The Rise of K-Beauty

K-Beauty is an umbrella term for skin-care products that are derived from South Korea. The fad gained popularity worldwide, especially in various parts of Asia and then later the US.  Although the principles of K-Beauty are based on traditional health and wellness practices, the more commercial birth of K-Beauty goes back to around 1999 and the early 2000’s.

The focus of K-Beauty lies on health, hydration with emphasis on brightening effects.

Although the focus for these beauty products is on skin aesthetics such as health, hydration, and luminous textured skin, glowing “glass skin” is favoured by South Koreans. Rather than having layers of foundation, they prefer to have a lengthy skincare regimen with a focus on toning and clarifying. Various natural ingredients are utilised in the creation of these products in addition to the numerous steps involved in a skincare routine.

K-Beauty products use sophisticated ingredients and appealing packaging. Interesting ingredients ranging from more natural sources such as green tea leaves, orchid, soybean to snail slime, morphing masks, bee venom (an anti-inflammatory “faux-tox” alleged to relax facial muscles), moisturizing starfish extract, and pig collagen.

The regimen involves a series of steps including cleansing rituals (with oil and water-based products), sheet masks, essences, serums, moisturisers, cushion compacts, fermented products, and SPF 35 sunscreen.

At night, the sunscreen is replaced by a “night cream”.

The facial skincare products that have resulted from this trend are successful, as it has led to the development of new skin products.

SO, WHAT ARE THE 10 STEPS?

Step 1: Wash with water

First thing in the morning, cleanse your skin with only water, not cleanser. Water removes the few impurities that settle on the face during the night, and keeps skin hydrated, too.

Step 2: Toner

To balance the skin’s pH levels, it’s important to apply toner; otherwise, the skin can become dry and dehydrated. Toner further helps to absorb the next products you apply.

Step 3: Essence

Essence is a hybrid between a toner and a serum. It works perfectly to hydrate the complexion, aiding cellular turnover for a youthful appearance.

Step 4: Ampoule

Similar to serums, ampoules actually comprise an even higher number of active ingredients to target specific skin care concerns. They’re used for a finite amount of time as a booster when your skin badly needs the extra help.

Step 5: Serum

Concentrated formulas with an unprecedented amount of active ingredients, serums target specific skin concerns like wrinkles, dark spots, and dehydration.

Step 6: Eye cream

Smooth a light eye cream across both the brow and socket bone moving from the inner to outer corner of the eye. Here, the skin is at its thinnest as there are no sebaceous glands to produce natural oils, so it’s important to keep this area hydrated and protected all day long.

Step 7: Moisturiser

Next apply a soothing moisturiser in a light layer across the skin for long lasting all-day hydration.

Step 8: Sunscreen

Applying sunscreen shouldn’t be reserved for the summer holidays. Protecting the skin on a daily basis from UV rays will avoid the development of dark spots, wrinkles and fine lines.

The last two steps are added in once or twice a week:

Step 9: Exfoliate

Twice a week use a gentle enzyme or bead-based exfoliator to remove the dead skin cells that can make the complexion appear lack-lustre whilst blocking pores and preventing key product ingredient absorption.

Step 10: Sheet mask

The sheet mask is a Korean beauty favourite – a cloth saturated with skin loving ingredients! Perfect for all skin types, everyone can benefit from these masks which deliver a deeply hydrating and anti-ageing treatment.

Although men are increasingly participating in the market, the focus is still on women.

For more information on ingredients for K-beauty styled skin care products contact Botanichem

[Information sourced: Wikipedia; Cosmpolitan.com/uk (Nov 2019)]