Cece Meadows first founded Prados Beauty after seeing, and feeling, an intense lack of Indigenous representation in the makeup industry while working behind the scenes at New York Fashion Week. These interactions prompted her to take charge and bring the Indigenous experience to the world of makeup.

Since then, Prados Beauty has absolutely exploded onto the cosmetics scene. With trusty formulations and beautifully designed Indigenous centered packaging, it’s easy to see why makeup fanatics, like performer and drag superstar Trixie Mattel, are fans of the brand. 

Beyond an intense commitment to delivering on fun and story-driven makeup, Prados Beauty promises to go beyond donating to Indigenous communities and causes and also focuses on volunteering within indigenous communities and uplifting Indigenous voices across digital platforms.

To get a sneak peek into Prados Beauty and their CEO and founder, Cece Meadows, we talked to her about the brand’s origins, her daily routine, and some of her current holy grails.

1) How did you get into the beauty industry? 

I am an Ovarian Cancer survivor and during chemo I was in the lowest of lows. I was losing my hair at that time and my skin was so fragile.  My amazing friends were makeup artists at the MAC counter and came over one day to give me a makeover! It was at that moment that I realized makeup was such a powerful therapy tool. It helped me look how I wanted to feel! 

Life sometimes throws you challenges and moments when you feel like you cannot go on, makeup however can help transform you into the hopeful and better version of you. From that day forward I was completely in love with cosmetics and decided I would dedicate my life to painting the world beautiful. 

2) What inspired you to start your own brand?

After going into remission and years of being a local makeup artist and influencer, I took a master class in Manhattan at the New York Makeup Academy in 2018. They took graduates to NYFW and I was so excited to be a part of that! I wore a traditional ribbon skirt, my moccasins and a shirt that read “Strong, Resilient, Indigenous,” and the number of models and designers who asked “what does Indigenous mean?” was astounding. I felt like the one and only Indigenous person at these events and it was a very lonely feeling. I went home after that weekend and told my husband that there was so much work to be done. Inclusivity and diversity has historically been lacking at NYFW and in the beauty business. Designers and makeup companies appropriate not just Indigenous designs and traditional regalia, but of a mix of minority races. I wanted to change that. I wanted to be a representative of a whole nation of mixed Indigenous peoples by bringing our faces and stories to the forefront of every possible market. I wanted to be the bridge in helping to bring all BIPOC peoples to the table, to tell our stories and our truths through our lens and not that of history books who most times tell it all wrong.

3) What’s the biggest challenge you have faced as a founder?

Hands down, funding and correct representation. I have probably knocked on every single bank door in corporate America, and every time I get the door shut in my face. I decided that I was going to stop doing that, not only because I was tired of it, but also because I was tired of being hurt about it. 

On numerous occasions after presenting a beautiful and accurate to the cent presentation and projection sheet, I have been told by banks and investors that I have a beautiful story and it should be told. They take one look at the packaging and who’s on the box and suddenly it’s not marketable because it’s an actual Indigenous person representing themselves and not some appropriator with millions of dollars and social influence. 

The hardest part of asking someone else for money and backing, is the notorious question of “what happens if you default on your loan, where will we get our money from then?” These are smart questions to ask when loaning money, but why does the conversation always start with the assumption that I’ll default? Bootstrapping is the way we have been forced to go to grow my business and brand. I am happy that my husband and I have made smart decisions in diversifying our portfolios at a young age, because now we have the freedom to invest in ourselves and the business. We do it on our own terms and we do it for our people. We don’t answer to anyone and we get to give back to others through our philanthropy and successes.

4) Ok, put us in your shoes. What’s an average day in your life like?

 My day usually starts at 6:00 am, as I am a proud wife of a MAJ in the US Army. Our littles go to preschool on post with my love, so I am running around getting my family ready, fed and blessed up for their day. By 7:45am my two eldest children are on the bus to school and my personal routine starts. I am usually on the bike for 30 min in the morning, I shower and then take about 30 minutes to write in my journal and pray. I put the crockpot on and head out the door by 9am for my Starbucks. Haha!

 I get to the office at about 9:15-9:30AM everyday and I am here with my team doing our day to day tasks which include designing packaging, playing with formulas, creating content, and admin stuff. By 3PM I am usually headed home for my kids to get home from school. I do homework, clean and get ready for daddy and the littles to be home by 6PM for dinner. Bedtime is at 8:30PM for the babies and then its relaxation time. I’m usually working on pressing things for the business after everyone is asleep. My normal bedtime is between 11-11:30PM. I get to sleep in on the weekends and that is always nice!

5) What are some of your favorite beauty products at the moment? 

Oh I am absolutely obsessed with OneSize beauty, Fenty Beauty, Nopalera, Ceremonia, Switch2Pure, Anove and of course Prados Beauty. These are all brands founded by BIPOC peoples and although I don’t shop exclusively BIPOC owned, these products truly help my skin and feel curated to my skin tone and type. That is always a win win in my book.

6) Plans for what’s next?

We are working on a fun launch for Pride month and already have plans for May 2022! 

Humbly and proudly, we are the first Xicana and Indigenous owned beauty brand to be sold in a mega retailer. With that comes alot of responsibility and work. Prados Beauty is in it for the generations to come and that means that we will expand our line and keep pushing the envelope when it comes to inclusivity and diversity. We may be a BIPOC owned brand who paints the world beautiful through the lens of Indigenous peoples, but importantly our brand is 100% inclusive and we create products for all. We will continue in that work and also be in more retail stores and spaces in 2022 and 2023. Very excited for the opportunities to come!

Want to check out some of Prados Beauty’s impactful and downright beautiful products? Here are our recommendations:

The Matriarch Eyeliner ($16)

Prados’ ultra black eyeliner is both vegan and cruelty free. Housed in a chic and easily handled component, this eyeliner can totally be used for a chic flick or full-on Euphoria inspired graphic looks.

The Matriarch Bronzer ($25)

Looking to warm up your complexion? Look no further.

Described as “bringing the same heat as the sun,” the Matriarch Bronzer is a four shade bronzing palette that can cover anything from a soft sun kissed look to an intense contour session.

The Matriarch Palette ($45)

This beautifully curated palette with 30 different shades comes out of a collaboration with artist Steven Paul Judd, a Native American multihyphenate. 

A colorful mix of shimmers and mattes compliment the palette’s neutral tones, making it perfect for day-and-night usage. Did we mention the palette’s artwork is absolutely stunning? 

+Have you tried Prados Beauty?

The post Prados Beauty Founder and CEO Cece Meadows On Creating An Impactful and Beautiful Indigenous Owned Brand appeared first on The Klog.

