Olga Alymova, editor of the Beauty and Health section, talks about her experience with Korean culture and shares the secrets of makeup, skin cleansing and self-care.
– Some time ago I happened to visit Seoul, the capital of South Korea. In this city, we were presented with a new line of cleansing L’Oreal Paris, inspired by the perfect skin of Korean girls – “Absolute tenderness” with a rose and “Endless freshness” with a lotus. In this country, it is true, very stylish and well-groomed women – their makeup is almost always appropriate, and their skin is the perfect shade of ivory – and not a hint of freckles! Although the climate contributes to all sorts of troubles: pores can clog due to smog, the ozone layer over the cities is low, and the sun’s rays provide early aging and age spots, but Korean women are successfully fighting them thanks to modern cosmetology and, importantly, a systematic approach.
Face
Care in 10 steps
If for many of us cleansing is only micellar water, then for Korean women it is the most important ritual. They get rid of cosmetics, first with a sponge for konnyaku with a make-up remover, then use milk and tonic, removing the remnants of cosmetics and saturating the skin with moisture and vitamins. Then various emulsions are used – brightening, renewing, tightening the oval of the face. Followed by cream, mist and sheet mask – an absolute must-have for local girls, sold in packs of 6-10 pieces. In the morning, it is replaced with hydrogel patches – they are glued to the lower eyelid, eliminate swelling and take care of the delicate skin around the eyes.
The new lines of L’Oreal play up this passion for thoughtful cleansing – gel, milk and tonic “Absolute Tenderness” with jasmine gently remove makeup, preparing the skin for the evening ritual of skin care. And “Endless Freshness” with lotus will help to prolong the feeling of cleanliness for a long time – it includes cleansing wipes and micellar water in a large volume – a whole 400 ml.
Completing the same ritual of care is offered with a novelty – a moisturizing aqua-gel “Hydrogen” with aloe juice and high molecular weight hyaluronic acid. It is produced in three versions – for dry, normal and combination skin. The gel consists of 70% purified water and is completely absorbed without leaving an oily sheen.
Cleansing gel “Absolute tenderness” L’Oreal Paris, 190 rubles
Sanskrit
Sun protection is present in almost all Korean skin care products – at least 20 SPF. Creams protect the skin from free radicals and reflect UV rays. Moreover, the Koreans succeeded in the impossible: they make Sanskrins, under which the face does not sweat and does not become covered with nasty perspiration – they use chemical filters together with physical filters that heat up when the sun is reflected. The choice is great – Korean sanblocks are not only lightweight, but also look amazing.
Tony Moly Magic Food Mango Mild Sun Block SPF50+ PA+++, 1240 руб.
Makeup
Traditional makeup is done in South Korea with modern means. Since ancient times, the Asian type of face has been characterized by classic makeup – light skin and red lips. And if earlier Korean women whitened their faces with whitewash, now they use a range of cleansing and exfoliation with acids and herbal extracts that fight redness and age spots, and apply BB cream on top. It is the Korean “bibishka” that is now actively displacing the dense tone from the European market – the idea of simultaneous skin care and masking imperfections attracts girls all over the world. The latest Korean invention, the cushion, is now fully adopted by the leading concerns – L’oreal and Estee Lauder have included it in almost all lines, from mass to luxury.
SkinFood store, South Korea
Body
Green food once a day
Cleansing from the inside is incredibly beneficial for the skin – one meal of a Korean woman is on salads. It helps to stabilize cholesterol levels due to frequent meat consumption, prevents swelling of the face and keeps the weight normal. In South Korea, there is an opinion that any herb (unless, of course, it is poisonous) can and should be eaten – similar mixes that allow you to snack properly are sold at every step, packed in a “shaker” with a fork.
No cellulite
The Asian body type does not imply cellulite – thanks to their thick and dense skin, girls can not worry about wrinkles for much longer than Europeans. But there are still slight irregularities – so there are many scrubs and wraps with sea extracts – for example, kelp rich in iodine – or green coffee on the market.
Sport
The state encourages physical activity – exercise equipment is installed in parks, and the gym is cheap – so a Korean girl can easily keep track of her weight. Globalization has significantly spoiled the picture – due to the abundance of fast food, the younger generation has grown fat, and world television continues to dictate the cult of a slender figure. Adjusted for the fact that the Korean beauty should not have a steel press and trained calves – only a toned and slender body. Therefore, they prefer classes with a trainer to peppy music and DDR – a Japanese music video game with a dance dance revolution platform. An hour of such a step replaces going to the gym – the load on the muscles of the legs, arms and buttocks is provided. Korean youth also love karaoke – by the way, an hour of singing can burn 120 kcal! K-pop (Korean pop) and Japanese artists are held in high esteem.
Пластика
Because of globalization, Korean women are striving precisely for the image of a typical American or European beauty imposed by advertising. They themselves have a wide, almost round face – it is common to “grind” the cheekbones to an oval, European silhouette, make eyelid surgery, “open up” the eyes, simulating a fold on the upper eyelid, and correct the nose – to make it more built-up and “Greek” … At first, the abundance of beauties in South Korea is amazing – but then you realize that they are just visiting a professional. Plastic surgery in Asia is not shameful and costs a little more than a dentist – men also use services to correct their appearance. Recently, in neighboring China, where girls also often undergo surgery, a scandal even erupted: the husband left his wife after their children were born not as beautiful as their spouse – they inherited all the features of the mother’s appearance, which she successfully got rid of before meeting her husband …