Korean Skincare Secrets for Perfect Skin You Must Try
Skin first, makeup second
Are you curious to know how Korean women maintain such youthful skin even after aging?
In this article, uncover top Korean beauty hacks and cult favorites of Korean skincare for flawless skin. So keep scrolling!
- 1. Double Cleansing
- 2. Hydrated Skin Is Super Important
- 3. SPF With Antioxidants
- 4. The Magical Snail Mucin
- 5. Retinol Is Less Popular Here
- 6. Use Sheet Masks
- 7. Tap It, Don’t Rub
- 8. Learn Facial Massage Technique
- 9. Bottom-to-Top Technique
- 10. The Beauty Secret Rice
- 11. Prioritize Neckcare as Facecare
- 12. Exfoliate With a Damp Cloth
- 13. Soak Face in Ice Water
- 14. Air Dry, and Use the 10-Seconds Rule
- 15. Use Humidifiers
- 16. Treat With an Overnight Sleeping Mask
- 17. Use Charcoal Mask
- 18. Use Ampoules
- 19. Skincare First
- 20. Healthy Lifestyle
- Final Thoughts
Disclosure: Please note this post might contain affiliate links. This means I may earn a commission if you purchase through the links, at no extra cost to you. Know that I only recommend products that I’ve used personally or believe will add value to my readers.
1. Double Cleansing
Korean girls swear by this popular ritual in their PM skincare routine, and here is why.
They believe that flawless skin starts with proper cleansing.
As it is named, the practice involves two cleansing steps.
- Step one is to use an oil-based cleanser. It breaks down makeup, sunscreen, and all other oil-based impurities like sebum that cling to the skin.
- The next step is to use a gentle water-based cleanser which is very hydrating. It takes care of remaining impurities like sweat and grime.
The Face Shop Rice Water Bright Foaming Cleanser
The Face Shop Rice Water Bright Light Cleansing Oil
2. Hydrated Skin Is Super Important
Well-hydrated skin is the mantra for glowing skin. And no wonder Korean beauties know it well and pay attention to it.
They know that without proper hydration, other products won’t work well. So, they always ensure proper hydration of the skin.
Topical humectants like hyaluronic acid are their absolute favorite. These help to draw moisture to the skin, making the skin hydrated and plump.
The Face Shop Rice & Ceramide Moisturizing Emulsion with Rice Extracts for Brightening Skin
The Face Shop Rice & Ceramide Moisturizing Cream with Rice Extracts for brightening and Moisturizing
COSRX Advanced Snail 92 All in One Cream
LANEIGE Cream Skin Toner & Moisturizer
MIZON All in One Snail Repair Cream
3. SPF With Antioxidants
Korean girls learn the importance of SPF from a very young age.
Their sunscreens are typically lightweight, non-greasy, and have broad spectrum protection. And they are gaining popularity worldwide.
They also use antioxidants in their skincare routine and diet to fight free radical damage.
The toners and essences they use often contain antioxidant and nourishing ingredients.
They also love natural antioxidants like ginseng and green tea which are popular in Korean beauty.
Beauty of Joseon SPF 50 Relief Sun Cream
Innisfree Tone Up No Sebum Sunscreen EX SPF50+ PA++++
ISNTREE Hyaluronic Acid Watery Sun Gel SPF 50+ PA++++ 1.69 Fl Oz, 8 Types of Hyaluronic Acid
You May Also Love: 13 Best Tinted Sunscreens in India
4. The Magical Snail Mucin
Snail mucin is a growing trend in skincare. Every skincare passionate is getting in love with slathering this on their skin.
This is one of the best-kept Korean beauty hacks, used for centuries. It has multiple benefits for the skin and is often used in their skincare products.
- Snail mucin keeps your skin hydrated. It acts as a humectant that attracts and retains moisture in the skin.
- Its anti-aging properties have the power of healing due to the presence of allantoin. Even it helps treat acne, eczema, and other skin conditions.
They use it as essence, typically applied after toning the face.
Cosrx Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence
5. Retinol Is Less Popular Here
For Koreans, skincare is “about creating a healthy environment for your skin before it shows signs of aging” – Sophia Hong, an aesthetician licensed in Korea explains.
If you let your skin dry, wrinkles will appear for sure. So Koreans always make sure that their skin is well-hydrated and nourished.
“A K-beauty product is rarely marketed as an anti-wrinkle solution. Harsh active ingredients Americans have long sought out to combat signs of aging, particularly retinol, are much less popular in Korea because Koreans prefer to avoid their drying and irritating side effects”- Dr. Chang, a Korean-born, New York City-based, board-certified dermatologist said.
Retinol is new to Korean skincare after K-beauty has gained worldwide popularity.
“Skin-care offerings for firming, plumping, and brightening are, instead, commonly formulated with peptides, niacinamide, red ginseng, hyaluronic acid, and licorice root extract”- Dr. Chang says.
6. Use Sheet Masks
Sheet mask use is on the rise among skincare enthusiasts!
It’s been a staple of the K-beauty routine for years.
This easy method can make your skin appear healthy and target skincare concerns.
The Face Shop Real Nature Daily Glow Mask Sheet
Tonymoly I’M Real Super Food Sheet Mask Set
Mirabelle Fairness Facial Sheet Mask for Intense Hydration & Glowing
MIZON SNAIL INTENSIVE GOLD EYE GEL PATCH for Dark Circles
MIZON Hyaluronic Acid Eye Gel Patch
7. Tap It, Don’t Rub
Instead of rubbing products, they lightly slap the facial skin.
