Korean Skincare – Step by Step

by Mitzie Mee - Sanne

K-beauty has become a huge thing, but what is it exactly? And how does Korean skincare differ from other kinds of skincare? My friend April is from South Korea, but she has been living in New York City for many years, so I thought she would be the person to tell us about what’s trending right now in the world of K-beauty, as well as the differences between Korean and Western skincare. Here’s everything you need to know – are you ready?

April: Although Korean skincare has only gained international recognition in recent years, the Korean beauty industry has long been at the forefront of innovation and product development. Korean consumers are quite discerning and demand high quality and functionality, so the beauty industry is constantly under pressure to develop new products with new, effective ingredients.

Currently, natural ingredient products are popular, but if, for example, it is a product with citrus fruit, it’s not just any citrus fruit, but typically the very best organically grown fruit that can be found. The same goes for clay masks, which are also popular right now. The clay is typically from a volcano on Jeju Island, which is known for having the best clay with a high mineral content.

Regarding skincare routines, I have heard of over 16 different steps. However, I think this is mostly a marketing trick so beauty brands can sell more products. But having said that, there is no doubt that the typical Korean woman probably spends significantly more time on beauty routines than Americans and Europeans do.

Below you will find the main categories of Korean skincare. Within the categories, there are several subcategories, or steps, if you will, but it is very individual how many products one uses and how many steps are included in a typical Korean beauty routine. If you only include 1-2 steps within each category, that is perfectly fine. However, the order is important, as, for example, the toner prepares the skin to absorb the serum, and the cream then seals everything in.

Cleansing – Wash and Clean

Cleansing is one of the areas where we stand out in Korea, as cleansing always includes 2, and often 3 steps in Korean skin care. First, I use a special cleanser to remove makeup from eyes and lips. Then I use an oil-based cleanser to remove makeup and dirt from the rest of the face and neck. Finally, I use a foaming cleanser, typically water-based, which forms lots of foam. I rinse with water, and if I have time, I let the skin air dry to avoid the mechanical stress from the towel. If time is short, I gently dab my face dry.

Prep – Toner & Mist

After cleansing, I use a mist spray that I spray all over my face. The mist should be allowed to air dry, so sometimes I skip this step if I don’t have time.

Then I use toner, which I apply with a cotton pad. The toner prepares the skin to absorb the more functional products that follow in the next step.

Functionality – Care and Nourishment

After the toner, I use essence, serum, or an ampoule. All three products aim to nourish the skin, and especially serum or ampoule is very concentrated, and among the most expensive products included in my skincare routine. You can get serums and ampoules with different properties such as anti-aging or moisturizing, and I try not to mix products with different properties on the same day. Instead, I would use anti-aging serum one day, and moisturizing serum the next day. It is important that serum or ampoule is used right after toner has been applied, but before applying cream.

Encapsulation and Protection – Creams

First, I apply eye cream, which I gently dab into the skin around the eyes, and then I apply face cream. Face cream is important because it encapsulates the essence/serum/ampoule, so that the nutrients can work properly. If it is cold outside, I use a face oil over the cream, or mix a little oil into the cream itself before applying it to my face. Face oil provides additional protection against drying out and cold, and is mainly something I use in the winter months.

Sheet masks

I have seen sheet masks described in several places as one of the steps in the Korean skincare routine, but I think most people use sheet masks separately. The effect from the mask usually kicks in 3-4 hours after wearing the mask, so if I am going out in the evening, I will put on a sheet mask in the afternoon, and then my skin looks radiant and beautiful when I later apply makeup. If you apply makeup immediately after wearing the mask, the mask residue can mix with the makeup and form clumps, so this is not recommended.

My friend April in New York City

April is originally from Seoul, but she has lived in New York City for the past 19 years, so she can rightfully call herself a true New Yorker. However, she has not forgotten her love for Korean cuisine, and if there is anyone who knows what’s happening on the Korean side of New York’s restaurant scene, it’s her. We have known each other since 2017, and together we have eaten our way through many of New York’s restaurants. Our dinners often end with drinks afterwards, and it’s usually whisky or bourbon into the early hours.

April is also on Instagram: @mimipje

February 19, 2023 0 comments

Recipe: Danish Æblekage – Traditional Danish apple dessert

by Mitzie Mee - Sanne

Danish Æblekage is a traditional Danish dessert. Æblekage actually means apple cake in Danish, but it is not a cake, and no baking is involved, so I have no idea why we call it cake. I would say it is more like a trifle, and it is one of the easiest desserts I know.

