced three months apart, and the lower part of my face just collapsed. Because when that much volume loss from the muscle atrophy happened. The skin, if you imagine the skin is like a tent, and the tent poles giving it structure. You have bone, you have muscle, you have fat. If some of those are removed or made shorter, then what happens to that tent tarp on top? It's gonna sag. It's gonna have laxity. And so then that's what happened. And then I spent years after that trying to correct what had happened and spent tens of thousands of dollars trying to correct that. It was a big endeavor. And at the time, I didn't have a complete understanding of what ex happening because it was so gradual too.

[B]

Right.

[C]

But then it got to a point. I looked in the mirror and I was nearly unrecognizable to myself. I was like, something is happening. And I thought that I was aging faster. I was trying to understand this.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

You know, my derm was like, you look fine to me. And, you know, this is a board certified dermatologist, adjunct professor at ucla, like someone who had credentials. And I was like, okay, maybe I am fine. You know, I think it was through that experience also that I learned the importance not only to advocate for myself as it relates to skincare, but definitely with procedures. And that practitioner is. It's what drives a good outcome or not. And so after that experience, I felt very strongly I needed to share that with my audience and just say, like, hey, look, be aware that this can happen. This happened to me. And. And I cannot tell you how many women have DMed me saying that they have gone through the same exact thing.

[A]

Wow.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

So how were you able to reverse it Eventually.

[C]

So thankfully I have almost debilitating anxiety and I grind my teeth at night and so I wear a mouth guard. But from the clenching at night, it helped to build back the muscle. But it's not full where it was when I was younger. And so I've had to have some filler in here, back here to give some more structure. I had to do a lot of different tightening treatments for the skin to combat the new laxity.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Wow. And this was around the time that you started your blog and started sharing all of this?

[C]

You know, so I had a blog in 2012 that I started when I moved from New York to la, but it was very casual. It was like a mishmash of all the things I was exploring in la. My background after. So I studied media culture and communications in college. And then after I graduated, I worked very briefly in PR and I worked at an agency and quickly found that agency life, which is not for me.

[B]

Fair enough.

[C]

And so we moved from New York to la and I was kind of. I had this moment like, what do I want to do with my. My path and figure out myself? And oh, man, I tried everything. I was like, I was into yoga. I'm going to be a yoga instructor. I started doing jewelry making. I took lessons for Fine to be a painter. I have paintings like that are in my home. Like, I. I knew that I needed some sort of creative outlet. And the time I started my blog, just documenting everything that I was going through. And I realized, wow, this is what. This could be something. I really enjoy it. So in 2016, I like relaunched my blog and with a very specific focus on just plastic surgery and aesthetics. Because, I mean, I loved, I still love magazines. I'm still hoping at some point, like, magazines come back. Like, I just worshiped Harper's Bazaar. And in the back of that, every issue, they always had one in depth article about kind of the latest cutting edge technology in the beauty space, specifically in aesthetics. They would kind of talk about lasers or things happening in that realm. And I was always left feeling like, I want more, I need more of this. And so when I relaunched my blog, I was like, you know what, I'm gonna just do that because I love it. I'm gonna give more of that type of content from a blog point of view. Yeah. And I give this advice to anyone out there who ever asked me about, like, oh, I wanna get into content creation, but I feel like it's saturated. It's like, just find what you feel like is not there that you wish was there.

[A]

Exactly. You have to do what's. It's truly there for you. So is it safe to say you would not get Botox again anywhere?

[C]

I went through a phase where I was very anti Botox. I was so traumatized after that experience.

[B]

Fair enough. Yeah.

[C]

But as I have learned more and you know, over years of getting more comfortable with it, I do very little Botox now. Very. I mean, the last time I had Botox was when I was eight months ago. I maybe do it like once a year. Small number of units just in my forehead. Yeah, yeah.

[B]

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[C]

It's growing.

[B]

What was your feedback also from that story? I'm very curious.

