The secret to the glowing, eternally youthful skin of Korean women has long fascinated women all over the world. And although the market today is full of different beauty products from the Land of the Morning Calm, some of the Korean beauty secrets still remain unknown.

At Bright Side, we tried to figure out the peculiarities of daily Korean skincare. As it turns out, there are a few unusual beauty rules and life hacks hiding behind the perfectly clean and smooth skin of Korean women.

They make rice masks.

, © Depositphotos.com

In order to prevent wrinkles from appearing and to cool the skin down, Korean women put masks and creams into the refrigerator for a while. In addition, when using a skincare product, they try not to rub it in, but rather, to apply it to the skin with gentle tapping.

© Jun Sato / WireImage / Getty Images, © Han Myung-Gu / WireImage / Getty Images

They use facial toners.

© Niky Macaleen / YouTube

Dorama fans may have noticed an interesting life hack on their favorite TV shows: sometimes Korean women use ordinary cotton discs instead of sheet masks. Indeed, in order to maximize the properties of moisturizing toners, you can soak cotton discs in them and use them as a substitute for professional products.

They wash up with rice water.

© Depositphotos.com, © Smile In Style / YouTube

Sometimes unusual products help to maintain beauty. Inventive Korean women came up with a way to use the water left after cooking rice for cosmetic purposes. It’s believed that washing up with rice water rejuvenates and mattifies the skin as well as increases its resistance to harmful solar radiation.

They use beauty products containing snail mucin.

© Pexels.com, © Shutterstock.com

Mucin, or snail mucus, is an important youth-preserving aid for Korean women. It improves the complexion, fights pigmentation, and increases collagen levels. Mucin-based products are also good moisturizers, and their restorative properties are legendary even outside Korea.

They use tints, not lipstick.

© Pexels, © Iwasaka Miyuki / YouTube

It’s hard to imagine a Korean beauty who doesn’t use lip tints that are popular in their country. They are believed to be easier to apply and longer-lasting on the lips compared to general lipstick. In addition, tints let you create gradients and require fewer touch-ups.

They add oil to their foundation.

© Richelle Alexandra / YouTube

Korean women found a solution to the problem of dry skin too. Instead of spending money on expensive professional products, they simply add a drop of their favorite face oil or serum to their foundation.

They always carry sunscreen and a bottle of thermal water with them.

© Unsplash.com, © Soo Beauty 수뷰티 / YouTube

An important item in the purse of any modern Korean woman is sunscreen. They begin to use the product as early as childhood, adding thermal water to their regular skincare routine a bit later. And if sunscreen helps to keep the skin white, the thermal water moisturizes it and helps to keep the makeup fresh.

They do facial massages every day.

© AVA LEE / YouTube

The act of massage is an important tool for keeping the skin younger for longer. One of the simplest ways is by rubbing the face with a washcloth dipped in hot water. Circular motions help to maintain the elasticity of the skin until very old age.

They use the 424 system.

© Sia Ree 이시아입니다 / YouTube, © Sia Ree 이시아입니다 / YouTube

Asian women have an easy life hack that turns them into real beauties. Women wash their faces for 10 minutes according to the 424 system, which replaces a whole range of our daily bathroom procedures. During the first 4 minutes, they remove the remnants of makeup with oil, wash their faces with foam for 2 minutes, and take a small contrast shower for the face and neck area for another 4 minutes.

It’s also recommended to use a moisturizing toner or face toner to consolidate the effect. There is also a small condition here: the toner must be applied no later than 4 seconds after taking a contrast shower.

What beauty rules or life hacks do you use on a daily basis? Tell us in the comments below.

Please note: This article was updated in April 2022 to correct source material and factual inaccuracies.