Demystifying The Beauty of Korea!

Nope, this post is not about how beautiful Korea is; I’m actually going to talk about what many of us non-Koreans are obsessed and baffled about:

Why do Korean women have such beautiful skin that positively glows?




Yes, heredity plays a rather important role. Some people are just born with it; but for the ‘lesser’ mortals like the rest of us and especially those of us who live in the tropical countries, we just have to work harder.

First, as with most things in the world, attitude is everything.

i repeat, ATTITUDE IS EVERYTHING.

You must believe that your skin can get better, and you must be committed to do the things necessary to achieve better skin.




And now, you’re ready for the demystification!

1. Start young.
2. Prevention is better than cure.
3. Choose the right products and skincare regime for your skin.
4. Understand that your skin will need different care during different times of your life, and of course, during different seasons as well.
5. Be committed to your skincare regime; or better yet, be committed to your cause to achieve or maintain fabulous skin.




It goes without saying that some amount of financial investment is necessary to buy skincare products and also to undergo some beauty treatment sessions. However, the good news about Korean beauty products is that there are enough brands and products in the market to suit every wallet size. Within each price bracket, you can actually find star products that deliver stellar performance.

But more than just the price tags, these are just monetary, it’s really the effort and commitment on the korean women’s part that is soooo… remarkable.

Anyway, what I had shared above are just basic principles that one needs to have in order in the pursuit of flawless skin like the Korean women. I’ll just share a little about how the Korean beauty market has evolved to become what it is today. What used to be Korean women’s own beauty tips and secrets are now ready for globalization. In fact, even one international brand has acknowledged that in terms of product development and beauty trends, the South Korean market is where they learn things from.




*Effort and Commitment

Many women the world over just do the CTM (cleanser, toner, moisturizer) routine, but not the Korean women. In Korea, it has to be (at least) refiner, emulsion, essence and cream. Did you know that a survey has yielded the rather shocking result that the average Korean woman applies 17-18 products before she leaves the house? Yes, that’s the extent of their effort and commitment.




*Diverse and Ever-Evolving Beauty Products

Now nearly all Korea beauty brands carry very diverse skincare products, from refiner, emulsion, essence, serum, cream, mask, sleeping packs, ampule, etc etc etc. Guess this is also why so many of us would step out of a Korean beauty store in Seoul armed with products that we never knew we needed, haha!

Korean beauty products are rather hi-technology, yes, even the so-called mass brands. Most ranges will see renewal or new, improved formulation every one to two years. Much emphasis is being placed on battling against skin pigmentation and aging.

Some of newer technological breakthroughs or advancements that have come from the Korean beauty market include the miraculously skin-plumping mask and serum and also the stem cell media skincare. These have surprised the Western beauty market leaders too.




* Mirror, Mirror on the Wall…

Other than being highly receptive and quick to adopt high and new technology, Korean brands also tend to incline towards utilizing pure, natural ingredients to secure excellent care for skin. These products are intended to work from within, so skincare is supposedly more efficient and long-lasting. The Koreans do not believe in slapping on more things onto the skin to smoothen and refine; they are more for nurturing skin from the inner layers to let radiance glow through.




Some people believe that this is related somehow to the Koreans’ hang-up about wanting to make-believe they’re from noble families during the olden Chosun times. You see, back in those days, bright skin meant that you came from a noble family, and this concept has lived on till today. This fueled the fiercely aggressive pursuit for newer whitening and brightening skincare products with high efficacy.




* (Relatively) Affordable Skincare

It’s an increasingly open secret that Korean beauty products take pride on their competitive edge with excellent product innovation, price-value proposition, and packaging. They are typically priced more affordably than the other top Asian and Western brands, and yet they promise the same or even better results.




One interesting point to note is how Korean cosmetics are kept low-cost domestically as they tend to adopt a highly simplified distribution channel strategy. Basically, a lot of the brands have a direct distribution link from headquarters to distribution outlets, thereby eliminating layers and minimizing operational costs.




If you still have not tried out any Korean beauty products, perhaps it’s time to give your skin a chance to try ’em out.

And… what better time than during the Annyeong Seoul Korean fair? We’ve put together some beauty deals for you exclusively for this Annyeong Seoul Korean Fair, so it’s a great time to start familiarizing yourselves with the beauty of Korea!

The beauty consultants from the brands of Dr.G and TonyMoly will be on hand to answer questions about their products. Go on and ask them more about their star products!