It is obvious by now that Korean beauty trends is here to stay, that’s for sure. It’s not just another trend, as we may have thought in the beginning, when beauty addicts first started going crazy about sheet masks, cushions and splash masks. The crazy, smash-hit products we see at Sephora definitely conquered the market! But do you know the meaning of all the different terms and treatments? We decided to compile a little Korean beauty dictionary, to explain what you might not yet know about this wonderful world of uncommon ingredients and never-seen-before textures. Happy reading! ?
Chaga mushrooms in korean beauty. This is a raw material typical of South Korean products. Chaga mushrooms are essential to make your face treatments reinvigorating. Rich in polysaccharides, these mushrooms have the ability to create ties with immune cell receptors, to strengthen the skin’s immune system, helping prevent bacterial infections and protecting it from the sources of daily stress that result from the environment around us.
Eggs in korean beauty. Eggs are on the ingredient list of a ton of Korean products, as they are rich in amino acids and nutrients that will help your skin become stronger and shrink your pores, while increasing your skin’s anti-inflammatory defenses. The most useful parts off eggs – the most dense in nutrients for beauty formulas – are egg whites and the shell’s thin membrane. Don’t even think about the smell of egg when you cook it, the products that contain egg come with amazing fragrances!
Essences in korean beauty. If it is the first time you see this word, we are sorry to inform you that you didn’t pass the Korean Beauty Expert examination. Essence was one of the first products to land in Western vanity cases, but only a few among us know what it really is, and how to effectively use it. This formula looks a little like a tonic, but it contains nutrients in a concentration similar to that of serum. This results in essence being an incredibly powerful treatment that will become essential to your beauty routine, especially when you feel your skin needs a hydration boost.
Monodoses in korean beauty. Imagine opening a jar of face cream to find it filled with… Micro-spheres of formula in little capsules! The latest trend in packaging goes way beyond pretty packaging and putting cute faces on the boxes, to protect the integrity of active ingredients and make your beauty routine more interesting. It’s not a coincidence that this kind of packaging comes from a country that is obsessed with order and cleanliness… But we are not complaining, quite the contrary! It is great to know that our favorite product will come in monodose packaging, preventing us from wasting any of our precious formula.
Packs in korean beauty. We must make it clear here, we are not talking about packaging. “Packs” are the Korean equivalents of masks, rich treatments formulated to hydrate and create a barrier between your face and the surrounding environment, to protect it from pollution and prevent dehydration. Unlike masks, which we use after removing our makeup, packs are designed to do their job in the morning, before you start applying makeup. They are excellent as primers, too!
Polluaging in korean beauty. It’s not too hard to see that this word is created by combining “pollution” and “ageing”, right? It’s scary to think about them together, isn’t it? They are, after all, especially if you consider that the conditions of the air we breathe in modern megacities like Seoul, or our Western cities, definitely contribute to causing signs of aging to appear on our face. No panic, though, Koreans – and their products – obviously have a solution to all our woes!
Snail in korean beauty. Stop right there, before you go “ew”, hear this: snail slime contains a ton of hyaluronic acid, glicoprotein enzymes and copper peptide. Errr… What does that mean? We can hear you think that. It means that snail slime has protective and repairing properties, it effectively combats bacteria and stimulates collagen production, an essential component that slows down your skin’s ageing process. Another advantage is that all the creams that contain snail slime come in very lightweight gel textures and are very pleasant to the touch.
Sparkling water in korean beauty. It’s clearly not the one you place on your table with your meal, that is (almost) obvious. Korean sparkling water is something you use when applying facial treatments, to purify your skin deeply, delicately remove dead cells and increase your skin’s oxygenation, making it soft and giving it a beautiful shine. You can find this water both at the salon and in a home-friendly version, if you’d like to try it during a DIY skin cleansing session.
