Up for a reality-check on viral beauty hacks? I (Jenny—your esthetician in residence) put my bestie Kirsten’s $500 K-beauty haul under the microscope while she battles a peel-off lip stain gone full-Smurf. Snail mucin, salmon-DNA serums, methylene-blue biohacks, and a “billion-bee” plumper all get stress-tested. Skip the hype, keep the skin science.
Methylene Blue Tongue
01:24 — Kirsten’s blue tongue and the science behind it.
Lip-Stain Disaster Live
02:42 — A bargain peel-off stain gives Kirsten patchy Smurf lips and I try to deliver a straight-face assessment.
Dry Skin & Microneedling
03:25 — Post-microneedling lip tips and the importances of gentle exfoliation before any lip-color stunts.
Bee-Sting Plumpers
04:20 — Alternatives to the questionable “billion-bee” lip plumper.
A Secret Korean Beauty Bodega
06:04 — This sign-less shop on the lower east side is packed with good and knowledge.
$500 K-Beauty Haul Breakdown
06:49 — I line-item Kirsten’s impulse buys. Fine-line fixes, salmon-DNA serums and separate the winners from the hype.
K-Beauty 10-Step Routine, Edited
08:23 — I trim the classic ten steps down to the essentials.
Snail Mucin & Biotech Buzz
08:42 — Humane slime harvesting, salmon DNA, and lab-grown roses send my brain into overdrive.
Essences, Rice & Ceramides
14:03 — Everything black-rice toners, probiotic essences, and barrier-loving ceramides.
Brightening, Brown Spots & Peptides
20:54 — Kirsten confesses brown-spot paranoia; I prescribe niacinamide cocktails and copper peptides.
Vitamin C Capsule Cream
26:26 — We puncture a bead-filled Vit-C gel. Texture was dreamy, the scent was confusing.
Sun Stick & SPF Chat
30:18 — The kids love this cotton-blue sun stick. We settle the mineral-vs-chemical sunscreen debate.
The Collagen Molding Pack
31:00 — This powder-to-gloop mask promises magic. I explain what’s really happening.
Words to the Wise
42:58 — I keep the winners and ditch the duds.
Good to know
Places and sources mentioned:
Chris Danton and GOOD THINKING
Products mentioned:
Advanced Snail Radiance - COSRX (snail mucin)
AXIS-Y - Dark spot correcting glow cream
Haru Haru Wonder - Black rice probiotic barrier essence
WishTrend - Mandelic acid (Jenny’s exfoliating water)
Pyunkang Yul - Essence Toner (korean name -Jenny’s)
Purito - Mighty bamboo panthenol cream
Noni Ampoule (Calming skin radiance) Not sure about? Don’t get Celimax)
Mumbuz:n - Antioxidant Brightening - What’s Your Number (5+) -
Medicube - Deep Vitamin C Capsule Cream - (has fragrance)
PHA - Resurfacing Glow Peel
TOCOBO - Cotton Soft Skin Stick (sunscreen) Not great (chemical).
Reedle Shot EX - Collagen Molding Pack
Biodance- Pink Package
Onelogy - Packets of Peptides - Water Activated Tablets (from Printemps)
About
Our music is by the artist Fabian Küpper. Learn more about his work and enjoy his soul-soothing handpan music on his website
Connect with Kirsten’s company IN GOOD CO | Website I Substack I Insta I LinkedIn
Explore Jenny & Kirsten’s award-winning skincare brand, BeautyGrass I Website I Substack I Insta | TikTok
Visiting LA? Treat yourself to a facial with Jenny at Saving Faces: Website | Insta
The LitWithin podcast team is: Jenny Evans, Kirsten Ludwig, Chris Danton, and Christina Hempstead
If you're listening to this on Apple, Spotify, or YouTube, head to our Substack for tons of detailed notes and links from the episode.