If you’ve heard anything about K-Beauty, chances are you’ve heard about COSRX. The South Korean brand has been around for years, empowering skin care devotees to heal, soothe and brighten their skin with their innovative, cruelty-free product lines designed to target specific skin care concerns. 

Whether your skin is sensitive and prone to redness or oily and prone to breakouts, COSRX has the right treatment for you. After a short hiatus, COSRX is back at Soko Glam, and we’re so excited to help you find the star COSRX products that will work best for you.

Here are 5 of our top picks to get you started!

1. Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence 

Is your skin in need of a helping hand? The 96.3% snail secretion filtrate in this essence works to repair and rejuvenate skin that’s dehydrated, irritated or in need of a glow-boost. Snail mucin helps to strengthen the skin’s barrier, while allantoin and panthenol soothe and sodium hyaluronate boosts hydration levels.

With continued use, skin is plump and glowing. It’s a bestseller for a reason!

2. Acne Pimple Master Patch 

The holy grail of pimple patches, this hydrocolloid patch helps to protect blemishes from dirt and creates a moist environment conducive to quick healing.

The pouch contains various sizes to cover pimples of any size, and you can wear them overnight or during the day — the clear material practically blends into the skin for incognito healing on the go. Plus, you’ll feel better knowing that while these patches speed up blemish healing and protect the skin from further breakouts, they also help decrease the chances of spots leaving behind dark spots or scarring. At $6 a pack, they’re a must-have.

3. Low-pH Good Morning Cleanser 

Start the day with a fresh, glowing complexion thanks to this gentle cleanser that sweeps away sebum and dirt from the night before.

With BHAs and tea tree extract, the gentle lather of this cleanser keeps pores clear and oil production balanced. It’s safe for all skin types and doesn’t contain any artificial fragrances or sulfates. If you’re a fan of morning workouts, this cleanser belongs in your gym bag, stat. 

4. BHA Blackhead Power Liquid 

If blackheads stress you out every time you glance in the mirror, meet your new skin care savior. With 4% BHA and willow bark water, this toner works to deeply penetrate built-up dirt and dead skin cells in the pores and dissolve them away for a clearer, smoother complexion. Saturate a cotton pad with the solution and sweep over congested areas a few nights a week to discover your best skin yet.

5. Advanced Snail Hydrogel Eye Patch 

Tired eyes in need of a refresh? Pop these patches on for 15 minutes for a brighter, smoother under-eye area that says “I got eight wonderful hours of sleep last night”. With nourishing snail secretion filtrate, brightening niacinamide and hydrating glycerin, these patches help to fight fine lines and can be applied below the eyes, to smile lines around the mouth or to forehead wrinkles for an instant plumping treatment. 

+Which COSRX products are you most excited to try? Let us know in the comments!

The post COSRX Is Back At Soko Glam! Here’s What You Need To Try appeared first on The Klog.

It’s a new year, and it’s time to reset your rituals and set new intentions for your skin. 

I’m a working millennial mom that’s raising a child during prolonged panicky pandemic times. Honestly, it’s not easy because at the end of the day, there’s only so much I can control.

But what I’ve realized during this challenging time is this: I need to be more intentional about the things I can control.

For example, I can control how I care for myself. My self-care is focused during the evenings when I can decompress and focus on my skin care ritual. My me-time starts at 8PM, when my daughter is down for the night. Sometimes it involves responding to DMs or texts from friends. Sometimes it’s finishing up some episodes of my favorite shows on Netflix. And sometimes, it’s a skin care ritual that makes me feel like I pressed the reset button for my skin and my mind.

The idea of resetting your mind and your skin was the intention behind the latest additions to the Then I Met You family: the Rosé Resurfacing Facial Mask and the Renewing Rich Beauty Cream.

They were formulated to be used together and to complement one another to produce noticeable results. The Renewing Duo, as they’re appropriately named, is for someone like me that’s starting to see signs of aging and looking to smooth out skin texture, buff away fine lines, and plump the skin with deeply nourishing hydration that your skin l craves after a powerful exfoliating treatment.

I’m excited to share that we’ve launched the Renewing Duo as an offering on Then I Met You and Soko Glam so that you can start incorporating this two-step power treatment into your new ritual. When purchased as the complimentary bundle that they are, you’re getting quite the value.

Now let me share the science behind the two products and why they make a difference in your skin when used together:

Rosé Resurfacing Facial Mask

This sparkling facial is a powerful exfoliating mask that has the optimal percentage of 6.5% AHAs (lactic acid) and 0.5% BHAs (salicylic acid), which ultimately resurfaces your skin for that soft, smooth and bright glow.

Apply a thin layer across your skin, and you’ll start to feel it tingle because it’s breaking down dead skin cells and dissolving some of the sludge deep in your pores that make them appear larger. A great effect of this exfoliation effect is that it allows your essence, serum and moisturizer to work better for you because they can penetrate better without having to fight through layers of dead skin.

Coupled with antioxidants such as resveratrol and natural hydrators, such as rose extracts and damask rose petals, just one treatment will give you that post-facial glow. And imagine the results if you continue to apply once or twice a week consistently, allowing your skin to renew in the healthiest way possible.

Renewing Rich Beauty Cream

With any powerful exfoliating mask, your skin will become a little more sensitized and compromised with the layers of dead skin cells that are removed from your skin. This bare, newly resurfaced skin needs a layer of deeply nourishing hydration, one that is more emollient and rich in the form of a cream.

My intention for the Renewing Rich Beauty Cream was for it to be the perfect complement to a powerful exfoliating mask, infusing it with the nourishing element of squalane and baobab, which also give it its unique, creamy and silky texture.

As the reviews have stated: this luxurious Beauty Cream will be your skin savior, because it’s not too greasy or heavy and locks in potent ginseng-antioxidants in with a cocoon of moisture.

I was also simultaneously answering the calls of our community who requested something much creamier and richer than the Calming Tide Gel Cream. This new formulation is suited for normal, combo to dry skin types, or for those that live in colder climates. Seasonal winter blasts of cold weather conditions that can make your skin look and feel chapped, dried and irritated from the elements, will be no longer with this cream in your arsenal. 

I highly encourage you to use the ultra-relaxing and intentional Glow Deeper 9 Point Facial Massage technique when applying the Renewing Rich Beauty Cream, as it can be used morning and night as a standalone moisturizer as well (not just after the Rose Resurfacing Facial Mask). The massage will lift a heavy weight off your facial and neck muscles, improving circulation, and will feel like a heavenly treat on your skin. 

