Korean Beauty, aka K-Beauty, has been a trend for a few years. I resisted it because I saw things like;
- 10 steps. I have a hard time getting people to do 3 steps. Time is a big factor for my client.
- Questionable ingredients. Is there anything natural? What are the farming and manufacturing standards? Can animal products like "snail mucin" be harvested ethically? You may not like snails, but I can't use skin care that hurts any animal, including humans.
- "Glass skin", "Cloudless skin", "Honey skin" - Sounds pretty but how do we solve the skin problems to get to glass skin. Average products won't accomplish that for most clients. Products filled with petroleum derivatives, cheap fillers and a cute sounding Korean name don't cut it and usually end up making the original problem worse.
- Korean Beauty Marketing or Authentic Product? I saw products that were made for the US market but not used in Korea. I want the real deal, not a pretty label.
- Extreme plastic surgery for very young people. "V-line" and "small face" are the goal, and if your face doesn't match, then plastic surgery is a must. What???
After lots of research, I found some things I could get on board with;
1. Hydration - hydration heals a lot of ills. Nearly every new client I see is chronically dehydrated. This affects the proliferation of acne, rosacea, eczema, hyper-pigmentation and wrinkles because the barrier is not protected and re-enforced.
2. Less emphasis on peeling - Korean women do not focus on the constant peeling and exfoliating that Americans do. The big "R.." ingredient is marketed heavily in the US as an exfoliant and cure to all skin woes, but there aren't credible studies that show their long term effectiveness (only short term plumping from mild inflammation) nor how they actually are used by skin (ie., what's the penetration strategy?).
3. Koreans demand animals be treated ethically and want natural or naturally derived ingredients. This may be a fairly new trend speared by the young culture, but its one I applaud. I actually found out how snail mucin is collected ethically, but that'll be for another post.
4. 10 Steps - the 10 steps actually make sense. The steps are what I do in a professional facial. Those of you who compliment my skin, know that its what I do for myself (I just didn't know it had a name!). Although you don't have to do all of them each night, the fact remains that you can't rely on just a monthly facial to have great skin.
4. Bottom Line - what I like best about K Beauty is the philosophy of not covering up but encouraging healthy skin so makeup is an option, not a requirement.
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