#wishtrender: Cari Cakes, 6 Years in Seoul, 5 Years with Wishtrend

We’re back with the 9th edition of #wishtrender! This time we dive into the world of Wishtrender, YouTuber, and blogger Cari Cakes. A native of California but now residing in Seoul, Cari is well-versed in finding the many hidden gems Korea and its culture has to offer, whether it be food, places, people, and even skincare! #wishtrender Cari Cakes

While you can read more to learn more about Cari’s skincare journey as a Wishtrender, you can get a better look into her day-to-day in Seoul on her Instagram, YouTube and her blog.

• Hi! Can you please quickly introduce yourself for us?

Hi! My name is Cari, but I’m better known as Cari Cakes thanks to my YouTube channel. I used to work full-time in marketing but recently made the big jump to being freelance to focus on content creation. I’m originally from California but am now happy to call Seoul my home!

• How did you first become interested in Korea and its culture?

It was sort of an accident. I was studying Japanese at the time and stumbled upon a Korean drama blooper reel. Then I fell down the K-pop/ K-drama rabbit hole, started studying Korean, and here I am! I came to study in Korea for a year in 2012-2013, then moved back to Seoul the summer of 2014. I’ve been here ever since!

• What inspired you to become active on your Instagram, YouTube and blog?

I started out on Tumblr, where I posted pictures mainly because I hate saving things on my phone, and I started to post more as I realized a community was growing around my content! Then, when my best friend moved back to America, I was lonely and wanted to share my adventures with someone. Who better than the entire internet?

• Are there any other ways living in Korea has changed your daily routine?

Before I lived in Seoul, I was living in NYC so I was used to the busy city life Seoul throws at you. The main change for me has been checking the air quality daily, since it really does affect my skin. Other than having access to more types of tea that I love (like yuzu tea) I’d say Korea hasn’t changed my lifestyle too much. :)

• What do you like to do in your free time?

I love to travel. I am constantly trying to go on solo trips, but because of the world right now, I've fallen back into my first true love: reading. You’re most likely to find me in a cafe with my nose buried in a book on any given day.

• What first sparked your interest in beauty, makeup and skincare?

Growing up, I was always a little hesitant to play with makeup because there weren’t a lot of products that worked with my naturally blonde hair color. But, when I came to Korea and saw all the skincare, I realized the beauty-sphere had a place for me! And once I started seeing real results, I dove in deeper.

• Can you share your top 5 favorite products with us?

It’s so hard to choose but these are definitely top tier: #wishtrender Cari Cakes Vanity

1. Klairs Supple Preparation Toner: Really the first skincare product I used and thought, “Wow, I see positive changes in my skin!”

2. Klairs Rich Soothing Cream: My absolute holy grail. I won’t travel without it!
3. Klairs Vitamin E Mask: The first time I saw this mask my mind was blown! Its texture feels so good on my skin and I wake up glowing every time I use it.
4. By Wishtrend Green Tea Enzyme Powder Wash: My favorite cleanser of all time. It’s calming and leaves my face looking so smooth and healthy. I always recommend this.
5. By Wishtrend Quad Boosting Essence: My skin loves honey and propolis and whenever I use these ingredients, my skin thanks me. It really helps with small breakouts, and even pesky hormonal acne and dreaded mask-ne!!!

• How did you first hear about Wishtrend?

I heard about Wishtrend through word of mouth. Friends of mine had tried a few products and raved about them, so I tried as well! I loved that the company was devoted to being cruelty free and had many vegan options, and the fact that the products work :)

• How has your experience working with Wishtrend been?

I first started working with Wishtrend after having used their products for about a year or so. I reached out and asked if I could do a box deal, because I wanted my subscribers to get their hands on the products too. It was such a lovely project to work on and everyone was so nice that we kept in touch and worked on a few more things together. Overall it's been a really great experience and I can see the products continuously getting better.

• What would you say has been the most rewarding part of working with Wishtrend?

I'm really proud to be working with Wishtrend because I see how they genuinely listen to feedback. Seeing them make changes for their consumers makes Wishtrend feel more like a community than a company. I’m also really proud that they’re consistently partnering with charities and raising money for good causes, as well as being committed to being cruelty free.

• What does it mean to be a #Wishtrender to you?

I’ve been using Wishtrend products for over 5 years now, so it means celebrating finally finding products that work for me, and being a part of a community that loves the skin we’re in!