When it comes to beauty trends, the Koreans do know best. After all, their 10-step/12-step skincare routine pretty much got everyone across the globe to subscribe to a lengthy yet effective approach towards skincare (and self-care). Their love for smooth, glowing, and healthy skin has started beauty trends that have created waves internationally. And, rightfully so!
If you’re a fan of K-pop or K-dramas, the proof is right there in that gorgeous glow they all seem to somehow possess (and does their skin even age?) K-beauty trends, with their intriguing techniques and innovative ingredients, have always tickled our fancy, mainly because they seem to show results. And, the K-beauty trends of 2023 aren’t any different. But, how effective are they when it comes to Indian skin and weather conditions? Dermatologist Dr Manasi Shirolikar dives into the hottest K-beauty’s skincare trends in 2023, and how Indians can make the most of them.
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1. Waterless products
A K-beauty trend hitting the charts in 2023 is the application of waterless products. Making cosmetic products waterless or anhydrous helps increase their shelf life, as water is more susceptible to bacterial contamination. Therefore, they require fewer preservatives, making them less likely to cause irritation or adverse reactions.
Some ingredients that work great as anhydrous gels include vitamin C and salicylic acid. Another way to incorporate waterless products is to switch from shower gels and shampoos to soaps. If you are someone with dry skin, you may enjoy waterless products. However, if you are someone with oily skin, you may be more comfortable with a water base rather than oil one. Oil-based anhydrous products are more suited to colder temperatures and drier skin types.
Waterless products are even thought to be more sustainable because of decreased water consumption in the manufacturing process. However, the machinery that is used for production ends up using a lot of water for their wash cycles as they use more concentrated oils and pigments.
2. Skin flooding
This is a fairly straightforward new skincare trend which includes flooding your skin with hydrating and moisturising products. It's a great technique for dry and dehydrated skin. In this, you must layer hydrating ingredients while the skin is still damp to ensure better penetration. It has four simple steps: first you cleanse with a gentle face wash, next use a mist, essence or hydrating toner to dampen and hydrate, then use a hyaluronic acid serum and last, lock it all in with a moisturiser.
For dry skin, even in Indian weather, this technique is great. However, it may not be your best friend in the summers and monsoons when you need a deeper cleanse to take the sweat off.
3. Double SPF
Double SPF is a double-edged sword. We have people who layer a tinted SPF with a regular non-tinted one for more coverage. But, you must be mindful of UV filters while doing so as some UV filters can deactivate others, leaving you with less sun protection. Some combinations to avoid while trying double SPF are avobenzone (PARSOL® 1789) with octinoxate, zinc oxide or titanium dioxide.
4. Fermented ingredients
When it comes to proving whether fermented skincare is more beneficial than regular skincare, the jury is still out. Fermentation essentially decreases the size of molecules, making it easier for them to go deeper into the skin. The process also yields probiotics or postbiotics in the form of peptides, acids, and enzymes, which can help to support the skin barrier and decrease the chances of inflammation and sensitivity.
5. Products with EGF (i.e. epidermal growth factor)
Making its comeback from 2013, EGF helps manage signs of ageing while, simply put, triggering human cells to regenerate faster. These may exist in the form of natural or synthetically derived growth factors in skincare products. When applied, they can help increase the collagen and elastin in the skin and improve skin thickness, radiance, moisturisation, pigmentation, and texture. This is achieved by signalling, which leads to the stimulation of dermal fibroblasts and thicker, firmer skin.
Cover Image : Instagram/@jennierubyjane
