K-beauty: 5 beauty hacks from Korean celebrities

The hype around K-beauty grows stronger year after year with beauty and k-culture fans gushing over the latest skincare trends set about by Korean celebrities. From Suzy’s 424 cleansing regime to Song Hye-kyo’s unique facial mask, here are five simple K-beauty tips to integrate into your own skincare routine

Song Hye-kyo’s own facial mask

Finding a suitable facial mask is the first step in achieving a glowing, dewy skin. It is such an important beauty aid that Descendants of the Sun star Song Hye-kyo came out with her own special face mask. She loves to use honey as an ingredient – blending egg white with a spoon of honey and leaving it until it dries. Song also enjoys using a honey-water facial mask in a 1:2 ratio. This recipe helps brighten the skin and reduces fine lines.

The actress revealed that she warms up milk and applying it directly to her face as the last step in her beauty routine. It is said to help remove dead skin cells and obtain clear skin.

Suzy’s 424 cleansing regime

Suzy puts more weight on cleansing than a full on skincare routine, as she believes cleansing is key to anti-ageing. She came up with her cleansing route called 424 which she shared with her fans. 424 refers to 4 minutes of rubbing cleaning oil all over the face, 2 minutes of massaging with cleansing foam, and 4 minutes of rinsing with water. This routine definitely helps remove dirt and makeup, reducing the formation of acne.

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Taeyeon’s special moisturising technique

In a number of interviews, Taeyeon opened up for having dry skin. She then emphasises the importance of moisturising well. The singer loves to put moisturising cream on her face right after the cleaning – keeping her skin wet without wiping. Dermatologists agree on this tip, saying the cream will lock in any existing moisture for maximum hydration.

Taeyeon also tends to skip using toners, going straight to using essence. Using essences is a critical Korean skincare step, which pack a punch with their concentrated ingredients.

Irene’s hack to soothe pimples

Pimples are one of the first skin afflictions that can bother us from a young age to our mature stages. South Korean model and #legend cover star Irene Kim knows just the hack to help soothe those spots. After a hot shower where pores widen with steam is the perfect time to get rid of pimples and calm them. Irene soaks a cotton swab with toner or face mist as a simple hack and places it on the affected area.

Park Min-young’s magical cotton pad

Forecasting Love and Weather star Park Min-young loves to communicate with her fans via her own YouTube channel, sharing all her beauty secrets among others. In June 2020, she filmed the segment of What’s in my bag and shared her all-time-favourite items.

As she puts weight on good exfoliating and moisturising sessions, this means she always brings facial masks and what she dubs her own “magical” cotton pad to her drama scenes. Her go-to tool in her beauty routine? The cotton pad! But not just any. Park says that she uses one specific type that comes with a rough and soft sides. She divulged that the rough surface allows for deep cleansing, especially around problem areas like the nose.

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