K-Beauty Skin Brightening Moisturisers
Redness, uneven skin tone, dark spots hyperpigmentation…hands up if you like them?
Yep, didn’t think so.
Which is why today, we’re sharing a list of the best K-Beauty skin brightening moisturisers!
What Makes Skin Dull?
From a sallow complexion to dark spots, blotchiness and an uneven skin tone, there are a range of things that can leave skin looking the opposite of bright. Luckily, these are all skin concerns that K-Beauty is aimed at overcoming. There are a large ranges of Korean products made to specifically target skin brightening. For more on this, catch up on Episode 8 of the Korean Beauty Show podcast.
Hold Up…Skin Brightening? Don’t You Mean Skin Whitening?
Let’s address this topic as there are more than just a few K-Beauty products that have the term ‘whitening’ in the name. However, skin whitening in K-Beauty has nothing to do with bleaching your skin. The original Korean term (“Mi baek” 미백) was translated to ‘whitening’ in English, which is a much narrower definition than the original.
In Korean, it is used in the context of teeth whitening toothpastes, skin brightening cosmetics and more. Due to the ingredients you’ll find in these products, they’re not capable of physically bleaching your skin – this would involve some really hard-hitting, over the counter medicine, not general skincare products.
In reality, when Koreans use this term it has more to do with the glow, radiance and luminescence of your skin, rather than bleaching it.
So we use the term “To brighten”, not to “whiten”.
While increasing awareness of this mistranslation has spurred many companies to drop ‘whitening’ from their marketing altogether, there are still many products which are still marketed in this way. This is particularly the case in products designed more for the local market than the export market.
This is not to say that there aren’t products in other countries that practice skin bleaching. Unfortunately, they do exist in Asia, but thankfully skin bleaching is not a part of K-Beauty.
Ok, Tell Me More About Skin Brightening Then.
In order to capture the true intent of what brands are trying to convey with the term, we promote such products as having the benefits of skin “brightening”.
Skin brightening aims to help with uneven or dull skin tone, dark spots, pigmentation, acne scars and other skin concerns that can lead to discoloration. Brightening doesn’t bleach your skin or remove pigmentation. You’re unlikely to see bleach listed as an ingredient in any skin brightening product, and certainly not one sold without a prescription. Instead, it helps to achieve a more even skin tone.
Common ingredients you’ll find in skin brightening products include:
-
Vitamin C-
Snail mucin-
Niacinamide- Liquorice root extract, and even
- Pearl
These ingredients are aimed at evening out, not obliterating your skin tone.
By including skin brightening products in your routine, you’ll be on the road to more even, glowing skin before you know it!
Skin Brightening Moisturisers We Love
So onto the list you’ve been waiting for – the best skin brightening creams in Korean Beauty:
Jelly Ko Bubble Tea Steam Cream: perfect for creating the glass skin look that K-Beauty is famous for, Jelly Ko Bubble Tea combines clinically proven ingredients. The soft, creamy formula makes for a deliciously decadent moisturiser that delivers results the eyes can see!
Laneige Radian-C Cream: A kind-to-skin formula, this cream is dermatologist-tested, hypoallergenic, and non-comedogenic. Radian-C Cream delivers brighter skin in just two weeks.
Tosowoong Spot Whitening Vita Clinic Cream: With a gorgeously thick texture, this moisturiser contains Sea Buckthorn-derived Vitamin C to provide instant hydration, enriching your skin with proven brightening ingredients.
APLB Vitamin Propolis Moisture Cream: If you spend a lot of time in the sun and can see the effects on your skin, this moisturiser will do the hard work on getting your skin back to where it needs to be. Not only will it help even out your skin tone, but Vitamin Propolis Moisture Cream can also improve your skin’s elasticity and boost your skin barrier.
What are the best K-Beauty skin brightening moisturisers you’ve found? Let us know in the comments!