[C]

Yeah. So it was interesting to report on just the origin story of the Korean beauty market and how it became the behemoth that it is today and how it really stems back from post Korean War and how this was a society that was, you know, just impoverished and how they culturally, it became very deeply embedded in the culture that you really have to put your best foot forward because it's so competitive because getting the opportunity or not means food on the table or not or it did at that point. Right. And so that's really where it stemmed from like that competitiveness always, you know, putting your best foot forward. And then, you know, I talk a bit about after the Financial crisis in asia in the 90s, and how the Korean government stepped in and was like, okay, we really need to find some exports. And so one of the things that they decided to export is Korean culture. So K pop, Korean movies, K dramas. And so the government subsidies a lot of Korean clinics. And, you know, if you go there as a foreign medical tourist, you can get 10% off, you get the VAT tax back if you go and have a cosmetic treatment done, whether it's dermatological or at a plastic surgery clinic. Although that was set to expire at the end of this month this year, and they recently just passed something to extend it until December of 2026. For any of you out there who are interested in doing that.

[A]

Let's go, Amy.

[C]

Let's go. I'm ready and I'm down.

[A]

I'm ready for my first mini phase.

[C]

But I mean, and it even bleeds into Korean brands. Like, you know, the Korean government gives huge corporate tax breaks to beauty brands that sell internationally and they help to subsidize. Like, you know, you've been seeing these Korean brand pop ups in New York and la. The government is helping to support that.

[A]

Interesting. Well, that's a fascinating. That's fascinating insight that I have not heard before about just the context, you know, behind where, where it's all come from and why these standards are, are so high.

[B]

Yeah. Is there a number one surgery or procedure people are getting in Korea?

[C]

It's still double eyelid surgery. It's very affordable there. But this trend of medical tourism to Korea is just going to continue. The Korean government, their Ministry of Health and Wellness reported this year that in 2024, 1.17 million people traveled to Korea for dermatological, for plastic surgery, or even just general medical concerns. And I mean, that is a 93% increase from the year prior.

[A]

Yeah. Wow.

[C]

So we're seeing a huge influx. And it makes so much sense. Like, when I was in Korea this year, I was in Gangnam. And Gangnam just means south of the river. The Han river runs through the middle of Seoul. And so this area in Korea has like a very highly dense concentration of aesthetic clinics. And you walk through there and you're like, how can there be these high rise, you know, high rise buildings, corporate office buildings, and it's just like plastic surgery, another plastic surgery, another plastic surgery, another dermatological clinic, another one, another one just everywhere.

[B]

That's how I feel when I go to Los Angeles.

[C]

But this is like a whole different level. And I thought I was like, like,

[A]

it's like a mall filled with plastic surgeons.

[C]

And I was like, how are they serv. Is there are Korean people going that frequently? Because In Seoul, there's 9.5 million people for context and reference for listeners out there in New York City, including the outer boroughs, there's 8.5 million people. And so this is a very small air. I mean, and for 9.5 million, they have all those clinics.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

So they're obviously expecting the tourism to keep growing and growing. Yeah. Incredible. What did. If I. I know you've reported on it, but I can't remember. I'm sorry. What you got done there, if anything.

[C]

Yeah. So the KFDA is very efficient, and that's one thing that keeps me going back to Korea to get treatments and search out products, because they are on board with pushing through innovation as fast as they can. It's incredibly efficient. And so they have. Have injectables. They have different types of laser or energy device machines product that we don't have here. And so, you know, the last time I went, actually, I went twice this year, but I went and had Ultra Cool done, which is like polylactic acid. It's very similar to Sculptra, but it has a smaller particle size. It doesn't last as long, and it doesn't tend to cause nodules like sculpture can. Though if you go to an experienced practitioner, hopefully that is definitely not the case. I've never had nodules with getting sculpture done, but I had Ultra Cool done. And you can inject it below the eyes. You can do it in the temples, you can do it lateral cheeks, laugh lines. So I had it done all those places. I also did Rejuron, which we can get Rejuron here. And they can do it topically with microneedling, but it's not FDA approved for injections. And that's what everyone talks about. Of the salmon sperm.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

It's like polynucleotide injectables.

