THE 10-step Korean skin-care routine is not something many women can do every day but there are some aspects of K beauty that we can learn from.
As someone who has been watching Korean drama for over a decade, I confess that I look at the faces of the actresses before anything else. If the actress has a face that’s memorable and striking, and her skin looks poreless and luminous, I will pause the video or look at her for a few minutes.
So here are some of the things that I have learned from watching Korean dramas:
- LESS IS MORE. We’ve seen a lot of Instagram beauty—overdone brows, blinding highlights and unrealistic contouring—in the past two years and, frankly, I’m kind of tired of it. Korean drama leading ladies have gotten it right with neatly groomed brows, a complexion that’s been evened out by lightly patting cushion foundation on areas that need coverage and lightly tinted lips. I will never be an advocate of the natural look but I will espouse the it-looks-natural-because-I-worked-hard-on-it vibe like these Korean girls.
- THERE’S NOTHING WRONG WITH SELF-IMPROVEMENT. I honestly used to think women who had their faces done weren’t comfortable in their own skin. I have changed my opinion since then. These Korean actresses are more confident, in my opinion, because they aren’t scared to be judged or ridiculed. It’s their face and their money to do with as they please. I watch Korean stars admitting in variety shows what they had done on their faces and it’s kind of refreshing.
- NOT ALL LIP TINTS ARE CREATED EQUAL. Lip tints work on Koreans because of the naturally rosy color of their lips. That is not the case for us, as our lips are pigmented. Some of my friends use concealer before applying the lip tint to erase their natural lip color. Or they apply regular lipstick and blot it for a more diffused look. Red and berry lipsticks work best for this look.
- CUSHION FOUNDATION IS PATTED ON USING THE SPONGE THAT COMES WITH THE PRODUCT. I used to apply cushion foundation with a stippling brush and somehow it didn’t look right. From watching Korean dramas, I realized that you’re really meant to use the sponge that comes with the compact and you apply the product in a patting, not sweeping, motion.
- REAL MEN WEAR MAKEUP. No self-respecting male Korean celebrity will go out in public without makeup and they somehow make it look pretty but still very masculine. I mean, who still says that wearing makeup is gay? It’s 2018 and men (and women) can do as they please. Their makeup is not confined to foundation, concealer and lip tint. Some male Korean celebrities even wear mascara and eyeliner.
- SKIN CARE IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN MAKEUP. Korean girls prioritize skin care over makeup. They take time to do their skin care in the morning and evening so that their skin is soft and supple. That way, they don’t need to slather on a ton of makeup to look good. Essence or lotion is a product that’s found usually in Japanese and Korean skin-care routines. It is applied after toner and before your serum.
- MAKEUP APPLICATION SHOULD BE QUICK. Who has 15 minutes in the morning to apply makeup? Not Korean girls, particularly our favorite actresses. Your brows need to be well groomed already so a sweep of brow mascara is enough, and you don’t need to apply contour and highlight because your skin should already be glowing from all that skin care.
- IT’S ALL ABOUT VOLUME. When it comes to hair, Koreans know it best—volume on top and on the sides always makes you look good. While we like our hair to be straight and sleek, Korean stars don’t mind the tussled bedhead look when it is done right.
Image credits: FROM DARA’S INSTAGRAM @DARAXXI, FROM PONY’S INSTAGRAM @PONYSMAKEUP