Korean Beauty Secrets

Snail slime. Seaweed. South Koreans may just be onto something. If the thought of applying a cream to your face made from snail slime completely grosses you out, you are not alone. But, you may be missing out.

Snail slime and seaweed are two ingredients that have hit the cosmetics industry with a powerful force. This boom comes straight from South Korea which has been obsessed with skincare for many years. Both South Korean men and women spend a large portion of their income on beauty and skincare products. Such dedication to beauty has put South Korea at the forefront when it comes to developing skin care products and the research into what works. In the US, there has been a huge increase in sales of Korean skincare products as people are realizing what these products have to offer.

The BB Cream

You can trace the popularity of Korean products back to when the BB cream first emerged in the US. The BB cream, which is short for beauty balm or blemish balm, hit the United States in 2011, though it had been a popular beauty product in South Korea for many years before this. This is a versatile beauty product that is a combination of a moisturizer and a foundation. No wonder women in South Korea have that flawless complexion. Today, the BB cream market in the US is huge, worth $164 million in 2014 alone.

South Korean Influences

While South Korea has had a major influence on beauty in the United States, there are still huge differences between the skincare regimes of these two nations. Women in the west usually follow a simple three-step routine of wash-tone-moisturize. Those in South Korea, on the other hand, follow a more complicated routine of up to 10 steps including using essence and sheet masks. While you may have noticed many celebrities posting selfies on social media posing in these sheet masks, what about these other steps? Is the gap between the beauty routines of the US and Korea really closing? The truth is, American women who try follow these 10 steps are not able to keep it up, never mind the expense of using 10 different products. So rather, women are choosing products that work for them and finding ways to boost their already existing routine as opposed to taking on a whole other complicated one.

Asian Ingredients

The ingredients you will find in beauty products originating in Korea are ones that you won’t find in traditional cosmetics. But they have many excellent benefits which is why they are hitting the shelves in the US with such a growing popularity. For example, snail extract stimulates the production of collagen and elastin which are essential for healthy, wrinkle-free skin. So this ingredient is used in moisturizers and spot treatments. Mushrooms may be used as a hydrating ingredient while sheet kelp masks help to revitalize the skin as it is rich in antioxidants.

So when it comes to looking for inspiration for your beauty routine, look no further than that of the women in South Korea. This nation certainly has a lot to offer when it comes to looking beautiful.