Who says glass skin is only meant for Instagram baddies? If you have been coveting that dewy, glossy skin your favs have on Instagram, then today is your lucky day.
This article will explore all the steps you need to take to achieve dewy glass skin.
Origin of glass skin
The glass skin concept is a Korean beauty ideal that recently made its way into the skincare world. It centers on exactly what you might expect: clear, luminous skin and practically pore-free perfection that’s as shiny as glass.
The basic concept of the glass skin involves layering. Putting beauty products on your face one after the other.
This gives a dewy finish to your face and keeps it hydrated.
How to get Glass skin
Achieving glass skin requires a consistent skincare routine consisting of a cleanser, toner, serum, exfoliator, and a hydrating moisturizer.
And because intense hydration lies at the core of a glass skin regimen, it also involves watery products with humectants like hyaluronic acid and glycerin. Also, consider using either multiple layers of one hydrating product or several layers of different ones.
K-beauty staples like toners, essences, and sheet masks are the most effective for hydration.
Here is a step-by-step guide on how to achieve clear, glowing, glass skin.
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Step 1: Double cleanse
Ever since Asian skincare introduced the double cleanse, we haven’t turned back since.
Your skincare routine must start with a clean slate, especially at night when your face has accumulated all that grime, grease, and makeup buildup.
For your first cleanse, start with cleansing oil or micellar water, then finish with a mild foam wash or cream cleanser.
Step 2: Exfoliate
How can we talk about clear and smooth skin without mentioning exfoliation?
Whether using a physical exfoliator (crushed walnut or gentle jojoba beads) or a chemical type (like glycolic or lactic acid), this will slough away dead skin cells that dulls the skin and clogs pores.
Don’t overdo it, though. Two to three times weekly is ideal to avoid irritations, especially if you have sensitive skin.
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Step 3: Use your toner
While some people find traditional toners too drying, in Korean skincare, they serve a completely different purpose.
K-beauty toners are applied not only to restore the skin’s pH levels, but also to provide base hydration and enable better absorption of ensuing products. They consist of reviving and moisture-enhancing ingredients (like green tea, galactomyces, ginseng, and floral water).
Applying up to seven layers of toner to your skin generally works well for this. Layering is key here to achieve the extremely hydrated skin necessary for glass skin.
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Step 4: Add an essence
Essences are serums’ less concentrated cousins; they typically have a lighter, more liquid nature (a cross between serums and toners).
They are designed to address skin issues like pigmentation and redness, just as targeted treatments. However, they come with the additional goal of giving massive moisture and hydration.
Step 5: Treat with a serum or ampoule
Ampoules, the serum’s counterpart in Korea, often have a larger concentration of active chemicals.
In order to offer firmness, reduce pores, and even out skin tone, these concentrated actives nourish the skin, reversing aging and promoting collagen.
For everyday use, switch to a moisturizing serum containing moisture-boosting components like hyaluronic acid, ceramides, and vitamin E. This is because some ampoules are only intended to be used during a specific period of time (to address skin emergencies).
Vitamin C and retinoids will promote collagen creation most efficiently for structural stiffness.
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Step 6: Moisturize
With any skin care regimen, moisturizing is a given. But if you want to achieve that luminous appearance, you need use a lightweight moisturizer that still delivers a lot of moisture.
Seek out hydrating botanical ingredients, potent antioxidants, and hydrating agents.
Cica (short for centella asiatica) and gotu kola are popular components in Korean skin care products thanks to their healing, anti-aging, and barrier-restoring capabilities.
Step 7: Apply an eye cream
Glass skin is impossible to achieve if you have dry areas and bags under your eyes. Include an eye cream or serumo hydrate the delicate eye areas, which are prone to dryness more than the rest of your face.
Step 8: Seal with face oil (daytime only)
The perfect end for your glass skin routine is adding a face oil.
In addition to being an excellent way to hydrate and nourish your skin, it also offers defense against the stresses of daily life that weaken our skin’s protective layer. Therefore, it is required to be a step in and of itself. As an alternative, think about including a few drops in your daily serum or moisturizer.
Whichever option you select, keep in mind that it should always come last! No other layers can penetrate oil, so you will waste perfectly good products going forward (unless it’s SPF!).
You can add oil to other layers, but no other layers can penetrate oil.
You can dead your glass skin fantasies if your skin isn’t shielded from the sun’s rays. For one thing, skin that has been weathered by UV radiation won’t shine no matter how many stages you have in your skincare routine.
All year long, SPF is essential. The ideal option, in this case, is a product with the correct ingredients, such as a lightweight mix and enough of moisture.
Step 10: Sheet Masks
Although K-beauty has taught us some of the best skin care techniques, masks are perhaps the ones that the beauty industry is most fixated on.
It should come as no surprise, though; what’s not to appreciate about a skincare step that forces you to unwind for a while? Also, they are the simplest method for soothing the skin, mending damage, and retaining and replenishing moisture.
You can have healthier skin and a more radiant complexion in just 10–20 minutes. We advise doing this two to three times per week.
Glass skin: In conclusion
So yes, these are the best practices for glass skin.
Granted there are other factors such as sleep, exercising and making good lifestyle choices. Cause if you know the koreans, you’ll know they prioritize their health and wellbeing.
Glass skin not easy to achieve, but with consistency, it can be done.
