Since ancient times, skincare has been a part of many people’s daily routines. The skin has always been a concern for women and men alike. Everybody wants to look beautiful, and skincare ensures that. I mean who wouldn’t lol!
Although skincare routines vary from person to person, it cannot be denied that skincare is highly influenced by the traditions, customs, history, and culture of that person’s country. This is particularly true when it comes to Western and Korean skincare, which greatly influence skin care techniques
Indeed, talks have now become about Korean vs western beauty, which gives a rough idea of its influence. In fact, since the advent of social media, there have been debates about Korean versus Western skincare routines.
Read on to learn more about Korean skincare versus Western skincare 🙂
Global Skincare
Globalization has transformed the world into a global village. It is not uncommon for beauty revolutions in one corner of the world to have an impact on other parts of the world as well. My bad, the last sentence did sound like history 😀
But jokes aside, of course, we all know how the American way of skincare has greatly influenced the world. However, with recent revolutions but also with social media, Korean skincare has become more popular. Honestly, I found it on social media.
Let’s briefly explore western skincare, which I am sure many of you follow.
Western Skincare
The Western skincare industry is associated with most European and American countries.
In the UK, for example, where I currently live, where you find mostly European and North American brands, western skincare is more prevalent than Korean skincare. However, its popularity and use are rising.
Western skincare uses a pretty simple routine. The steps usually consist of cleansing, toner, serum, moisturiser, and sunscreen, but they generally consist of three basic steps. Check essential skincare guide for more insights.
It’s a simple routine that focuses on treating acne to get clear skin. Although very important, SPF application is not heavily emphasized in this routine.
In Western society, water and diet are very common skincare regimens! Water, diet, water, diet! It is believed that the skin stays hydrated, and toxins are flushed out by water and by eating healthy. By doing this, you can prevent breakouts and clear up your skin.
To be honest this is all I have to say about western skincare. Even though Western society does not follow a strict skincare regimen, drinking water and eating healthy foods are very common. Check out my articles on the main page for more insight guys!
Let’s now look at Korean skincare.
Korean Skincare
As you might guess the name Korean skincare has its origins in South Korea.
It is often referred to as K-beauty and has developed deep and strong roots in the beauty industry. Korean skincare has been recognized for its continuous innovation. The latter is a key for Korean beauty labels given competitiveness.
Korean skincare, compared to the western one, can range between 10 and 15 steps depending on your individual needs. Yep, you heard that right! I was in shock when I found out too!
It is a Korean tradition to take care of their skin daily and to perform all the steps to achieve a healthy and glowing complexion.
Each step of the K-beauty routine emphasizes hydration. They’re obsessed with it!
For instance, Korean skincare uses a hydrating face cream instead of a lightweight moisturizer to lock in moisture. They firmly believe that hydrated skin is healthy skin, which is why they add an extra layer of hydration with a face cream. This is also due to their extreme and harsh weather conditions.
In addition, K-beauty products are formulated with natural and skin-friendly ingredients; and their approach to skincare is gentler, with fewer scrubs, retinol, and harsh acids. In a Korean beauty routine, each product serves a specific purpose.
Their skincare focuses on prevention rather than repairing the damage that has already been done.
If you want to give Korean skincare a try and do not know where to start visit Style Story🙂
Here are some reasons why you should try the service 😀
- They help you find your perfect K-Beauty product by answering their simple 2 mins quiz which will help them match you with the perfect Korean beauty product
- They also provide help on how to have the perfect routine whether you’re new to skincare or looking to perfect your current one
- They also offer free consultations and on top of that, they provide a Korean beauty show podcast to perfect your skincare routine and it can be downloaded in over 142 countries!
- It is a great way for you to keep up with Korean beauty. The podcast that they provide is called ‘The Korean Beauty Show’
Okidoki enough of it now let’s compare the two skincare which I’m sure that’s what you’re here for! 😀
Korean vs Western Skincare
Both skincare regimens have a similar foundation, but they pretty much differ in specifics.
*Cleansing
Western skincare regimens typically use one cleanser, while Koreans use two. In Western skincare, the cleanser used is normally a speciality cleanser designed to meet the needs of the consumer’s skin.
In Korea, one cleanser is used to remove dirt, oils, and makeup from the skin. In the second step, the skin is nourished and the areas that are unique to each individual are targeted. A few examples are blemishes, redness, puffiness, and so on.
*Ingredients
Ingredients are another difference between the two skincare regimens. Korea is known for its use of organic, raw natural ingredients. Furthermore, many skincare brands use only organic ingredients in their products. As a result, their products are safer, more effective, and gentler on the skin.
Organic ingredients are relatively new in Western skincare.
*Steps: serums and essences
A third difference is the use of serums and essences (these are crucial). While serums and essences are sometimes used in skincare regimens in the West, they are very uncommon.
In contrast to Korea, where almost all skincare routines include either a serum, essence or both, most western skincare routines only use a toner. For instance, their lighter consistency ensures quick absorption. Healthy, flawless skin is provided by their delicate hydration. Among the secrets of Korean skincare, essences have become a worldwide phenomenon thanks to Korean skincare.
*Exfoliation
Exfoliation is the next point in the Korean vs western skincare debate. The American skincare industry views exfoliation as a weekly procedure for removing dead skin cells with the help of a body scrub.
On the other hand, Korean skincare emphasizes gentle exfoliation every day. The Korean scrubs are gentle and in the form of peels, rather than beads-like textures.
To briefly summarise the point, skincare in the west emphasizes exfoliation to reveal new skin, while Korean skincare emphasizes soothing and nourishing the skin from within.
*Masks
Both American and Korean skincare use masks. The type of mask used varies, however. American skincare is famous for clay and detox masks. They remove impurities. Radiant skin is revealed once they are removed.
Unlike American skincare, Korean skincare uses sheet masks to remove impurities from the face. Masks like this hydrate and nourish the skin. Due to their skin-friendly nutrients, they are beneficial for skin health.
*Eye creams
In recent years, eye creams have found their way into American skincare routines, largely as a result of Korean vs American skincare debates. To soothe tired eyes and treat dark circles, Americans prefer cooling eye gels.
*Price
Last but not least, due to Korea’s lower manufacturing costs, Korean products are significantly cheaper than their western counterparts.
To know which one is best if you have doubts, please read this article.
As we have looked, it is no secret that Korean skincare differs from western skincare in many ways. This is from the ingredients in the products to the formulations, approach, and even their purpose. Stay tuned for more topics like this! Ah oh, and yes drop any comments down below for any questions! 🙂
