From makeup and music to food and travel, there is hardly an aspect of Korean lifestyle that hasn’t taken the world by storm. One of the things women (and men) are most enamoured by is the quality of Korean skin care—and consequently, the clarity of the people’s complexions! 

In fact, the term “glass skin”, to describe utmost luminosity, stemmed from the K-beauty scene and quickly became the pinnacle of skin care.

But it is not just good skin care products and regular trips to the dermatologists that do the job. Korean ladies are well-known for their meticulous and exacting maintenance routines. We’ve put together some of the best tips shared by K-celebs and beauty experts so you can get a few steps closer to obtaining your version of flawless, glass skin.

1.  Really take your time to cleanse 

Actress, singer and model Bae Suzy swears by the 424 technique—spend four minutes massaging cleansing oil all over the face, follow up with two minutes of foam cleanser and finally rinse everything off for four minutes. This is how she ensures stubborn makeup and dirt are thoroughly removed every evening. 

2.  You have one-minute to moisturise 

Right after cleansing your face, you have to apply a hydrating product within the next minute to ensure your skin soaks up all the nutrients and moisture. This is a tip reportedly shared by Alicia Yoon, founder of peachandlily.com, a K-beauty online store. Wait any longer and the skin becomes too dry and pores will start to close, so your moisturiser ends up going to waste.

3. You can use your mask more often than you think 

Jisoo of girl group Blackpink shared on a Korean beauty talk show that she uses a mask sometimes up to two or three times a day. It may sound excessive but her glowing skin is testament that this method works for her. She also uses a lip mask, and owns several drugstore products in her skin care stash including Vaseline Repairing Jelly and a toning lotion from Avene.

4. Keep the face mist close

Shuhua from girl group (G)I-DLE reportedly steams her face with a hot towel and always has a face mist with her to keep her face moisturised and refreshed at all times. This lass has such fine skin that she has been photographed in public more than a few times without makeup.

5. Your toner can double up as a mask 

If you are running low on sheet masks, let your toner do double duty, says Jiwoo from Kard. She recommends soaking a few cotton pads with your favourite toner and sticking them all over the face for nourishment.

6. Look out for the new it ingredient Troxerutin 

This new antioxidant, which purportedly prevents UV damage, hydrates, fights free radicals and reduces skin redness, is starting to make its appearance across a handful of K-beauty brands found overseas. Dermatologists have been known to use this ingredient in a mist to calm irritated skin after a procedure. If we know anything about K-beauty trends, chances are, we might soon spot this ingredient on local shelves.

For more advice on how to tackle skin problems and achieve a great complexion, check out other articles on our blog.