Monday 27 April 2015

Korean Beauty Products and Skin Care "Secrets"



No, this isn't a post dedicated to a scene of Eyes Wide Shut.
This isn't the Korean Zorro either.

This is a mannequin demonstrating the various treatment masks for all parts of the body.

Front and back.

I don't know about you but I just hate it when my saddlebags get a bit dry.

Except this mannequin wasn't displaying one of my favorite moisturizing mask types.
In case you are questioning yourself, that mask is specifically in regards to moisturizing under your buttocks.

Actually, you probably looked at the mannequin and noted that they missed the mask for nipples but alas they have that too.

This doubles as a mask for lips and nipples.

Koreans have led the way in the last decade in all things cosmetic and the Japanese and Chinese are the biggest export markets with American slowly growing year on year.

France used to be the innovator for the cheaper range of cosmetics but now it seems in Asia at least that 
Koreans have overtaken that niche.

Moisture mist sprays are considered essential and most women have one in their bag and they spray their face at every opportunity.

There are more high tech products other than spritzed water such as mini versions of red light and blue light hand held devices meant to stimulate collagen or kill bacteria that could cause spots.


They not only have all sorts of moisturizing packs for the body


and for different ages such as these masks that have animal faces for young mothers to entertain their children


but they have safety air filtered masks that also have uv protection.
This isn't something you get at your local chemists in Europe or America for that matter.

Different types of masks depending on your preference that you didn't know you had.

Now that I have discovered cuticle and finger masks - 
I will find it hard to live without these.

Why isn't lipstick with two colors the norm? 
I don't' know about you but I rarely use one whole tube of lipstick.
This is so clever and I feel like I am getting value out of this product.



No Korean would stick a finger into a pot of cream and most people use spatulas to retrieve the amount of product for hygiene issues.  Any flare up or spot just isn't worth the risk.



Most Korean women have a special fridge by their vanity table where they store cosmetics to keep the products fresh.  They also find that the coolness makes the experience of cleansing and moisturizing the face more pleasant. 
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Quick but essential tips for those interested in skin care.

Double cleanse.
 Double cleanse.
Because of pollution and prepping the skin for absorption of moisture this is the second most important step.
Most women will cleanse with an oily balm and massage the face and then cleanse again with a SLS free soap like cleanser.
Put a blue light pulse ( kills bacteria) on sections of the skin that need it.
They tone at least once if not twice.
They acid tone and/or moisture tone.

Serum is essential and for all ages and not something that 40 plus year old women do.
Put the red light pulse( increase collagen) on the areas of skin that need it.
Eye cream is another essential - 
I have been doing this since I was 18. 
No ifs ands or buts.

They do moisture/special masks at least twice a week. 
Even those with oily skin do it this because it is possible to have dry and oily skin.

They don't do proper facials as often as 
western women do probably because they do all of the above as part of their normal routine.

Korean women go to the dermatologist for facials
and like expert advice or treatments 
that they can't do themselves at home.

Another huge must is sunscreen - 
if it's a sunny day, they will apply sunscreen on at home.
They will also apply sunscreen in the winter and on a cloudy day because the aging rays of the sun filter through regardless of clouds or not.

Korean women are known for nice skin in Asia but all my Korean friends will admit that it isn't always something you are born with but good habits they develop and maintain for a lifetime.

For those interested in beauty and skin care, here is a link that will open many more links.
It is for a show called Get It Beauty which is one of the most in depth and informative Korean TV shows - it has subtitles!
PS I have tried to keep this short because I could have gone on and on and on...

39 comments:

  1. Great post, so fascinating!!! Thank you for sharing your beauty tips and the Korean beauty regimen. You have beautiful skin - not surprised to hear you have such good habits. Good tip about cleansing twice. I actually have a blue/red LED light device - I use the blue light on an "as needed" basis but I am always forgetting about using the red light (too tired by the end of the day, etc etc.), so this is a good reminder. Serum and sunblock are absolutely essential for me. I could really use those cuticle masks but have never seen them here, even in the Asian malls.

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    1. I don't have good skin according to most Asians but thank you! I must say I only started double cleansing since my most recent trip. That has made a difference but the massaging seems to be stimulating my skin in other ways so it's going through a "adjustment curve". I also now have spritz a few times a day. I had been a bit lazy because skin care in Europe is a different approach entirely so it was a wake up call. But you would love going to the cosmetic counters in Korea by it is so much fun!!!

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    2. Naomi, you do have gorgeous skin (and hair...so jealous), and always look radiant!
      You look like you're in your 20's!

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  2. As the climate is, I presume, very different here in the UK...do you think that the same Korean methods/products work for European skins?
    I think diet could also be a big factor in skin health, comparing Korean to English.

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    1. Much drier but I think double cleansing is really applicable unless you live in a pollution free zone. Did you see how london has terrible air? I double cleansed with my oily balm and was surprised that even in the second cleanse I found my skin releasing grime. I wash off with warm flannel cloth but Asians use gauze like Liz Earle washcloths which is where she must have got the idea from East asia. I think sunscreen is a must. I tend to only do in summer but it's easy to put on a simple coconut oil or a bit of bb cream just as a barrier against pollution as well. But serums is just a boost and I do find when skin gets dry it gets itchy which starts a cycle of inflammation so moisture is paramount!!

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  3. i'm a new follower and i cannot believe all of these treatments- wow! good tips :) xo

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    1. You mean you don't use s back of the calf treatment once a week?! ;)

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  4. what a fascinating post!!! I've always been interested in the world of Korean beauty.

