K-Beauty lives up to the hype – and then some.

It’s official: the world has gone completely bonkers for K-Beauty. From BB creams to sheet masks and pimple patches, Korean products have slowly infiltrated bathroom cabinets across the globe – and frankly, our skin has never looked better.

Far from being a fad, K-Beauty is here to stay; it’s a trend that really lives up to the hype.

First things first: what is K-Beauty, exactly?

Put simply, K-Beauty is short for Korean beauty. The term ‘K-Beauty’ encapsulates the entire Korean beauty industry – including skincare, makeup, in-office treatments, haircare, etc. – and its influence on the Western market. In Korea, the beauty industry is ever-changing and always innovating; it is thesecret to a smooth, pore-free complexion.

What sets K-Beauty apart?

K-Beauty burst onto the scene in 2014, when the Western media discovered that in South Korea, a 10-step skincare regime is standard. (Yes, 10-steps – every day!) A typical Korean woman’s routine involves an oil cleanser, foam cleanser, exfoliator, toner, essence, serum, sheet mask, eye cream, moisturiser and sunscreen. That’s a lot of time and money spent on skincare but the results speak for themselves: generally-speaking Korean women have flawless skin.

Koreans are said to spend twice as much as American women on their skincare regimes. Rather than covering blemishes and imperfections with concealer, the Korean beauty aesthetic is about skin first, makeup second. This demand for results-driven skincare from savvy consumers means that Korean products are cutting edge.

Fortunately, you don’t have to partake in a 10-step K-Beauty routine to reap the benefits of the industry’s best products.

What are K-Beauty’s most popular products?

Even if you’re unfamiliar with the term K-Beauty, you’re sure to recognise some of its biggest exports:

• BB cream
  Short for Beauty Balm (or perhaps Blemish Balm), BB cream is a multi-tasking cream that is part tinted moisturiser, part serum, part sunscreen.

• Sheet masks
  A single-use face mask comprised of a face-shaped fabric soaked in serum.

• Cushion compact
  K-Beauty is putting cushion compacts back on the map: they are portable compacts with liquid foundation or blush soaked in a sponge.

• Essence
  A skincare staple similar to a serum, only thinner.

• Modeling masks
  A two-step rubber face masks that hugs the contours of your face and delivers a hit of skin-changing serum all-over.