K-beauty products have been enjoying immense popularity in recent years and it’s no wonder that SQ girls, who are already familiar with Western and Japanese beauty products, have also embraced K-beauty and incorporated products from Korean beauty brands in their beauty routines.
Take a look at SQ girls’ favourite K-beauty products.
Having to spend hours in the sky, the last thing an SQ girl needs is a thick foundation that weighs down heavily on already tired skin. That’s why when it comes to coverage, they opt for a cushion foundation, like this one from Hera.
This medium to high coverage cushion foundation covers uneven skin tone and blemishes and also has a semi-matte finish that looks and feels like second skin. It’s not overly shiny or dewy, making it the perfect pick for those with combination to oily skin. Did we also mention that it lasts all day (or all night) on the skin? This means copious touch-ups are not needed mid-flight.
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If you’ve ever been on a long haul flight, you’ll know how dry the air in the plane can be, and how it can make your skin look lacklustre and dull. So when it comes to picking out a moisturiser, SQ girls know to opt for one that not only retains moisture but also adds hydration to tired skin.
This moisturiser pick from AprilSkin not only helps smooth out dry skin, but also brightens skin, making the complexion look more illuminating and less dull. After all, having that luminous skin effect under your makeup gives your skin a glowy look that makes you look extra radiant.
Immaculate brows are key to an SQ girl’s impeccable look and using a brow mascara can help them to achieve fuller-looking brows that look neat . Not only does Etude House’s Color My Brows mascara looks natural on the brows, it also dries and sets quickly which is great for touch-ups.
Simply remove the wand and apply the mascara to your brows by following the direction of the hair and staying within the natural shape of your brows. If you need more volume, brush in the opposite direction of your hair to get thicker brows, and if you want more defined brows, use the mascara after drawing in your brows with a pencil.
(Read also “The K-Beauty Brow Trends To Try To Look Like Son Ye-Jin And Suzy Bae“)
Look inside any SQ girl’s hand bag and more often than not, you will find a bottle of face mist. The air in the plane cabin can be extremely drying and a few spritzes of a hydrating face mist can be the perfect pick-me-up on a long-haul flight.
The Floral Hydro Mist from Mamonde has a gentle floral scent and hydrates skin instantly while also retaining moisture inside the skin. The ultra-fine sprays of the mist ensure that the product is spread evenly over your face and is light enough to be used over makeup.
(Here are “14 Tried-And-True Face Mists That Will Leave Your Skin Glowing Like A Korean Star“)
SQ girls have to wear makeup for long hours so it is essential that they use long-lasting makeup products that will ensure that they still look fresh at the end of a long flight.
The Clio Waterproof Pen Liner has a fine tip that is easy to control and to draw precise lines. You get the same consistency of product in one stroke and the lines are super pigmented so you don’t have to keep going over the lines if you want your eyeliner to look more defined. It also dries quickly, has excellent staying power and does not smudge easily.
Shingmulnara is one of Olive Young’s house brands and known for the natural ingredients in their skin and body care products.
This product has a light foam texture and helps to remove makeup plus deep cleanse your pores of impurities. It is mild and gentle even on sensitive skin. This is important for SQ girls who wear makeup for long hours on flight.
It is currently not available in Singapore, but you can check it out if you have the chance to drop by any Olive Young store in South Korea.
This extremely useful product has aloe vera extract and is a great moisturiser that not only hydrates but helps to soothe skin irritation or inflammation. You can apply it on your face or any part of your body that needs moisturising such as dry elbows and itchy patches of skin.
The air pressure on the plane tends to dehydrate SQ girls’ skin, so this is great because it is mildly sticky but absorbs quickly into your skin without leaving any greasy residue and is suitable for all skin-types. It also helps to calm sun-burnt skin. Holika Holika no longer has a retail store in Singapore but you can pick it up in South Korea or The Shilla Duty Free Shop in Changi airport on your next overseas trip.
Laneige’s tinted lip balm not only keeps dry lips looking and feeling plump and juicy, but it also works as a base to extend a lipstick’s staying power. And this is important for SQ girls, who needs to make sure their lip colour can last through the flight with minimal touch-ups.
The lightweight texture feels comfortable on the lips and on days when you want to head out with minimal make-up, a quick coat of the lip balm gives your lips a natural and flattering colour.
The SAEM is a beauty brand established in 2010 that focuses on natural ingredients and are known for both their skin care and makeup products. This concealer is one of their star products and boasts intensive and long-lasting coverage to cover all your blemishes or dark circles.
The formula is highly pigmented so you only need to use a little product each time to achieve maximum coverage. It also has sun protection properties to protect the delicate eye area from sun damage. So far, the SAEM does not have a local retail presence so be sure to look out for them the next time you are in South Korea.
Missha’s Radiance Foundation is easy to apply and blend, and the smooth finish gives you luminous skin that looks natural and flawless. It does not dry out your skin easily and has durable coverage ensuring minimal touch-ups. For SQ girls, a hydrating foundation is important to prevent your skin from looking flaky mid-flight.
This mask helps to rejuvenate dehydrated and tired skin in your sleep and is a convenient way to pamper your skin after a long day or flight. The rich formula feels light and comfortable so that you can have a good night’s rest. It is infused with traditional Korean herbs to nourish and repair your skin overnight, and you will wake up with radiant and supple-looking skin.
d’Alba piedmont is a premium Korean cosmetic brand which uses both Korean and European approaches to develop their products.
Its best-selling item is their First Spray Serum that is highly moisturising and can be used as a toner and essence in your skincare routine. With ingredients like white truffle and avocado oil, the product promises to give you a clear and bright complexion by giving your skin the nutrients it needs.
It absorbs quickly into your skin so you can spray it as and when your skin feels dry or sensitive for fast relief. You can find it at beauty retail chain Chicor stores in Seoul.
Sun protection is an extremely important part of skincare especially when you’re up in the air, and this product not only blocks UV rays with SPF 50+/PA+++ but also has anti-pollution properties to protect your skin from fine dust. The light gel-type texture sits comfortably on your skin and can also be used on your body.
A top-selling product of this well-known brand, this cleansing balm works its magic by removing make-up, exfoliating, and moisturising your skin all in one step.
It has a sherbet-type texture in the jar but when applied on the face, transforms into oil that removes waterproof make-up and impurities effortlessly. You can get this in their stores in South Korea or The Shilla Duty Free shop in Changi airport.
IOPE was the first beauty brand to launch the game-changing cushion compact so it is no surprise that their cushion compacts are still highly sought-after. Their Air Cushion is now in its fourth generation and gives your skin a natural glow while providing high coverage. It also has moisturising properties and is suitable for quick touch-ups whenever needed.
Not yet available in Singapore, you can visit IOPE’s flagship store or find their products in beauty retail chain Aritaum stores in Seoul.
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This article was first published in Cleo.