+What’s your favorite skin care duo? Do you plan on exploring the Renewing Duo? Let us know below!

The post Glow Deeper Series: This Potent Skin Care Duo Resets and Renews Your Skin With A Gentle Blend of Acids and Ginseng Infused Hydration appeared first on The Klog.

While following a K-beauty routine can give you smoother, brighter skin, there are some skin concerns that require a little extra help. There are a number of laser procedures available today that will target just about any issue you may be experiencing. There’s an option to help you achieve your skin goals, whether you’re trying to treat hyperpigmentation or sun damage, texture issues and scarring, broken blood vessels or fine lines and wrinkles. Discover which treatment is best for you below.

So you want to treat pitted acne scarring and deep wrinkles?
Try: Fractional CO2 Lasers

Fractional carbon dioxide (CO2) lasers are considered the best for treating deep texture issues, including acne scar pitting and deep wrinkles, because they have the longest wavelength of any laser on the market. The CO2 laser beams deep into the skin and then fractionates into thousands of small shafts of light, which then penetrate damaged collagen and encourage the growth of new, healthy collagen fibers at a deep level, resulting in repaired and smoothed skin texture over time. CO2 is not recommended for treating skin redness and can occasionally exacerbate redness issues in the skin, so if this is an issue for you, pulsed dye laser could be a better treatment option (more on that below!).

Depending on how deep the textural irregularities are that you are treating with CO2, treatment downtime may be longer and your skin could take more time to heal. It can take up to two weeks to experience full healing, and full results won’t be seen for three to six months, but the ultimate results will provide smoother, more even-toned skin with less pitting and deep lines and a rejuvenated, healthy glow.

So you want to treat broken blood vessels and rosacea?
Try: Pulsed Dye Laser Therapy

If you experience a concentration of broken blood vessels and rosacea that displays in small red lines across the face, pulsed dye laser therapy could be the treatment for you. Pulsed dye laser treatments specifically target red pigment in the skin and destroys the damaged blood vessels. As it treats each area, it can feel like a small rubber band snapping on the skin’s surface. Immediate side effects include swelling and flushing and your doctor may apply an ice pack to the skin to soothe any of the discomfort or ask you to take an antihistamine to reduce swelling.

Extensive rosacea may require more than one treatment, but most patients with mild capillary issues will notice a reduction in skin redness after one session.

So you want to treat unwanted hair?
Try: IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) Hair Removal

If you have an excess of unwanted dark, coarse hair anywhere on your face and body, it can be treated with IPL hair removal. During this process, highly concentrated light pulses target the pigment in hair follicles, heating them until the follicle is destroyed, resulting in decreased or ceased hair growth, depending on how many treatments are performed. Typically, you’ll see results after three to six professional sessions. Because IPL is drawn to dark pigments, these hair treatments work best on those with fair skin and dark hair, as the contrast allows the hair pigments to attract the bright light best.

So you want to treat overall skin texture and tone (with minimal downtime)?
Try: Laser Genesis

Laser Genesis is a subtle, noninvasive laser treatment that treats the topmost layer of skin with heat, encouraging collagen regrowth. It is a great introduction to laser treatments as it is an all-in-one treatment that targets scars, darkness and texture issues in a painless, low-impact procedure. Because the treatment is so gentle, results aren’t as noticeable as other laser treatments, but if you have minor skin issues, Laser Genesis is a great way to deal with any minimal texture irregularities and bring back a healthy glow to your skin.

So you want to treat hyperpigmentation and dark spots?
Try: IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) Photofacial

Just like IPL hair removal, intense pulsed light therapy is used to treat dark spots as well, as the light targets dark pigment in the skin. IPL therapy causes a controlled injury to the dermis, just below the skin’s topmost layer (the epidermis). This results in a stimulating and regenerative effect that causes the skin to produce more collagen during the natural healing process.

Skin will experience tenderness and redness immediately after the procedure, but these side effects will subside in a few days to a week. Best results – smoother, brighter and more even-toned skin – are seen in a few months after getting the treatment once a month. 

Remember, the best way to prevent dark spots and hyperpigmentation from occurring is to use an SPF daily to keep UV damage at bay and keep your skin youthful and even-toned.

Bottom Line

There is only so much that products can do, and if you’re experiencing one of the concerns mentioned above, it might be time to bring in the big guns. Interested in one of the treatments? Talk to your dermatologist to see if it’s the right choice for your skin.

+Have you had a laser treatment performed on your skin? Let us know about your results!

The post The Best Laser Treatment to Zap YOUR Top Skin Concerns appeared first on The Klog.

Soko Glam’s once again driving purposeful action within the skin care and beauty industry with the second installment of their Beauty For Good program, the Conscious Beauty Collective.

Back in May, we announced the K-Beauty destination’s first ever Beauty For Good capsule collection, the AAPI Founder’s Collective, which sought to bolster the voices of Asian-American beauty founders. The initiative went a step further and donated a portion of proceeds from the capsule collection to The AAPI Community Fund.

This time around, Soko Glam’s sights are set on promoting a greener beauty and skin care space. In order to focus on community backed (and loved) brands that are doing some serious good, Soko Glam tapped One Tree Planted partner, Naturium, Versed, the affordable line pushing empties recycling taking over Instagram, and climate neutral certified chic body care brand Nécessaire.

Honing in on their message, through the month of December, Soko Glam will donate a portion of proceeds from the Conscious Beauty Collective to 1% For The Planet, a global movement with a unique model that supports a network of nonprofits addressing urgent environmental issues through funds and action. 

The Conscious Beauty Collective hits Soko Glam December 21st, and features more than 20 products from the three sustainable, and totally Instagrammable, brands.

Let’s explore some of the new sustainable friendly goodies hitting Soko Glam this week!

Naturium Azelaic Acid Emulsion 10%

Created by skinfluencer Susan Yara, Naturium’s focused on creating a greener skin care industry. Not only does the brand have an on-going partnership with One Tree Planted, a non-profit organization that looks to “restore forests, create habitat for biodiversity, and make a positive social impact around the world,” but they also partner with Plastic Bank, who works to hire coastal community members to collect plastic bottles and plastic waste that would otherwise end up in the ocean! We love hearing that! 

Naturium’s Azelaic Acid Emulsion 10% is probably our favorite of the newest curations from Naturium to hit Soko Glam, as it taps into the power of azelaic acid, a gentle alternative to AHAs and BHAs, to help fight breakouts and keep the skin bright. The alternative is a superstar when it comes to battling hormonal acne. Did we mention this lightweight emulsion contains niacinamide to further brighten the skin? 

