'I formulate skincare for a living. This $36 K-Beauty serum is my secret to better skin.'

If there's one thing we love doing on the You Beauty podcast, it's pestering some of the biggest experts in the beauty industry and asking them if we can take a peek inside their skincare cabinets. But also, their brains (over tea and biscuits, of course).

So, when we had the chance to sit down with Shinta Huynh, a leading product developer known for her work on some of the world's biggest brands and cult beauty buys, you're going to bet we had precisely all of the questions for her. (You can listen to the full episode here).

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As a formulator, Shinta is behind the innovation and creation of some of the most popular skincare products. 

"I am constantly surrounded by innovations, packaging, formulas and it's so hard not to try all these different things," she told us on the podcast. "But for me, what has really helped is just tailoring my skincare routine."

"I have quite sensitive skin and I've got eczema. So I'm all about achieving a healthy microbiome or achieving a healthy skin barrier. I'll always try a new product, but I'm always focusing on feeding my skin with the right ingredients it needs."

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From cutting edge ingredients to sleek packaging designs, Shinta is always ahead of the curve. And her job often takes her to places like Korea and Hong Kong to attend beauty conferences and learn all about the latest beauty trends and ingredients.

"I love Korea. I didn't want to come home. I actually had to buy more luggage because I went crazy — I researched all different skin treatments and all the different products I had to get."

Out of an entire suitcase crammed full of K-beauty products — she found some golden nuggets. Not only are Korean and Japanese skincare products extremely effective, Shinta told us, but they are often packed with high-quality ingredients for dewy, hydrated, glass-like skin. 

So, if you're not sure where to start when it comes to Korean beauty, here, Shinta gives us a sneaky peek at the best K-beauty products you can buy in Australia. 

Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum: Propolis + Niacinamide, $36.

Image: Care To Beauty/Canva.

"I use the beauty of Joseon Glow Serum. I've been using this for quite some time and I went to Korea and actually purchased one for each of my girlfriends. It's the best serum. It's just very light and it's got niacinamide and propolis," Shinta said. 

Propolis, Shinta said, is a calming and soothing ingredient that's perfect for inflamed and irritated skin with a honey-like texture.  

"What I love about this serum if you are irritated or more sensitive, it just helps calm the skin and gives you a really healthy morning glow. It's amazing," she said. 

We'll take ten.

Anua Heartleaf 77 Clear Pad, $44.

Image: Nudie Glow/Canva.

"This was one product that came up on TikTok quite a lot," shared Shinta. 

"My skin was so crazy when I was overseas because I went from Sydney's extreme heat to muggy Hong Kong to super cold weather in Korea. So my skin was congested, it was tight, it was dry. Like, she was so confused.

"So I had actually picked up this product in Korea (you can get it in Australia too) and I used it when I got back home and it is so calming, it's got evening primrose oil. It's great for congestion and also good if you've got sensitive skin because it's non irritating."

Used morning or night, the pads are soaked with an ingredient called Heartleaf Extract from Korea, which is used to control congestion, soothe skin and tighten pores.

"I actually brought it on the plane with me and I just left it on my cheeks to soak everything up," Shinta shared.

MEDI-PEEL Red Lacto Collagen Wrapping Mask, $30.

Image: Medi Peel/Canva.

"One product that I love to use at night, and I always get compliments every time I use it, is the Medi-Pure Wrapping Collagen Mask," Shinta said. 

Now, in case you haven't seen this mask on TikTok or Instagram, it basically dries down clear and is peeled off and looks like *actual* skin.

It's the stuff of nightmares, but the results. Ooft, the results. 

"It is a mask that's got amino acids and collagen and you apply a thin layer to your skin and leave it on for 10 to 15 minutes and then peel it off very gently."

Very Patrick Bateman-esque.

"It doesn't rip out your eyebrows, it doesn't rip out your hair, it's very gentle. But as soon as you rip it off, you just look so much tighter and brighter."

"I will use this when I have something on. It's like one of those products where you're like, 'You know what? Tomorrow I've got an event, I want to look glowy and I want to look dewy'."

So. Much. Yes.

Have you tried any of the above products before? What's your favourite K-Beauty buy? Share with us in the comment section below.

Feature image: Shinta Huynh/Supplied.