Trust us — there are far worse things to be obsessed with. And if you’re going to be obsessive about something, why not something where the side effect is healthy, glowing skin? Read on to see if you’re obsessed with K-beauty.
You know the signs. You can’t sheet mask without the urge to take a selfie. Half your friends you made through the Asian Beauty subreddit. And you have a multi-step skincare routine that takes more time than your morning commute.
It’s time to acknowledge the obvious. You may be obsessed with K-beauty.
It’s OK. You’re not alone. There’s an entire country — arguably, an entire continent — obsessed with Korean beauty, and its reach is growing. And while a K-beauty addiction may have its downsides (um … YouTube tutorials in a language you can’t understand?), there are many, many more upsides (increased skin hydration, a strengthened skin barrier, less acne, a lower monthly beauty bill, even less stress!).
Think you may be obsessed with K-beauty? Read on to see if you exhibit the symptoms.
1. Your fridge is packed
Sheet mask much? I once saw an Instagram post of a K-beauty addict who had an entire full-sized refrigerator stuffed to the gills with sheet masks. Crazy? Nope. I was in awe (and not a little jelly). Sure, you may have started out with a modest box full of sheet masks (or even a mini fridge in your bathroom), but when your collection of sheet masks to support your 1-day-1-pack habit starts to take over your kitchen, that’s when you know you’ve crossed over.
2. You can read Korean
OK, maybe not all Korean. (And oppa, kimchi, and Gangnam don’t count.) In fact, you’ve just memorized two really important terms: the characters for the manufacture date (제조기한 or 제조) and expiration date (유통기한 or 까지), which is stamped on almost all Korean beauty products to indicate when the product was produced and when it should be used by, respectively. If that’s the extent of your Korean, you’re still pretty hardcore.
Bonus points for knowing how to pronounce those two important terms: je-jo-gi-han or je-jo (manufacture date) and yu-tong-gi-han or kka-ji (expiration date).
3. You’re fast-forwarding through K-dramas
If you’re one of the millions who are obsessed with every aspect of K-dramas — the stars, the food, the fashion, the back-hugs — then you’ll probably pick up on the K-beauty trends through osmosis (and well-placed product placement). But I know some who watch obsessively, less for the plot lines and more to keep up with the latest lip colors and hair trends. If you spend hours on end watching what you consider to be “cheesy” just for the beauty insight, you may well be K-beauty obsessed.
4. Your fingers are cramping
That’s because every time you post your skincare routine for the evening on Instagram, you’re writing out product names like Missha Super Aqua Oxygen Micro Visible Deep Cleanser or Nature Republic Forest Garden Argan One Step Oil to Foam (try saying that five times fast). Korean beauty companies seem to have an obsession with long, detailed product names, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing (though your tech neck may have something else to say about it).
Though to be fair, I find that more and more Western brands are adopting that more-is-more product name philosophy (try Maybelline New York Eyestudio Colortattoo Metal 24hr Cream Gel Eye Shadow), while up-and-coming Korean brands are finding brevity gets the message across loud and clear (Beauty Water, anyone?).
5. All your bookmarks have, shall we say, a certain theme
Your daily feed is less The New York Times and more The Wanderlust Project, less CNN and more Ssin’s amazing transformations on YouTube. That’s right: Your reading and viewing material consists mainly of K-beauty blogs and YouTube channels.
Not that there’s anything wrong with that. After all, a little global perspective is always a good thing. And with K-beauty gurus located all over the world, it’s pretty amazing that we can share a passion with people from as far flung as Malaysia and Australia and as close as England and Canada.
So what do you think? Mildly obsessed or hardcore addicted? If you find that you may be obsessed with K-beauty, don’t despair. I’ve got one thing to say to you: At least you’ve got gorgeous skin.
What other symptoms have you found that K-beauty obsessives exhibit? Let me know what I may have missed in the comments below!
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