Nécessaire The Body Exfoliator

Besides being absolutely aesthetic, this impactful body care brand is committed to offsetting their carbon footprint. They’re so committed that they’ve been Climate Neutral Certified since 2019 and have just received their Plastic Neutral certification. 

The holy grail body care line also donates 1% of their yearly sales to environmental causes as a member of 1% For The Planet.

Nécessaire’s The Body Exfoliator is one of the brand’s top sellers, combining the best of chemical and physical exfoliation methods to leave the body smooth and incredibly soft. Although this gel scrub works well for all skin types, it’s also a great pick for those with keratosis pilaris, as it helps to mitigate all signs of strawberry skin!

Versed Dew Point Moisturizing Gel Cream

Let’s get into recycling focused Versed! The brand prides itself on its affordability, but also on it’s in-house recycling program. 

They’re letting you cut out the trip to the closest location that accepts skin care empties with their very own recycling program. Simply wait until you have 3 Versed empties to email the brand about your recycling wishes. They’ll send you a prepaid label that you can slap on the box you filled with your now product-less containers. Then all you have to do is drop it off at your local FedEx location. The best part? Versed will send you a code for 15% off your next purchase as a thank you! 

It’s easy to rack up Versed empties, especially with products like the Dew Point Moisturizing Gel Cream. The fun starts with the texture, a lightweight jelly dream, and continues on into the formula with hydration favorites like hyaluronic acid and aloe. 

+What brands do you think are doing sustainability well? Let us know below! 

The post Soko Glam’s Conscious Minded Capsule Collection Will Have Beauty Lovers Feel Good About Clicking ‘Add To Cart’ appeared first on The Klog.

In the interest of being transparent – and to ride the clean beauty wave – more and more beauty brands are getting into the habit of listing the “bad” ingredients that their products are free of on the packaging. Often, you’ll see parabens, phthalates, and artificial fragrances on these lists – the usual suspects. A less common one, but one that sticks out, is gluten. If you’ve seen a gluten-free claim and thought to yourself, “What? Why the heck is there gluten in beauty products?,” well, same.

As it turns out, sources of gluten are used in skin care as conditioning agents, and in hair care to thicken and strengthen.

RELATED: Do You Really Need…CBD Oil-Infused Skin Care?

If you’re already eliminating or limiting gluten from your diet, it may seem like a good idea to also cut it out of your beauty routine. But before you denounce gluten in the beauty category, read on to hear what the experts have to say, and to learn if the ingredient could actually affect you in any negative way.

What forms of gluten are found in beauty products?

Ingredient labels on products with gluten might include some of these terms: Wheat, gluten, barley (hordeum vulgare), malt, rye (secale cereale) or triticum. “Triticum is Latin for wheat and skin care products might use this term instead of wheat,” says Dr. Debra Jaliman, an NYC-based board-certified dermatologist and assistant professor of dermatology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York.

Can applying a topical product that contains gluten cause a negative reaction for people with celiac disease or a gluten sensitivity?

Unlike ingesting gluten, simply coming into contact with a topical product that contains the ingredient will not trigger a reaction such as a rash or gastrointestinal symptoms for those with intolerances – gluten cannot be absorbed through the skin.

The reason why there is potential risk, says Dr. Jaliman, is because if the product gets into your mouth from your hands or enters the skin through a wound or sore, it could cause a reaction.

For this reason, “the products [someone with celiac disease or a gluten sensitivity] might want to avoid are any products applied to the lips or near the mouth,” says Dr. Jaliman.

So should you be using gluten-free skin care?

“If you have no sensitivities to gluten I wouldn’t worry about it being used in a product,” says Dr. Jaliman. The only group of people that Dr. Jaliman says should definitely be using gluten-free products are children with gluten intolerances. “Even if it is a cream applied to the body, children tend to put their hands in their mouth,” she says.

And if you do have sensitivities? One study often cited is one that was published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics by registered dietitian and gluten-free expert Tricia Thompson in 2012. It tested a small number of cosmetic products containing gluten “to provide an assessment on whether lipsticks and lotions contain quantifiable gluten”. The results showed that there was “no quantifiable gluten” in any of them, meaning that the amount of the ingredient found in the products was likely not enough to have any kind of adverse effect if ingested.

According to the National Celiac Association, more studies are needed on the topic in order to make a conclusive recommendation either way.

Still, if the potential of ingesting a gluten product is a concern for you, be sure to wash your hands after application, especially before eating. And if you don’t want to even risk it, by all means, look for gluten-free products – no one knows your body better than you!

+Do you use gluten-free skin care? What other ingredients do you have concerns about? Share them in the comments below!

The post Do You Really Need…Gluten-Free Beauty Products? appeared first on The Klog.

Raise your hand high if you’re all about stretching out the holidays and making them as joyful as possible. Especially in these atypical times, indulging in more cheer just makes sense. Cue advent calendars, which serve as a way to celebrate the holidays for days in a row except for on a single morning! 

There are lots of advent calendars to choose from, but being the skin care fiends we are here at Soko Glam, it only makes sense for us to curate one that’s fully-loaded with nourishing face masks, cult-favorite cleansers, soothing toners, and beautifying skin care treatments. 

About Soko Glam’s Advent Calendar 

Housed in a stunning gold and black box that’s already primed for gifting, this year’s advent calendar delivers 16 products over 12 days. 

It’s perfect for:

• skin care fanatics
• anyone who’s obsessed with K-Beauty 
• people who are curious about K-Beauty 
• those who are worthy of some self-care TLC
• holiday enthusiasts who want to make the most of the season

Even better, this advent calendar isn’t just a random assortment of skin care loot. It’s been painstakingly curated to include amazing products that all skin types can use, and it features everything you’d need to complete your skin care routine. 

Cleansers

• Banila Co. Clean It Zero Cleansing Balm (travel size): This cult-favorite cleansing balm nixes all traces of makeup without stripping your skin of vital moisture. This iteration of the original features a Tri-Peel Acid Blend of AHA, BHA, and LHA to keep skin clear. 
• Klavuu Pure Pearlsation Revitalizing Facial Cleansing Foam (travel size): You’ll love the gentle foaming action of this cleanser, which was the recipient of Soko Glam’s Best of K-Beauty Award in 2017. It’s formulated with 30 natural plant extracts to nourish your skin.

Toners

• I’m From Rice Toner (travel size): Perfect for dry skin, this toner boasts 77.78% rice extract and to brighten your complexion and boost hydration.   
• Isntree Green Tea Fresh Toner (travel size): Oily skin types should reach for this toner, which helps control excess sebum for a balanced, bright complexion.