[C]

It's incredibly painful. It's because the molecule size is a little bit larger, and they're doing it superficially, where there's a lot of nerve endings. And so when they're injecting it with that needle, you're like, oh, gosh, kind of all over.

[B]

Little needle points all over. Do they numb your face?

[C]

Yes. Okay. Topical numbing. And actually, Dr. Kim and I were talking about this. They have a very interesting approach when it comes to pain management in Korea, because here in the US when it comes to dermatological aesthetic treatments, it's just topical numbing. Maybe the benzodiazepines, they give you a Valium or some sort of pain medication, but it's not sedation. Deep sedation, which they do. In Korea, I was offered at a dermatology clinic to be put under to have my treatments done, and I said no. I was like, I don't feel comfortable with that. There's a lot of things that could go wrong. And so I espoused to my audience, I'm like, hey, if you go to Korea and you want to have a lot of treatments done back to back, and it's, you know, it's really painful. And so then they offer an exchange. Do you want to do deep sedation? Just know, like, you need to ask, is there an anesthesiologist that's going to be on site monitoring my vitals the entire time and helping me go into sedation and come out of it? And, you know, that's just. That's just. Yeah, you have to do that.

[B]

Yeah, of course. That's like when I went. Went to the dentist in LA and they offered me laughing gas for a cleaning and I almost fell off. And I was like, pardon? And she's like, no, that's why everyone comes here. Just have a hit. Just have a hit. And like, literally, I was like, no, I'm good, I'm good. Like, it's just a cleaning. I'm not getting a root canal. Yeah, no, no, no. Like, honestly, like, you should. You should try. And I was like, I gotta work this afternoon. I think I'm good.

[C]

No, like, there was a case in 2020 in Korea where a billionaire heiress from Hong Kong passed away. She was having liposuction done and a breast augmentation, and there was no. They put her into deep sedation and she was. There was no anesthesiologist present.

[B]

Scary.

[C]

Oh, wow. And she had a complication and slipped into a coma.

[A]

Oh, wow.

[C]

And so you. It's like, if it can happen to a Hong Kong billionaire heiress.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

You know, so it's so important that if you're gonna go over and do anything over there, you still have to. You can't just think like, oh, it's Korea. And, like, they're so innovative. No, they still need to, like, like, do the due diligence, you know, and make sure that everything. All the T's are crossed, eyes are dotted, all that.

[B]

We were even having a, like, a little roundtable with some derms recently, and one of the derms was saying her. She was like, treating her patients in her clinic. Very, very busy. And her group chat was blowing up with all of her medical practitioner friends who were in Korea just trying stuff. And she's like half of it we could do here too. But she's like the, the, the draw and this, it just the reputation for what they're doing there is like, like it is so high tech and innovative and it's the curiosity got them to go and just see, you know, And I think that's interesting too.

[C]

And even if they're using the same products, there are different techniques with how they're using them too. Like, we have the PDO smooth threads here, but in Korea. And I'm going to do this next time I go, there's a doctor who does the threads. So when you do it here in the U.S. maybe they'll do like five smooth threads, like to pull back and kind of lift the skin back here. Right.

[B]

So like from the like jawline to the ear.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

This doctor will do 40 of them in a cross hair patch like this and he'll go down into the fascia and then like weave it back into the hairline and do 40 of them. So you're getting like this incredible lift.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

And.

[A]

Well, with less puckering.

[C]

Yes.

[A]

Right. Or potential for puckering because it's, it's the cross hatches and it's so dense.

[C]

Yes.

[A]

More like a facelift really. Although, because it's overall.

[C]

Yeah. Results are not as long lasting. I feel like that's kind of the complaint that people have with threads.

[B]

But for sure I'll be following your journey when you do that.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

I love being a guinea pig. You do? Just try new things. I feel like I have this and I wonder if you guys have this too as well. Like this constant curiosity. I'm always wondering, like, what's new, what's latest, what's next?

