For the uninitiated, anything South Korean has been deemed a must-follow in recent years, and this extends to the realm of beauty tips. We take a look at the beauty hacks we’ve picked up from Korea last year and judge if they should be left at 2018’s door or be continued!
1. Jamsu method
Jamsu? Like… a type of jam? If you’re confused, rest assured as the routine isn’t terribly complex. Touted as the solution for oily skin, all you need to do is to dunk your perfectly made-up face in ice-cold water in order to ‘seal’ it in and provide a mattifying finish. You will have to close your eyes and pretend you’re in Antartica for about half a minute, all the while telling yourself it is all worth it in the name of beauty.
The verdict? Daily Vanity has actually tried the jamsu method before and I tried it again. And it works.
This is coming from a person who hates the blustery cold weather we’ve been facing recently, so if I say it’s worth it for people with chronically oily complexion, it really is. Once I got past the initial shock of submerging my entire face in ice, I realised that my skin actually looked pretty good. According to online reviews, oily skin also tends to become more matte (I have really dry skin so I cannot vouch for this, though!). For an entertaining and truthful account, refer to Cosmopolitan’s stab at the method.
Welcome to 2018?: Only if you have really oily skin, and aren’t a fan of mattifying powder for some reason.
2. Three-second Rule
I always thought the three-second rule referred exclusively to food we drop on the ground, which says a lot about my priorities in life. Trust the Koreans though to reinvent the timeless rule into one related to beauty!
In this new version, the three seconds refer to the amount of time you have before applying your skincare product onto your freshly cleansed face. We have explained the rationale behind the three-second method before, but is it worth retaining in 2018?
I personally adore the 3-second rule when it comes to food, but am less partial to the new version. It felt like a marathon when I was trying the method out, since I only had three seconds to slap my skincare products on my face. It was a lot of rubbing (my face on the towel, some toner on my skin) and overall, not a very comfortable experience. I am far more comfortable with 30 seconds between each product since it also allows the skin to absorb each individual product before moving on with each one.
Welcome to 2018?: I would give this one the boot, only because the advantages it provides do not outweigh the heart attacks caused by the time constraint.
3. Glass skin routine
True to its namesake, the glass skin routine promises users with skin that is flawless and polished to a shine. Ellie Choi, the one who popularised the routine, went viral after posting a picture of her perfect skin on Twitter. We can definitely see why.
I was delighted as I read the steps of the routine, as it is really intuitive and not completely out-of-the-world! Essentially, all you need to do is to follow these steps:
- Clean your skin using a suitable product
- Tone your skin
- Apply a good moisturiser
- Apply a wash-off mask or exfoliator several times a week between steps 1 and 2.
Being an absolutely vain person, I already follow this routine regularly to begin with. To be honest, this is really the first beauty “hack” that I swear by. Though it can seem really lengthy sometimes (do I really need to use the exfoliator today?), effort is rewarded in the form of healthier-looking skin. Several people have complimented me on my complexion in the past month, and I have learned to wave these away modestly while hiding my delight.
Welcome to 2018?: Gladly, and with open arms!
4. 7-skin Method
OK, I have to admit I laughed to myself when I first read about this method, since the name reminds me of a shedding snake. Interesting name aside, the 7-skin method refers to a beauty hack that promises you with absolutely dewy skin that most of us can only dream of.
To attain this, the method proposes that we apply seven layers of toner on our faces after cleansing. Does it work? I stared at my bottle of toner in trepidation and bravely attempted the challenge one evening.
My verdict is that it works, but at a rather heavy price. If you use a costly toner like the ones from SK-II or Origins, it would be painful to use seven layers of toner, twice a day. It will take a significant amount of time too, since you have to wait between layers (if not, your skin will just be drowning in toner). That being said, my skin did become very supple, though it did not give me magically dewy and unicorn-kissed skin the next morning.
Welcome to 2018?: Sure, if I’m not in a rush for time and have a lot of toner to spare. You can probably try it more as a once-in-a-while booster for your skin, rather than as a daily routine.
5. Double cleansing
Have you ever felt like you’ve cleansed your face, but that something just feels icky? If so, this skincare hack may be just the one for you. According to some Korean beauty junkies, the key to a truly cleansed face is to use two types of cleansers – an oil-based cleanser first to get rid of impurities and makeup, and a foam to really get into those clogged pores.
Well, does it work?
Being a typical kiasu Singaporean, I jumped into this routine with ease. It definitely does not hurt that the extra step barely takes up any effort at all! My verdict at the end of it is that it definitely gives you cleaner-feeling skin. My toner and moisturisers also seem to be absorbed better at the end of it, which is definitely a bonus!
Welcome to 2018?: Sure!
So there you have it – Korea’s wide repertoire of beauty hacks, from the wacky to the insanely complicated. Feel free to explore whichever hacks appeal to you so that we can all appear fresh-faced and extra beautiful in 2018!
