People in Korea are less into facial fillers and favor injectables that replenish and boost collagen production on a cellular level, like Sculptra, Dr. Lee says. Consequently, hyaluronic acid-filled syringes, like Restylane and Juvéderm, are more likely used to help moisturize the skin on a cellular level.
Age is no bar for skincare
According to Cho, preventative skincare in Korea begins when you start applying sunscreen or wearing hats and clothing that protect you from sun exposure at six months old. “Not only does this prevent sunburns, but it also hinders sun damage that can contribute to ageing later in life.
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.
Skin Botox is the most popular micro injectable treatment in South Korea. BTS (a K-pop star group) speaks publicly about Skin Botox being their favorite treatment, and it has been growing in popularity in the US. Skin Botox is, more or less, instant glass skin — no magical serums or multistep routines needed.
Asian skincare, especially Korean skincare, is well known for keeping the skin looking young and radiant. Of course, this is all thanks to the K-beauty anti-aging products that they use. Most of which bring visible, long-term benefits to our skin.
When it comes to skincare, Cho says Korean women use “natural skin brighteners such as rice extracts, vitamin C, and licorice, as well as exfoliators. For stubborn brown spots, they will visit the dermatologist to lighten the brown spots using lasers.”
Based on tradition, Koreans only used natural and harsh-free ingredients to create the clear, glowy, and natural-looking skin through multiple generations that made K-Beauty products better and so popular today. Natural Korean makeup can still be made today for people to try at home by making your very own face mask.
Korean beauty products utilize the most effective Western ingredients—and so much more. With an impressively large repertoire that includes ground-breaking ingredients such as snail mucin and bee venom, their compellingly fresh formulations can deliver results you could never achieve before.
According to Cho, preventative skincare in Korea begins when you start applying sunscreen or wearing hats and clothing that protect you from sun exposure at six months old. “Not only does this prevent sunburns, but it also hinders sun damage that can contribute to ageing later in life.
Rice waterAnother effective way of keeping your skin glowing is applying fermented rice water to your face. This fermented rice water helps in eliminating damages caused due to UV rays. This water also helps in the formation of collagen that directly helps your skin look like glass.
Fermented Rice Wine (Makkeoli)
Makkeoli combines Korea's two favourite past times – drinking and pampering. Unlike soju, this alcoholic drink is rich in vitamin B and amino acids helping to brighten your skin tone and improve any unevenness in your skin tone. It even works wonders for acne.
In fact, harsh active ingredients Americans have long sought out to combat signs of aging, particularly retinol, are much less popular in Korea because Koreans prefer to avoid their drying and irritating side effects, Dr. Chang says.
Laser resurfacing.
In ablative (wounding) laser resurfacing, a laser beam destroys the outer layer of skin (epidermis) and heats the underlying skin (dermis). This stimulates the growth of new collagen fibers. As the wound heals, smoother, tighter skin forms. Laser resurfacing can't eliminate excessive or sagging skin.
Retinol (vitamin A) is the most frequently used ingredient in anti-aging creams. But tretinoin, another form of vitamin A, may be the most effective ingredient to firm the skin on your neck and face.
Lastly, it all comes down to this: what kind of skin you want to achieve. If you want to achieve shiny, luminous dewy skin, definitely try out the Korean skincare routine! However, if you want soft and matte-looking baby skin, try out the Japanese skincare routine!
They also both use a lot of serums and essences in their skincare routines. One of the biggest differences between the two cultures is the way that they approach skincare. Koreans tend to be more preventative when it comes to skincare, while Japanese people are more focused on treating existing problems.
It's because Koreans tend to view caring for their complexion as the ultimate investment, worthy of not only their money, even more so their time. In fact, most perform an intricate 10-step cleansing and moisturizing routine—every single night.
Fermented rice water face mist
It has been a beauty secret to get Korean skin. Rice water can help in decreasing UV skin damage and promotes collagen formation too. This reverses the signs of ageing like fine lines and wrinkles and gives you a flawless glow.”
Exfoliate With A Damp Cloth
Exfoliation is a healthy skincare practice, but Koreans have taken it to the next level. They use a soft cloth dipped in warm water to scrub their face. It is gentle on the skin and can give you clean and clear skin. All the dirt and oil get stuck on the cloth, thus giving you bright skin.
Korean skincare focuses on prevention, making it more effective than traditional Western beauty techniques. In South Korea, parents teach their children about skin care very early on. Their children quickly learn the importance of cleansers, SPF, and moisturizer.
Koreans predominantly ingest marine collagen (it's common for a meal to include whole-roasted fish with its skin on) and lots of bone broth (most of our meals come with a bone-broth based soup) and once or twice a week, we will have a Korean barbecue, such as pigs belly and then there are side dishes such as jellyfish ...
"Koreans value glowy, hydrated skin and would be unhappy if their skin started peeling or becoming dry," she adds. With those emollient ingredients in mind, "moisture, lots of moisture" is unsurprisingly Seoul-based board-certified dermatologist Dr. Cho Yun Joo's top advice for people dealing with acne.
Make a good skin care routine your daily habit. Aim to use a gentle cleanser and exfoliant, and make sure that you're using the proper treatments and serums for your skin type and needs. And be sure to use a daily moisturizer to increase your skin's elasticity and keep it hydrated.