My mom’s recipe is very basic, but you can add your own twist such as marzipan, cinnamon and honey if you like. You can use most kinds of apples but remember to taste the apple puree along the way, as the tartness varies for different sorts of apples, and you might want to add or leave out sugar.

Notes and Recipe by my mom, aka Mummi P

Almond macaroons: In this recipe I use ready-made Danish almond macaroons, which you can get in most grocery stores in Denmark. In other countries they might be harder to find, so you can either make your own, or use breadcrumbs instead.

If you are using breadcrumbs: Melt a little butter in a frying pan and add breadcrumbs and a tablespoon of sugar. Toss it around until the breadcrumbs are golden brown.

A good granola, such as the Cardamom and Cinnamon Granola from Hungry Bird Eats can also be used instead of macaroons.

Recipe: Æblekage – Traditional Danish apple dessert

Recipe by Mummi P

Course: DessertCuisine: Nordic, Danish

Servings

bowl (6-8 servings)

Traditional Danish apple dessert. My mom’s recipe is very basic, but you can add your own twist such as marzipan, cinnamon and honey if you like. You can use most kinds of apples but remember to taste the apple puree along the way, as the tartness varies for different sorts of apples, and you might want to add or leave out sugar.

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Ingredients

8-9 medium-sized apples
1 vanilla pod
1 tsp sugar
1 cup (2.5dL) heavy cream
1 bag ~ 8.8 oz (250g) macaroons

Directions

Peel the apples and dice them into medium-sized pieces.
Scrape out the seeds from the vanilla bean and mix the seeds with a teaspoon of sugar. Set aside for later.
Put the apples in a large pot and add the empty vanilla pod and a little water so the apples do not get burned when cooking.
Place the pot on the stove and cook at medium heat for 10-15 minutes until the apples are soft and pulpy and start turning into a chunky puree.
Cook for 10-15 minutes until the apples are soft and pulpy, like a chunky puree. Add the vanilla seeds and sugar mixture.
Taste the apple puree and add more sugar if needed. When you are happy with the taste and the texture, turn off the heat, pour the apple puree into a bowl and let it cool for an hour or two.
Whip the cream but be careful not to whip it too much. It should be soft, light and fluffy.
Now it’s time to put it all together. In Denmark we usually serve æblekage in a glass serving bowl. Start with a layer of apple puree, and then add a layer of macaroons. Continue until you have used up all the apple puree. The last layer should be apple puree.
Put plenty of whipped cream on top, and the æblekage is ready to eat.

Recipe Video

Notes

Danish æblekage, recipe -Apples — Macaroons

Æblekage, Danish apple dessert — Macaroons

February 19, 2023 0 comments

Recipe: Swedish Semlor – Vegan version

by Mitzie Mee - Sanne

In Sweden, Fettisdagen (Shrove Tuesday/Fat Tuesday) used to mark the last day before Lent – the Christian fasting period – so this was the day to binge eat, and the feast typically included wheat buns in warm milk (the first, original semla), before the fasting ritual began. Those wheat buns really caught on, and over the years, fettisdagen became synonymous with semlor (plural of semla) in Sweden.

Today, the semla in Sweden has a filling of whipped cream and almond paste, but many Swedes still like their semla with milk. Contrary to the Danish fastelavnsbolle, except for a few minor details, the semla does not seem to have changed much over time. In fact, there is a strange “do-not-touch-my-good-old-semla” attitude among most Swedes, but one exception is the vegan semla. Many Swedes are going green these days, and vegan semlor seem to be one of the few variations that have been accepted by the Swedes and are here to stay.

I had long been curious about vegan baking, and semlor seemed to be a good, but challenging, place to start. The traditional semla contains egg and lots of dairy, and I was particularly concerned about how to find a good egg substitute, so I asked vegan friend Waz in the US, what she thought. She mentioned that apple sauce would probably do the trick, and I found that it worked out great.

For the whipped cream, I chose coconut cream as it is widely available, but I know there are better cream substitutes out there, so feel free to pick whatever you like. If you also go for coconut cream, make sure to chill the cans in the fridge for a minimum of 3-4 hours before use, so the white cream gets solid and separates easily from the clear, liquid, coconut milk.

The semlor have to cool off before you can add the filling, or the cream will melt and turn runny, so count in at least a couple of hours after baking before the buns are ready to be filled with cream and almond paste.