Essence

• Juice to Cleanse Vinegar Kombucha Essence (travel size): Kombucha isn’t just for drinking! This fermented ingredient can help improve your skin texture, too. 

Serum 

• Licorice pH Balancing Advance Serum (full size): Bid adieu to dull skin with this lightweight, water-like serum. It soaks in quickly and helps reduce pigmentation from acne, scars, and dark spots.

Moisturizers

• Midnight Blue Calming Cream (full size): A 2019 Best of K-Beauty winner, Midnight Blue Calming Cream helps soothe irritated and stressed skin. It’s perfect for those with sensitive skin, acne-prone skin, sunburns, or post-treatment care.
• Hanskin Real Complexion Hyaluron Moisture Cream (travel size): If you’ve got seriously dry and dehydrated skin, this moisturizer is a real game changer. It soothes redness, boosts moisture, and make skin feel soft.

Face Lotion

• Benton Snail Bee High Content Skin Lotion (travel size): Packed with beloved K-Beauty ingredients (including snail mucin, bee venom, and hyaluronic acid), this lotion replenishes your skin’s moisture levels while evening out your complexion and improving skin clarity.

Face Oil 

• Rovectin Skin Essentials Barrier Repair Face Oil (full size): Never greasy, this incredibly hydrating, nourishing face oil from Rovectin is suitable for all skin types—including those with oily, combination, and acne-prone skin.

Eye Products 

• Benton Fermentation Eye Cream (travel size): Eye creams are a must, and this one’s a real goodie. It’s formulated with a blend of fermented ingredients to repair skin while plumping and smoothing.
• Goodal Green Tangerine Vita C Eye Gel Patch (full size): These soothing hydrogel eye patches will help plump, brighten, and firm your delicate under eye area in about five minutes.

Masks & Treatments

• Hanskin Vitamin C Glow Mask (travel size): Get your glow on with this vitamin C drenched mask from Hanskin. It reduces the look of dark spots, balances oil production, boosts glow, and visibly improves skin texture and tone.
• Saturday Skin Yuzu Vitamin C Sleep Mask (travel size): Apply this sleep mask, catch some Zzz’s, then wake up to a glowing complexion. The key ingredient, yuzu, is known for its anti-aging and rejuvenation powers.
• Soft Shield Pimple Patch (full): Speed up the pimple healing process by applying one of these soft patches directly on top of the offending area. It’ll absorb the impurities while reducing redness and size.

Soko Glam’s 2021 Advent Calendar retails for over $170, but it’ll only cost you $110. (A bargain and glorious skin? Yes, please!) Supplies are limited, so scoop it up while you can!

+What beauty advent calendars do you plan on picking up this season? Share your wish lists below!

The post This Advent Calendar Makes the Holidays—And Your Skin—Brighter! appeared first on The Klog.

Vitamin C is a skin care holy grail ingredient for good reason.

Vitamin C, or ascorbic acid as it’s sometimes called, is one of the most effective ways to fade hyperpigmentation and dark spots. It’s also an antioxidant, meaning that it can be used to protect your skin against free radicals and skin damage, which escalate the process of premature aging, brown spots, and wrinkles. The results of consistent vitamin C use? An even skin tone and a complexion that actually glows.

But not all vitamin C is created equal. As with most skin care products, concentration matters. Vitamin C is an acid, which means too much of it can potentially irritate your skin if your skin is more sensitive. Likewise, too little of it may just do nothing at all. Therefore, it’s important to pick products that fit your skin type to ensure that you’re boosting the effectiveness without increasing your chances for irritation.

Oily Skin

Oily skin can oftentimes can lend itself to acne and acne scars, and so having vitamin C as a part of your skin care routine can decrease the chance of both even developing. Vitamin C helps to clear up redness as a result of inflammation. It can also help to destroy acne-causing bacteria. If you have oily skin, you should definitely try the Goodal Green Tangerine Vita C Serum. This cult favorite is super powerful with 70% green tangerine extract, which is potent in natural vitamin C derivatives for fading acne scars fast.

If your oily skin errs on the side of sensitive, this high concentration may be too much for your skin, so you should opt for something a little gentler, like the Klairs Freshly Juiced Vitamin C Serum, which is comprised of 5% vitamin C.

With oily, acne-prone skin, using a physical exfoliator can be scary because you don’t want to spread any of the infection around, so opt for something like the Neogen Bio-Peel Gauze Peeling Lemon, which gently exfoliates to get rid of dead skin cells and cleanse the skin, and also treats with vitamin C to brighten.

Want to top up with hydration throughout the day? Reach for the Neogen H2 Dermadeca Serum Spray. This mist will rehydrate your skin, while still giving it that dose of niacinamide and vitamin C to brighten as well as centella asiatica to soothe irritation and stimulate cell reproduction and repair skin.

Dry Skin

If you suffer from flaky, itchy, and dry skin, you might think that there are no vitamin C benefits for you. But you’d be wrong! There are products that contain vitamin C’s brightening powers that also contain hydrating ingredients, and won’t leave your skin feeling oily or greasy. If you’re looking for vitamin C products that really pack a punch, opt for the Some By Mi Galactomyces Pure Vitamin C Glow Serum packed with 3% vitamin C and 75% nourishing fermented ingredients to boost hydration.

Combination Skin

Combination skin can be tricky, especially if you have patches of sensitive skin on your face. So, you’ll definitely want to opt for something soothing and light that won’t irritate any sensitive areas and will still combat any other skin issues you’re facing. Try something like the Hanskin Vitamin C Glow Capsule Lotion which contains chlorella algae extract and vitamin C. This combination of ingredients reinforces the moisture barrier and brighten dull, tired skin.

Or opt for something even more soothing like  a mask. You could try the Saturday Skin Yuzu Vitamin C Sleep Mask. This will soothe and hydrate your skin without the irritation that a highly-concentrated serum might leave.

Normal Skin

If you have normal skin, you may just be able to use any vitamin C serum on the market without any serious consequences. Because of this, your most effective option is going to be a serum: the Isntree C-Niacin Toning Ampoule or the Klairs Freshly Juiced Vitamin C serum. Choose either depending on how much vitamin C you think that your skin needs and how sensitive your skin feels. Both will effectively lift any dark spots, leaving your skin looking hydrated, healthier, and more even.

If you’re looking to incorporate vitamin C elsewhere in your routine, check out the Missha Vita C Plus Brightening Toner.  This powerful toner contains PHAs and vitamin C to improve elasticity, brighten, and fight off any one-off blemishes.

