Meet Sohyun. A fellow skincare enthusiast who’s suffered from eczema for most of her life but wasn’t going to take “no” for an answer. Follow her skincare journey and how she #Press(ed)Reset on her skin-detrimental relationship with junk food and learned to listen to what her body truly craves.

Full Name: Sohyun Moon
Occupation: Registered Nurse in South Korea and New York
Location: Seoul, Korea
Age: 25
Skin Type or Concerns: Hyperpigmentation, dehydration, eczema, acne
Life Motto: “Stay forever young”
Fun Fact: I dance whenever the food that I am having tastes amazing.

My Skin Journey | Let’s start from the beginning.

“Ever since I was a baby, I suffered from eczema.

It was all over my body and face and I could never stop scratching it. I tried everything from high-dose steroid treatments to Chinese herbal medicine and even some folk remedies, like applying vinegar directly onto my eczema. This obviously irritated my skin and made the condition even worse, but I was so desperate that I just tried everything out there.

After years and years of high-dose steroid treatments, my skin barrier was completely destroyed and my skin would react to every single product that I tried. The only thing that didn’t was a moisturizer that was prescribed by my dermatologist. Then as a teenager, I started to get hormonal acne while still suffering from eczema. My skin condition dropped my self-esteem right down to the bottom, and I lost all hope in “fixing” my skin problems because nothing - no treatments, no products - were working for me.

But one day I thought, maybe I’ve been going about this the wrong way?

That’s when I started paying attention to what I put in my body and how that triggered my conditions. I cut out junk food and (thanks to Liah’s channel) began paying attention to the ingredients in my skincare products. By treating that inflammation from the inside out, I noticed a significant change. Now, 4-5 years later, my skin is much clearer and healthier. I make it a habit to eat healthy, reduce my sugar intake (despite how good it tastes), and pay attention to what my skin is going through.

I still remember how happy I felt when I could finally look straight into the mirror at myself and not be frustrated with my skin.”

The Eczema Remedy I Cannot Live Without | My Experience with Great Barrier Relief

“Although my skin is in a much healthier condition today, I still suffer from hyperpigmentation, acne scars, and the occasional eczema flare-ups. Last summer, I was really stressed out by all the uncertainties that I had to face after quitting my very first job. It was an upsetting time and the stress was showing on my skin -- I had an eczema flare up for two whole months!

Ugh. Would I ever be free from my eczema?

Thankfully, I was given the opportunity to test out the serum KraveBeauty was developing (now known as Great Barrier Relief) and I was shocked that it subsided the red and itchy sensation in just three days. Not only did it get rid of eczema on the folds of my neck, but the acne scars and hyperpigmentation on my cheeks got so much lighter.

Overall, I fell in love with this product not only because it solved my skin issues but it made my skin feel nourished and bouncier than it ever was before.”

My Current Skincare Routine

• Morning: Right after I get up, I wash my face with lukewarm water. After it, I apply Pyunkang Yul's Essence Toner on my face. I got it because it has a simple ingredient list and though it doesn’t feel super hydrating, it does the job. Then I apply Physiogel's Daily Moisture Therapy Facial Lotion on my face and neck and wait a while for it to be absorbed. Physiogel's moisturizer is the only moisturizer that doesn’t break me out when my skin is feeling stripped and raw (other than the lotion that my dermatologist prescribed). After moisturizing, I put on KraveBeauty's Beet The Sun SPF 50 PA++++ to protect my skin from the UV rays.

• Night: After I get back home, I wash my face off with Matcha Hemp Hydrating Cleanser. The jelly-like texture feels so good on the face! If I have makeup on, I use Bioderma's Micellar Water before cleansing. Just like in the morning, I dab in Pyunkang Yul's Essence Toner right after cleansing my face and, occasionally, (usually about 2~3 times a week) I apply Kale-Lalu-yAHA on the spots that need exfoliation. As my last step, I mix rosehip seed oil or grapeseed oil with Physiogel's Daily Moisture Therapy Facial Cream and lock everything in.

What #PressReset Means to Me

“#PressReset means going back to the beginning and thinking about why I started things that I am doing now - especially when the going gets tough.

I am always looking to develop myself and a couple years ago I decided to learn a foreign language. I loved the idea of being able to connect with more people from different cultures, outside of my home country, but learning a new language at 25 with a full-time job was hard to say the least. I found myself getting frustrated and wanting to give up, but when I took a moment  to think about why I started in the first place, it always brought that initial excitement back to me. Sometimes, you just have to #PressReset on the self-doubt and negativity and get back on track.

How I #PressReset Beyond Beauty

“For me, I MUST spend some time completely on my own at least once a week. When I’m feeling overwhelmed or stressed, I like to get all of my thoughts out onto paper because it often makes things much more simple for me. It helps me see why I started what I did and whatever is stressing me out at the moment. When writing things down doesn't work out, I go out for a movie or even take a nap to stop myself from overthinking.”

What I’ve Been Loving

• Makeup

‘Brow Contour Pro’ from Benefit. The texture is so smooth and the color stays in place throughout the day.

• Books

“I am currently reading ‘I Wasn’t Strong Like This When I Started Out’ by Lee Gutkind. This book is a compilation of stories by veteran nurses and nurses-in-training, and, being a nurse myself, I get very inspired by learning about their interactions with patients and reading about their transformation into strong-willed and skilled professionals.

This book brings me back to the mindset that I had when I just started to work as a nurse after graduation. I cared about putting my patients above anything else, and becoming a nurse whom everyone can trust. I believe that constantly reminding myself about this will help me become a nurse that I always dreamed about, and this book surely does that!”

• Music

“Aah... I could talk about music all day long! There are tons of tracks that I love, but my favorite track at the moment is ‘Valentino’ by Years & Years and MNEK. It makes me want to dance whenever I listen to this song!”

• Places

“I visited Jongmyo (a shrine dedicated for the deceased kings and queens of the Korean Joseon dynasty) for the very first time this month. I was so amazed by the fact that we had a place with such a peaceful and quiet atmosphere right in the center of Seoul. I am planning on revisiting the place when it gets warmer!”

Want to learn more about Sohyun? Follow her on social media:

Instagram: @sohyun.moonbow

#PressReset Diaries is a monthly series on KraveBeauty’s blog that spills the tea on the all too real skincare journeys of members in our community. Tune in to learn about their experiences, routines, and what #PressReset means to them.