Ever wonder how you can also have that 'glass skin' look? That glowy and radiant skin that many K-beauty influencers showcase on Instagram is definitely what all women want to have.
As women start to lose collagen production starting as early as 25, slowing down your aging process while boosting collagen production and strengthening skin barrier is key to getting your 'glass skin' look.
So here's your skincare routine that will give you glass skin look, using affordable Korean skincare products.
I have been using Korean skincare products for all my life....mainly because whenever I tried using anything from brands in US, I immediately had a breakout, since highschool!
Korean beauty has gone through a lot of changes more so recently, with a rise of k-pop and k-beauty.
After using Korean skincare products for more than 20 years, having been to Korean esthetician every month for years, and now going through a lot of products from Olive Young, here's my tip on what you need to use to have that glowy and youthful look.
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1. Double Cleanse
Double cleansing is the most important step in Korean skincare routine.
If you don't have clean face to apply all the good ingredients to your skin, it will eventually end up having breakouts, pimples, or dull skin, because the dirt will remain on your skin.
Double cleansing involves using an oil-based cleanser followed by a water-based cleanser.
The double cleanse method is essential for achieving 'glass skin'. The first step, using an oil-based cleanser, helps to remove any makeup, dirt, and excess sebum on your skin's surface. This allows the following water-based cleanser to effectively clean your pores and remove any remaining impurities.
I have used cleansing balms and regular oil cleansers that range in prices over time, and currently really loving the following two affordable brands that's very gentle on your skin.
2. Exfoliate at least 2-3 per week:
Exfoliating is key in achieving that 'glass skin' look as it helps to remove dead skin cells, revealing a smoother and brighter complexion. If you feel like your face doesn't have the glow or feels dull to you, it's probably because you are not exfoliating properly.
It's extremely important to not over-exfoliate as it can damage the skin barrier.
Do not ever ever ever use ones that have beads. They really do nothing to your skin other than damaging it.
Use gentle gentle exfoliator like Pyunkang Yul Peeling Gel or Beauty of Joseun Peeling Gel that helps to gently exfoliate your skin 2-3 times per week. These exfoliators are chemical exfoliators that include AHA or BHA that gently removes dead skins.
![[Beauty of Joseon] Apricot Blossom Peeling Gel](https://www.ohhappyjoy.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/419Bqlogd7L._SL500_.webp)
3. Toner
Toners are usually there to help hydrate your skin before you apply other products. It also helps to balance your skin's pH level.
With the rise of toner pads in Korea, I've been using toner pads instead of toners and I've seen a huge improvement in my skin's texture.
Which leads to the next one!
4. Toner Pads Including AHA or BHA
I started adding toner pads and it's done wonders to my skin. AHA and BHA are ingredients that gently exfoliates your skin. These are leave in exfoliants that helps your skin renewal process.
There are products out there that combine both ingredients which you can use, or one ingredient per product. I personally like to use products that combine both, just so that I can reduce steps to my skincare routine.
However, if you were to get one ingredient per product, try to alternate applying each of the product (ie. AHA in the morning and BHA at night).
5. Serums
Serums usually target specific concerns on your skin. For women over 30, using serums that include the following ingredients is key to glass skin. They each help each other out in making your skin look glowy.
1. Vitamin C - vitamin C does wonders to your skin. It not only brightens and improves the skin tone, it also provides skin restoring and soothing benefits.
2. Retinol or Retinol Alternative - Everyone, including dermatologists, and skincare influecers say you need to use retinol....or more recently tretinoin.
Yes, retinol is a must when you want to slow signs of aging. But depending on the retinol dosage, it can cause irritation on your skin. It's known to make your skin flakey and dry out your skin. While it has numerous benefits such as fading wrinkles, minimizing pores, brightening your skin tone, it does come with irritation, especially when you first apply it. It is recommended that you start with a very low retinol percentage and work your way up.
One thing you need to know about real Korean skincare is that many people actually focus more on prevention and using antioxidants to help their skin look nice. And they also use other ingredients that help to slow down the signs of aging, such as adenosine, bakuchiol, ginseng, green tea extracts, and peptides.
And as a result, nowadays in US, natural and vegan retinol alternatives are also gaining more popularity since it doesn't give you the side effects or irritation like retinol does. Bakuchiol + peptide serum is a great alternative for anyone who has sensitive skin or wanting to achieve the same results but doesn't want to deal with irritation.
3. Niacinamide - This ingredient is an all-rounder in the skincare world. It helps to minimize pores, brighten skin tone, and improve overall skin texture. You can find it in many Korean skincare products such as serums, moisturizers, and toners.
4. Hyaluronic acid - This ingredient is a staple in Korean skincare routines as it provides deep hydration to the skin. It helps to plump up fine lines and wrinkles, making your skin look smoother and more youthful.
5. Antioxidants - As mentioned earlier, antioxidants are essential in Korean skincare routines to prevent signs of aging. Some popular antioxidant ingredients used in Korean skincare include green tea extract, vitamin C, and ginseng.
6. Lotion, Moisturizer, or Cream?
One thing I learned from very early on is, you need to finish off your skincare routine with a lotion (or moisturizer) or cream.
They function as a barrier to lock in all the goodness you applied to your skin from the toner to serum stage.
I used to use watery texture lotion when I was young, but as I am getting older, I am seeing better results with more cream type.
Since SPF lotion is applied as the very last step, I skip the lotion and go straight to a cream.
7. SPF Lotion
Oooh the importance of applying SPF lotion, every day, multiple times throughout the day!
Korean spf lotions are definitely top notch...and there is a reason for it!
Unlike oily or pasty US suncreens, Korean sunscreens are more like a lotion that absorbs well into your skin while providing sun protection. And itt's all because of the ingredient each country is allowed to use!
SPF lotion is under the review of FDA in US and only certain ingredients are allowed to be used. These ingredients are well researched, however, they are ingredients that have been around for centuries that are not so water soluable, and as a result end up being very greasy when applied or leave a white cast.
Koreans don't have regulations like US, as spf falls as cosmetic product. And as a result, they are allowed to use more recent advanced spf ingredients that are water soluable and provide lotion like texture while providing sun protection.
Whether US will be able to use the same ingredients, will depend on how fast FDA can approve them...but knowing how new ingredients may take years for approval, it may be unlikely that we will be seeing Korean spf ingredients in US products anytime soon.
Applying SPF lotion daily (even indoors) is the secret to K-beauty. And applying them often throughout the day is the key to preventing dark spots and achieving that transparent glass skin.
Know that many of the Korean sunscreens have been taken down from Amazon because of this FDA regulation and they don’t meet them. In order for you to purchase those, the best bet is getting it directly from Global Olive & Young.
So there you have it! I do feel like I have the best skin entering 40s. And if you want to combine your outer beauty with inner beauty, take a look at my veggie smoothie that gives your skin radiance and glow.
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