Sensitive Skin

Using acids with sensitive skin usually sounds like a bad idea that one should stay away from overall, but it’s not always the case! Vitamin C in lighter concentrations can be super effective without irritating sensitive skin. If you’re looking for a serum, definitely try out the Klairs Freshly Juiced Vitamin C Serum. Its 5% concentration is gentle enough for even the most sensitive skin.

If you want to soothe while still packing in the vitamin C, opt for the Goodal Green Tangerine Vita C Cleansing Foam, which has vitamin C and hydrating hyaluronic acid.

The Bottom Line

Vitamin C is one of the best ingredients you can add into your skin care routine. But it’s effectiveness can be increased or decreased depending on whether you’re actually using the right products. So whatever your skin type or concerns, make sure you’re getting your right dose of vitamin C to effectively hydrate, brighten, and protect the skin against harmful pollutants and free radicals. And get ready for your healthiest, glowiest skin yet!

+ What do you think is the best vitamin C product by skin type? Share your thoughts and questions about vitamin C in the comments!

The post The Best Vitamin C Product For Your Skin Type appeared first on The Klog.

Read the excerpt below from the first chapter of Charlotte Cho’s new book, The Little Book of Jeong, which is now available on Soko Glam and Then I Met You.

My Journey to Jeong 

My first brush with jeong took place more than 10 years ago. It was a warm day in late November when I, only 21, arrived at my hotel in Houston, Texas. It was my first time leaving my home state of California alone, and I had been expecting bare-bones accommodations since it was a no-name spot near the airport that catered to business travelers. But when I swung open the door I found, to my surprise, the most luxurious hotel room I’d ever seen.

I was used to traveling lean, without any of the frills. When I was growing up, my family and I would drive from Los Angeles to Las Vegas and stay at one of those dirt-cheap $60-a-night hotels like Circus Circus. When I had traveled to New York the year before, I had crashed on the floor of a friend’s apartment with nothing but a thin blanket. In college, I slept on a mattress on the floor, and for one summer, I even slept under my friend’s dining table in exchange for cooking and cleaning their apartment. So to me, this room was pure luxury. In fact, it wasn’t even a room—it was definitely a suite. It had an entire living room and an enormous bathroom with sparkling white granite tiles. The towels were plush and fluffy like they had just come out of the dryer. There was a huge mahogany desk, where I plopped down my backpack. I sat on the soft queen-sized bed and stared at everything around me, wondering if the hotel had put me there by mistake.

Everything felt so surreal: Only two months after seeing an ad for an open position at Samsung in the Korea JoongAng Daily, an English daily newspaper, I had received an email from the company about my application. Getting a response was a surprise on its own. It was only partly written in English and I had trouble reading the rest of it, which was in Korean. After finally deciphering it, I figured out that Samsung wanted me to come to Houston for an interview the following week and that they would put me up in a hotel and pay for my round-trip flight. As someone who didn’t have a lot of work experience, I was a bit stunned. My family and my friends were also skeptical that I could ever land a job at one of the largest and most prestigious companies in the world.

But I was dying to get to Korea. I had become deeply interested in the culture and wanted to learn the language. Despite the fact that my parents had both been raised in Seoul, I had never visited growing up and felt I had a lot to catch up on. I was fresh out of college and depressed over the prospect of spending the rest of my 20s in the same state I had lived all my life. With no responsibilities tying me down in California and up for a new adventure, I jumped at the chance to go to Korea. Within a few hours, I had my fingers crossed and a flight booked to Houston.

My interview was set to take place the morning after I arrived, and as the novelty of the suite began to fade, I started to panic. I realized I was utterly, hopelessly unprepared. I wondered if I would have to speak Korean. Why didn’t I listen more attentively during those Saturday Korean language classes I took growing up? Better yet, why did my parents not speak Korean to me more regularly? I had friends who were fairly fluent, even though they had grown up in Southern California like I had; their parents and grandparents had made it a point to only speak to them in Korean. I was so nervous about what I was going to say and how I was going to sound in my interview that, even with the fluffy bed, I barely slept at all that night.

The next morning, I got up and got dressed. The only thing I felt prepared for was my interview outfit. To help me, I had watched a few Korean dramas that were playing at the time—All In and Full House—to get some clues as to what Korean fashion was like. I took some inspiration from Song Hye-Kyo, who played the lead in both dramas, and I opted for a mid-length black skirt with pantyhose and heels. Other than for a school play, I had never ever worn tights and was even confused about where to buy them (the mall or the grocery store?), but I did own a pair of black Steve Madden pumps and a white button-down. As I took a quick glance at my reflection in the full-length mirror by the hotel door, I felt a little more at ease. At least I looked suited for the position—though in hindsight, I probably looked more like a card dealer at a casino, much like the one Song Hye-Kyo played in All In.

Downstairs in the lobby, my heels click-clacked across the floor as I followed the Samsung signs to the conference room, where the interviews would be taking place. I was greeted by a friendly and chatty Korean man named Woo-Shik, who looked just a smidge older than me. He started to speak in Korean, but I must have looked like a deer caught in headlights because he immediately switched to English. “Are you here for the interview? For Samsung?” he asked. I nodded enthusiastically.

He led me to where I was supposed to wait with the other candidates and made small talk as we walked. “Hey, you live in L.A. right? Have you ever seen Nicole Kidman? What? No? How about Brad Pitt? Angelina Jolie?”

He started to rattle off names of celebrities like he’d just memorized the latest issue of Us Weekly. I tried to answer as honestly as possible—without disappointing him, of course—but the whole time I kept thinking, who is this character? Although he was smartly dressed, it didn’t feel like the start to a professional interview at one of the largest companies in the world. But I told him about how I did once see Barry Pepper from Saving Private Ryan at a grocery store and started to relax. Maybe the interview wouldn’t be so bad after all. 

When it was time, Woo-Shik (who turned out to be the Samsung international recruiting officer) ushered me into a room with a chair in the middle. There were three older gentlemen, only slightly younger than my dad, staring back at me. They did not look like they were going to speak English. My shoes were starting to pinch. Oh my God, I thought to myself, I’m not prepared for this. 

“Charlotte . . . Lee?”

“Yes.”

“Thank you for coming.”

“Thank you for having me?”

“한국말할수있어요?” (Do you know how to speak Korean?)

“조금 . . . 요.” (A little.) I pinched my fingers together to sign language my Korean.

“미국에서 태어났어요?” (Were you born in the U.S.?)

Crickets. 

“I was born in California. I’m sorry I don’t speak Korean that well.”

“It’s okay. Samsung is a global company. If you work for Samsung, everyone speaks English.”