Not only does this help avoid wiping away the product, but also improves blood flow and allows the product to penetrate better. This method lets you reap the maximum benefits.
They never rub their eye skin while removing eye makeup. They use a cotton pad to gently remove eye makeup instead of rubbing. This method doesn’t irritate eye skin and prevents wrinkles around this delicate area.
8. Learn Facial Massage Technique
Have you seen the viral lymphatic drainage techniques?
Lymphatic drainage massages have become popular in spas across the USA currently. However, Korean women have been practicing this method at home for years.
As you age, your skin not only starts to wrinkle; but also the supporting facial muscles start to weaken and sag. And this makes you look older.
In this massage technique, they apply a light oil or moisturizer first. Then do gentle, rhythmic strokes that follow the flow of the lymphatic system.
This helps in maintaining your natural face structure with an enhanced glow. It also helps in reducing puffy eyes and dark circles.
9. Bottom-to-Top Technique
Korean beauties always use this bottom-to-top technique.
In this method, they massage skincare products from the bottom of the face to the top in an upward motion.
This improves blood circulation, better absorption of the products, and prevents skin sagging.
10. The Beauty Secret Rice
Lately, we have learned the beauty benefits of rice, especially rice water.
But Korean women have been using it for years. And this natural secret has been passed through the generations.
The rice starch helps maintain the skin’s natural barrier and provides antioxidant benefits.
They use rice in a mask, rice water as a toner, and cover their face with cotton pads soaked in rice water.
11. Prioritize Neckcare as Facecare
Korean girls prioritize their neck area just like their face when it comes to skincare.
From exfoliation to other skincare methods, they always take good care of this age-prone area.
12. Exfoliate With a Damp Cloth
Here is another popular no-cost hack from K-beauty treasure.
It is a gentle way to remove dead skin cells and impurities from the skin. It is also known to improve skin texture.
They use a wet washcloth soaked in warm water and gently rub it over the face in circular motions. The delicate eye areas are spared.
You can do this once or twice a week. If you have sensitive skin, you should exfoliate less often.
13. Soak Face in Ice Water
Maybe you’ve watched many celebrities doing this viral K-beauty hack.
This reduces the puffiness instantly, and improves skin elasticity, making your skin glow and blush.
The method is easy and here is how you can do it.
- Take a big bowl filled with water and ice.
- Now soak your face for 2-3 seconds. Get your head out.
- And repeat.
- Do it for 30-40 seconds.
Avoid it if your skin is sensitive.
14. Air Dry, and Use the 10-Seconds Rule
Here is another super simple trick from Korean skincare.
They don’t use towels for face drying to prevent friction and bacterial transfer.
Instead, they let their face air dry for 10 seconds after washing it. Then they apply skincare products while the face is still damp.
This method is known to help better absorption of skincare products.
15. Use Humidifiers
If you binge-watch K-dramas you’ve probably seen that humidifiers are very common there.
The air in Korea is known to be dry, especially during winter which can cause skin drying. In fact, water quickly evaporates from the skin while staying in an AC room for a long period, causing dry skin.
In this case, a humidifier can help the skin to retain its moisture levels. So Korean women use it in their beauty regime.
16. Treat With an Overnight Sleeping Mask
As the name suggests, these products are applied before bed and left overnight. These are designed to hydrate, nourish, and replenish your skin while you sleep.
This is extremely popular in Korea and is a key part of their PM skincare routine.
Korean beauties believe that skin repairs itself while you sleep. So, they use sleeping masks to boost hydration and nourishment.
They also believe this can help reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines.
LANEIGE Water Sleeping Mask
LANEIGE Lip Sleeping Mask
17. Use Charcoal Mask
Charcoal is known for its purifying and detoxifying properties.
Korean women have been using this natural ingredient for years in their skin care.
18. Use Ampoules
Ampoules are highly concentrated serums with a high potency of active ingredients.
Typically, it is used in Korean skincare after toning and before moisturizing. Like a serum, they take a few drops on the face and massage it.
They use it daily or as needed. It is excellent in targeting specific skin concerns.
Skin1004 Madagascar Centella Asiatica 100 Ampoule
COSRX Full Fit Propolis Light Ampoule
19. Skincare First
“Good skin is the best makeup”- a popular saying of K-beauty.
They prioritize their skincare over makeup. And they spend a lot of time and effort taking care of their skin.
They believe that skincare from the inside out makes skin clear and radiant and requires less makeup to cover it.
20. Healthy Lifestyle
As I said, they take care of their skin holistically. And no wonder they also take care of their lifestyle.
They know to eat healthy and engage in activities. Additionally, they believe in including collagen powder and other supplements into their routine.
Final Thoughts
Korean women believe that prevention is better than cure.
They learn to take care of their skin from a very early age. Korean beauties believe in a consistent skincare routine rather than instant and quick changes. They believe in taking care of their skin not only in external care but also in internal wellness.
“When it comes to an anti-aging skincare routine, it’s about consistency and also ensuring foundational skincare pillars are met,”- Alicia Yoon, Korean beauty expert, and Korean skincare brand Peach & Lily founder said.
Image Source: Amazon, Nykaa, Shutterstock, Adobe Stock Images
I’m just a girl, like you, who’s deeply passionate about skincare and beauty. My own skincare journey has been driven by that very passion, and I can’t wait to be your go-to companion as we embark on this journey to have your best skin. Let’s bloom together!