Korean beauty - skincare friend or foe?
A trend that has taken over but is it doing more harm than it is good? Are you using your skincare properly?
Korean beauty - it’s all the rage but what exactly is it? Korean beauty, commonly known as K-beauty, is exactly what it says in the title: beauty and skincare that comes from Korea. Targeting many concerns such as health, hydration and dullness, K-beauty seems to have an answer for every dilemma.
But what makes K-beauty so special? A cocktail of active ingredients that is going to focus on healing and repairing the skin whilst also making it seem more youthful with a glow. K-beauty focuses on preventing any skin concerns, rather than trying to mask them. Its belief is that beauty starts from beneath, with good skin, you can feel confident and beautiful.
Simple skincare with innovative ingredients in eye-catching and pleasing packaging to get our attention. Like magpies, we are drawn to the shiny products. Many people have started to delve into the world of K-beauty without even realising it. Products from brands such as Glow Recipe, Dr. Jart, and Laneige sit on the shelves in thousands of homes whilst some of the owners are unaware that they are part of the K-beauty family. Many of these products are bought after they became the latest trend on social media, the ‘clean girl aesthetic’ is in, having a simple minimalist look that made people seem well put together with little effort. From that came the ‘glass skin’ trend and this is where Korean beauty and skincare products really seemed to boom. Brands such as Glow recipe gave people products that made them shine with a healthy, dewy and radiant glow.
Who doesn’t want to look like they’ve just been kissed by the sun?
It dominated Asia and has now caused a frenzy in the Western world. It is all across my social media, as I’m sure you may have come across it too. K-beauty however, is not a new phenomenon, it first started to become known in 2011 with the introduction of a BB-cream but has recently hit a spike in popularity amongst the younger generation thanks to social media.
With products that work for all ages and generations, it is no surprise that social media has had a significant influx of attention to K-beauty. Influencers, promoters and the everyday person have all gathered on social media to revel in its marvel and spread the word that K-beauty is here, and it’s here to stay.
When asked, many users of Korean beauty said that they had been influenced by social media posts. Some others had mentioned that they are not big into skincare, but if they had to start, they would look into Korean skincare as that is all they have seen online and been drawn to most. We spoke to Hope, an avid user of Korean skincare who said ‘I have sensitive dry skin and the snail essence [by Cosrx] was incredible, I love the Korean skincare, it’s made a huge difference in how my skin feels. The texture is different and none of it agitates my skin.’ Another skincare enthusiast, Hugh, has said ‘I have used Korean skincare in the past; the thing with Korean skincare is that I think there may be more products than you need. A 13-step routine is really over the top and in general not necessary. I think it has become successful in the West because Korean skincare is so extra, we love to be extra and taking care of ourselves.’
What is the famous ‘Korean 10-step beauty routine?
We spoke to Kat Cane, owner of Walton Street Wellness, who has more than 17 years’ experience as in NHS nursing, which is all about catering facials and skincare to each individual client. She mentions that while ‘some products are lovely’, problems arise when people see ‘the classic 10-step Korean skincare that has come become huge from lots of TikTok trends, [the trouble with that is] they don’t know your skin.’. An over excessive routine creates confusion and many people can end up using the wrong product at the wrong step, inevitably causing more harm than good. Kat is seeing more and more people come in with ‘lots of sensitivity, lots of break-outs, lots of redness because a lot of the product [she had] were also quite active,’, it seems as though many people are following the trends rather than finding the product that is actually right for their skin.
‘She ended up giving herself sore, red, sensitive skin.’
Sometimes a simpler routine is best rather than an overly complicated 10-step routine.
Products withing the K-beauty range have many values such as adding hydration and glow to the skin. This will give you an overall youthful and glowing look and when used long term will add hydration to the skin therefore reducing dullness. If you don't look tired, you won't feel tired.
Leading brands such as Cosrx, Mixoon and Beauty of Joseon use unique blends of formulations and have brought uncommon ingredients into their products. Ingredients such as bean extract, Ginseng and snail mucin are all included within their products. They also include many active ingredients such as Niacinamide and Salicylic acid, it is easy to over use and misuse products when you are unsure of what they do.
Many health experts have said that when used correctly, niacinamide will reduce inflammation, calm redness and improve the overall uneven skin tone. However, it does need to be used correctly and in the right dosage.
Whilst there is not a lot of research to back it, some dermatologists say that snail mucin will moisturise and stimulate the collagen in skin leaving you looking fresh and plump. As it one of the newer skincare ingredients to hit the market, further research is needed before an accurate before determining real benefits of the ingredient.
Speaking to a skincare expert to determine exactly what your skin needs before purchasing products that you see everyone buying as it’s become viral will ensure that you have the right products for your skin.
Everyone's skin is different, what may work well for some won't for others so caution is always needed.