A wave of relief washed over me as we switched to English, and they asked me about graduating from the University of California, Irvine and working at an ad agency. “It says here you graduated in 2006,” one of them said, reading off my résumé, “but you started in 2003.”

“Yes,” I said, nodding. “I graduated in three years. It wasn’t an accelerated program, I just took more units per semester and graduated early.”

They looked at each other and started whispering to one another. I tried, but failed to read the expressions on their faces. “Why would you want to graduate earlier?” one asked.

I swallowed and told them the truth. “It was cheaper,” I said. “I paid for college myself, and three years was more economical than four.”

More murmuring, looks, and nods.

“What do your parents do, Charlotte?”

I hesitated. I wasn’t sure if sharing my dad’s occupation was going to increase or decrease my chances of getting this job, but as soon as I caught myself hesitating, I felt guilty, as though I was ashamed of my parents. “My dad . . . he owns a store,” I said. “A liquor store in Whittier.” Then, maybe because of the guilt, everything else came pouring out. I told them how my parents could have paid for me to go to college, and in fact, they had wanted to so that I could completely focus on school. But I didn’t want them to—they worked really hard, and they had already paid for enough. Besides, I’d had a job since I was 16. I liked being financially independent, and I saw no need to stop.

Telling these strangers about my parents made my eyes prick with tears, and I blinked them back as quickly as I could for fear they’d well up and spill over. Do not cry during a job interview, I told myself. You’re going to look weak. 

If they noticed my tears, the men didn’t acknowledge them. Instead, they told me that they were sure my parents appreciated that; I nodded in agreement. There was one VP, sitting right in the middle of the group, who hadn’t said a word the entire interview. He had a kind face, like a soft, fuzzy peach. Now, he spoke up, surprising me with the fluidity of his English. “Charlotte, how do you feel about public relations or communications?” he asked. “I think you’d be great for that team.” I told him that yes, I was interested in public relations. “And don’t worry about the language,” he added. “Samsung is a global company, and everyone is asked to speak English. You’ll fit right in.”

I smiled and thanked him, while my brain was doing backflips. What had he just said? What did he mean I’d be great for that team? Did I get the job? It couldn’t be. They had hardly asked me any questions.

I stumbled out of the room in a daze and unsure what to feel other than relief that it was over.  Back in the lobby, Woo-Shik asked me how much I had paid for my flight. I told him $486. He rolled out an envelope and handed me $500. In cash. And I was done.

Later that evening, my dad called and asked me how everything had gone. I tried to sum it up for him the best that I could: They had asked a few questions about my family, it hadn’t felt like a real interview, and I hadn’t thought I had done well, to be honest. But at the same time, I couldn’t help but feel that I had the job.

My dad made it clear that he was happy for me either way. “That’s great, Charlotte,” he said. “Now get home safe.” Little did we know that what I had just experienced in that room would change my life forever. 

***

Within a few months, I found myself at LAX airport, clutching a one-way ticket to Seoul after getting an offer from Samsung. Everything still felt surreal. I didn’t know what to expect, so I started to set low expectations for everyone, just in case I failed miserably working in Korea. I told my friends and family that this would be a one-year thing and that I’d be back. I even told my brother he could borrow the new car that I had poured all my savings into (I had bought it prematurely, not knowing I would receive this unique opportunity) and to take care of it, so that it would be as good as new when I returned. One year would go by in a flash, I thought to myself.

I wasn’t the most prepared for the move. I decided not to find an apartment in advance and luckily was able to crash with Jo, a friend that was living in Korea at the time. In my excitement over becoming a bona fide Seoulite, I bought a long black coat with faux fur trim that looked like it belonged in a Korean drama, then called it a day. I was moving in early March, which meant it would still be cold, especially for someone coming from L.A.

I was still confused about what I was going to do, but I practiced my Korean diligently in those weeks leading up to my departure. Still, I knew that one month of study wouldn’t make up for 21 years of neglect. I reassured myself that everyone would speak English at work because that’s what the nice VP with the pleasant smile had said. Regardless, it would be an adventure in a country I was excited about, so I was ready to wing it.

I remember my first day at work like it was yesterday. I was reunited briefly with Woo-Shik, who brought me to the floor where the Public Relations and Investor Relations teams sat. He introduced me to a burly man with a large humidifier that practically took up half of his desk. I would eventually know him to be my direct manager, and he literally laughed at me and said in Korean, “I hope you know that no one speaks English in this team except for you.” (Later, I would find out that many of my team members were so shy about speaking English that they had been dreading my arrival. Ouch.)

The day passed and I sat at my desk, tidying up for the twelfth time and looking at an empty email inbox. The next day, I was asked to physically cut a few relevant news articles about the industry out of the Wall Street Journal, paste them onto printer paper with a glue stick, then scan them into a file. The rest of the week I did the same thing, growing more and more defeated by the hour. I had been so excited to dive into a new career and work on impactful PR projects. Instead, I felt my ambitions were quickly dashed, and I was stuck with busywork that resembled third grade–level arts and crafts. To be fair, it’s not like there wasn’t work to be done, but I don’t think anyone knew what to do with a Korean-American girl that only spoke English.

The next week was more eventful, but not in a good way. The whole team went out to lunch to welcome me. I ate my kimchi jjigae (stew) in silence until Mr. Hong, who was the head VP of my department, asked me to stand up and introduce myself. Not expecting this, I was mortified. Everyone stared at me as they waited. I slowly stood up, bowed awkwardly,  then quickly stated my name and that I was happy to be there. If there were tumbleweeds in the city of Seoul, it would have been the perfect time for them to roll past. After my speech abruptly ended, there was scattered applause. As I plopped down into my seat, I wished the chair would disappear into a hole until it was time for me to go back to California.
Despite that being the most uncomfortable lunch of my life, my team didn’t allow me to crawl into that hole. Every day from then on, I spent the majority of my time with the same people. Not only did we work together, we ate breakfast, lunches, and dinners together. Dinners at Korean BBQ restaurants were particularly special, as we huddled around the embers of hot coals, pouring drinks and cutting up only the tender pieces of meat for each other. Over our many meals together, they got to know the details of my family, my food tastes (and that I really could handle my soju), while I got to quiz them on everything from politics to societal pressures in Korea. I even made friends with team members from different departments that were on the same floor, and we would grab coffees, take breaks, and plan out weekend activities together. 

