Western vs Korean Skincare
The takeover of Korean Beauty has been felt all over our #foryou pages and now in London itself with the opening of Pureseol, Glam Touch and K-Miso beauty. I, myself, have not shied away from the occasional impulse purchase upon exploring the world of K-beauty (but haven’t we all?). But what makes it so different from Western skincare? Where does the hype stem from?
It's safe to say K-beauty isn’t the only Korean industry to gain global traction recently. One look at #k-drama or #k-pop will tell you everything you need to know. Korean culture is taking over; in the best possible way. Netflix’s Squid Game broke records, becoming the most watched program in 94 countries, surpassing even Bridgerton. If you thought that was impressive, take a look at K-pop boy band BTS. As of April 2021, they hit 16.3 billion streams on Spotify! As Western audiences became accustomed to seeing Korean artists/actors on our screens, the question of skin came into play. Like how do they all have perfect and glowy skin? What do they put in the water over there?!
And thus launched the revolution of Korean Skincare! Whether you realise it or not, K-beauty has influenced so many of our social media trends. Clean girl aesthetic? Glass skin? If you’re chronically online like me, you’ll recognise these terms. If you really think about it, it’s no coincidence that these trends starting taking off at the same time as #K-Beauty. What started off as a trend now holds powerful market value in the West, with influencers and retailers specialised specifically for K-beauty.
But what makes Korean skincare so vastly different (and advanced) from Western Skincare? First let’s look at their different mindsets and attitudes towards skin. Western skincare takes a corrective approach to skin whereas Korean skincare approaches skin with the intent of nourishing and replenishing. As a result, most Western skincare treats blemishes and imperfections as they appear with drying treatments, acids and pore strips whilst Korean skincare prefers to hydrate and strengthen the skin barrier. As such, the preventative Korean approach reduces the climate for a breakout to even form. Koreans nurture the skin whereas we purge it.
Such a difference is even reflected in packaging! Have you ever noticed that Korean Skincare is often packaged in delicate whites, blues, greens? From an artistic POV, these soft, understated colours aim to soothe and refresh; a true parallel to the products underneath the packaging. Whilst Western Skincare tends to use harsher, and brighter colours, often imitating the look of medical prescriptions. To the West, skin is something to treat as a quick-fix but to Koreans skin is something to maintain long term with tenderness and patience.
So how does this affect the types of products on shelves? Western skincare pumps out acids and exfoliators. You might have heard of Salicylic acid, benzoyl peroxide, AHA, BHA or retinol; all cult favourites in the Western skincare game. Not to say these treatments don't work, I myself am a huge follower of retinol. But all these treatments play into the western corrective approach to skincare.
Over in Korea you’ll find a shortage of straight exfoliating acids but an influx of toner, essence and serums. Most of them, water based. That’s not to say K-beauty doesn’t use acids, they absolutely do but in lower concentrations. You’ll often find ingredients like Salicylic acid or Retinol incorporated into hydrating products rather than sold on its own. Korean skincare teaches us that it's okay to use harsher ingredients but in moderation and always in tandem with healing ingredients.
In my opinion, what makes K-beauty really revolutionary is the innovation. A huge talking point with Korean skincare is the elegant formulas and innovative ingredients. For example; fermented rice, snail mucin, bean essence, centella asiatica etc. If you’re a K-beauty addict, you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about but if not, these ingredients might seem foreign to you. What excels K-beauty beyond measure is the way their products draw on the natural world to create unbelievably unique formulas.
But where do these brands find the money to create such advanced products? The skincare industry is one of South Korea’s biggest exports and thus the Korean government invests heavily in the market which I think we can all agree is money well spent,
All in all, the difference between Western and Korean skincare is vast. From the attitude towards skincare to the products themselves. Everyone’s skin is different and needs different things, so don’t limit yourself to a specific brand or country. Thanks to international retailers, we have access to skincare from all around the world. The more our markets interact, the more we learn from each other. Each culture has its own unique approach to skincare and thanks to the internet; there is something for everyone.
Written by,
Aurora-Evangeline Kadir