Koreans, who live at a higher latitude and get relatively little sun exposure, have lighter skin color than the Cantonese and burn easily upon UV exposure.
Korean skin color can be described as a yellow to red tone.
Skin color was lighter and more yellow in females than in males, whereas redness was higher in males. In the case of total color difference between two specific sites, the medial upper arm and forearm were the most similar (E=3.23), and the forehead and medial upper arm were the most different in color (E=7.99).
Koreans' skin tone varies from very pale to a more olive cast. For a few decades, darker skin was seen as unattractive and pale-skinned youth were more likely to be chosen for K-pop groups, actors and actresses for soaps.
Skincare is More Important than Makeup
Since ancient times, Koreans have only used natural, harsh-free ingredients for their skincare routines: green tea, “snail slime”, bamboo extracts, propolis, and honey are just some examples of the elements they used and have passed through generations.
Koreans use a range of skincare products, such as toners, essences, serums, and sheet masks, that contain ingredients like vitamin C, niacinamide, and arbutin to brighten and even out the skin tone.
Areas like Scandinavia and Siberia have very low concentrations of ultraviolet radiation, and indigenous populations are all light-skinned.
According to a survey conducted in 2019 by Ipsos on global attitudes toward beauty, around 38 percent of South Korean respondents stated that they preferred brown eyes for women. On the other end of the scale, only one percent of respondents stated that they considered amber colored eyes ideal for women.
It's no secret that Irish people are some of the palest – if not the palest – people in the world. When the hot weather hits, and temperatures soar, the Irish feel it the most on that pale skin from the land of the Celts.
Although approximately 80% of Koreans have dark skin of Fitzpatrick type III or higher, the proportion with the BST pigmented type, which is characterized by vulnerability to pigmentation or pigmentary skin disease, is much lower.
For the uninitiated, Koreans are known for their flawless skin. If you're a skincare enthusiast, you should be aware of the importance of the Korean beauty industry. Koreans are known for their skin being so bright and translucent that it almost seems radiant and reflects like glass.
While most of the Western world have embraced the idea of bronzing their skin – a majority of South Koreans are utterly convinced that having fair, pale skin is the only way to look beautiful. Both historically and universally, having tan skin was once a telling factor in being of a lower class.
According to netizens, actresses Lee Yoo Bi, Goo Hye Sun, and Lee Young Ae have such milky white skin that they all deserve the title.
Researchers have found that men are subconsciously attracted to fairer skin due to its association with purity, innocence, modesty and goodness, while women feel that darker complexions are associated with sex, virility and danger.
Korean beauty standards prioritize having a small v-shaped face, fair skin, symmetrical eyebrows, a slim body, and double eyelids. Altogether, these features create a more innocent, young look.
As Korea's beauty standard is based on creating a youthful appearance, having large and innocent eyes is key. Big, round eyes with double eyelids are considered beautiful, whereas monolids are often seen as unattractive.
In fact, many Korean people have curly or wavy hair textures — but this is often a well-kept secret as most Koreans opt for the widely popular Korean Magic Straight Perm as opposed to wearing their natural curls.
The rarest skin color in the world is believed to be the white from albinism, a genetic mutation that causes a lack of melanin production in the human body. Albinism affects 1 in every 3,000 to 20,000 people. What is this? People with albinism usually have very pale or colorless skin, hair, and eyes.
Natives of Buka and Bougainville at the northern Solomon Islands in Melanesia and the Chopi people of Mozambique in the southeast coast of Africa have darker skin than other surrounding populations. (The native people of Bougainville, Papua New Guinea, have some of the darkest skin pigmentation in the world.)
Light - Generally those with skin considered “light” have warmer undertones (we'll get to that in a second) than those with fair skin. You likely are able to tan in the summer. Medium - You have a tan skin tone with warm golden or olive undertones. Dark - The deepest range of skin tones.
Double dosed skincare
This is why Korean women live by the rule of double cleansing, double eye mask and double hydration in their skincare regimen. The step cleansing method includes a foaming face wash followed by an oil-based cleanser. This clears the skin of every last bit of makeup and dirt from face.