Skincare for Your Soul: Achieving Outer Beauty and Inner Peace with Korean Skincare

by Jude Chao

“This book feels like talking with a trusted friend, one so generous with practical advice and wisdom. I wish our Dermatology textbooks had chapters like these!” — Dr. Erin Tababa-Santos , creator of The Nerdy Derma
#1 New Release in Massage and Skin Ailments
Have you always longed for that fresh, glowing, no-makeup look? With this step-by-step guide to Korean skincare routines, anyone can attain healthy skin. But  Skincare for Your Soul  takes it one step further―it guides you to a place where skincare is also self-care.
The Korean skin care journey.  As much as we’d like, glowing, clear skin doesn’t happen overnight. But there is beauty in the process―not just the results. Author Jude Chao links skincare to self-care culture, giving readers a practical guide to developing an ideal skincare routine and using it to help manage stress, anxiety, and depression. The Korean skincare routine invites us to look at our skincare not only as a way to reduce lines and wrinkles or clear up breakouts, but as a tool for developing our self-care habits.
Steady improvement is the goal.  Photoshopped perfection is neither realistic nor a healthy goal. What matters is caring for our mental health and building our self-esteem by intentionally taking time each day to give our skin some love. But it starts with changing how we view skincare and developing a routine that fits our personal needs and goals, and Chao helps you do that.
Dive into Chao’s book on K-beauty and If you enjoyed books like  The Little Book of Skin Care ,  The Skincare Bible , or  Glow from Within , you’ll love  Skincare for Your Soul .

Genres: Nonfiction, Self Help, Science

248 pages, Hardcover

Published March 30, 2021

Reviews

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book informative but if you’ve read her blog or researched skincare then there is little new material here. This is better aimed at someone who has a basic skincare routine but wants to enjoy it more or who wants to look into Korean Skincare specifically. The narrator had a soothing voice and it was relaxing to listen to. The research is solid and I appreciated her level-headed approach.

[Julia Paradis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this book. It inspired me to get a few products and really start thinking about my skin, and to tie it to self care and joy over perfection. I do wish it was a wee bit more specific since I found myself still needing more info…guess I’ll have to do more research!

[e · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The act of taking care of my skin at the beginning and end of the day had become a way of telling myself that I have value and deserve care. With repetition, that subconscious message managed to penetrate layers of apathy and self doubt. It became my truth."

[Megan Montgomery · Rating 5 out of 5]

Skincare For Your Soul demystifies Korean skincare routines and explains the science and rationale behind ingredients that work. Just reading this book is so soothing, it’s like smearing snail mucin on your brain.

[monica · Rating 4 out of 5]

a lovely reminder as to why fifty shades of snail is still an s tier AB blog

[Brooke · Rating 3 out of 5]

this would be a perfect book for beginners that want to get into skincare

[Renee · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 - super enjoyable! When I started in my k-beauty journey, I used Fifty Shades of Snails as a huge resource for me, plus I've listened to all episodes of "The Snail Cast" podcast and I feel like Jude Chao knows her stuff! I appreciated the breakdown of steps, and while some information I knew, I appreciated the breakdown of products because there is still lots to learn. Also, I appreciated the emphasis on the media's representation of unattainable skin, but also on marketing tactics. I tagged quite a few pages on ingredients and know that I will go back to it. It's a quick read and the aesthetic is lovely!

[Harshita Sakhamuri · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a great read, honestly. It was super educational and informative. The deep dive into Korean skincare that I needed. There were a few editorial slip ups which caught my attention, but I’m willing to let those slide. However, more importantly, a thorough exploration of Jude’s blog and Instagram showed me that a lot of what she spoke about or knowledge she imparted in her book, was already freely available on the internet. The only difference being it wasn’t structured in a well flowing manner. I’d recommend the book solely based on how much of the knowledge you’d put to use to design your KBeauty skincare routine.

[Rina Ayra Diaz · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good skincare guide book for those who want to start building their skincare routine but doesn’t not know when and where to start. However it is important to note that most of the things stated in the book are readily available on the internet. There are plenty of youtube videos of dermatologists, aestheticians, skincare enthusiasts who tells you the same thing and can condense it in a 20 minute video or less. Nothing really new for a person who’s had their skincare routine checked.

[Katherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really helpful to just have a written format as an accessible intro into what's up with a Korean approach to skin care. The discussions around mental health weren't something I personally got a lot out of, but they were thoughtful. The descriptions of different ingredients and what goals might be served by them seemed very credible because suggestions of what the downsides might be or who it wouldn't be a good fit for were included, as well as scrupulously staying away from any specific product recommendations. I was also very on board with the skewering of the "chemicals are bad, natural is good" mindset that seeps into a lot of these sorts of discussions. This book also explained how it's less that there are many steps necessary and more about a certain ordering of ingredients to achieving any goals you might have, with some that you should skip if you don't care about it.

