Korean skin care is legendary, and the steps involved in achieving that elusive perfect skin can be staggering. Even so, they must be doing something right as Korean skin care trends continue to heavily influence North American markets. Besides the ubiquitous BB and CC creams that we now take for granted, we’ve also seen a steady influx of trends like overnight sleeping face masks and essences. Even the idea of double cleansing no longer seems novel.
So what can we expect next to hit our shelves from Asia? In a word: masks.
1. Sheet masks – These thin cotton sheets come saturated with active ingredients that can target specific needs like dryness, acne and a dull complexion. Sold in thin packs, sheet masks could not be more easy to use. Best used in the evening before going to bed, simply open up and place on face, lining up eye and nose holes. Gently tap to ensure contact on the skin, sit back for 20 minutes and let it do its magic. After removing the mask, leave any excess product on the skin overnight and wake up to glowing skin.
Skin care companies in Korea have gone one step further: not only are they making sheet masks functional and fool-proof, they’ve become more fun as well. Instead of plain white, many sheet masks now come imprinted with adorable images of animals like cats and tigers. Who wouldn’t rather look like a cute panda bear than a character out of a scary horror movie while indulging in a weekly facial pampering?
2. Rubber sheet masks – Not quite as convenient as the ready-to-apply version, rubber sheet masks are actually do-it-yourself kits that require a bit more work. Sold as pre-measured powder in pods, these masks require little more than water, a bit of mixing and then applying the resulting paste on the face with a spatula. Peel off after 15 relaxing minutes. Although slightly more effort than prepared sheet masks, the rubber version has the advantage of more effectively sealing the active ingredients onto the skin, allowing for deeper absorption.
3. Point masks – Smaller models of the facial sheet masks, point masks target more specific areas and concerns. Wrinkles and dark circles around the eyes, dehydrated lips, dry cheeks and an acne-prone forehead all have their own masks. Dry fingers and cuticles? There’s even a point mask for that resembling little tubes filled with soothing serum. Seriously.
There seems to be no end to the innovative and often over-the-top skin care products coming out of Korea. Some may say enough is enough. I say, keep ‘em coming
