Perhaps you had always imagined cleansers to come in a tube. Well get ready for the plethora of options when it comes to Korean facial cleansers. There are definitely many that come in tubes but also in bottles and capped containers. Check out our guide to types of Korean facial cleansers below!
Foam Cleansers
Foam cleansers are probably the first type of cleanser most people are introduced to. When you walk into a drug store and go to the facial care section, most tubed cleansers are this type. They come out as a paste and when you lather it with some water, it creates a bubbly, fluffy texture. The foam is rubbed into your face to fill in all the small surfaces and is then rinsed off with water.
Foam cleansers are great for getting rid of dirt and general facial hygiene. However, some people find foam cleansers to be a bit too good at washing away facial oils which may leave the skin feeling too dry.
Oil Cleansers
Although this may sound counter-intuitive, if you have pretty oily skin or use a lot of makeup in your routine, consider using an oil cleanser. The reason oil-based cleansers work well in these scenarios is because oils are best at melting away other oils. Oil cleansers are a gentle way to seep into the dirt and gunk trapped in your natural face oils and get them out.
Oil cleansers usually come in pump bottles where you take a bit of product into your fingers, and rub it into your face like a massage. Oil-based cleansers typically work well at melting away makeup, which is also oil-based, so there’s no need to use a makeup remover separately. After the warmth of your face and hands heat up the oil, it’ll be more effective in getting rid of the dirt on your face.
The final step in using an oil cleanser is to rinse off the oil and gunk with lukewarm water which will leave your face feeling clean but not stripped of moisture.
Cleansing Balm
The most recent development within the Korean cleansing scene is the cleansing balm. Cleansing balms are also oil-based but they are solid at room temperature. The benefit of this is that there are no spill risks and you can take them on flights during travel! Another plus of a cleansing balm over an oil cleanser is the lighter feeling of the product. Oil cleansers can feel pretty heavy when first applied to the face and may require quite a bit of rinsing to fully get a clean feeling. On the other hand, cleansing balms rinse off easily and overall have a lighter, balanced texture.
There is no one size fits all for skincare. We all have different skin types that react to the variety of conditions that weather and climate throw at us! Try out the types of Korean facial cleansers we’ve laid out and see which one works best for you. Some cleansers even have special treatments such as acne prone, extra sensitivity, or collagen infused. It’s a lot of fun to test a couple out in order to find your go-to.