There are some emails you open and immediately forget.
And then there are the ones that make you stare at your phone for a solid 30 seconds like…
“Wait… is this actually for me?” 😂
This was definitely THAT email.
I was watching Better Late Than Single when I got the invite to experience the Sephora x Olive Young collaboration, which honestly felt a little too perfect because I was already deep in my Korean beauty and K-content era.
But then I read the part about ending the experience at a BTS concert.
Excuse me?!
So naturally… I said YES. 😂
And just like that, what started with an email turned into one of those creator experiences that you know you’re going to remember for a long time.
First Stop: The Joule
Let me start by saying… showing up to a beauty event with absolutely NO makeup on is not for the weak. 😂
Hyperpigmentation and dark spots are the bane of my existence, so walking into The Joule completely bare-faced had me feeling a little nervous.
But thankfully, when I got there, I realized most of the other creators were bare-faced too, and I immediately took a deep sigh of relief.
Okay, Ashley. We’re good. 😂
And before we got started, Sephora had a whole bar set up for us, so of course I grabbed a cocktail because… when in doubt, grab a drink. 😂
But the real fun was about to start.
Before glam, we were getting the full Olive Young skincare experience, and I was READY.
So… What Exactly Is Olive Young?
If you’re not familiar with Olive Young, it’s one of South Korea’s biggest beauty and wellness retailers and a major destination for Korean skincare, makeup and wellness products.
And now, Olive Young is making its way to Sephora.
For my K-beauty girls, that is a BIG deal.
It means getting your hands on some of these Korean beauty favorites is about to be a whole lot easier here in the U.S.
And for me, the timing honestly couldn’t have been better.
I’ve been much more intentional about my skincare lately. I’m not interested in having 20 products sitting on my bathroom counter just because TikTok told me I needed them. 😂
I want to know what I’m putting on my skin, why I’m using it and whether it actually makes sense for MY skin.
Which brings me to my first experience of the day…
The Skincare Before the Glam
Lauren, aka @globylo__, walked me through the Olive Young K-beauty skincare experience, and that’s where I got to try the MENOKIN 30 Seconds Bubble Mask.
Y’all…
WHY WAS THIS SO FUN?! 😂
Watching the mask bubble up almost immediately was so satisfying. It felt like skincare and a little science experiment had a baby.
But beyond the fun, I loved that it made skincare feel like a moment.
And that’s really where I am with my routine right now.
I don’t want skincare to feel like another chore. I want products that make sense for my skin goals and that I’m actually excited to use.
The MENOKIN mask definitely had my attention.
And then came the part I was REALLY waiting for…
Glam. 👀
From Bare Face to BTS-Ready
Now you KNOW Sephora was not about to send us out into the world looking like we had just rolled out of bed. 😂
They brought in Dallas makeup artists to get us concert-ready, and I was more than happy to hand my face over to someone else.
Because listen…
I love makeup.
But I LOVE when somebody else does my makeup even more. 😂
No stressing over whether my foundation is blending right. No trying to get both brows to look like they’re related. No checking the mirror 47 times.
Kaitlyn, aka @kateesoggaa, was my makeup artist and we bonded almost immediately.
And when I tell you she DELIVERED?
She delivered.
My bare face went from skincare girlie to full-on BTS concert-ready in no time. 🙌🏾
I already know I’ll be booking her again for future events because when you find a makeup artist who gets your face AND your vibe, you keep them.
After glam, it was time for the outfit change, a few photos and then…
Photos, Then Party Bus Energy 🚌✨
Of course, we had to get the content.
Because what is a beauty event without approximately 900 photos before you leave? 😂
We got our glam shots, captured all the little details and made sure we had the memories before heading out.
Then it was time to hop on the Sephora party bus.
And honestly, this was one of my favorite parts of the entire experience.
Getting to experience it with other creators made everything feel even more special.
There’s something really cool about being in a room or in this case, a party bus 😂 with other influencers who are creating, building their brands and figuring this whole creator thing out too.
Especially as a smaller creator.
Experiences like this remind me that you don’t have to have the biggest following in the room to belong in the room. There was only 14 creators chosen for this event & I was one of them with less than 10k followers!!
So remember brands are looking at the bigger picture ..your content, your personality, your community, your creativity and how you show up.
And sometimes that one email can completely remind you of that.
And Then… BTS. 🖤
Eventually, we made it to the stadium and headed up to the suite.
Sephora goodies.
Olive Young products !!!
BTS.
Like…
WHAT?! 😂
I literally started the day sitting in a hotel completely bare-faced, trying Korean skincare, and ended the night dressed up, surrounded by creators and watching BTS from a suite.
That was definitely NOT on my 2026 bingo card.
And honestly, it was one of those moments where I had to pause and take it all in.
Because sometimes as creators, we’re so busy thinking about the next post, the next campaign, the next email, the next opportunity…
We forget to actually enjoy the opportunity that is happening RIGHT NOW.
So I did.
I took the pictures.
I tried the products.
I got my glam.
I got on the party bus.
I screamed over BTS.
And I had a really, really good time. 🖤
Okay… Now Let’s Talk About My Olive Young Picks 👀
Of course, I couldn’t leave this experience without having a few products that really caught my attention.
After trying everything, these were the ones I kept thinking about.
THOME Device + THOME Niacinamide Boost
I’m officially in my “let’s make my skincare work smarter” era. 😂
The THOME device immediately caught my attention because I’m trying to be more intentional with my routine, especially when it comes to the appearance of dark spots and uneven skin tone.
I paired it with the THOME Niacinamide Boost, because niacinamide is an ingredient I like incorporating when I’m focusing on the appearance of discoloration and overall skin tone.
Basically…
THOME + Niacinamide Boost = okay skin, let’s get ourselves together. 😂
MENOKIN 30 Seconds Bubble Mask 🫧
This was definitely my “WAIT… WHAT IS THAT?!” product. I loved how quick and fun it was. Fun fact ; this is a mask , you don’t have to rinse off!
It’s the kind of product that makes you WANT to do your skincare instead of thinking, “Ugh, I have to do my skincare.”
And that little difference matters to me.
REJURAN Dual Effect Ampoule C-PDRN 0.5%
This one caught my attention because I’m becoming much more intentional about the products I add to my routine.
I’m looking for products that help support the look of healthy, hydrated and refreshed skin ,not just something that looks cute sitting on my bathroom counter. 😂 you’re girl is about to be the big 4-0 we need anti aging lol!
If you’re ready to explore the Olive Young collection for yourself, I’ve rounded up my favorites so you can shop my K-beauty picks without having to go down a three-hour internet rabbit hole.
#sephoraaffiliate
