I turned 40 last month and with it came new things to ponder and focus my attention on. Responsible things like maybe I should start saving for retirement instead of getting more tattoos, or perhaps I should start wearing dresses where my hemline travels a few more inches south instead of what my pre-teen called “scandalous,” and I probably should start thinking about taking better care of my skin to avoid wrinkles.

My skin has been an issue ever since my senior year when one pimple became clusters of angry red bumps that little kids would point to and ask why I had dots on my face (true story). In my twenties, my parents’ friends would shake their heads and say how sad it was that “a girl so pretty would have her beauty marred by such terrible skin.” Acne followed me into my thirties (SO UNFAIR) and now, at 40, I still have breakouts here and there but luckily no more clusters or inflammation (thanks, keto diet). We won’t even talk about my pores, though.

My skin has always, ALWAYS, been an issue of insecurity for me. I used to cry because I felt so ugly and unattractive. Heavy layers of makeup just seemed to make the problem worse and thankfully, in my thirties, things began to clear up enough. Plus I grew up a little and stop putting my self-worth and confidence solely in the way I looked.

I’ve tried quite a few skincare products (pretty much everything at Sephora, CVS, and Target) and nothing really helped. I’ve tried facials and peels, which helped, but were quite costly and time-consuming. Of course, when I began eating better, my skin got better (duh), but never nice enough not to use a skin filter on all my photos. At a recent event for a group of gorgeous SoCal Bloggers Babes, I received the Saranghae 5-Step Anti-Aging Skin Care Routine. I was pretty excited. The brand is inspired by the Korean skin care system, which is pretty trendy right now. Being of Asian descent, I’m lucky enough to have youthful looking skin with minimal lines, but since I am a big believer in preventative care, I figured 40 was the time to start taking care of my skin.

I received this 5-step system at a SoCal Blogger Babes event in October and have been trying it out for the last 4 weeks. All opinions expressed are truthful and 100% my own.

The Saranghae 5-Step System

Step 1: Saranghae Nourishing & Moisturizing Oil + Foam Cleanser with Truffle Extract & Gold

The first step of the Saranshae system is my favorite. It’s an oil-based cleanser that has beautiful gold sparkles (which are real gold flakes, according to the Saranghae website) and gold glitter is always a plus in my book. I’ve sampled a few other oil-based cleansers and haven’t been impressed. They’ve all felt odd to me, sticky, and my skin never felt completely clean after, but then, none of them had gold glitter in them either.

The Saranghae nourishing and moisturizing oil goes on your face while it’s dry and then you add some water and it foams up. I love this because it feels like the cleanser is actually working. The first two times I used it, my skin was a bit sensitive to it and I got some redness on my cheek for a few minutes. But after using it for a day, there’s been no sensitivity issue.

Step 2: Saranghae Deep Radiance Essence + Serum

I will admit that serums freak me out. I’ve spent $80-100 on other serums that made me break out badly because of its thickness. But the Saranghae serum is light and my skin seems to suck up the nutrients in the product. The serum has Phellinus Linteus (Sang Hwang) Mushroom extract, plant-based placenta, collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid, stuff that sounds like it would be good for the skin, right?

Step 3: Saranghae Firm and Lift Cellular Regeneration Cream

It turns out I’ve been mixing up step 3 and 4 for the last 30 days, haha. (They do have videos on how to use the entire system on the website, and I watched them, too!). I’m sure it’s fine because this regeneration cream has made my skin very soft despite when I put it on and it seems to be working well, even if I’ve been applying it after the eye cream. The word, “cream,” belies the fact that it is light and my skin absorbs it quickly.

Step 4: Saranghae Focus Renewal Eye Cream

I’ve thought about eye creams a lot in the last 8 years or so (not that I’ve really done too much about it). About two years ago, I began noticing in pictures a little crinkling around my eyes when I smiled and so in the last year or so, I began dabbing some Doterra lavender and frankincense essential oils and called it a day. I don’t know if it did anything, but I liked knowing I was being proactive in some way.

I like the Saranghae eye cream and I like that I only need very little each day. I typically rub any excess around my mouth, where my lines are a bit more prominent.

Step 5: Saranghae Elemental Essence Mask

A good face mask can solve all of life’s problems, right? Well, may not all but it can give us a break from our troubles for 15-20 minutes. I love this face mask because it’s easy to use and afterward my skin glows! Plus, it’s a lot of fun. My daughter and I like to put on some masks and watch Netflix. It doesn’t burn and itch like the drugstore mud masks I used to use.

What I Think About The Saranghae 5-Step Anti-Aging Skincare Routine

After using this skincare routine for the last 30 days, I’ve found that:

• My skin tone has evened out, no more patchy dry spots, even in the dry windy weather!
• My skin feels soft and is hydrated.
• No breakouts (aside from an occasional pimple or two I always get at certain times of the month).
• My skin glows in photos and I no longer have to use Photoshop’s healing brush to smooth out my skin

One minor thing about the product that they could improve upon is a little nit-picky, but…although the packaging is beautiful, it seemed quite large for a 30-day supply. I do have plenty left for at least another 20 days at least, but one day, when I was using the cream, I discovered a large air bubble that showed I actually had a container didn’t have quite as much product in it as it appeared to be. I liken it to opening a bag of chips – the bag typically is half air and even though you knew what you were getting, it’s still a little bit of a letdown. The jars are large and provide an ample supply of product for 30-45 days (probably more), so it’s not like I was short-changed or anything. Again, it didn’t take away from the product at all, just a bit bummed that there wasn’t an endless supply.

The Bottom Line – Should You Buy It?

Obviously, the question is, would I pay the $139-159 price tag for the entire 5-step system? And my answer is yes! If you think about the amount of money you spend for each of your skin care products (and I’m talking the quality products, not the Trader Joe’s moisturizing cream – no knock on TJ’s cream, I have used it in the past and it’s been okay), you’re probably spending about $100-200 every few months on gels, creams, washes, exfoliators, etc. Broken down, this 5-step system would be average out to be about $30 a product, which is certainly affordable for a quality line. Plus, after 40, I think it’s time for me to really step up and take care of my skin. I cannot rely on good genes forever.

See for yourself at https://www.lovesaranghae.com/