I TESTED KOREAN BEAUTY BRAND ERBORIAN

Sheet masks, brightening eye patches, charcoal scrubs, water sleeping masks, cleansing oils, konjac sponges and many fun factors: K-beauty products have become very popular in the United States and Europe. Sephora started selling Korean cosmetic products in 2011, creating a hype amongst beauty bloggers. Korean skin care has become so successful that Western brands have created mimics of the Korean products in an attempt to cash in.

As a beauty editor, I was quite familiar with the Japanese beauty routine thanks to Shiseido, a Japanese cosmetics brand I’ve been using for 15 years. This spring, I received three products by Erborian, a successful Korean skin therapy brand that has just been launched in Switzerland (Manor and Apo24 are the main sales points). Erborian, which is part of the French cosmetics company Group L’Occitane, is a dynamic brand that is known for its stunning textures and hybrid products that combine skincare with make-up. Its exclusive formulas, developed in the Erborian laboratories in Seoul, have been created for busy, cosmopolitan women across the world.

(Above) Erborian products are easy to use, the BB and CC creams come in small 15ml tubes.

REVIEW ERBORIAN BB CREAM

Erborian has created a series of hybrid products that merge skincare with make-up. The BB Cream and the CC Cream are Erborian’s bestsellers. I tested the BB Cream in Clair and was pleased to see that it matched my porcelain skin tone perfectly. I applied a fine layer to my face after my moisturiser. It blended easily into the skin and I applied a second layer to cover larger pores around the nose and some imperfections. I was pleased to see that it gave me a natural-looking finish without feeling cakey. At midday and in the late afternoon, I used some blotting paper, but I needed less than when I wear a classic foundation.

What I really love about this lightwear BB Cream is the fact that during the day my T-zone shines less than with a traditional foundation. I also appreciate the fact that it comes in a small tube (15ml). It’s perfect for business trips and the holidays, especially because you don’t have to take a day cream with you.

(Above) Erborian’s BB Cream is available in four shades: Claire, Nude, Doré and Caramel (from left to right).

The BB Cream, which is more lightweight than the CC Cream, contains a highly concentrated selection of herbs used traditionally in Korean skincare. It unifies skin tone to conceal imperfections, it moisturises and nourishes the skin. Moreover, it has SPF 20 to protect your skin from the sun for a short time. Nevertheless, I prefer to combine it with a SPF 50 to have a very high sun protection.

The beauty ritual of Korean women is one of the most sophisticated in the world. It’s based on the principle of layering, which consists of applying seven «layers» of products.

ERBORIAN CC CREAM

Enriched with SPF 25, the CC Cream is a multi-purpose formula that combines skincare and make-up: this illuminator contains pigments to enhance the skin’s appearance, while enriching and improving it’s texture and quality.

At first glance the cream appears white, but upon application, it adapts to match your skin tone, revealing a more even complexion, leaving skin luminous and soft, while reducing the appearance of blemishes. Enriched with Centella asiatica, it boosts radiance, protects and hydrates. Moreover, it helps to unify and camouflage fine lines. Make sure to apply the CC Cream with your hands and not with a beauty blender, otherwise the shade won’t adapt to your skin colour.

(Above) In France, where Erborian is extremely successful and their products are also available in pharmacies, an ad campaign featured three French bloggers. Sanana (middle) is Kim Kardashian’s look-alike.

REVIEW ERBORIAN GLOW CREAM

This multi-benefit cream offers a luminous blur effect and a fresh complexion in a simple step. I use it either with the BB Cream or my foundation. It gives my skin a fresh, illuminating effect and a radiant complexion. I get the best result when I use it on my cheeks after applying the make-up and the blush. It gives the cheeks a pearly glow like a highlighter.