Korean Skin Care
Korean Skin Care: What Any Westerner Should Know Are you on a quest for healthy and hydrated skin? Call of the search ladies: Korea has you covered. So sit back, relax and pour yourself a matcha green tea whilst I give you the 411 on the Korean beauty craze. You can say farewell to your habitual trio of cleanse, tone and moisturise because K- beauty claims that a 10-step-routine is vital to achieve perfect blemish-free skin. You’ll never find a Korean woman sleeping in her makeup, or complaining when she remembers she has to endure the 10-step process AGAIN. She will go to great lengths to protect and nurture her skin as a healthy, glowing complexion is a sign of true beauty. The ritual involves makeup removal, double cleansing, using sheet masks, exfoliators, essences, serums and moisturisers and not forgetting to end with a high factor SPF. Each step has a specific purpose whether it’s to prepare, replenish, treat, hydrate or protect. See the fundamentals of the 10-step-routine in more detail over at Coveteur (link: http://coveteur.com/2015/03/11/koreanskincare-routine-steps/ ) The dual-cleanse stage is essential to ensure all oil and water based impurities are removed from the face using no harsh tools in the process. The trick is to cleanse gently and massage softly which helps to improve circulation and promote relaxation. K-beauty advises to use both an essence and a serum in your routine. But what’s the difference? An essence will penetrate its active ingredients deep into your skin straight after cleansing and provide an immediate hydrated feel; whereas a serum, usually thicker in consistency, will address specific issues such as brightening, dark spots, wrinkles etc. Another important step is to use a sheet mask. The craze began in Korea and is taking the world by storm with big name brands now jumping in on the action too. Using a sheet mask, soaked in vital ingredients, a few times a week can brighten and intensely hydrate even the driest of skin types. Raise your hand if you’re one of those gals who secretly loves to remove black and whiteheads from the nasal area. Don’t worry you’re not alone. I too can’t go a week without staring at a gunk-filled strip feeling quite disgustingly-satisfied and fresh. Pore packs are a big hit in K-beauty and a stable step in the routine. I love this super cute cartoon strawberry (link: http://www.yesstyle.com/en/tony-moly-homeless-strawberry-seeds-3-step-nosepack-6g/info.html/pid.1045096545?cpid=1045096544 ) demonstrating the product on the packet of this pore strip. Get your beauty sleep (literally) and add a sleeping pack to your routine. You apply them like a gel or cream and they soak into the face overnight. They’re
gentle enough yet provide deep, instant hydration to the dry areas of the skin and nourish it from the inside while you sleep. In Korea, skincare is the number one priority even when it comes to applying makeup. Cushion compacts are like a BB cream in a compressed form that hydrates skin whilst encouraging a luminous glow. Koreans love this little compact as they’re usually formulated with sunscreen, so you can top up your makeup during the day and stay protected from the sun too. This Clinique (link: http://www.clinique.co.uk/product/1599/40932/makeup/foundations/super-cityblocktm-bb-cushion-compact-spf-50 ) cushion compact ticks all the boxes. Koreans love to slather their faces with snail mucus. Yes you heard that right… snail slime, from actual ‘hang around in your garden’ snails! Stick with me on this one, because you’ll love the results. It’s packed with nutrients that have proven to be beneficial for the skin. It also encourages the formation of collagen and elastin in the skin which promotes anti-ageing too. Yes please! The Korean skincare market is growing and with already thousands of beauty brands out there, you may feel a little overwhelmed. But as most Koreans aren’t brand loyal, the skincare companies are constantly releasing new products to try and win them over. A good place to start is to check out Cult Beauty’s (link: https://www.cultbeauty.co.uk/trends/k-beauty) edit of what’s hot right now!
gentle enough yet provide deep, instant hydration to the dry areas of the skin and nourish it from the inside while you sleep. In Korea, skincare is the number one priority even when it comes to applying makeup. Cushion compacts are like a BB cream in a compressed form that hydrates skin whilst encouraging a luminous glow. Koreans love this little compact as they’re usually formulated with sunscreen, so you can top up your makeup during the day and stay protected from the sun too. This Clinique (link: http://www.clinique.co.uk/product/1599/40932/makeup/foundations/super-cityblocktm-bb-cushion-compact-spf-50 ) cushion compact ticks all the boxes. Koreans love to slather their faces with snail mucus. Yes you heard that right… snail slime, from actual ‘hang around in your garden’ snails! Stick with me on this one, because you’ll love the results. It’s packed with nutrients that have proven to be beneficial for the skin. It also encourages the formation of collagen and elastin in the skin which promotes anti-ageing too. Yes please! The Korean skincare market is growing and with already thousands of beauty brands out there, you may feel a little overwhelmed. But as most Koreans aren’t brand loyal, the skincare companies are constantly releasing new products to try and win them over. A good place to start is to check out Cult Beauty’s (link: https://www.cultbeauty.co.uk/trends/k-beauty) edit of what’s hot right now!
