Korean Skincare: What’s the Difference?
In this article :
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Our personal skincare routines and products can be influenced by more than just our individual preferences and skin types. Skincare can also vary based on the country we’re from and that country’s culture, values, and beauty standards.
Over the last decade, one of the biggest skincare trends to find its way into mainstream beauty is Korean Skincare, also called K-Beauty. In Korean culture skincare is highly valued so much so that parents start teaching their children about skincare at an early age.
The Korean philosophy on skincare is vastly different from that of the Western World. Here we’ll discuss some of those key differences.
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Proactive vs. Reactive
One of the biggest differences between Korean skincare and Western skincare is their approach.
While Western skincare focuses on problem solving, or a more reactive approach, Korean skincare focuses on maintaining healthy skin and prevention, or a more proactive approach.
As previously mentioned, Koreans begin educating their children about the importance of good skincare at an early age. They view skincare as a lifetime learning experience that evolves as they age.
In Western culture, however, women typically do not see the importance of skin care until they are in their late teens.They often begin their skincare journey with a battle against teenage acne followed by a crash-course in anti-aging skincare products by the time they hit their 20s.
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Long-Term vs. Short-Term
Korean products typically create hydrated, bright, glowing skin that focuses on skin nourishment and long-term benefits.
Although the trend is shifting toward a more natural approach, Western skincare, on the other-hand, has typically focused on chemical-based products that produce quick results, which are often short -term or temporary.
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Highly Individualized vs. One Size Fits All
The other difference between Korean skincare and Western skincare is formulating products to be highly individualized.
Korean skincare routines are based on the season and skin type.
While Korean skincare will adjust and expand their skincare formulas for normal skin, dry skin, combination skin, and oily skin, Western skincare typically comes in a one size fits all formula where the only thing that really changes is the product packaging. -
Ritual vs. Routine
Another key difference between Western and Korean Skincare is their philosophy on skincare.
Koreans view skincare as a ritual of self-care where much time and effort is put into taking care of their physical and mental self. Therefore, many Korean skincare rituals have up to 12 steps, can take 30 min-1hr to complete, and involve many different types of products including serums, creams, gels, and sheet masks.
On the other hand, Western skincare is often viewed as more of a routine that focuses on 3 or 4 products (i.e., cleanser, toner, serum, & moisturizer). The routine typically takes 10-15 mins tops!
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Treat vs. Cover-up
Unlike Western skincare which focuses on covering up imperfections with make-up, Korean skincare focuses on the texture and health of the skin.
For Koreans, prepping and treating the canvas (or skin) for perfect make-up application is more important than trying to conceal the flaws with cosmetics.
As you can see, Korean skincare is quite different from Western skincare. Which one you choose really depends on your own personal preferences. However, if you’re looking for a more personalized and natural skincare ritual that focuses more on long-term treatment and prevention, then Korean skincare is definitely for you! Visit Franz Skincare and experience the Korean skincare difference for yourself!