A hot hit from Korea: #UnisexBeauty breaks down borders and social networks

Men's vs women's skin

You may be wondering: does unisex cosmetics make sense at all? After all, men and women have different skin, and men's skin is about 20% thicker. Due to hormones, they produce more sebum and are therefore more likely to suffer from acne or enlarged pores. Because of shaving, their skin is more prone to irritation. And we could easily find more differences.Jenže: pečující kosmetiku si vybíráme na základě typu (nebo aktuálního stavu) naší pokožky. However: we choose skincare products based on our skin type (or current condition). We want to provide it with what's missing, and deal with all issues such as blemishes, dryness, dark circles under the eyes or ageing. And gender doesn't play a role here.

The Korean routine is for everyone

Try looking up a Korean skincare routine for women. And then read what the men's routine is supposed to look like. Did you find a difference? Probably not. There's no particular reason for it. And it'll probably look like this:

1. Cleansing: double cleansing if possible, start with a makeup remover oil or balm, and then finish with a water-based or foam-based product.
2. Exfoliation: approx. once to twice a week according to skin type and the exfoliator used to rid skin of dead cells and brighten it.
3. Toner: a necessary step which soothes your skin, balances its pH and prepares it for skincare products.
4. Essence: ensures a proper dose of hydration.
5. Serum: choose one that will solve the specific problems of your skin.
6. Mask: a bonus step when you can choose the right type of sheet or classic face mask according to your current needs.
7. Hydration: an eye and face cream come in as the final step in the skincare routine.
8. SPF: sun protection should always be part of your morning routine.

Neutral packaging and fragrances

As you may have guessed, most beauty products are in fact unisex (although of course there are exceptions to the rule). So what makes gender-neutral cosmetics different? It's not so much the contents of the pots and tubes, but what we see on the outside.

Unisex Korean cosmetics stick to minimalistic and simple packaging that does not tell us who the product is for at first glance. And this also applies to perfumery. Flowers for women and a masculine, strong, woody fragrance for men? That's a thing of the past.

A form of self-expression

Closing the gender gap is not only affecting skincare products, but is going further (not only) in Korea - and into the world of makeup. While this may seem like something that's booming thanks to Generation Z and TikTok, it's not really news. If we look back in history, we find that men in ancient Egypt were already painting expressive eye-lines, while pale powder had great success at the court of Louis XVI.

According to Korean trends, men should improve their skin with makeup mainly in order to achieve a more perfect, groomed appearance without anyone noticing the make-up at all. But if they wanted to use lipstick or nail polish – why not!

Unisex as the new standard

Not many areas are as influenced by gender stereotypes as the beauty world. And unisex care can be approached as a way of self-expression and showing your attitudes and opinions. But there are practical advantages too. If you and your other half have the same skin type, you can save a lot of space in the bathroom (not to mention in your suitcase when travelling!).

So, we're off to search for the hashtags #GenderNeutralBeauty, #InclusiveBeauty and #UnisexBeauty on TikTok and test new things. And you?