[B]

I do, but I'm a chicken and I. The only thing I would do is CO2 because it's been around for so long and there are. I've seen like so many people with good results. However, I love when people are taking the plunge and I love seeing it all. So I think that's. Yeah. The reporter in me.

[A]

I want to ask you, because you have done so much, what are the three, let's say, treatments that have been most transformative for your skin?

[C]

I would definitely say pico laser. So it uses like a picosecond technology that goes in below the skin surface and it shatters pigmentation. I deal with melasma and so a lot of other heat based Energy devices trigger my melasma to come back, and I get post inflammatory hyperpigmentation. Not always. I've done fraxel laser and clear and brilliant and treated with hydroquinone pre and post. And that really helps to mitigate any dark of the melasma. But. But pico laser has just been incredible because it's not heat based. It's more of, like, a mechanical action that's shattering the pigmentation. It is incredible for my melasma. And so I do that every year. A couple of times. I'm actually going through perimenopause right now. Same. So are you on hormone replacement therapy?

[A]

Yeah, I'm on month three.

[C]

I'm like, let's swap stories. What are you doing?

[B]

That was our, like, next question for you. So is that the. Is that also transformational for your skin?

[C]

Would you. I feel like I went off on, like, a bunch of.

[A]

We can also talk about that on your show too.

[C]

Let me finish answering this. Okay. So definitely pico laser from my melasma because as Dr. Sherene Idris always says, like, getting the skin to reflect light is what makes it look really healthy. And for when you have dark spots, it just does not reflect light in the same way because the dark spots scatter the light. And so definitely doing pico. Getting rid of my acne scars. I mean, I still have some light ones, but they used to be so deep, and it was just. It was hard for me. It was a personal decision. I was like, this is something I really want to get rid of. And did almost like 10 rounds of Fraxel laser to get rid of them. So it was a big investment to

[A]

do it, but that was transformative.

[C]

Yeah. Because they were really deep on my cheeks and my temples and. Yeah, I just scar really easily. So those two. And then hormone replacement therapy. Okay. I feel like I'm 20 again. How do you feel?

[A]

Oh, my gosh. I can't say that I feel 20 again.

[B]

No.

[A]

But I have. I do think that my skin's looking better. I think it's looking, like, juicier.

[C]

Oh.

[A]

And that's probably the biggest thing I have to think about. I. I don't notice as many. I don't notice as many benefits as I thought that I would, but it's still early days. Ish. How long have you been on it?

[C]

I've been on it for almost nine months.

[A]

Okay. Okay. How long did it take before you started noticing?

[C]

Well, it took a. It took three months to get into a rhythm with the right dose.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

That was key. And then I feel like at that point I started to notice some improvements. I was like, my hair looks a little shinier and thicker. My skin had a bit of a glow. But for me, it wasn't so much the external things as the internal. I had severe brain fog. Yes. Okay. Just forgetfulness and things that would naturally roll off the tongue that I knew before. I was like, why is it so hard for me to search for this like one word or this one thought? And I. I did not understand what was going on at first. And I thought, oh, my God. I'm just like, am I getting stupid? Like, what is happening to my brain? And I was waking up in the middle of the night at 3am, like clockwork. I was waking up and I was struggling to sleep. And these are the early signs of perimenopause, because that dip in progesterone is the first sign that one is entering into it. And what happens is it throws off the hormones so that in the middle of the night you have this cortisol spike. And that's what wakes women up at 3am so that was happening and then the brain fog, because I wasn't sleeping well and all of that. So once I got on it, brain fog's gone.

[A]

You know, sleep is everything.

[C]

Yeah. Like, mentally, I feel sharp like myself again. And that's really the best part.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Incredible.

