Korean Beauty & Skincare

Let me tell you this: I’m ADDICTED to Korean skincare and beauty products!  When I first discovered The Face Shop, Nature Republic, and Tony Moly back in Hawai’i, I went absolutely CRAZY!  Besides the fact that it’s cutely packaged, Korean beauty products also deliver amazing results!  So you can imagine how thrilled I was to arrive in Seoul and see ALL the beauty stores lined up on each and every single block.

As I learned, skincare has always been deemed as important and critical in Korean culture, and it’s no wonder why many Korean women follow a 10-step regime every day.

As for the 10-step Korean beauty regime, it includes:

1. Removal of makeup (with cleansing wipes, cleansing oil, or a cleansing balm)
2. Cleanser (foam cleansers are usually recommended)
3. Exfoliation
4. Toner
5. Essence
6. Ampoule
7. Sheet mask
8. Eye cream
9. Moisturizer
10. Night cream (or SPF during the day)

When walking the streets of Seoul, it’s obvious that locals truly care about their appearance from their makeup, clothes, and hair.  There are beauty stores at every corner, even near my university.  So I guess if I ever need to restock on more products, it’ll be just a 5 minute walk from my dorm.

In Western makeup, women opt for more of a matte base and a contoured look.  But here in South Korea, women aim to have translucent, pale skin with a dewy finish.  In fact, contouring is rare among Koreans, but gradient, cherry-stained lips are all the rave!  Korean women place more emphasis on their skincare regime than their makeup in order to achieve a youthful glow.

If you are an exchange student studying abroad in South Korea (like myself), I HIGHLY recommend that you stock up on your own foundation if you have darker skin.  Majority of the foundation, BB creams, and CC creams in these beauty stores are in light beige or natural beige, which is obviously too light for my skin (otherwise you’ll have a white cast).

Do I consider myself influenced by Korean beauty?  Omg… yaaasss!  I, too, want to achieve clear skin, that way I don’t have to cover up so much.  But on top of that, taking care of your skin can help to prevent any further wrinkles, age spots, and sun damage.

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