All About Korean Beauty And Skin Care

By Urban Company

3 min read

Jan 10, 2020

Korean beauty is well known topic all over the world due to its elaborate and lengthy regime. It is also famous for its ‘glass skin’ trend which shows Korean ...

Korean beauty is well known topic all over the world due to its elaborate and lengthy regime. It is also famous for its ‘glass skin’ trend which shows Korean beauties with luminous, dewy, baby-soft skin which resembles glass. The rich beauty legacy of Korean beauty can be traced to Korea’s history as it was largely an agricultural society. During these times, natural ingredients like camellia flower, mung bean, and rice were popular for their rich antioxidant benefits and hydrating properties.This history of such time-tested natural ingredients has been passed down over the generations and is still incorporated into today’s Korean beauty formulas.

Korean Beauty Trend – Glass Skin

Backed by decades of scientific advancement, Korean beauty products also incorporate unique and bizarre ingredients such as snail slime, bee venom, starfish extract, which you won’t find in other skin care. Korea’s cultural obsession with healthy skin has produced the famous Korean 10 step skin care routine. This skin care routine consists of multiple products layered on top of each other. However, It’s not about the number of products you can count, but rather about using the right products in the right order.

The Korean 10 Step Skin Care Routine consists of –

Oil Cleanser:

The first step of the Korean skincare routine is to wash your face with oil cleanser as it’s effective against oil-based impurities like SPF, sebum, and pollutants. It’s not as good against sweat and dirt, though, which is where the second cleanse comes in.

Water Cleanser:

Follow your oil cleanse with a gentle, water-based cleanser like a gentle foaming face wash. This removes grime and oil which the oil cleanser didn’t.

Exfoliator:

Use a gentle, non-irritating exfoliator 2-3 times per week to promote cell turnover, unclog pores, allow for better product absorption and keep skin looking youthful.

Hydrating toner:

Korean toners are different from other toners as they’re meant to hydrate and moisturize as opposed to traditional toners which are meant to cleanse skin. A hydrating toner softens your skin and prepares it for the steps that will follow.

Essence:

Essence is a hybrid between a toner and a serum and is used to further hydrate skin to make it look plump and glowing. It works to hydrate the complexion, aiding cellular turnover for a youthful appearance.

Serums and ampoules:

These are the most personalized steps of your routine. This is because they are focused at targeting the specific issues you want to address. Serums have concentrated formulas with an unprecedented amount of active ingredients. They target specific skin concerns like wrinkles, dark spots, and dehydration. Similar to serums, ampoules have an even higher number of active ingredients to target specific skin care concerns. They’re used fas a booster when your skin badly needs extra help.

Masks:

The purpose of your mask depends on what your skin needs. If dryness is your concern, choose a hydrating mask. Similarly, if you have dull skin, you can also choose a brightening mask packed with vitamin C. This is not an every-night step, you really only need to do it twice a week. For this step, you can use sheet masks, wash off masks and overnight sleeping masks.

Eye cream:

Eye creams are specifically formulated to nourish, brighten or reduce puffiness in the delicate under eye area. As the skin around your eyes is thinner and cannot produce natural oils, it is important to keep this area hydrated all day long.

Moisturizer:

Seal it all in with a moisturizer. A moisturizer creates a barrier that will lock in all the beneficial ingredients you’ve just applied, instead of letting them evaporate out of your skin.