A Beginner’s Guide to Innovative Skincare and Cosmetics from South Korea   

What do snail serum, snake venom and Manuka honey have in common? They all claim to do wonderful things for your skin. This is news to beauty businesses and consumers in the U.S., but to those in South Korea, these ingredients and many others are already staples in skincare routines. 

What is K-Beauty?

K-Beauty, the term for South Korean products in the skincare and cosmetics space, is steadily gaining popularity in the U.S. With the appeal of exotic ingredients and whimsical packaging – not to mention its affordability, especially given its international cachet — consumers across the country are contributing to booming sales of brands like Belif (that makes note of its boasts of its “time-tested  apothecary herbal traditions”), Too Cool for School (sold at Sephora) and TONY MOLY (now with a new flagship store in NYC).

Until recently, we beauty junkies who follow international trends had to order products like BB cream, CC cream and cushion makeup from Amazon or other specialty online retailers. But now our beloved cosmetics giant, Sephora, has its very own K-Beauty tab on its website, clearly laying out what you need for youthful skin.

What makes it Different?

With a continuous stream of innovative products, customers, corporate buyers, editors and industry gurus are looking to Korea to see what’s next in skincare and beauty. The influence of Korea on beauty has been likened to that of Paris on fashion.

The Korean beauty ideal is glowing, supple skin. It all comes down to hydration. Skin that is thoroughly hydrated has a healthier barrier so it is better equipped to absorb your skincare efficiently for long-lasting results.

Hydration is not confined to your moisturizer. There are a number of K-Beauty essences and serums on the market now that are meant to sink deep into the skin to provide intense hydration before applying moisturizer which seals everything in.

The Korean beauty market is competitive, and inspired by customers who will try anything to get glowing skin. This is what fuels the constant innovation in ingredients, new product categories and technologies. Gel-cream formulas, egg cream masks, and bamboo sap balm, as well as treatments you can apply in the shower, are just a few products available.

Another enjoyable thing about Korean beauty products is their unique textures that are soothing, smoothing and calming to your complexion. Your skincare routine should be an at-home spa experience, not a chore. Most aestheticians will tell you that skin improvement largely depends on at-home care between clinical treatments, and K-Beauty/skincare is right in line with that philosophy. 

Where Do I Begin?

K-Beauty is about changing your way of thinking about skincare and beauty. It’s about investing in your skin first, and correcting your problem areas instead of covering them up. That means spending a bit more time taking care of your skin in the morning and at night. But starting a Korean skincare routine doesn’t mean you have to buy ten new products and start using them all at once.

An easy way to start a K-Beauty routine is the way in which you apply your products. Instead of harsh rubbing in a downward motion, try gently patting on your products going slowly going up and along your face, with your fingers pressed together. This will help will absorption and prevent early signs of aging. Apply your products in terms of weight/texture, from lightest to heaviest.

Here’s a typical routine:

1.  Oil cleanser
2.  Foam or cream cleanser
3.  Exfoliant
4.  Toner
5.  Essence
6.  Serum
7.  Sheet mask (1-2 times per week)
8.  Eye cream
9.  Emulsion
10. Night cream (if it’s in the morning, swap out the night cream for a sunscreen with at least SPF 35)

The common reaction to those steps is shock that anyone has or makes time for them. In reality, K-Beauty is based on multipurpose treatments that streamline a skincare routine, since each product has an ingredient deck that packs a punch.

Another easy element to add to your routine once or twice a week is a sheet mask. These saturated cloths are rapidly growing in popularity across the U.S. They range in price from $2.00 – $100.00+, and come in single-use or multiple packs. They are meant to sit on your skin for 15 – 20 minutes, allowing the emulsion to sink in. After you remove the mask, discard it and then pat the leftover moisture into your skin. The result is smooth, hydrated, radiant skin.

Korean routines may incorporate more steps than some of us are used to, but everything is customizable. Use what your skin needs on a particular day and disregard the rest. Take these guidelines and make them your own. Be open to new ingredients, try interesting products one at a time and watch how they impact your skin. Someone will discover the fountain of youth one of these days, why can’t it be you?