Beauty Hacks: STITCH's Guide to K-Beauty Skincare
My guilty pleasure is looking through the Instagrams of Korean models and pop stars. Of course, my browsing is aspirational: I want to be like them when I grow up! One of the many things they have that I don’t is flawless skin. All of them have flawless complexions with and without makeup. You could chalk it up to genetics, but I’d say it’s because of their devotion to Korean beauty, also known as K-Beauty.
Korean beauty products aren’t exotic. Actually, you’re probably already pretty familiar with it without even realizing. Maybe you’ve passed by some cute little Tonymoly fruit-shaped lip balms at Urban Outfitters, or have seen those character print sheet masks. American brands adopt K-Beauty innovations all the time: Korea is where BB cream first became popular! K-Beauty differs from American makeup trends in that it champions a natural look rather than an uber-contoured one. Because of K-Beauty followers’ emphasis on looking flawless while looking completely natural, skincare is always paramount. Sure, the K-Beauty flock can be obsessed with more classic makeup products like lipstick—when it was falsely reported that a Korean actress wore Yves Saint Laurent’s Rouge Pur Couture lipstick in Rosy Coral in an episode of her drama, the shade sold out of stores everywhere. But, K-Beauty is ultimately most concerned with skincare and maintaining a clear, bright, youthful face that doesn’t need to be concealed with makeup.
Even though they yield amazing results, Korean skincare routines are pretty intimidating to me. I don’t really mind the exotic ingredients that go into K-Beauty products; I’m fine with slapping snail excretions on my face, as long as it’s for a good cause such as smooth, pimple-free skin. Rather, I’m intimidated by how much time, effort, and money goes into a K-Beauty skincare routine. Popular Korean beauty websites like Soko Glam and Peach and Lily recommend routines with upwards of ten steps involving hundreds of dollars in products and hours of my time. Honestly, if I were a bit older, more financially stable, and less busy, I’d bite the bullet and fall into the routine of these nightly skincare rituals. But, I just can’t right now. I’m in college and have better things to do at night than hour-long, one-woman skincare parties. Also, I’m definitely not in the financial position to spend a decent portion of my income on hydro mists and morning cleansing balms. And, that’s okay! K-Beauty is adaptable. Some products, like exfoliators, are situational, and I only use them occasionally when I really need to. Some don’t apply to my skin at present, such as wrinkle-reducing serums. With this, I can condense my nightly routine, keeping it minimal and applicable to my busy collegiate lifestyle. Here’s the essential steps to my personal K-Beauty routine.
Cleanse!
I always break out when I leave my makeup on overnight. Even though it’s really tempting to sleep with a full face of makeup on, the most important part of my nightly skincare routine is taking off my face, if you will. First, I remove my makeup with a basic drugstore makeup removing wipe. One by Aveeno is currently my favorite, but I switch between brands and types since I run out so quickly. I follow this step with a cleansing oil, like my go-to The Face Shop Rice Water Cleansing Oil, pictured above. This is to get rid of any other particles that the makeup wipe missed. Then, I follow with a cleanser to get rid of oil and to make sure that my face is as clean as can be. A favorite in my family is this one, by Fresh. (Most of my mom’s Sephora points are probably from replenishing our family supply.)
Tone!
Some people don’t think toner is important. But, I do. I love toner. Toner has a watery consistency, so it seems almost unnecessary. However, it’s a really essential part of my skincare routine. After stripping the skin through cleansing, toner replenishes and hydrates it with vitamins and natural extracts. I swear by Skin Food’s Peach Sake toner. Since it minimizes pores and reduces shine, it’s perfect for my oily, acne-prone skin. Toner is easily my most favorite part of my skincare routine.
Add Essence!
Essences, watery products similar to toners, are the heart of K-Beauty and Korean skincare, but they’re extremely expensive. This is because essences contain loads of natural ingredients that benefit your skin immensely. Because of their cost, I only use essences when my finances allow it and when my skin needs it. When I do use them, though, essences improve my skin a great deal. This essence by Mizon contains snail excretions-- I usually purchase and use it when my skin is recovering from a breakout or scarring since it helps skin regeneration.
Put a (sleeping) mask on it!
While I wish I could use a sheet mask every day, it takes too much effort. Putting a sheet mask on and peeling it off twenty minutes later is not something that I would enjoy doing daily. Also, sheet masks are pretty expensive and they only last once. Hydration is important, though. Instead of using a sheet mask every night, I use sleeping masks or sleeping packs: these hydrate your skin overnight and leave your face feeling great the next morning. This is the easiest part of my skincare routine. After my toner or essence, I cover my face with a thin layer of my sleeping mask, and I’m good to go! A good sleeping pack like Laneige’s Water Sleeping Pack, pictured above, takes less effort to apply than a sheet mask. They also last longer, and therefore are more cost-effective.
This routine keeps me and my skin well-rested. I get more sleep because of the amount of time it saves me, and it keeps my skin hydrated and well-cared for. With this shorter K-Beauty skincare routine, I’m saving money and time while yielding the benefits of great skincare! It’s really the best of both worlds. My skin’s still not nearly as good as, say, Korean it-girl (and my style icon) Irene Kim’s, but I’m sure it’s getting there!