[A]

Today's episode is brought to you in part by Momentous now, when it comes to girl talk, I personally don't think there's any such thing as tmi. I think we need to be sharing what's going on with our bodies, being really open and sharing in the solutions that have worked for us. So I can now say in my perimenopause journey that I had a lack of regularity that was making me feel terrible all the time. And I didn't even really realize it until months later when I looked back and I was like, like, oh my gosh. That's what was going on. So this is where fiber comes into the picture, Specifically Momentous Fiber Plus. It's a complete three in one formula with soluble fiber, insoluble fiber, and a prebiotic resistant starch. So this is a combination that's designed to support overall gut health from start to finish by feeding beneficial gut bacteria, improving digestion, and helping stabilize blood sugar for steady energy without spikes or crashes. My body needs this so badly while I'm at this phase in my life. And that's why I think that Momentous plus is so genius. Like, everything Momentous makes Fiber plus is built with a science first formulation, clean and minimal ingredients, and no additives or artificial flavors. Every product is independently certified by NSF for sport or informed sport, meaning it's tested for contaminants, heavy metals, banned substances, and verified for label accuracy. If a product doesn't meet their standard, it never hits the shelves. That makes me feel so good that I can trust in this supplement. So right now, Momentous is offering our listeners up to 35 off your first order with promo code beauty. Head to livemomentous.com and use promo code beauty for up to 35 off your first order. That's livemomentous.com promo code beauty.

[B]

Okay, well, we are a beauty podcast after all, so we're not gonna leave you hanging because Amy has brought a little show and tell some stuff. She was able to sneak in with the tsa. So we're gonna talk about her skincare routine. And there's, like, plenty of bottles on this table that I have never seen before. You guys will definitely want to check out our YouTube. So let's talk about skincare. Amy, your reviews are always so in depth, which I appreciate. Like, you were one of the first people that, like, really mapping out, like, what the exosomes are and like, properly reviewing exosome serums and everything. And I really, really appreciate that. So let's talk first about a serum that you can't stop yapping about right now and why you can feel free to pick them up if you want.

[C]

I mean, as you guys know from being in the industry for so long, there's very little true innovation. There's a lot of, like, repackaging and kind of giving a new name and maybe slightly, like changing the combination. There's quite a bit of that in the industry. But for there to be, like, truly new innovation, like, when that happens, it always gets me super excited. Cause I'm like, yes, so we want. And I feel like I felt that way when I first used the allies of skin growth factor Serum.

[B]

Yes.

[C]

Because retinol has been such a struggle for me. And I feel like a part of it is because I have very sensitive skin. One, two. I'm constantly doing. Trying some sort of in office treatment. And so the having to, like, cycle on and cycle off because you have to stop doing a retinol a few weeks prior, a couple weeks after, sometimes even a month after, then you can get back on. But then by that point, I'm ready for the next treatment. So it just never. It was hard for me to Work it into my routine. And so, so when I discovered growth factors, I was like, oh, this is it for me because it stimulates collagen using very similar pathways as retinol. But you're not getting the irritation, the redness with it. You don't have to do the buildup to it. And it just worked with my lifestyle of doing a lot of in office treatments. And so I'm a big fan of this one here also. Because these, these growth factor serums are expensive.

[A]

Yes.

[C]

And so of the ones that I've tried, I mean, I've tried, there's Angela Caglia's one that's like $400. I mean, eighth day. I think theirs is five or six. I mean they really get up there. And so I feel like this is a nice price point too that I, I mean it's $200. Let's not get it. It's still a very expensive product, but I guess on a relative basis. Yeah, I just really like it. And I noticed that it helps to heal my breakouts faster. It's helping to reduce some of that inflammation, like help with the skin barrier. So I really love this product. And it's a very lightweight serum.

[B]

I love those products too. Somebody just a good one.

[A]

I can't remember who we interviewed now, but they were talking about products and ingredients that are. And ingredients meaning that they don't conflict with anything.

[C]

Yeah, you can use this with retinol.

[A]

That's what I really like about this. This is the proper name, is the aloe vera of skin Multi peptides and GF Advanced Lifting Serum.

[B]

And I do find, I guess GF is growth factors, everyone. Yeah, they ran out of room on the label.

