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.
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 swear by the rule of double cleansing, double hydration and double masking in their skincare routine!
Mix 3 tablespoons of finely ground rice flour with 2 tablespoons of aloe vera pulp along with cold water in proportion to form a thin liquid. Apply this mixture over the face and neck. Leave it on for an hour till it is completely dry, and then wash it off with cold water.
Koreans have a longstanding and immense passion for taking care of their skin. In ancient Korean culture, it was believed that outward beauty reflected the inner self; that true beauty came from having radiant skin. Since 700 B.C., Koreans have been researching, developing and documenting skincare methods.
“Men and women in South Korea are meticulous when it comes to maintaining healthy hair with a three-step process. After washing the hair with shampoo and conditioner, they often apply a hair essence or hair oil to achieve a shiny head of hair. Hair masks, serums, milks and hair mists are all must-haves,” explains Cho.
Honey Glow
"Like you highlighted your face with honey (or kkul in Korean) to achieve an allover hyper-glossy, mirror-like shine," explain Chang and Lee.
Just as we Americans consider fitness and nutrition important for our overall health, Koreans think the same of skincare. According to Yoon, that's essential to remember. “In Korea, skincare is not seen as a vanity thing, it's not seen as a high-maintenance thing. It's seen as a way to take care of yourself.”
But aside from a preferred weight, there are other standards for a beautiful body in Korean culture. One of them being having long legs, thin enough to see a thigh gap or a 허벅지틈 (heobeogji teum). Other standards include having a slim waist and straight shoulders.
Koreans take skincare very seriously, and that is evident from their beautiful glowing skin. Not all of that is genetic. It's the result of an extensive skincare routine and naturally sourced hydrating extracts present in almost all Korean skincare ranges.
According to a survey conducted in 2019 by Ipsos on global attitudes toward beauty, around 58 percent of South Korean respondents stated that they preferred women to be between 5 feet 5 inches (around 165cm) to 5 feet 9 inches (around 175cm) tall.
Korean men have hair follicles with low sensitivity towards testosterone. It leads to slow growth of the body and facial hair. Beard growth is also proportional to aging.
In their paper titled GWAS Identifies Multiple Genetic Loci for Skin Color in Korean Women, published in the dermatological publication Journal of Investigative Dermatology, results showed that two of the discovered genes are believed to be the world's first discovered skin pigmentation-related genes and highly ...
In Asian skin care, fermented ingredients are some of the most popular solutions to achieving whiter skin, thanks to the natural acids generated through the fermentation process. Fermenting preserves the nutritional value of the ingredient and increases its potency.
Also, Koreans include Cheonggukjang (fermented soybean paste) regularly in their diet, which contributes phenomenally to their healthy and thicker hair growth.