Apart from PSY’s chartbuster, Gangnam Style – South Korea has grabbed the world’s attention for its massive beauty and cosmetic industry.
In local Indian stores and pharmacies, you might have seen cute Korean products with Anime figures, cartoons, and plush packaging. Apart from being insanely adorable, these beauty hacks and products are natural, affordable and usually very effective on Indian Skin types.
There was a time when the Japanese were most trusted for their natural skin remedies and skincare routines. As a part of the 1990’s Hallyu movement, there was a boom in the export of Korean culture and the world noticed them for their art, music, beauty, food, and entertainment.
In recent years, K-pop artists and unconventional Korean music videos flooded the global markets. People took notice of the flawless skin, young appearance and shiny hair of the Korean celebrities. Many websites, blogs, and influencers took to the internet to explore the potential of Korean beauty routines in the western world. From bubble tea face packs to anti-wrinkle spas, the secrets of the Korean cosmetic culture are gaining popularity across the world. The industry also thrived because of strong cultural influence and success in the experiential products. They are rich in botanical research, active ingredients, visible results, and sometimes bizarre applications.
To introduce our readers to some of these proven Korean beauty routines and hacks, we’ve listed some of our favorite ones right here. Try these and let us know in the comments about the results!
1. The Icy Cold Jamsu
If you haven’t seen women dunking their faces in ice-cold water after make-up, you’ve probably not heard of the famous Korean Jamsu. The word roughly translates to ‘diving’ and that’s pretty much what you’re supposed to do. It is a beauty hack which has become a popular challenge on the internet. It is supposed to set your makeup by dunking your face in ice-water and also keeps the skin oil-free.
Many celebrities and beauty-bloggers have tried Jamsu and most of them are freezing but happy about the result. The method is quite simple, you apply your entire makeup routine with foundation, concealer, and everything. You add a layer or baby powder (or according to some bloggers, transparent powder) and rest your face in a bowl of ice-cold water for 10-15 seconds. The powder and water set the makeup and also leave a matte, oil-free skin that lasts.
2. The Overnight Sleeping Masks
Korean beauty techniques are a mixture of medicine, science, and age-old wisdom. We know that the body detoxifies and skin cells rejuvenate best during the night.
Since there is no sun, rain or pollution to disturb it – the skin absorbs nutrients well and also reacts better to products. Making use of this knowledge and biotech research from the cosmetic industry, Koreans started relying heavily on night-time beauty routines as compared to daytime.
The most popular among these routines is the overnight sleeping mask. Easy to use, absorbent like cream and yielding fabulous results. All you have to do is remove your makeup, cleanse, tone and apply the overnight mask.
Follow this routine once every week and your skin will be radiant and perfect in no time! Make sure you choose the right mask for your skin type for best results. Some of the popular sleeping masks in the Indian market include Oh K! Korean Overnight Moisturizing Sleep Face Mask, Ryaal Juicy Radiance Boosting Sleeping Mask with Watermelon Extract and Hyaluronic Acid, Lakme Absolute Skin Gloss Overnight Face Mask, LANEIGE Water Sleeping Mask, etc.
3. Airdry for Best Results
This is more common-sense than science. Since our towels are exposed to enormous amounts of bacteria and germs, the Koreans have decided to ditch the towel. Many cultures around the world prefer that the skin is air-dried for similar reasons. The towels can also have harsh detergent deposits, gruff texture, and infection-carrying germs.
After washing your face, just let the air dry your skin. It will take longer but it will also allow the skin to remain moist instead of drying out into the towel. You can directly apply lotion after the skin is fairly dry to lock-in the moisture. This simple but significant change in your routine can prevent outbreak and acne to a great extent.
4. Double Cleanse
The Koreans consider cleansing as one of the most crucial parts of their skincare routine. They cleanse twice a day and each time, with two different formulas. The two formulas help the skin in two very different ways to stay clean and prevent clogging. Double cleansing involves usage of an oil-based cleanser followed by a foam cleanser. The science behind this is simple. Since water does not mix with oil, water-based cleansers are unable to remove oil-based products and pollutants.
At the end of the day, your face is covered in pollutants, soot, natural oil, and make-up. In order to cleanse it perfectly, the steps are double than your usual routine. Start by gently massaging an oil-based cleanser on your face. It gently removes the oily substances and helps clear the pores. Rinse well. Immediately after this, use a water/foam/ cream based cleanser to remove any dirt and impurities in the skin. Once a day is fine but a morning and night combination is ideal for the glowing, cute Korean skin. Do not hesitate from using the oil-based cleanser, contrary to popular belief, it can actually help soothe the skin and prevent pimples from breaking out.
5. The Magical Mouth Exercises
Try saying A-E-I-O-U by exaggerating the sounds. It will cause stress to your jaws and cheeks. Repeat this five times everyday. The Koreans have proven that you can manually boost blood circulation to your cheeks and entire face by practicing simple mouth exercises. You can also look for devices which help position the mouth in a certain way to promote blood flow. You can also try looking all the way up at the ceiling and imitate a kiss. This helps reduce fat from the neck and lower jaw. Healthy skin is the base of any skincare routine and such simple exercise can add the extra dash of health and radiance to your face.
Try this and let us know your experience with the bizarre but practical Korean beauty hacks!
