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It’s been quite a few years since Korean skincare attracted the attention of the world. It got famous for its surprising ingredients and groundbreaking formulations. It introduced women to snail mucin and bee venom and made us obsessed with sheet masks. One of the terms Korean skincare introduced us with was “glass skin.”
Glass Skin:
The term glass skin is used for extraordinarily smooth, lustrous and even-toned skin that appears so immaculate that it has a look of glass. It’s a simple way to describe a certain type of smooth and clear complexion.
Glass skin aims for highly moisturized skin that gives a very youthful, transparent complexion with an intense glow.
Skincare Regimen for Glass Skin:
It needs a multi-dimensional approach to achieve glass skin. It needs an extremely smooth surface without any rough texture or bumps. There should be a large amount of water just under the surface that would give a moist and lustrous appearance as it catches and reflects light. And the skin should look firm and plump.
It needs a consistent skincare routine to achieve this dream-like appearance. The routine will include a cleanser, exfoliator, toner, serum and a hydrating moisturizer. As you need a lot of hydration beneath the surface of the skin for glass skin, you will need hydrating products containing glycerin and hyaluronic and consider applying multiple layers of different products or the same hydrating product. Other k-beauty staples such as essences, toners and sheet masks are effective for hydrating the skin.
Here are the step-by-step instructions on how you can achieve smooth and glowing glass-like skin.
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Double Cleanse
Double cleansing provides a clean canvass that makes it easier for skincare products to get absorbed. Double cleansing is a must at night to remove all the grease, dirt and makeup residue that your face collects throughout the day. Start with micellar water or cleansing oil for the first wash, follow it up with a mild cream cleanser or a foam wash.
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Exfoliate
Exfoliating is necessary to remove the dead skin cells that clog pores and makes the skin look dull. You can exfoliate with a chemical exfoliator like lactic acid or glycolic or a physical exfoliator like gentle jojoba beads or crushed walnut. Avoid doing it more than thrice a week to prevent irritation on the sensitive skin.
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Toners
Toners are thought to be too drying, which, fortunately, is not true. They take on a very important role in Korean skincare. Toners containing moisture-enhancing and refreshing ingredients such as floral water, galactomyces, green tea, and ginseng are used to restore the pH level of the skin and provide base hydration. It also makes it easier for other products to absorb in the skin. The layering of the toners is important to achieve intensely hydrated skin for glass skin. You are recommended to apply up to 7 layers of these toners on the surface of your skin.
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Add an Essence
Essences are less concentrated forms of serums and they are more watery and lightweight. They are used as targeted treatments to address various skin concerns like redness and pigmentation while delivering more hydration and moisture.
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Serums or Ampoule
Ampoules in the Korean counterpart of serums. They have a higher concentration of beneficial active ingredients that nourish the skin, promote collagen, reverse signs of ageing, minimize pores, provide firmness and even out skin tone. Some of these ampoules are only to be used for addressing a certain skin problem. Therefore, hydrating serums are best for daily use. They contain ingredients like vitamin E, hyaluronic acid and ceramides that boost moisture. Retinoids and vitamin C are great for promoting collagen production.
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Moisturize
There cannot be a perfect skin routine without moisturizer. You need a moisturizer that is lightweight but contains maximum moisture to achieve a luminescent look of glass skin. Choose one that has powerful hydrants, nourishing botanical extracts and antioxidants. In Korean skincare, gotu kola or centella asiatica is sought after because of its anti-ageing, healing and skin-barrier restoring properties.
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Eye Cream
To get glass skin, you need to get rid of the bags and dry patches under your eyes. Including a serum or eye cream to nourish the sensitive skin around the eyes, if they tend to be dry.
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Seal with a Mask
One of the best skincare tips and tricks from K-beauty is masks. And the obsession of the world with them is justified. They are the easiest way to repair the damage, soothe tired skin and lock-in moisture.
While you are working for achieving glass skin, you need to keep it in mind that there is no shortcut for that. An ethereal-looking, flawless skin goes beyond buzzworthy trends and cult products. It needs commitment and consistency to your skincare routine. You need to avoid rushing from product to product as it takes some time for the ingredients to show results. Also, your diet and physical activity play an important role in making your skin healthy.
Though there is no harm in trying out and finding what works best for you, keeping realistic expectations and achievable goals are important too. Changing the skin condition and type is not easy and it doesn’t happen overnight. Just keep working for building a solid skincare regimen that makes you feel happy and comfortable in your skin.
