When the world caught on to the idea of glass skin — impossibly smooth, clear, light-reflective skin, it was tapping into a centuries-old beauty philosophy deeply rooted in South Korean culture.
As Hajnalka Sándor notes in From Skincare to Surgery – South Korea’s Influence in Beauty and Health Tourism (2024), Korean beauty standards date back to the “three whites” — skin, teeth, and eyes — which defined the idealised female image in the Joseon era.
Today, those expectations live on in the country’s booming K-Beauty industry and beauty standards that tout slim, V-shaped faces, heart-shaped lips, and yes — skin that reflects light like glass.
Glass skin isn’t just about shine. It’s about balance — hydration, clarity, smooth texture, and a healthy glow that looks almost translucent. Let’s break down what it actually means and how to achieve it realistically.
Skincare Tips for Glassy Skin
Tip #1: Start With Damp Skin and Let Hyaluronic Acid Do the Heavy Lifting
For skin that looks lit from within, timing matters — especially when it comes to hydration. Applying your skincare to damp skin, not dry, helps lock in moisture more effectively. This is where hyaluronic acid shines. It acts like a sponge, drawing water into the skin and giving it that supple, bounce-back quality glass skin is known for.
After cleansing, go in with a mist or toner (the Multi-Active Mist works beautifully here), then follow up immediately with a hyaluronic acid-rich serum or toner. That first layer of hydration sets the tone for everything else you’ll apply after.
Tip #2: Lock in Hydration with a Nourishing Facial Oil
Hydrated skin needs one final thing to truly glow: protection. Facial oils act as occlusives, sealing in moisture so your skin stays supple and light-reflective throughout the day.
Skinstitut’s Multi-Active Oil blends antioxidant-rich Coenzyme Q10 with a Seed Oil complex to support collagen, minimise oxidative damage, and strengthen your skin barrier.
A few drops of this lightweight, antioxidant-rich oil can help prevent moisture loss and give your skin a healthy sheen that looks lit and non-greasy.
Tip #3: Keep Pores in Check With Gentle Exfoliation
For skin to reflect light the way glass does, texture matters. That means no buildup, no flakiness, and as few breakout as possible. Regular exfoliation clears away dead skin cells and helps prevent clogged pores which is a common culprit for uneven tone and rough patches.
Look for ingredients like Glycolic Acid or Lactic Acid in your exfoliants. These AHAs gently resurface the skin and boost cell turnover without stripping your barrier.
Tip #4: Lock It In With a Ceramide Moisturiser
That signature bounce of glass skin comes from more than hydration — it’s about sealing everything in with a moisture barrier that works hard behind the scenes. Lightweight creams rich in ceramides help reinforce the skin’s natural defences while reducing water loss, keeping your skin smooth, supple, and visibly plumped.
Skinstut’s Vitamin C Ceramide Moisturiser is worth your attention. It combines skin-loving ceramides with Vitamin C and niacinamide for brightening and hydration all in one step. Polyglutamic acid adds another layer of hydration by ensuring the skin retains moisture and creates a visibly dewy finish that holds up all day or night.
Tip #6: Apply a Facial Mist in Between Layers for Extra Hydration
It might seem extra, but facial mist can allow your skin to stay hydrated especially when used in between your serum and moisturiser. Misting between steps helps to create a damp surface that boosts absorption and allows each layer to trap in more moisture.
Look for mists packed with humectants like Hyaluronic Acid and antioxidants that support barrier health and radiance. The Skinstitut Multi-Active Mist fits that bill with ingredients like Ginseng, Green Tea, Vitamins C and B3 — a quick spritz refreshes the skin while helping your next step go the distance.
Tip #7: Consider Pro Treatments for a Head Start
Even the most meticulous at-home routine can use a boost sometimes — and that’s where professional treatments step in. If your goal is clear, light-reflective skin, starting with a pro-grade exfoliation or a hydrating facial can set the foundation:
- Cosmetic-Grade Chemical Peels help resurface dull skin, minimise pores, and improve texture. They gently dissolve dead skin cells that might be blocking your glow.
- HydraFacial / AquaFacial is a favourite for a reason. It deeply cleanses, hydrates, and infuses actives in one session to leave your skin feeling fresh and glowing without downtime.
What Koreans Eat to Get Glass Skin
1. Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes are extremely popular among South Korean households not just as a healthy treat, but an antioxidant-rich powerhouse. It’s no surprise this is a good food to add to your diet.
Sweet potatoes are rich in beta-carotene, anthocyanins, and flavonoids—compounds that have been studied for their role in collagen production and skin rejuvenation. A review on the therapeutic benefits of sweet potato root notes that these bioactive ingredients help protect the skin from oxidative damage and inflammation, which can both speed up ageing.
2. Kimchi
Kimchi is to Korea what pasta is to Italy — a cultural mainstay, a comfort food, and a symbol of national identity. But beyond that, kimchi is a fermented powerhouse that may help support healthy and resilient skin from within.
A clinical trial investigating the health benefits of kimchi-derived probiotics found that regularly consuming kimchi lowered the skin pH of the participants. This means that the skin moves closer to its ideal acidic environment so that it retains a strong barrier.
3. Barley Tea
In Korean households, bori-cha (barley tea) is practically the default drink — served hot in winter, cold in summer, and often replacing water at meals. Barley tea carries a long-standing reputation for calming the digestive system, boosting circulation, and acting as a gentle detoxifier. But more recently, it’s been linked to benefits for the skin as well.
Barley tea shows anti-inflammatory and anti-acne potential. Its natural compounds like gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), flavonoids, and more, help flush toxins, reduce oxidative stress, and support liver health.
4. Soybean Paste
Doenjang (soybean paste) is another fermented food that is central to Korean cuisine. Doenjang is rich in isoflavones, which are plant-based compounds known to support skin elasticity and reduce signs of ageing.
It also contains probiotics and antioxidants that support gut health, which is often overlooked when it comes to skin clarity and resilience. But its benefits don’t stop there. Compounds found in soy have also been shown to help reduce pigmentation by slowing the transfer of melanin to the skin’s surface — making your complexion appear more even and luminous over time.
Doenjang soup or a small side dish can be an easy way to tap into this age-old beauty wisdom. And just like the multi-step Korean skincare routine, the benefits are layered: internal nourishment, gut support, and cellular repair, all through food.
Final Thoughts
That coveted glass skin glow goes beyond just chasing perfection—it’s about caring for your skin intentionally. Rooted in centuries of Korean beauty philosophy, the glass skin look speaks to hydration, clarity, and balance, built over time through consistency.
Every element works together to support skin that looks healthy, calm, and luminous. And when you’re ready for a professional boost, Laser Clinics UK is here with proven treatments to give your skin that coveted glow.
Ready? Book a complimentary consultation and let our Skin Therapists build a treatment plan designed just for your skin’s needs.