[A]

It's a great product. And it, and it is an and product. It's not going to fight with anything. Yes.

[C]

And they say that it supercharges the results when used with the retinol.

[A]

So Nice. Okay, what else is here?

[B]

Okay, we need to talk about the RLE shot because I've never actually tested it.

[C]

So what I like about this is that spicules are a physical exfoliation. The, you know, the spicules are derived from marine sponges. This brand in particular gets them. They source them from marine sponges that come from the Black Sea by Ukraine. And then they have this very thorough process of sterilization and they turn them translucent so they can make sure that they're not contaminated with anything. They're very microscopic needle like structures that pierce the top layer of skin. And then what happens is it Stimulates the body's own healing response, stimulating collagen and also exfoliation. So originally, the product was created for people who are dealing with acne because they found that it helped to clear up acne breakouts. But then they also found that it stimulates the collagen. And it's a great way to get ingredients deeper into the skin. And so that's what I really love about this is because I paired with my allies of skin serums, and they penetrate deeper, and I feel like I get. Get, you know, a better result because our skin is a barrier. It's meant to keep things out.

[B]

Right.

[C]

And so I feel like companies are always trying to figure out new delivery systems. Like, they're always patenting something like that. How do we get it deeper to where it needs to go to be effective? And so I feel like this is just really. It's true innovation that we've seen. Yeah, yeah.

[B]

So the full name of it is what, Carlene.

[A]

This is the Sika BY HYAL ON Riedel shot 100. Yeah.

[B]

CICA R. So how often are you using this? When are you using this in your routine?

[C]

So you would use this after washing your face, and then you would apply it on clean skin, and then you would go ahead and apply the other things. And you can use this with retinol. You just have to be really careful. I mean, I recommend most people to just cycle and do this on one night. If they want to use retinol and use retinol on another night, they do have. Have a formulation that includes Retin A. So for those that want to use both and just want it simple, they

[B]

have on the label everybody hardness, like the spicules can feel hard. But this, like, this is this particular version. The RLE shot 100 is lower on the hardness.

[A]

This does not feel anything. I use.

[B]

We had the professional.

[A]

I had the professional one done. And it. When you massage it in, it feels like tiny shards of glass.

[C]

Shards of glass or feels like.

[B]

Have you tried the 900?

[C]

I've tried the thousand and. And it feels. I mean, you feel the pricks for sure. But I feel like the 50 and the 100 are really good because you're gonna get that deeper penetration for your other ingredients and you're gonna get the light collagen stimulation. But I personally just really love it for getting my other serums deeper. Yeah, for sure. So I'm just a big fan of VT Cosmetics. They're a public company in Korea, and they are a Korean company that is very popular in Korea. Because there's a lot of Korean brands that are not necessarily Korean brands in the sense of they started in Korea, grew there, became popular, and then are exported here. There's been this new wave of, like, Korean founders starting brands here that are Korean brands, but not necessarily were not sold at the time in Korea, although many of them now are sold.

[B]

Maybe like a real recipe.

[A]

Yeah, they weren't born out of there.

[C]

Exactly. Or that. We also have seen Korean brands where they're created in Korea, but then they first bring them to market in the US Like Beauty of Joseon, and then tier tier, and actually tier tier, they have major investment from the same parent company as Beauty of Joseon. So if you notice, they followed a very similar playbook with their marketing strategy, and they kind of knew how to. How to infiltrate the US Market.

[A]

Yeah, yeah, I didn't know that about Beauty of Joseon. I thought that they were from Korea, like, launched there first.

[C]

So they created in Korea, but brought it to the US Market first. And then after it gained a lot of popular traction here, then it started to grow in Korea. But even, like with the tier tier compact, I go back to Korea and my Korean friends are like, nobody uses this compact here. Yeah, nobody uses this line. I mean, it's now sold at some select olive and youngs in Korea because of the foreign tourists who come there looking for it. Yeah, exactly.

[A]

Interesting.

[B]

That's so fascinating. So this particular product is what?

