Meet Regina Choi: Founder of De:maf and Korea's Skin Barrier Queen

As Eunogo Shop is launching De:maf, a boutique brand with an emphasis on skin barrier strengthening, we sat down with Regina Choi, brand founder and evangelist, to find out more about her journey.

Please tell us about your background and how you became the “Skin Barrier Queen”?

As you may know, skin treatments are very popular in Korea. My quest began when I tried to get laser treatment at a dermatologist’s office and was told that I was not a good candidate due to my weakened skin barrier. This was quite shocking to me and I spent the next 5 years doing research through dermatologists and literature to come to a workable solution for my skin.  

Over the course of that time I found that if your skin barrier is weak, buying expensive products with many active ingredients is virtually meaningless: if your skin cannot absorb the product, what is the point? This is why De:maf focuses on two things: 1) to build products specifically for strengthening your skin barrier, no matter what skin type, and; 2) educating people on the importance of their skin barrier and how to strengthen it.

What does De:Maf stand for and how did you come up with the name?

Great question! De:maf is an acronym that stands for “Dear My Friends.” We held a contest for our loyal social media followers to crowd-source a name for the product and this is what they came up with! It’s really a nod to how they’ve helped me develop these products along the way.

Speaking of which, we love the unique De:Maf product development process. Can you tell our Eunogo Shop customers about it? How long does it take to finish a complete product development? 

As I mentioned earlier, I have a very active social media presence. At the beginning of my skin barrier health journey I started selling a cleanser from a different brand that I absolutely loved, and it gained a cult status among my followers. And then, just like that, they discontinued it! My customers and I were upset and they encouraged me to try and formulate the product on my own. 

I researched the previous formula, made some upgrades for ingredients, and that is how we developed and launched the All Day Glow Creamy Milk Cleanser. The next step was to develop serum, and I spent 1 year on R&D to get just the right combination of ingredients like Hyaluronic Acid and Jojoba and Macadamia oils, the right packaging and dispensers for the product, and gtting the texture and emulsification just right. De:maf launched the Here-Oh My First Serum bubble toner last June and we have already sold over 100K bottles in less than a year! 

Where do you get inspiration for new products? What new products are you working on? 

The goal is creating new products is always to consider what’s needed, step by step, to create and maintain a healthy skin barrier. I communicate with customers a lot, they give me new ideas, feedback, requests and these are my inspiration for a new products. 

Currently I’m working on BB cushion that is least sensitive to our skin barriers. Also, oil and gel type cleansers. It will take a longer development time but we are working on hair and body products as well.

What is your best advice to strengthen our skin barrier?

Do not take a shower longer than 5 minutes! This can really weaken your skin barrier, especially if you’re using very hot water. 

Can you recommend three De:Maf products to start on our skin barrier strengthening journey?

Yes! You can start with the All Day Glow Creamy Milk Cleanser - cleansing is the first step of every skincare routine and first step for skin barrier strengthening journey. I carefully selected ingredients such as broccoli extract, and madecassoside to moisturise and strengthen skin barrier, leaving the skin moist and soft after cleansing. 300ml of cleanser in a bottle can last anywhere from three to six months or more depending on usage, definitely a cost-effective choice in the long run

Next, and without towel-drying your face, use Here-Oh My First Serum bubble toner to hydrate your skin.

I used a unique ratio of premium quality hyaluronic acid (less than 500 dalton size), macadamia seed oil, jojoba oil and evening primrose flower extracts to make your skin supple all day long. 

Finally, apply the Creams Come True Barrier Repair Cream to lock in all the nourishing ingredients and work as a shield. Perfectly balanced to hydrate and protect.

Any last words for Eunogo customers?

A healthy skin barrier is the first step/basics of having good skin. Hope you become a skin barrier evangelist!

Shop more Eunogo skincare here.