Recipe: Swedish Semlor – Vegan version

Recipe by Mitzie Mee – Sanne

Course: Baking

Servings

semlor

had long been curious about vegan baking, and semlor seemed to be a good, but challenging, place to start. The traditional semla contains egg and lots of dairy, and I was particularly concerned about how to find a good egg substitute, so I asked vegan friend Waz in the US, what she thought. She mentioned that apple sauce would probably do the trick, and I found that it worked out great.

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Ingredients

Wheat buns
1 pack active dry yeast (2 tablespoons)
½ cup melted plant-based butter for baking
1 cup almond milk
¼ cup agave syrup/nectar
A pinch of salt
2 teaspoons ground cardamom
3 ½ cups all-purpose flour (might need a little more)
Whipped cream filling
1 can full fat coconut cream
1 tablespoon powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla sugar or vanilla essence
Almond paste filling
1 ¼ cup almond flour
2 tablespoons apple sauce
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
¼ cup almond milk

Directions

Wheat buns
Melt the butter and mix in the almond milk. Heat until lukewarm.
Follow the directions for activating the dry yeast. Combine almond milk and butter with yeast, agave syrup and salt in a bowl.
Add flour and cardamom and knead or mix at low speed for 10 minutes.
Cover the bowl and let the dough rise in a warm place for 1 hour.
Almond paste filling
Mix almond flour, applesauce, almond milk and confectioner’s sugar/agave syrup to a thick paste. Done!
Now on to the rolls again:
Divide the dough into 12 pieces and shape into balls.
Let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes and preheat the oven to 375ºF
Brush the buns with cold coffee (optional) before baking for 8-10 minutes (until the surface is golden brown)
Let the buns cool completely (that is 3-4 hours) before proceeding.
In the meantime whip the cream. If you are using coconut cream, take the cans from the fridge. Scoop out the white, solid cream and place it in a bowl. Try to avoid getting any of the clear liquid (the milk) in the bowl, as it will make the coconut cream runny.
Mix the cream with an electrical mixer for 2-3 minutes and you will have rather heavy, but sufficiently fluffy whipped coconut cream. Place in the fridge until using.
Back to the buns. Now it is time to add the filling
Cut out a triangular “lid” from each bun.
Add almond paste.
Add whipped cream.
Put the lid back on top of the cream.
Sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar. Ready to serve!

February 17, 2023 0 comments

Handmade butterfly earrings – Fair fashion from Thailand

by Mitzie Mee - Sanne

Butterfly Earrings, handmade jewelry, fair fashion

I found the beautiful butterfly earrings in a small shop at a market in Bangkok, and I just couldn’t resist the beautiful colors and exquisite details. The earrings are handmade, and each piece is unique so to me, they are not just earrings, but little pieces of art that you can wear and treasure.

The butterfly earrings are made by Mim, a young female jewelry designer, who runs her small shop together with her sister Nammon, who is an English teacher and helps Mim communicating with international customers. Mim has always been interested in jewelry design, so after finishing her university studies, she took a course in jewelry making. Mim loves butterflies and birds, so they appear in many of her designs, which are also characterized by beautiful details and a bright, vibrant color scheme.

How to style the butterfly earrings?

I like to keep the rest of my outfit simple and let the earrings be the focal point. That way, they really get a chance to shine. Pair them with simple, neutral clothing and let the colors do the talking. If you want to make a bolder statement, consider styling your butterfly earrings with a top or dress in matching colors.

Overall, I just adore butterfly earrings. They’re such a simple way to add some joy and playfulness to your day, and they are always a conversation starter. Plus, knowing that you’re wearing something that’s unique and handmade just adds to the charm.

February 15, 2023 0 comments

Recipe: Fastelavnsboller – Danish Shrovetide Buns

by Mitzie Mee - Sanne

Shrovetide, also known as “Fastelavn” in Denmark, is a traditional celebration that takes place in the days leading up to Lent. While Fastelavn was originally a religious holiday, it has now become a secular celebration in Denmark, mainly celebrated among kids, who will go to costume parties and Fastelavns-raslen (a kind of trick-or-treat).

One of the most popular traditions associated with Fastelavn is the Fastelavnsboller, which are sweet buns filled with cream, remonce or custard. Fastelavns buns have evolved quite a bit during the years, and nowadays, they come in all sorts and shapes.

This recipe is for old-fashioned, traditional fastelavnsboller. The buns are made with a rich, yeasty dough, and filled with vanilla custard cream. My mom got the recipe from a friend almost 50 years ago, and this is the only recipe, she has been using ever since.