[C]

Yeah, so this is also by VT Cosmetics. I feel like I just love so many of their products. They really have a lot of innovation. But this is using a main ingredient called Centella Asiatica that's been around for a while. I mean, a lot of Japanese brands also use it. And then Cica is short for Centella Asiatica, but it's this plant that grows in Asia, and like, tigers roll in it because it helps to soothe wounds, cuts, burns, all of that. I mean, this. It's really where Tiger Balm originated from.

[A]

Okay, interesting.

[C]

And so they're putting that ingredient in here because it helps to calm redness. It actually be really great for you. Calms facial redness, soothes the skin. And like, I'm dealing with a couple of breakouts. I feel like this happens every December. I get a couple of them from my diet, changing a lot of travel, the heats on. And so then I always switch up my routine a little bit to include more products that are very soothing and good for acne.

[B]

This was kind of in a tube. It almost reminds me of, like, a whole. I Was gonna say whole foods. We'll eat a skin food. Kind of looks like that, except it comes out green, like a green jelly. Ooh. This is a very on brand for you. Carlene.

[A]

The Cica cream plus Exo Tea tree. Interesting. So it might have some tea tree in there. A cream that cares for dry skin by filling the skin with moisture and protecting.

[C]

It has glycerin in it. It has beta glucose. Yeah. I love beta glucan, which really great hydrator. Hydrates the skin about 20 times better than hyaluronic acid. And it has, like wound healing abilities to it.

[A]

Yeah, love it.

[B]

Lovely.

[A]

So we probably have time for maybe one more.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Which one is jumping out as a holy grail here?

[C]

I love the Coco Kind Mist. I love this brand. I love the founder too. It's really a community driven brand. Like this past year, they did whole shift away from influencer brand trips and started doing community trips for their audience. And I just find that so refreshing in kind of where we are right now with all of that. But this product's really great. It's very affordable. It's like $16 or $17.

[B]

Very much like. I think you find it at Target maybe, or drugstores.

[C]

Yeah, exactly. But it has in it zinc. And the zinc helps to control excess sebum. And it's calming, has anti inflammatory benefits to it. And the magnesium, also very soothing. So it's really great for anyone who's dealing with inflammatory skin issues. And I just find that it helps to calm and soothe my skin. So I'm dealing with a couple acne breakouts. And so I've been. I keep this in my bag. I don't know how TSA let me through with it. I mean, it's four fluid ounces, but they did. It's so great.

[B]

You've got lots of cooling. Yeah. They all frankly look too big for tsa, but I love it. I'm gonna have to call this in because this is very much something I need because I have breakouts as well

[A]

called the Cocokind Calming Magnesium Mist.

[B]

Thank you for sharing with the class. Yeah, Sharing everything today.

[A]

It's been wonderful chatting with you and we're really excited that we're doing this as a pod swap.

[C]

So I can't wait to have you on the pod.

[A]

Yes. And we're excited to see what is to come from Mirror Mirror. More shows ahead. Congrats on your new podcast.

[C]

Thank you, ladies. Well, I'm so happy to be here. This was fun. I mean, I could just sit and chat with you guys for hours.

[B]

I know, I know. Every, every time. We like we learned so much from you today as well so we really thank you for that. Thank you, thank you.

[A]

Thanks for listening. You can find details on every product mentioned in today's episode, along with our exclusive promo codes on our blog @breaking beauty podcast.com While you're there, be sure

[B]

to sign up for our newsletter. Every episode will be delivered directly to your inbox so you won't miss a

[A]

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[B]

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[A]

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[B]

And don't forget to subscribe to us wherever you get your podcast fix Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts and Apple Podcasts where you can show us some love by writing a review.

[A]

See you.

[C]

Please note that this episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services.

[A]

Individuals on the show may have a

[C]

direct or indirect financial interest in products or services referred to in this episode.

[B]

With Vrbill's last minute deals, you can save over $50 on your spring getaway. So whether it's a Mountain Escape City

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