Beauty Around The World: South Korean Beauty 101

Rae shares that the best Korean beauty tip she’s learned is “to wear sunscreen, eat healthy foods and drink lots of water faithfully every day for a clear complexion.” Get started on prevention with sunblock! Mizon UV Mild Sunblock, $16

Take that hydration to the next level with a recharger serum! Belif Hungarian Water Essence Serum, $42

When it comes to face masks, South Korea is ahead of the curve. This mask by beloved Korean brand Sulwhasoo comes highly recommended by Rae. It’s fermented in White Ginseng for two weeks, which translates to instant brightening and improved circulation on your face! Sulwhasoo Snowise EX Brightening Mask, $130

According to Eriksen, Korean women are well aware that milk has long been known to have powerful effects on the skin. We’ve all heard that Cleopatra bathed in the stuff, so a nice milk mask will surely do the trick for the rest of us as well. SkinFood Steam Milk Bubble Mask, $15.88

Once again, it’s all about building a base for your makeup with beautiful skin! Eriksen says prepping the skin with a primer will solidify all that high-quality cream and foundation that follows. This quirky skin base feels just like honey at first and blends softly into your skin for a beautiful glow and better makeup staying power. Touch In Sol Feel Like Honey Moon Skin Base, $24

Cushion compacts are perhaps one of the most divine beauty innovations Korea has bestowed upon the rest of the world. They provide ultra lightweight foundation through a sponge that releases the product through a spring. The amount released depends on how hard you press on the sponge, leaving you with as much or as little as you’d like to apply. Sulwhasoo’s Perfecting Cushion is one of Rae’s favorite Korean beauty products. She says the brand’s “unique textures and outstanding performances have set the standard for luxury makeup/skincare,” and as a new user of this compact myself, I don’t disagree! Sulwhasoo Perfecting Cushion, $60

“Korean women love luminous, glowing skin,” says Rae. “Layer hydrating skin care, dewy foundation, and cream highlighters/blush to reduce the look of lines and dehydration!” 3 Concept Eyes Shimmer Stick, $17

Add some bright-colored cream blush to your beautifully-treated skin and you’re well on you way to Korean chic. Holika Holika Pure Mellow Jelly Blusher, $12

READ MORE: Peach & Lily Recommends Our 8 New Favorite Korean Beauty Products

“The best Korean makeup tip I’ve learned is to wear less eyeliner,” says Rae. “I love thick, intense cat eyes but wearing subtle liner makes my eyes look larger and more youthful.” Boost that youthful look with this Mizon volume stick, which boosts the illusion of fat under the eye – Aegyo Sal – because as we age, the skin just beneath our eyes begins to sag. Mizon Oh! Shy Volume Up Lovely Stick, $19

According to Eriksen, Korean beauty is all about serious brow love, and lately, emphasis has been on a soft, straight brow line. Give a subtle boost to your brows (or go all out with defined lines) with these pencils by Holika Holika. Holika Holika Wonder Drawing 24hr Auto Eyebrow Pencil #2 Dark Brown, $2.99

“Korean pop music groups have made natural circle lenses quite popular! It’s a fun and temporary way to change up your look,” Rae says. “Just make sure to seek out an optometrist for the proper fit when it comes to colored contact lenses.” KPOP2 Weekly Lenses, $19.99

When Eriksen showed me the magic of the ombre lip, a mainstay of Korean makeup, I was mystified. When applying, aim for a pop of bright color in the middle of the lips with a lighter look on the outer edges, using a yellow pencil to create warmer tones if you can’t find the perfect shade you desire. Touch In Sol One Second Vivid Lip Crayon, $16

Beauty Around The World is a column exploring the products, rituals and practices that define beauty in different parts of the globe, one country at a time!

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