Recipe and notes by my mom, aka Mummi P:)

The recipe is supposed to yield 30 Fastelavnsboller, but if you make 30 buns, they would be very small, so I suggest that you make 14-18 buns. I usually also add a teaspoon of cardamom when I make fastelavnsboller, so if you like the taste of cardamom, you can add it too, along with the flour.

Danish Margarine: Nowadays in Denmark, many people use liquid margarine for baking, but I’m not sure how widely available it is abroad. The original recipe is with solid margarine but you can also use butter.

Vanilla: You can either use the seeds from a whole vanilla bean, or use vanilla essence or vanilla sugar.

Yeast: In Denmark we use a lot of fresh yeast for baking, but if you don’t have fresh yeast at home, you can also use dry yeast. However, please not that dry yeast is activated at a higher temperature, compared to fresh yeast, so follow the instructions on the packaging.

Icing: Let the buns cool off, so they warm, but not very hot, when you apply the icing. If the buns are very hot, the icing will melt and thin out.

Recipe: Fastelavnsboller – Danish Shrovetide Buns

Recipe by My mom, aka Mummi P

Course: Baked goods, buns

Portion

14-18

buns

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Ingredients

Buns
2.6 oz (75 g) fresh yeast
0.8 cup (2dl) milk
2 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
1.8 oz (50 g) sugar
7 oz (200 g) butter or margarine, or 0.85 oz liquid margarine
17.6 oz (500 g) flour
Vanilla Custard Cream
2 eggs
4 tablespoons sugar
4 tablespoon flour (or 3 tablespoons corn starch)
2.1 cups (5 dl) milk
1 vanilla bean (or 1 tea spoon vanilla essence or 2 tea spoons vanilla sugar)
Icing
1 cup (2 dl) powdered sugar
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
2-3 tablespoons boiling water

Directions

Buns
Melt the butter at low heat. Add the milk and heat until lukewarm. If you are using Danish liquid margarine, you only heat the milk, and add the margarine later.
Crumble the yeast into a large mixing bowl and pour in the lukewarm milk and butter. Stir until the yeast is completely dissolved.
Add sugar, salt and eggs and stir well. If you are using liquid margarine, you can add that now.
Add flour and knead the dough for 5-10 minutes until it is smooth and elastic. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and let the dough rise in a warm place for 30 minutes.
Vanilla Custard Filling
Scrape out the seeds from the vanilla pod.
Mix in a little sugar so the vanilla seeds do not clump together.
Whisk together eggs, sugar and vanilla in a saucepan. Add flour, using a strainer, and whisk until smooth.
Pour in the milk and add the empty vanilla bean. Heat the custard while whisking constantly. When the custard thickens, remove it from the heat and set aside to cool.
Icing
Mix powdered sugar and cocoa powder i a big glass or cup.
Add hot water and stir until smooth and glossy. You’d want the icing to be really thick so it sticks to the buns. If the icing is too runny, add more powdered sugar.
The final steps
Preheat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Knead the dough briefly and then divide it into 14-18 pieces. Flatten each piece and spoon 1-2 tablespoons of custard filling onto each piece of dough. Fold the dough over to enclose the custard filling. Pinch the edges together to seal.
Place the buns on the prepared baking sheet with the sealed edges down so the custard doesn’t run out. Leave plenty of space between each bun.
Bake the buns in the preheated oven for 15-17 minutes, until golden brown. Let the buns cool on a wire rack before you put 2-3 teaspoons of icing on each bun. Now your Fastelavnsboller are ready.

Recipe Video

February 14, 2023 0 comments

Copenhagen: Beautiful bowls at Slurp Ramen Joint

by Mitzie Mee - Sanne

It’s still ramen weather here in Denmark, so when I met with my friend Peter and his girlfriend D for lunch the other day, we decided to go to Slurp, which is a small ramen place on Nansensgade, close to Torvehallerne in Copenhagen.

All three of us ended up ordering the shoyu ramen, which was a lovely bowl of clear, delicate chicken broth and came with a dollop of mushroom paste that added depth and richness to the flavor of the broth.

During the past decade, Copenhagen has really stepped up its ramen game, and I’m impressed by how well places like Slurp, has managed to stay true to the fundamentals, while adding their own, often Nordic touch, to the bowls.

Peter and D said that they really like Slurp, but that they rarely go, as there is almost always a long line outside. When we were there, we were lucky to get seated immediately, but while we were eating, people started queuing up outside. I regretted a bit that we got those window seats, as it’s difficult not to feel the pressure to eat a little faster, when there are people looking at you from the outside:)

Slurp Ramen, Nansensgade 90, Copenhagen