Based on my experience as an esthetician who trained in Korea (also licensed in the United States), founder of and curator of Peach & Lily, and a K-beauty expert, I’ll share everything I know about the background, beginnings, and story behind Korean beauty below. Instead, there’s an emphasis on gently nurturing the skin toward your desired results, whatever they may be, with consistency and a highly personalized skin care routine. I often liken to it working out. A crash diet might “work,” but the results typically are hard to keep, or worse, this kind of dieting could have harmful effects on the body. Instead, a consistently healthy diet and a consistent workout plan give you results that are yours to keep and are safe ways to access well-being. What’s also interesting is that this long-term, gentle approach is what really helps skin get that lit-from-within glow that truly beams with the signature K-beauty healthy, hydrated, bouncy look. What does this mean as far as products go? There are products like essences, serums, ampoules, and all kinds of masks to choose from so that hydration and nourishment can be absorbed one gentle, thin layer at a time. Some products are designed to be flexible and buildable, because not everyone will need or want the same amount of hydration. Essences are a great example, which are meant to be used after cleansing and toning. If your skin needs only one sip of refreshing hydration, apply one layer of the essence onto clean skin. Just got off a flight or you’re fighting off a cold and your skin is needing extra love? Layer on as many layers of essence as you need—even a dozen layers is good. Staying on top of your skin care game means understanding what works for you and understanding what your skin is craving each day. It can go such a long way toward helping your skin be at its best. During these times, natural ingredients like camellia, mung bean, and rice were popular for the rich antioxidant benefits and hydrating properties, and they would be kept in small celadon tubs in tiny amounts as preservatives weren’t used as much back then. It’s amazing that this history of time-tested natural ingredients has been passed down and is still incorporated into today’s beauty formulas. Then, in the 1940s and onward as Korea’s economy began to grow exponentially, the beauty companies that started the modern K-beauty movement (many are still around today) set up shop. Saengreen was established in 1987 and was one of the first natural-ingredients-focused beauty companies. Amore Pacific, founded earlier in 1945, has seen slow and steady growth into the company it is today. Shangpree, famous for its well-loved eyepad masks, was started in the 1990s. Each of these companies is still thriving today. As Korean beauty reach and development continued to progress, there were so many new formulas, ingredients, and types of products that became a reality (skin lotions, essences, serums, and more). I remember as a toddler living in Korea, my mother would teach me how to brush my teeth…and how to pat on moisturizer! Just like brushing my teeth is a way of taking care of my health, I always grew up thinking that skin care was a form of self-care, too. I personally have more than 10 steps in my routine, but I’ve got it down pat, so it takes only a few minutes each morning and evening. So a multilayered routine doesn’t have to take a long time and/or be disruptive to your day! It’s my “me time” and a soothing moment for me to bookend each day. Other than keeping my skin healthy, it’s a part of my day I love and look forward to. Back home in Korea, our family has a family facialist we have been going to for as long as I can remember. She’s now in her 60s (though she looks like she is maybe in her late 30s—seriously), and she has clients she’s been seeing now for decades. As a fellow esthetician, she tells me the real-life differences of her clients who have instilled this one healthy habit in their skin care routine and those who haven’t. When we’re in our 20s and 30s, it’s hard to think about the damage that accumulates, but it does. So let’s do ourselves the favor and find that one SPF that we won’t mind using and stick to it. Here’s to healthy skin and keeping it that way! Korean skin care is really seen as a form of self-care, protecting the skin, an organ, from damage and keeping it healthy. At its core, Korean beauty is less about looking pretty and more about taking care of your skin as a way of taking care of yourself, overall.