    SSG xxx

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    1. It's truly another world and yet I know I have not reached the depths of!! X

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  5. Oh, dear!!! I definitely need all of those - especially the finger covers / masks :) Won't be showing my hands when I visit. Fun post!! Cheers

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    1. Sunscreen for your gardening Loi!! Then the cuticle masks for after! ;)

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  6. I laughed at the butt patches but I totally want that red light!

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    1. The butt patches are the best - rhetorically of course!!

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  7. I had no idea Korean women's skin-care routines were so in-depth. I was exhausted just reading about it!

    As I was reading through, I wondered which of the body masks you had purchased and was thankful for the photograph of your artfully wrapped digits and not some other body part.

    I've noticed that every Asian woman I encounter on my daily walks covers their visible skin parts with sun visors or floppy hats, sunglasses, gloves (even in summer), and scarves around their neck (yes, even in summer).

    I'm mad for the two-toned lippie, and am baffled as to why it is I've yet to see one here. It is ingenious!

    Thank you for this fun post, which has turned out to be the best thing about my Monday so far.

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    1. They all battle sun like it is poison! They are very strict with skin care and take it all seriously. Bear in mind I kept it simple bc they do a lot more but thought I should keep to the norm bc in every city there are those who go mental! But hope you have a good week CD!

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  8. I was fascinated by the array of beauty shops in Seoul!
    Do you do all of that?
    Love this post x

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    1. I've started double cleansing since I got back and I bought a cheap blue and red light which I do a minute a day bc better than nothing plus one mask a week. I am not worried about wrinkles but notice I have been too slack by any standard!

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  9. That's fascinating. One of my resolutions is to get less lazy with skin care habits. About 20 seconds with a clarisonic is as good as it gets but I'm working on it! You've provided lots of inspiration (as well as levity!)

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    1. Cleansing is very important but I think a little a day rather than massive facials once a fortnight is better for the skin.

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  10. Oooh I like the idea of a fridge by my cosmetic table. In fact I've just bought a mini fridge for 30 quid for my snacks at work which would very well. I cleanse (once) tone and moisturise but when I really notice a glow is when I exfoliate. I used to use masks a lot but that has fallen by the wayside now xx

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    1. Exfoliating is huge in korea. People go to the Korean version of a Hamas and get scrubbed head to toe and so even men have great skin. I don't have room for s skin fridge but am tempted too!! Xx

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  11. Well, given I can never be bothered doing face masks at home for my actual face, the leg/ buttock/ arm masks would likely languish in my (rather sparse) drawer of beauty stuff. Fascinating stuff!! Asian women in general are so fastidious about their skin. It's not something that's made much of an inroad to Australia, and until I moved back to Adelaide I'd never seen anyone other than Asian women using parasols during Summer. In adelaide anglo women will use them too occasionally, but we do have extreme UV here. I have used sunscreen every day of my life since I was 14/15 years old, and THANK GOD I did. My skin is definitely better than friends that have had more sun exposure.
    But I am in general very low maintenance with my routine. At night I'm generally so tired I just wipe off my makeup and go to bed (no moisturiser etc). In the morning I'm so rushed I just cleanse, whack on serum and the sunscreen and that's it.

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    1. I think little everyday is the way to go and sunscreen in Oz is hugely imports just got skin health rather than beauty. But do try to just swipe some lotion on at night and I think you'll see a difference that won't be noticeable now but like sunscreen in a decade!

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  12. I was getting ready to whisper a discreet 'Fidelio' to gain entry today but you blew my cover. I bitch and moan about those $4 oil of olay bathsoaps I've recently upgraded to. I can't afford a dewy complexion.

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    1. Just put some olive oil on - even better than oil of o!

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  13. This is hilarious and brilliant at the same time!! I do mist my face and find it helpful. I think I need those cuticle things. They look positively fabulous.

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    1. I wish I bought some more but I do love mists too!

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  14. I would love the finger/cuticle masks. Reading your post made me wonder about Vit D levels in Korea. According to this article there has been a ninefold increase, from 2009 -2013, in people seeking medical help for Vit D deficiency. http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20150122000688 Maybe beauty comes at a price. Vit D deficiency is a problem here, too.

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    1. I think vitamin d is a problem everywhere but indeed Asian women have issues due to lack of sun. Long term they might pay dearly...

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  15. Hihihihi...I love the masks! The nipple mask that doubles as lip mask--wow that's multitasking at its best! I then had the urge to check if my nipples have the same texture as my lips. Hahahahaha. I'm off to Korean beauty bars soon (wink) and ready to splurge! At the moment, the only serum working for me is Bioderma soft peeling. I notice my skin is brighter (or maybe it's just me). I'm excited!!!! :)

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    1. They have so many types and whereas Koreans used to import beauty products they now export so you will be having to make lots of choices!!

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  16. I am always fascinated by the massive beauty section at our Korean supermarket. And also at the selection of what's available. I must try the double cleanse. xo

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    1. Double cleansing does stimulate the lymph and gets rid of the grime in city conditions. You could do it with coconut oil even x

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  17. Question: Do they list their ingredients?

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    1. Yes be thry export so much now sometimes it's in 4 languages too.

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    2. Maybe you should start importing Naomi!

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  18. Naomi, I am very interested in all these Korean products. The butt pads are hilarious. I just got into AmorePacific because of some samples when I was in Hawaii. Love the serum and now have the cushion compact. However, I just found their lower priced line in Target- Laneige and I swear it 's the exact same product.. I would love to hear what you yourself use.. Which products do you love?

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  19. :-) I just found your blog via Jill's EverythingJustSo.
    It's great! And I loved this post on Korean masks and beauty treatment!

    have a very HAPPY day!

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Thank you for dropping by!