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The Rise of Korean Skincare

Fun fact: did you know that South Korean women spend twice as much of their income on skincare than their American counter parts. 

The Koreans are big into their beauty and skincare regime, so its no wonder they are at the forefront of creating new, innovative skincare products. And  these products have caught on in Europe and America. 

The now commonly known and used product of a BB cream came from Korea. It was first launched in America in 2011 but Korean women have been using it for decades. It is a blend of a moisturiser and a foundation, in 2014 the US market for BB cream alone was worth $164m.

In the UK the most common beauty routine is a 3 step one, cleanse, tone, moisturise. Whereas in Korea is it most common for a 10 step routine, which is…

1) Oil cleanse - This is the initial cleanse. The oil binds with makeup and dirt on the skin that then washes away when you wash off the oil cleanser.

2) Foam cleanse - Foam cleansing now really cleans your skin of the excess oil and bacteria. 

3) Exfoliate - Exfoliating slews away the dead skin cells and helps prevent clogged pore, pimples and comedones.

4) Tone - After cleansing and exfoliating this can throw your skins PH balance, a toner balances your skin, and gives it vital antioxidants. 

5) Essense - This is a lightweight nutritional hydration. It adds moisture and has high levels of active ingredients that takes the natural extracts deep into the skin.

6) Treatment - This step is dependant on your skin issue. If you have acne or blemishes, this is where you would use a spot treatment. If you dark marks, lines or pigmentation you would a retinol or glycolic acid treatment.

7) Mask - Again the type of mask will depend on your skin type and skin needs. Nor is it a daily use product, most Koreans will use a mask twice a week. The mask is an intense version of a treatment, it could contain high levels of vitamin c to help brighten the skin, it could have high levels of witch hazel or tea tree oil to help acne.

8) Eye cream - This is an anti-ageing step that helps prevent dark eyes, fine lines and other signs of ageing around the eyes.

9) Face cream - This is to lock in the skins moisture, keeping it plump and hydrated.

10) SPF sun-cream - the biggest signs of ageing, fine lines, dark spots, are all predominantly caused by the sun. SPF is a vital step in Korean skincare routines.

This routine is obviously a bit excessive and not for everyone. If you have sensitive skin, or any skincare issue it may aggravate it. 

This kind of routine is best for people who have a normal skin type and are looking at preventing the signs of ageing, so probably for people in their late 20′s to 30′s.

“falling garden” by gerda steiner and jorg lenzlinger for 50th venice biennale in 2003 in church san stae - grand canal.

Sara Mrad ‘Ethereal Poem’ Spring 2020 Bridal Collection