During stressful late nights at the office, we would take trips to the convenience store to fill ourselves up with snacks and cups of Maxim, my favorite Korean instant coffee. The dark, nearly silent floor was punctuated by sporadic fits of laughter as they taught me how to swear in Korean and poked fun at me by impersonating my terrible American accent. Day in and day out, throughout the bitter winter (the jacket and faux fur did not cut it), I got to nourish these relationships and soon, I felt more at home. We got so comfortable with each other that they even made fun of my unbrushed hair and how little I knew about skin care—and I didn’t mind. They were practically like my long-lost brothers and sisters.

Finally, spring came, which then turned into summer. It felt like I had just begun to settle into my apartment and was getting my multi-step skin care routine down pat when the trees started to change into fall colors. It had been my first time experiencing real seasons, and even I, who had predicted how fast a year in Seoul would go by, was caught off guard that my one-year anniversary in Korea was quickly approaching. 

  ***

For the holidays, I made plans to visit my family in California, which meant I would be leaving for a few weeks. As I was saying my goodbyes, my colleague Sang-Ho, who was part of the broadcasting team, said to me in Korean, “It’ll be weird without you here. I mean, we have jeong with you now.” 

“You have what with me now?” I asked. “Jeong? What’s that?” My Korean had improved, but it was clearly one of many words that I still didn’t know. 

He tried to explain it. “Jeong . . . it’s hard to explain. It’s a type of feeling.” He was struggling to find a definition, so he recruited Hae-Mi, another team member, to help me understand what he was talking about. 

“Hey, Hae-Mi, what’s the English word for jeong?”

She furrowed her brows and tried spitting out some words, but was ultimately at a loss. My other colleague Chang-Dong, who sat in the cubicle next to me, pulled up the dictionary on Naver. “Naver says it means affection.”

Sang-Ho replied, “Hm, that’s not it either. That’s really a watered-down version of what jeong is.” 

Hae-Mi agreed. “Yeah, it’s not exactly it,” she said. “It’s much more complex than that. But when you feel jeong, you’ll know it.” 

With that vague description, I wasn’t sure what they were talking about. But curiosity got the best of me. I started to ask everyone around me, and the more it was explained, the more I grew to understand. I learned that jeong is a Korean word used to describe a deep and meaningful connection that builds over time and through shared experiences with other people, places, or things.  I hadn’t realized it at the time, but jeong had been present in my life from when I first landed in Korea. It was the countless dinners with the communal bottle of soju that we passed and poured gingerly with two hands into cups for one another. It was every late night at the office when a team member would take the extra time to help me translate the documents I couldn’t do quickly myself. It was the feeling I got when my uncle woke up extra early, so he could drop me off at work when it was snowing the hardest. It was the 20,000 Korean won (about $20 U.S.) that was handed to me by my colleague so that I could get home safely in a cab. And I would soon come to realize that jeong had seeped into my every pore. I didn’t just love my adopted city—I had jeong with Seoul and the people in it too.

Discovering jeong was when everything clicked. And the more I tried to understand it and cultivate it in my life, the more happiness and success followed. I thought often about the interview I had back in Texas. I hadn’t been the strongest contender for the role, considering my lack of experience and inability to speak Korean. I wondered if my sudden display of emotion, filled with jeong for my parents, had played any part in their decision to give me a chance at this unique opportunity. 

After a few years at Samsung, I ended up working briefly for that very kind VP who had interviewed me on that fateful day in Houston. Because the question still lingered, I worked up the nerve to ask him why he’d been so sure to select me for the position when I wasn’t the most qualified candidate out there. He paused intently, as if it would be difficult to explain. Then he finally said, “I could see it in your eyes that you would have the same deep connection to this job as you do for your family.” 

And that is the power of jeong. 

Get The Little Book of Jeong NOW on Then I Met You and Soko Glam!

The post Excerpt from Charlotte Cho’s The Little Book of Jeong appeared first on The Klog.

When it comes to trying out new skin care products, I have to approach them with caution. I love experimenting with new textures and formulas, but my highly reactive skin means I have to play it safe. Just looking at the wrong ingredient can set off unexpected hives and rashes that have me reaching for antihistamines.

However, when I was recently given the opportunity to try out Benton’s Aloe Real Cool Soothing Gel, I jumped at the chance. I’ve had mostly good experiences with aloe products in the past, but they always ended up having a sticky finish or loads of alcohol in the formula that ultimately ended up drying out my skin.

Looking into Benton’s gel, I discovered it contained a whopping 93% aloe leaf extract, along with a handful of other naturally soothing ingredients and none of the stuff my skin dislikes, like alcohol, artificial fragrances or essential oils.

Aloe is beloved for its after-sun skin soothing benefits, and this gel captures all of that goodness while adding in hydrating coconut fruit extract and anti-inflammatory Japanese seaweed extract. I love to hang out in the sunshine (after slathering on my SPF, of course!) but no matter how sun-safe I am, my fair, sensitive skin is still prone to flushing and overheating. 

After a cool shower, I apply this gel everywhere to alleviate redness and sun-induced dehydration. I love the fact that it sinks in without leaving behind any stickiness or any overly powerful scents. It also has a gentle cooling sensation when applied to the skin, but if you pop the jar in the fridge beforehand, the results are extra-refreshing—a must on hot and humid days. 

Get this- the perks of this affordable gel don’t stop at sun care.

 I recently had an allergic reaction to some hand soap, resulting in hives on both of my arms. After a few days of allergy medicine, I decided to try calming the breakouts with my Aloe Real Cool Soothing Gel and my skin loved it. The previously rough texture of the hives was smoothed, and my skin felt soft and comfortable. 

Some of my other favorite ways to use Benton’s gel:

– Forgot to apply sunscreen to the part in your hair and now have sunburn? Don’t worry, this gel is safe for the scalp and won’t leave your hair feeling greasy.

– If you have tired feet after a long day of hiking or sightseeing, apply a thick layer of the gel to your feet and wrap in saran wrap for 30 minutes for a relaxing, cooling treatment that will lock in moisture.

– If your skin is in need of a quick hydration fix, try applying a generous amount of gel to the face before bed and massage it in after 15 minutes for a hydrating sleep mask that won’t leave any sticky residue.

– Mosquito bites have you seeking relief? Dab a thin layer of the gel onto affected spots to alleviate redness and itching.

Whether your skin is as sensitive as mine, or you’re just looking for the perfect multi-purpose treatment to keep on hand, I highly recommend grabbing a jar of Benton Aloe Real Cool Soothing Gel for all of your skin’s needs. Did I mention it’s only $8 for a 300ml jar? You’ve got to try it!

Have you tried this summer must-have? Let us know in the comments!

The post Why This Super-Affordable Multi-Tasking Aloe Gel Will Be My Summer Go-To appeared first on The Klog.