It wasn’t until the K-beauty wave really hit the Western world that I realized how innovative they actually were. You’re probably already familiar with things like BB creams, sheet masks, and sleeping masks—all of which stemmed from South Korea—but here are some additional, super easy ways to achieve aegi eongdongi (translation: baby butt) skin. It’s not exactly the most comfortable thing in the world, but it works similarly to baking by locking in your makeup and giving you matte skin. You can still implement the practice if you don’t wear makeup by dunking your face after your skincare routine—the cold water will help seal in your products, close the pores, and achieve a naturally rosy glow. Similar to microneedling and dermaplaning, slapping the face is also said to help stimulate collagen over time. But don’t start beating yourself every time you do your skincare—think of it more like an aggressive tap. The process of slapping should not be painful or uncomfortable; at the most, it will look slightly flushed. There are all sorts of rollers and high-tech devices that people use, but you can also make a difference with just your hands (think of it like Pilates for your face!). Work in upward and outward motions to help lift and sculpt—start at the base of the neck on the sides, which is where your arteries are, and continue to knead your skin in gentle circles upwards, towards the jaw, up the sides of the face, and around the eyes. Another famous technique to combat mouth sagging: Say your vowels out loud, “A, E, I, O, U” with exaggerated expressions, focusing on stretching your lips as wide as you can when doing so. When you say “A,” you should widen your mouth from side to side as much as you can; when you say “U,” pucker your lips out as far out as they can go. You can repeat this as often as you remember (but maybe not in public since it looks pretty silly).
