Do Koreans use facial oils?

Author: Elisabeth Cartwright PhD  |  Last update: Saturday, August 2, 2025

What Are Korean Face Oils? K-beauty oils are high-quality oils designed to support a healthy skincare routine. The right oil will slow down signs of aging and encourage the sought-after glass skin and glow that Korean skincare routines are so famous for.

What oils do Koreans use?

Despite the popularity of healthier oils such as olive oil and grapeseed oil, traditional cooking oils like soybean oil and sesame oil remain staples in South Korean cuisine due to their distinctive flavors and aroma.

Do Koreans use oil cleansers?

Yes, but in Korea, many women use what is called a scalp cleanser, or a ``scaler,'' an oil or gel type product that is applied before shampoo. Think of it as the oil cleansing step of your routine. You wouldn't just skip taking off your makeup and go straight to your foaming cleanser, would you? Of course you wouldn't.

What makes Korean skin so flawless?

Koreans focus on hydration and layering lightweight products. They use essences, serums, and sheet masks to achieve that dewy glow. Key ingredients include hyaluronic acid, snail mucin, and niacinamide. Double cleansing is also a must! To get that glow, stick to a consistent routine and focus on moisturizing.

Do Koreans have oily or dry skin?

According to previous studies, the dry and combination types equally accounted for 30%, and the oily and neutral types both accounted for 15% of the Korean female population14.

Face Oils - What's Best For Your Skin Type?

Why is Korean skin so healthy?

Korean skincare is rooted in the principle of maintaining skin health through consistent, gentle care and prevention. It seeks to undo the damage caused by more aggressive products and practices while nourishing the skin and leaving it more supple and resilient.

How often do Koreans exfoliate their face?

Koreans typically exfoliate their skin 2-3 times per week using either a physical or chemical exfoliator. Physical exfoliators contain small grains that slough off dead skin cells, while chemical exfoliators use acids to dissolve them. This helps to brighten the complexion, unclog pores, and prevent breakouts.

How do Koreans not get wrinkles?

The Korean approach to avoiding wrinkles is holistic, combining diet, disciplined skincare routines, and cultural practices that prioritise long-term skin health. By adopting some of these practices, even non-Koreans can benefit from the age-defying techniques that are rooted deep in Korean culture.

Why do Koreans sleep on the floor?

Sleeping on the floor may also be consistent with lasting Confucian ideas of humility and respect. The ondol flooring heating systems (in homes that include them) would often use water pipes or electricity to heat the floor, which would provide warmth while sleeping.

How to get Korean glass skin?

9 Korean glass skin secrets to getting clear and porcelain skin
  1. Indulge in a steam session. ...
  2. Do facial exercises daily. ...
  3. Cleanse your face. ...
  4. Exfoliate with a damp washcloth. ...
  5. Go for toning & make fermented rice water your new best friend. ...
  6. Moisturize your face and body. ...
  7. Opt for Face masks. ...
  8. Tap!

Why do Koreans tap their face after skincare?

It's a very popular technique in Korea. Women in Korea slap their faces at least 50 times after finishing their daily skincare routine to get the blood circulation going. It also firms up the face muscles it might sound crazy but when it comes to slapping the more , the merrier and the harder, the better.

How do Koreans wash their face in the morning?

Morning
  1. Step 1: Oil-Based Cleansers. ...
  2. Step 2: Water-Based Cleansers. ...
  3. Step 3: Toners. ...
  4. Step 4: Essences. ...
  5. Step 5: Serums & Ampoules. ...
  6. Step 6: Eye Creams. ...
  7. Step 7: Moisturizers / Oils. ...
  8. Step 8: Exfoliators.

Why do Koreans look so clean?

Make-up free at night- Koreans are very disciplined when it comes to their skincare routine. Removing makeup is a skincare essential before getting the beauty sleep. Clean face makes way for a clear face.

Do Koreans apply oil to hair?

Korean hair beauty and health hacks majorly include oiling your hair. However, if you have an oily scalp, oiling your hair may not be favourable to you. In such a case, you can apply oil and water combo to your hair instead. This will make your hair nourished and will not over-clog your scalp pores.

What's the best Korean cleansing oil?

Our top picks for the best Korean oil cleansers of 2025
  • Best Overall. ma:nyo Pure Cleansing Oil Deep Clean. Read more.
  • Best for Acne-Prone Skin. Beauty of Joseon Ginseng Cleansing Oil. Read more.
  • Best for Sensitive Skin. Peach & Lily Ginger Melt Oil Cleanser. Read more.

Does South Korea need oil?

Because it has no international oil or natural gas pipelines, South Korea relies on tanker shipments of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and crude oil to meet demand.

Why do Korean husband and wife sleep separately?

Thus, in Korea, some couples continue living in the same house, but choose to sleep in separate rooms (SSR) for a time period to avoid or resolve extant conflict; this starkly differs from marital conflict strategies in other countries that leads to separation or divorce [6-7].

Why do Koreans drink a lot?

History of Korean drinking culture

Korea has a long tradition of consuming alcohol to celebrate holidays and seasonal events, in which they honor ancestors and exchange goodwill with neighbors and friends.

Why are Korean houses so clean?

Due to majority of daily activities happening on the floor, their hygiene is on a very high level. Since keeping the floor clean is number one priority, it is a kind and mandatory gesture to take off shoes while getting into someone's home.

How often do Koreans wash their face?

That's why it's a must to wash your face daily, at least once a day. If you have oily skin, breakouts, or excess sebum, it's in your best interest to clean your face in the morning and night. Those people with normal or dry skin can cleanse their faces before bed. K-beauty is obsessed with the double-cleansing method.

What do Asians use instead of retinol?

Bakuchiol extract comes from the Babchi plant, known for its purple blossoms and its use in Chinese and Indian medicine. The extract can be found in daily moisturizers, serums and creams. “Bakuchiol is often used as a gentler alternative to retinol.

Why is South Korea aging so fast?

The main cause of South Korea's aging is low fertility. Decreased fertility rates tend to be caused by lower marriage rates, more delayed marriages, and increased age of parents.

Do Koreans scrub in the shower?

Korean body scrubs, known in Korea as “seshin,” are a distinctive type of body treatment that involves a deep exfoliation process. During this treatment, you're typically in a wet room or shower area where a therapist uses a special scrubbing mitt made from viscose fabric to scrub your entire body vigorously.

Which Korean facial cleanser is best?

Vogue's Favorite Korean Cleansers
  • Best Overall: Sulwhasoo Gentle Cleansing Foam, $38.
  • Best Viral: CosRx Advanced Snail Mucin Gel Cleanser, $17.
  • Best for Rosacea: Dr. ...
  • Best for Deep Cleansing: Ma:nyo Pure & Deep Cleansing Foam, $18.
  • Best for Dry Skin: Glow Recipe Avocado Ceramide Moisture Barrier Cleanser, $28.

How to get Dewy Korean skin?

5 Tips to Get Dewy Korean Skin
  1. Get a Brightening Cleanser. In my DIY face masks post, I often include egg as an ingredient. ...
  2. Reduce Pore Buildup. As you guys might have guessed from this post, I do struggle with the occasional blackhead. ...
  3. Get a Hydrating Moisturizer. ...
  4. Use Essence. ...
  5. Massage Your Face.

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