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Korean Beauty & Skincare
Your guide to getting glass skin through the power of K-beauty!
If you haven’t heard already, K-beauty (short for Korean beauty) has been sweeping the world! On social media in particular, consumers are rejecting Western cosmetics and swapping them out for Korean alternatives. This is especially true for Korean skincare, which has garnered worldwide attention for its unique formulations and outstanding results. The goal with using Korean skincare is to achieve dewy, radiant, bouncy, glass skin. But what hacks do K-beauty fanatics use to achieve healthy, glass skin?
First things first: Every good Korean skincare routine begins with cleansing
For K-beauty users, double-cleansing is non-negotiable. Double-cleansing is when you use an oil-based cleanser to wash off oil-based impurities like makeup and SPF, and then follow up with a water-based cleanser to both wash off the oil and clarify the skin from grime that oil can’t reach. This ensures the skin is cleansed properly without stripping it of its natural oils and leaving it dry and tight-feeling.
A popular K-beauty oil and water-based cleanser has to be SKIN1004’s Madagascar Centella Light Cleansing Oil, paired with the Ampoule Cleansing Foam. Both containing K-beauty’s favourite ingredient, Centella Asiatica, this cleansing combo soothes irritation and redness as well as clarifying the skin to leave you feeling refreshed.
Speaking of dry skin, using an oil-based cleanser is a great way to start with a waterless Korean skincare routine, which is when you use products that contain more oil than water. Since oil is more nourishing for dry skin - and dry skin lacks oils - it only makes sense to add oils back in, which is why many K-beauty consumers employ this technique to quench their dry skin.
Toners are every K-beauty lover’s BFF
Toners aren’t so popular in the West because many people believe them to be irritating. The truth is, many Western toners have an alcoholic base, which is what makes them harsh on delicate skin. Luckily for you, K-beauty toners are formulated to be non-abrasive, gentle, and hydrating!
For example, everyone’s loving ANUA’s award-winning Heartleaf 77% Clear Pad. These pads are soaked in a toning solution, designed to slough off dead skin cells and smooth the skin. Enriched with Heartleaf, a popular soothing ingredient in K-beauty, this toner goes above and beyond by calming redness, giving even the most sensitive of skin a balanced and healthy complexion.
Korean skincare focuses on hydration
Essences are also an important step in any Korean skincare routine due to their hydrating properties. Their ingredients have a low molecular weight, allowing them to efficiently penetrate the skin, leaving you with radiant and dewy skin. It also helps to improve the skin’s moisture barrier to support the functioning of a healthy complexion.
DR CEURACLE’s Vegan Kombucha Tea Essence is a bestselling K-beauty product as it is an essence-cream hybrid for maximum hydration. It both balances the oil-water ratio in the skin, while also refining the pores and improving wrinkles and fine lines.
Using a mask is a Korean skincare secret to glass skin
We all know what masks are; K-beauty does those well! Whether it’s coming from a tube or from a sheet, you can’t go wrong with K-beauty’s secret weapon. These provide a boost of hydration and nourishment. Using one in the evening – especially when it’s an overnight mask – is your ticket to rejuvenated, bright skin in the morning.
NACIFIC’s Rice Pepta Collagen Gel Mask is a standout mask that can be used overnight to enhance your skin’s moisture and Collagen levels. Packed with Peptides, it ensures you wake up with plump, supple skin. The mask is white and slowly turns clear, a visual indicator that all this goodness is soaking into your skin!
Korean skincare pays special attention to your eyes
Eyes are the windows to the soul… good thing that K-beauty focuses on protecting them! The skin around the eyes is delicate, so it’s important to give them special treatment. ABIB’s Collagen Eye Patch Jericho Rose Jelly is perfect for smoothing wrinkles and fine lines, as well as brightening and de-puffing the undereye area. Ideal for both day and night, it gives your eyes a much needed refresh.
SPF is K-beauty’s go-to product
Sunscreen is an integral part of your Korean skincare routine and should be worn everyday – even in the winter. It protects your skin from sun damage and prevents premature aging, allowing your skin to look youthful for longer.
BEAUTY OF JOSEON’s Relief Sun SPF50+ PA++++ is a lightweight sunscreen that does more than defend your skin against UVA and UVA rays. Enriched with Rice Extract and Probiotics, it also brightens your complexion and strengthens your skin barrier, making it more resilient against free radicals.
Korean skincare harnesses the power of Mother Nature
Many K-beauty products utilise ingredients that a Western audience would be unfamiliar with. For example, Snail Mucin is a popular ingredient used for centuries in Asia, and has remained a staple ingredient to use for Korean skincare. COSRX’s Advanced Snail 92 All in one Cream makes use of this ingredient as it is highly nourishing for the skin barrier while moisturising your complexion - perfect for giving you super soft skin.
Experimenting with technology is what K-beauty does best!
Korean skincare doesn’t shy away from using technological innovation to improve your skin; everything is research-backed and dermatologically tested to give you the best results. MEDICUBE’s AGE-R Booster Pro is a great investment if you want to improve your Korean skincare game! Designed with many functions and LED types, this device improves skincare absorption, increases radiance, and enhances skin elasticity. It works to give you professional-grade results in just one click.