[Ivy DeWitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great concise book of skincare

This isn’t a long read (I finished my first read through in a few hours) but as someone who appreciates a concise breakdown of K-Beauty products and so,e key ingredients, I really do think this is a great read. It’s concise, with a touch of empathy from the author as she describes how skincare gave her purpose while dealing with mental health issues. As someone who initially got into K-Beauty last year as part of COVID related anxiety and general stress, I appreciated her thoughts and insight. I’d highly recommend this.

[Lenna the Unicorn Cat · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very short but thorough book on skincare, how different products work to help enhance your skincare experience, as well as how to incorporate it into a self-care regiment. As someone who is still dipping my toes into the skincare world to take care of my skin properly, I really enjoyed this book and am actually curious about finding a physical copy to own and add to my own bookshelves.

[Victoria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great succinct summary of skincare how-to and introduction to various ingredients. I have obsessed over asian skincare for years, but it still gets confusing with the different ingredients out there and what to believe in the product marketing. This book helps ground you with foundational guidelines on what’s real and worth trying or not.

[Virginia Cornelia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting, better for beginners, though.

[Cindy van Wyk · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful, easy-to-understand resource for anyone looking to get into skincare or brush up on what they already know. Brings beauty and wellness together so perfectly. Loved it.

[Carrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not sure how I found this book - searching for self-care? Searching for something else and it was another book suggestion further down the list?

In any case, I'm so glad I reached for it, because it was a book I didn't know I needed!

I never really learned how to properly care for my skin and Jude Chao will give you the process to find what works best for you. Not only does she describe how to do so in such a caring, way; she also refuses to recommend any specific products. While this may have been exactly what I wanted her to do - my easy way out to grab everything I need and get going; instead she empowers you to find the ingredients that work for your skin, incorporating each product one and at time to be sure you know your skin won't react to it.

She give you permission to take this slowly and care for yourself.

What's more is that I listened to the audio version (of which I could not find on goodreads) and the narrator, Ferdelle Capistrano, may be one of my new favorites. Her voice is so soothing and encouraging that I had to look up what others she narrates - and no wonder there are a lot of middle grade novels listed there because she reminds me of that compassionate voice I may have needed during that period of self-hatred in my life!

While some of the lists of ingredients or products may have sounded overwhelming or over-the-top for my sake sometimes; Chao reiterates several times that not all of them are right for everyone and taking a minimalist approach is just FINE! It made me feel that for now, I can just start with the basics, take what resonates and leave the rest.

She gave me confidence in choosing a couple of cleansers and other items because of what's in them and not because they are a certain brand - and they are affordable, too.

I highly recommend this book if you know nothing about skincare or even if you love beauty products and want to learn the difference between marketing ploys and what may actually work!

[Hannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I discovered Jude and her blog in early 2017 when I visited my family in Taiwan and was doing research on Asian skin care products to buy. I appreciate Jude for her structured, disciplined approach to testing products and her honest, no-nonsense way of reviewing and discussing them. Jude recognizes the tricks brands use in marketing products, the power of ingredients, and also acknowledges how skin care can just bring you joy and that gives it value in addition to what it actually does for your skin. This book displays all of the above characteristics of Jude's philosophy and approach and presents the information in an organized, thoughtful way. I like how she doesn't recommend any actual products, as YMMV and the Asian skin care product industry is so fast-paced that recommendations will become outdated quickly. I see myself referencing her comments on ingredients and lending the book to people interested in starting their own skin care journeys.

[Moira · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The goal is not absolute perfection. The goal is to get our skin to the best condition it can be in, based on our individual circumstances and genetics, & to feel better about ourselves as we do so.”

For those who are interested in K-Beauty or Korean Skincare this is an interesting read. Jude Chao explains from basic skincare to common ingredients used in Korean skincare.

But bare in mind, this book doesn’t recommend skincare products because like what Jude Chao (Author) has said in her book, “Everyone’s skin is different.”

[clr · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 5/5
Date read: 18 Jan 22 - 25 Jan 22
Would recommend to: anyone who feels like their skin isn't perfect (so, basically everyone)

the book that got me into skincare. so informative, helpful, and not too long. love how chao doesn't recommend any products directly, but just gives you lists of ingredients to watch out for when shopping for skincare stuff. would definitely recommend!!

[Jules Iavarone · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great little book! I highly recommend to anyone who is into skincare or wanting a starting place. It’s pretty straight forward with a little new info for advanced skin care enthusiasts. She isn’t that strict on toxic ingredients and teaches more the good ingredients vs the bad ones. But at the end of the day it’s all subjective and it was a great read! Well done!

[Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolute gem of a book. Quick to read and packed with practical information for neophytes and skincare enthusiasts alike.

[Claire Georgine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I felt like I found some good information in this book for myself going into the new year to better take care of my skin