That time I tried buying cosmetics from a door-to-door saleswoman

I’d always seen them around, these women with big bags, going from house to house. My mom used to buy from them occasionally, back in the day. They always had those little sample packets and seemed so knowledgeable about skincare. For some reason, I just thought it was a thing of the past, you know? Like, with all the online shopping and fancy department stores, who even does that anymore?

Then, one afternoon, I was just chilling at home, and someone knocked. It was one of them. She had this really friendly smile and a big catalog. I was about to politely decline, but then she started talking about how her company focuses on more natural ingredients, using things like actual plant extracts, not just chemicals. My curiosity got the better of me. She mentioned they had some good deals if you bought a set, and that they could offer personalized consultations right there.

I ended up letting her show me some products. She pulled out these small, almost travel-sized bottles for me to try. The first thing that struck me was the price. She showed me a ‘set’ that included a toner, essence, and cream. It was listed at something like 150,000 won, but she said because I was a ‘new customer’ and she was ‘visiting’ my area, she could give it to me for 120,000 won. It felt a bit like those “warehouse pharmacies” you hear about, where they lure you in with one cheap item and then push other things. I remember seeing similar-looking products online for maybe half that price, but then again, those probably didn’t come with a personal visit and a friendly chat.

She spent a good hour with me, explaining each step of the routine. She even showed me how to apply the cream, tapping it gently onto my skin. It was nice, I guess. Better than just randomly picking something off a shelf or scrolling endlessly online. She had this one cream that she said was their best-seller, made with some rare flower extract. It smelled really nice, kind of floral but not too strong. She said it was usually 80,000 won, but she could include it for an extra 60,000 won with the set. That’s when I started to feel a bit of pressure. It was becoming more than just a casual purchase; it felt like a whole sales pitch.

I was hesitant. I told her I needed to think about it. She was really persistent but not pushy, if that makes sense. She said she’d be in the neighborhood again next week and could come back, or I could just call her. She gave me her business card, which looked pretty official with her name and the company’s logo, though I’d never heard of the brand before. The whole experience was… interesting. I didn’t buy the big set in the end, but I did end up buying just that one cream for 60,000 won. It was a bit more than I’d planned to spend on a single cosmetic item, especially from a brand I wasn’t familiar with. It sat on my shelf for a while because I felt a little guilty about the whole thing. I kept thinking if I should have just stuck to my usual brands or tried one of those online-only Korean beauty sites that everyone talks about. I did use the cream eventually, and it was okay. It wasn’t life-changing, but it didn’t break me out either. I guess the ‘natural ingredients’ part was true, it felt gentle. But that price point… I still wonder if I could have gotten something similar, maybe even better, for less if I’d just gone to a regular store or ordered online. It’s definitely a different way of shopping than what I’m used to.