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K-Skincare & Why People Are Obsessed

Written and Designed by: Tan Zhi Shan (23-I1)

Have you noticed the hype around Korean skincare recently? Perhaps it is just me but influencers have been promoting K-skincare more often as of late on Tiktok, Instagram, etc. So, let’s take a deep dive into the world of K-skincare!

K-skincare - what is it?

Historically, East Asians place high standards unto their physical appearances. One of these strict beauty standards is fair skin. This remains prevalent in present time, especially in South Korea. As such, Koreans are quite well-experienced and educated in skincare.

First, let’s zoom out to Asian skincare as a whole. While Korean skincare is renowned globally, there is also Chinese and Japanese skincare which are quite popular amongst the countries’ residents. Asian skincare emphasises protecting the skin and prevention rather than treatment. Most Asian skincare items carry gentle ingredients that do not strip the skin barrier and focus on keeping your skin healthy. 

Korean skincare follows these principles of protection and prevention with a focus on hydration. As such, they have devised a complex 10-step routine for morning and night time skincare, developed many skincare products which hydrate the skin, and can often be heard patting their skincare in rather than rubbing it on their faces, ensuring absorption of hydrating ingredients. 

The renowned 10-step routine

Disclaimers:

  • This will NOT work for everyone!! Everyone’s skin has different needs and this 10-step routine is not guaranteed to work for you (considering we live in hot and humid Singapore, it may instead clog your pores and make your face really oily since the products may not absorb well...)

  • They do not actually follow all 10 steps every day, there are certain steps that are only meant to be done once or twice a week to prevent damaging the skin barrier.

Step One: Oil Cleanser

Koreans love double-cleansing and it consists of using an oil cleanser to remove impurities such as makeup, pollution, and sunscreen, and a water-based cleanser in the next step! As such, oil cleansing is really only done at night. When using an oil cleanser, you should start with clean, dry hands and gently rub the oil cleanser in small circular motions on your face. Afterwards, wet your hands and massage your face to emulsify the oil cleanser. This will allow it to better clear your pores of impurities. Lastly, wash off the oil cleanser with lukewarm water.

Step Two: Water-based Cleanser

As mentioned above, the second step is the water-based cleanser which most people already use. This cleanser will remove impurities such as sweat and grime. As such, the double-cleansing method will tackle most, if not all, impurities that have built up over time on the skin, ensuring that the skin is clean and ready to absorb all the nutrients from the following steps.

Step Three: Exfoliation

This is one of the steps that is only done once or twice per week. Exfoliation can be done via physical or chemical methods. Physical methods, such as scrubs, clay masks or brush bristles, can irritate the skin and should be done gently. Chemical methods on the other hand use acids or enzymes such as AHA and BHA. Exfoliation is important as it gets rid of dead skin cells that have accumulated on the face, thus helping to smooth and brighten the skin. However, it must be kept to a maximum of  twice a week as too much can damage the skin. Exfoliation can cause the skin to be sensitive, especially to sun rays, and is usually done at night, allowing the skin to recover as you sleep.

Step Four: Toner

Toners might look just like water, however, they are actually very useful. Toners tighten up the pores and cell gaps after cleansing, ensuring impurities cannot reenter the skin. Toners also provide some moisture to rehydrate the skin after cleansing or exfoliation, preparing the skin for the layers of skincare to come.

Step Five: Essence

Essences originated from Asian skincare and are a lightweight product rich in hydrating, brightening, and anti-aging ingredients. They make the skin more vibrant and help it to absorb the following products better.

Step Six: Serum/Ampoule

Both serums and ampoules are concentrated products which target specific skin concerns. While similar, ampoules, which originated from Korea, are stronger and more potent than serums. Ampoules are often used occasionally rather than daily like serums are. 

