The West has taken notice of how innovative K-beauty products are. K-beauty entered the U.S. market in 2011, and today, the U.S. is the third-largest market for exports from South Korean beauty companies. It's safe to say, K-beauty is here to stay.
Finally, around 1961, the Korean cosmetics industry began to prosper after the passage of a law banning sales of other countries' products. End of the 2010s, South Korea banned cosmetics for which animal testing was conducted.
One reason for K-Beauty's growing popularity is the desire to achieve the “glass skin” look that is trendy in Korean dramas and pop culture. Celebrities in South Korea often use the best skincare products and undergo specialized beauty treatments to achieve this look.
South Korea has a significant market when it comes to skin care and cosmetics, and this is partly due to its culture. Koreans are very knowledgeable about beauty and cosmetics, so their skin care products are made with the highest standards to achieve a flawless “glass skin” appearance.
The origins of Korean beauty developed during the time of the Three Kingdoms where beauty culture became more prevalent. A special emphasis was placed upon the Goryeo era as it was known to be the pinnacle for Korean beauty standards.
Double dosed skincare
This is why Korean women live by the rule of double cleansing, double eye mask and double hydration in their skincare regimen. The step cleansing method includes a foaming face wash followed by an oil-based cleanser. This clears the skin of every last bit of makeup and dirt from face.
True Beauty (Korean: 여신강림) is a South Korean television series starring Moon Ga-young, Cha Eun-woo, Hwang In-youp, and Park Yoo-na.
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!
More Gentle Actives
Highly concentrated active ingredients are essential for preventing skin concerns, but Korean skincare prefers to use more gentle active ingredients without potential irritating side effects.
“Korean beauty brands heavily invest in research and development, resulting in cutting-edge formulations, and innovative ingredients that cater to a wide range of skin concerns,” says CosRx.
Women in Korea slap their faces at least 50 times after finishing their daily skincare routine to get the blood circulation going. It also firms up the face muscles.
"Promoting hydration as well as soothing ingredients is a primary focus in Korean skin care," confirms Cosmetic Chemist Ramón Pagán. "This is a contrast to the products we tend to see in the west, which can be more astringent or irritating to the skin with higher percentages of active ingredients."
Just as we Americans consider fitness and nutrition important for our overall health, Koreans think the same of skincare. According to Yoon, that's essential to remember. “In Korea, skincare is not seen as a vanity thing, it's not seen as a high-maintenance thing. It's seen as a way to take care of yourself.”
You're never too young to start a good skincare regime
“In Korea, skincare is a lifestyle. Lots of Korean women grow up with their mums telling them about the importance of skincare, so they generally build the awareness at an early age and get serious about it in their 20s—if not earlier!”
According to a survey conducted in 2019 by Ipsos on global attitudes toward beauty, around 58 percent of South Korean respondents stated that they preferred women to be between 5 feet 5 inches (around 165cm) to 5 feet 9 inches (around 175cm) tall.
Gentle Formulas
Korean beauty heritage is steeped in natural ingredients passed down from generation to generation. This tradition continues today with formulations that tend to shun harsh chemicals and draw from the Earth instead.
By all accounts, South Korea is the most cosmetically advanced country on Earth.
"Switzerland is known for its excellence in skincare all around; from sourcing cutting-edge ingredients and finding the very best chemists to technical advancements in production, 'Swiss made' is the gold standard in skincare," says Katie Houston, Beauty Pie Senior Skincare NPD Manager.
Skincare is a Religion in Korea
It's unusual to come across a Korean who doesn't have clear skin. Almost every one of them has pristine skin because they take care of it religiously.
The Japanese follow a diet that is very low on red meat, fried foods, sugar and salt, which can cause inflammation [3] leading to redness and puffy skin. With a focus on raw vegetables and fish, rice and green tea, they ensure the foods they eat also assist in creating younger looking skin.
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.
Hada Labo Tokyo is one of the latest skincare lines to hit the UK and it is already proving very popular. It is Japan's number one skincare line and was created by Rohto Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd with the intention to be effective for all skin types whilst removing all unnecessary ingredients and additives.
South Korean pop stars like Kim Ji-soo (Blackpink), Irene (Red Velvet), Jin (BTS), and South Korean actresses such as Kim Tae-hee, Shin Min-ah, and Jun Ji-Hyun are some of the most admired South Korean stars solely because of their looks.
Get ready to be swept away by the abundance of natural beauty South Korea has to offer. From sparkling oceans, lush mountains, vibrant forests and winding rivers, there's something for everyone. Take a hike up Seoraksan National Park, where you can marvel at the stunning peaks and rock formations.
We present a list of the top natural components used in K-beauty products. Some Brands have also built a reputation for naturalness, in line with consumer demand, mainly thanks to botanical ingredients such as Ginseng, Mugwort Extract, Licorice Root, Bamboo Extract, and Birch Extract.