K, Okay!
“It’s giving glass skin” is now a commonly overheard phrase among beauty aficionados. Sheet masks claiming to be better than Botox and all-around hydration products hailing from the Far East — Korea, to be exact — are the ever-trending top-shelf favorites among beauty enthusiasts.
Korean beauty, or K-beauty, refers to South Korea’s coveted (and often viral) beauty and skincare products. Renowned for glowing, youthful skin and innovative beauty formulations, K-beauty puts skincare at center stage, focusing on caring for your face rather than caking on foundation. Good skin is the base.
Multi-step routines are the name of the game in K-beauty, so stock up on your cleansers, toners, essences, serums, sheet masks, creams, and sunscreen — and get ready to layer up!
K-beauty is also making waves for its unusual ingredients, such as snail mucin, ginseng, and propolis, which heal, hydrate, promote elasticity, and soothe. Overall, though, moisture is the main focus, rather than the heavy exfoliation commonly seen in Western routines.
Using all-natural ingredients, K-beauty products come in cute packaging or in the form of iconic sheet masks, which are soaked in serums or essences. While each routine can be customized to one’s skincare needs, here are a few products to add to your wish list.
To start, pictured left: Haruharu Wonder Black Rice Moisture Deep Cleansing Oil harnesses the power of black rice to cleanse skin, while The Pure Lotus Youth Biotics line’s Lotus Probiotic Concentrate Cream is infused with Indian lotus leaf for enhanced hydration.
You’ll find more products to try on the right. Soon, you’ll understand why K-beauty is a hit — and you may even kick your other routines to the curb.