Step Seven: Face Mask

Face masks, or rather sheet masks, are only required once or twice a week. They provide extra hydration for the skin and often are able to recharge the skin swiftly with nutrients and vitamins. The use of the sheet ensures absorption of these nutrients, making it very effective and therefore a popular product. Sheet masks are usually done at night as they make a very good unwinding activity after a taxing day. However, it can be done in the morning as well, just note that they usually take 10-20 minutes!

Step Eight: Eye Cream

K-skincare places emphasis on looking youthful and maintaining bouncy, firm skin. Hence, it is no surprise that eye creams are essential in their routines, helping to hydrate, plump, and brighten the thinning skin around the eyes as we age.

Step Nine: Moisturiser

Moisturiser is the most important step in the seemingly never-ending routine. Not only is it the main provider of hydration, it also locks in all the products that have been layered onto the skin. There are different kinds of moisturisers for different skin types. Emulsions and gels are lightweight and recommended for oily or combination skin while creams are heavy, recommended for dry and ageing skin, and are often used at night due to how thick it is. Lotions on the other hand are in between emulsions and creams and are suitable for all skin types.

Step Ten: Sunscreen

Sunscreen is integral in protecting the skin from UV rays which can cause skin cancer, premature ageing, and sun damage. Sunscreen can also prevent acne scars from darkening, helping them fade away. Sunscreen should be reapplied every 2-3 hours regardless of whether you are indoors or outdoors, rain or shine, as UV rays are very prominent and can pass through glass and clouds. The higher the SPF level, the better protection it can provide. The only time you do not need to wear sunscreen is when the sun has set, hence, sunscreen is solely a morning routine step.

So why are people obsessed with K-skincare?

Firstly, Korean skincare is preferred to Western skincare as K-skincare is all about prevention of acne and skin damage compared to Western skincare which focuses on the treatment of acne and problems that have already occurred. Furthermore, Korean skincare is less stripping and more gentle than Western skincare which contains many active ingredients that may damage the skin if overused. 

Secondly, this may be due to the Hallyu Wave phenomenon, in which an influx of Korean content and culture worldwide has increased the awareness and appeal of K-skincare. 

Third, K-skincare is better marketed, showing off its innovativeness, natural ingredients, and effectiveness. Additionally, compared to Chinese or Japanese skincare products, South Korea’s skincare market has started advertising globally in efforts to attract a larger consumer base. It does help that Korean idols also often publicise these South Korean brands. According to my research, K-skincare brands are more established compared to Japanese brands which may be due to this marketing difference. Interviewees were able to name more Korean brands such as Anua, Abib, Innisfree, Beauty of Joseon, Laneige and Roundlab, compared to Japanese brands such as Senka, Shiseido, Hadalabo and Bioré.

However, this is not to say that Korean skincare is better than Western skincare in all aspects. I personally feel that both have their own strengths and weaknesses, for example, Western skincare is often quicker to produce results than Asian skincare.

Bonus - A peek into my skincare routine!

I first started getting into skincare when I realised I was beginning to get pimples in Secondary school. I found a book on Korean skincare on Libby which brought me to start experimenting with products and finding my own routine. After much trial-and-error, I found that the 10-step routine was simply too overwhelming for my skin and a simple 3-step routine (detailed below) was best!

  1. Cleanse (oil + water-based!): Softymo Speedy Oil Cleanser and Senka Perfect Whip Acne-care Cleanser

  2. Moisturise: Illiyoon Ceramide Ato Soothing Gel

  3. Sunscreen: Skin1004 Sun Serum Hyalu-cica Waterfit SPF50++++

Occasionally, I will exfoliate or do a sheet mask, but only once or twice a month due to my schedule and laziness.

I would like to add that getting acne is honestly unavoidable, especially as a teenager, and we should not think negatively of our appearance when it pops up. As a student who really dislikes science, I think the science of skincare is very fascinating and definitely a worthy topic to delve into!

Disclaimer #2: The products I use may not be suitable for you, please research and experiment and find out which products will work best as your skin has its own unique likes and dislikes!

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