Top 8 Korean Beauty Hacks for Perfect Skin You Have to Try
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Korean beauty standards go above and beyond. Along with K-pop, K-beauty (or Korean beauty) has become a topic of fascination all over the world — and for good reason! Beauty is emphasized among Korean women, especially the pursuit of flawless, glowing skin. It’s all about long-term maintenance and self-care. And like anything in life, you usually have to put in work to see results. Skin is no different. That’s why, today, we’re sharing with you the best Korean beauty hacks for perfect skin.
The truth is, everyone can learn a lot from Korean beauty routines. Instead of relying on complicated products, preserving youthfulness is about anti-aging techniques and skincare methods. It’s like you can’t take a pill to solve all of your health or weight problems; fixing the concern usually starts deeper. And promoting healthy skin is about how you treat it daily.
With that in mind, here are some crucial steps to take when adopting a Korean beauty routine to brighten, firm, tone, and de-age your skin. If you ever hear someone ask, “how do Koreans have such good skin?”, these are the secrets to show them.
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1. Set your makeup with Jamsu
Jamsu is a Korean word that roughly means “submergence.” International model Bella Hadid has recently made this technique popular all over the world.
Here’s how it works:
- First, apply your foundation and concealer. Contour your face as you normally would, but don’t apply any eye makeup or lip color yet.
- Cover your entire made-up face in baby powder (or any translucent face powder).
- Next, dunk your whole face in a bowl of cold water.
- Dry your face by patting it gently with a towel.
This Jamus technique will “set” your makeup. The result is skin that looks like it has a pretty matte filter on. You can now apply your eye and lip makeup.
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2. Wash your face twice (double cleanse)
In terms of Korean skincare, washing once is never enough — especially if you wear makeup. Think of how much dirt and bacteria can get on your face throughout the day. To give your skin the most love, wash it twice.
K-beauty routines usually start with the lightest products and end with the heaviest. The same goes for cleansers. Start with a gentle oil cleanser to remove your makeup. Then, use something a little more substantial, like a foaming face wash, for a deeper cleanse.
Washing twice will ensure you have clean skin and pores, which is good for skin health and helps you better absorb skincare products.
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3. Ditch the face towel
It’s second nature to reach for the towel after washing your face, but K-beauty standards say not so fast. Drying your face with a towel exposes you to bacteria and friction that isn’t good for your skin. Instead, let your face air-dry!
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4. Apply your face products
within 10 seconds of washingKorean women are careful to apply their skincare products right after they get out of the shower. That’s because the warm water and steam open up your pores, and it’s wise to take advantage of it.
With open pores, your products will absorb more quickly and get deeper into your skin. The deeper skincare ingredients can penetrate the skin, the more effective they will be! If you can, aim to apply your products within 10 minutes of showering.
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5. Layer your face skincare products
For anti-aging benefits, Korean serums and ampoules are essential. These products deliver active ingredients into your skin to improve its health and appearance. But the order you use these products is a crucial Korean beauty hack.
K-beauty often involves seven steps of layering:
- Oil-based cleanser followed by a water-based cleanser (the double cleansing we mentioned above!)
- Toner
- Essence
- Ampoule and/or serum
- Sheet mask
- Eye cream
- Moisturizer
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Also, don’t forget about SPF sunscreen as the last addition! Some K-beauty routines as many as ten total steps. Either way, the order matters.
Asian skincare also recognizes that everyone’s skin is different. High-quality products that fit your needs are essential. For example, you might use an essence for hydration , a serum for anti-aging (whether you have signs of aging or want to prevent future ones), eye serum for dark circles, and a stem cell ampoule for a super skin recharge.
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6. Slap the products into your skin
Gently, of course! Actually, it’s more like a pat motion.
Americans are used to rubbing products into their face, but lightly patting on products is a common method in Korean beauty routines. Many Korean children are taught by their mothers early on to include movement when applying skincare products.
Gently slapping or patting the skin can help ensure you use all of the product while boosting circulation and hydration. This technique may also encourage more collagen growth over time.
At Franz Skincare, the pat method of the past inspired our signature Tissue X® microcurrent technology , which simulates waves across the face for maximum absorption.
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7. Discover the magic of ampoules
Ampoules are a K-beauty creation that is like a super-charged face serum. Ampoules contain the highest concentration of active skincare ingredients you can find. The ingredients are meant to repair, recharge, and rebalance the skin as quickly as possible.
Franz Skincare is proud to continuously look for ethically-sourced stem cell cultures for our ampoules. See our blog on stem cells in skincare to learn more.
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8. Use weekly Korean sheet masks
Sheet masks have been a cornerstone of Korean beauty long before the U.S. discovered their benefits. As Korean model Gui Eh Park told Vogue , “Mask packs, or sheet masks, are the most important beauty secret of my life! When I have a runway to walk or an important shoot, I always use a single sheet right before I go to sleep — your skin needs that time to heal itself, and a mask helps your skin become bright and shiny.”
Sheet masks can contain tons of hydrating ingredients to brighten and plump the skin. The FRANZ Skincare Microcurrent Dual Facial Mask contains anti-aging, hydrating ingredients plus microcurrent technology. Acting as a non-invasive facelift alternative, the technology creates gentle waves across your face to massage the muscles and open up your pores for ultimate restoration.
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Korean skincare is about more than just looks. The whole approach is about your overall health and wellness. Your skin is your largest organ, which means it’s connected to so many parts of your life. Think about your skincare routine as an elemental ritual that sets the foundation for healthy, vibrant skin throughout your life.