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Beauty secrets from Korean stars

Putting the K in skincare

There is a reason why Korean stars have that poreless, flawless visage we all covet - sheer dedication.

Check out these tips by 10 of your favourite celebrities and pat, prime and soothe your way to #wokeuplikethis skin.

SONG HYE KYO: DIY PERFECT

The actress is all about do-ityourself masks, despite endorsing Laneige, one of the biggest  K-beauty brands. Her favourite recipe is a blend of egg whites and honey (ideally active), applied fortnightly.

Massage the mask onto your skin until dry and rinse off with warm water.

Honey is a natural antibacterial agent and great for acne treatment and prevention. It is also  chock-full of antioxidants and moisturising properties that help to slow down signs of ageing,  while egg whites help shrink pores by tightening the skin.

SONG JOONG KI: MILK IT

The actor owes his smooth and fair complexion to his nightly routine of washing his face with milk.

Some dermatologists recommend it, as milk is said to help remove oil-soluble impurities with the fat-soluble enzyme lipase, and protein-based impurities and dead skin cells with lactic acid.

It also great for soothing sunburn and calming the skin, but be sure to use unpasteurised milk.

JESSICA JUNG: HEAT IT UP

The singer achieves her perfect skin by "heating" up her skincare products after application. Rub your palms together and hold them over your face. The heat opens up pores and makes your skin cells more receptive to the products.

SONG JI EUN: HYDRATE

The singer understands the importance of drinking water, and she emphasises hydration in her skincare regimen. She drinks up to four litres of water a day and cites it as the secret behind her radiant skin.

Water helps flush away the toxins in your body. And as your body is made up of about 60 per cent water, hydration is crucial in maintaining healthy skin function and oil-to-water balance.

PONY: GREEN TEA WASH

Pony is one of South Korea's most famous and influential beauty gurus, so you can be sure any tips from her are legit.

She swears by washing her face with green tea water, made by soaking bags of green tea in warm water. Green tea has an anti-inflammatory effect that can help reduce redness and puffiness on the skin. Pony recommends doing this twice a week for best results.

IRENE KIM: BANISH ZITS

Model Kim shares this hack for those annoying zits: Blast hot water to steam up your shower and soak a cotton pad with toner and apply directly onto those pimples.

The steam opens up pores and allows your skin to better absorb the properties of the toner.

For this tip, use toners that contain ingredients such as witch hazel or tea tree oil, as they help reduce inflammation.

HA JI WON: MOISTURISE

For the actress, nothing is more important than moisturising. She ensures her skin does not stay dry for more than three seconds.

After washing her face, she immediately applies a jelly pack to restore the moisture lost. She is so strict about this that she recommends always having a facial mist within reach if your skincare products are away from your shower.

KIM TAE HYUNG: TRAVEL SMART

The member of K-pop boy band BTS is particularly concerned about the elasticity of his skin.

A frequent traveller, he recommends dampening cotton pads with toner and double moisturising to avoid losing too much moisture, so you arrive at your destination with glowing skin.

BAE SUZY: 424 METHOD

The actress-singer owes her glowing skin to what she dubs the "424" method - four minutes of rubbing a cleansing oil over her face to remove make-up, followed by two minutes with a foaming cleanser and a final four minutes with water.

Also known as double cleansing, this method ensures you have truly removed all traces of make-up and the dirt.

GO HYUN JUNG: CLEANSE SMART

The actress recommends cleansing the T-zone first, followed by your cheeks. This is because the T-zone tends to be oilier than the latter. By cleansing your cheeks last, you ensure that the drier areas are not exposed to the cleanser for too long.

Over-cleansing leads to drier and sensitive skin, which compensates by producing more oil.

This article first appeared in Her World Plus (www.herworldplus.com).

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