The Indian market in recent times has witnessed a strong surge in South Korean beauty products. Popularly known as K-beauty, the trends from the community, be it slugging or placenta products, have left the global beauty market in awe.
The K-beauty world promises fresh and dewy skin, and relies on science-baked formulas and clean-beauty products. From the long list of beauty trends, Metrolife has put together a list of the top five K-beauty trends that are worth giving a try.
Facial massaging
Korean beauty experts believe that massaging the skin allows it to absorb the skincare products applied more efficiently, making it penetrate into the deeper layers of the skin. There are several facial massaging products but the simplest way of following this trend would be using your fingers to massage your face and neck in the morning and before going to bed, to get the blood flowing, reduce puffiness and getting the skincare products to sink into your skin.
Acid layering
K-beauty has been incorporating more acid into its products. But the focus remains on striking a balance between the acids as too much can cause irritation and aggravate the skin and too little will yield no results.
Plant and animal-derived acids like AHAs and BHAs are often used to exfoliate the skin and neck are, to get rid of the dead skin cells. Retinol and Hyaluronic acids are highly popular. However, before using any such acids it is recommend to consult a dermatologist and do a patch test.
Double cleansing
This is a well-known K-beauty trends that has made its way into beauty routines worldwide. Lately, even western brands have caught on to the trend and have been promoting double cleansing. As the name suggests, the process involves cleansing your face twice.
Once with a face oil, followed by a foaming cleanser. The reason for the popularity of this two-step process is that different cleansers work to target different kinds of impurities. While an oil-based cleanser is designed to remove oil-based impurities like makeup, sunscreen, sebum and pollution, the water-based cleanser can work its way into your skin, getting rid of the day’s dirt and sweat.
Sheet masks
The origin of sheet masks can be traced back to South Korea, but today you will find them in abundance on any e-commerce beauty store. Soaked in nutrient-rich serums that contain natural ingredients and various hydrating acids, sheet masks come in multiple varieties to suit various skin types. It roughly takes around 15 to 20 minutes for a sheet mask to work its wonders.
Intense body care
It is not just facial skin that is given importance in Korean culture. In K-beauty, personal skincare includes all of the skin from head to toe. In traditional Korean culture, many body care rituals originate from the bathhouse culture, where milk treatments are slathered on the face and body, and baths are steeped with skin-beneficial ingredients such as green tea and probiotics. These practices have gained more popularity since last year with home quarantining becoming the norm.