These time-tested beauty rituals passed down through generations of Korean women cost nothing but deliver the kind of facial lifting results that make plastic surgeons nervous.
Ever since I started splitting my time between Saigon and Singapore, I've become fascinated by something I keep noticing.
Korean women in their 60s and 70s have this remarkable way of looking decades younger than their Western counterparts, with faces that seem naturally lifted and sculpted without any obvious signs of cosmetic work.
At first, I thought it was just good genes. But after befriending several Korean families through my wife's social circle and diving deep into Korean wellness practices for my research, I discovered something more interesting.
These women follow specific daily habits that have been passed down through generations, habits that Western skincare science is only now beginning to understand.
What really got me hooked was watching my wife's 68-year-old Korean friend demonstrate her morning routine during a visit. Her skin had this bounce and lift to it that most people lose by 40. When I asked her secret, she laughed and said, "No secret, just consistency."
After months of observation and conversations with Korean women over 60, plus diving into research on facial aging and muscle tone, I've identified seven simple habits that create that naturally lifted appearance. And here's the kicker: none of them require expensive products or procedures.
1. They practice facial gua sha every morning
Korean women over 60 treat their morning facial massage as seriously as brushing their teeth. But they don't just randomly rub their faces. They use a specific upward sweeping technique with either their knuckles or a smooth stone tool.
The science behind this is actually fascinating. As we age, facial muscles can become stagnant, leading to sagging. This daily massage stimulates blood flow and lymphatic drainage, which reduces puffiness and creates a natural lifting effect.
I watched one woman demonstrate this, spending exactly three minutes each morning working from her jawline up to her temples in firm, upward strokes. She'd been doing it for 40 years. The difference in her jawline definition compared to women her age who don't practice this was striking.
The key is the upward motion. Always up, never down. They believe pulling the skin downward accelerates sagging, and honestly, looking at their results, they might be onto something.
2. They sleep on their backs religiously
This one surprised me because it seems so simple, yet it's probably one of the most effective habits I discovered. Korean women over 60 are incredibly disciplined about sleeping on their backs, even if it means training themselves over months to change their natural sleeping position.
Why does this matter? Side sleeping creates compression on one side of your face for hours each night. Over decades, this leads to deeper wrinkles on one side and can actually cause facial asymmetry. Stomach sleeping is even worse, pushing your face into the pillow and creating vertical lines.
When I was researching for my book Hidden Secrets of Buddhism: How To Live With Maximum Impact and Minimum Ego, I came across Buddhist teachings about body awareness even during sleep. Korean women have taken this concept and applied it practically to facial preservation.
They often use specialized pillows that make side sleeping uncomfortable, essentially forcing themselves to maintain the back position. After seeing the difference in facial symmetry and wrinkle patterns, I've started attempting this myself, though I'll admit it's harder than it looks.
3. They do face yoga while watching TV
Picture this: a group of Korean grandmothers watching their evening dramas while simultaneously doing facial exercises. It's a common sight in Korean households, and there's solid reasoning behind it.
These aren't random facial movements. They follow specific exercises designed to tone the 57 muscles in the face and neck. Think of it like going to the gym, but for your face. The exercises include resistance training using their own hands, stretching movements, and isometric holds.
One exercise I learned involves placing your fingers on your temples, then trying to squint while using your fingers to create resistance. Another involves filling your cheeks with air and transferring it from side to side. They do these for about 15 minutes daily.
The result? Lifted cheekbones, defined jawlines, and reduced nasolabial folds. Western facial yoga instructors charge hundreds for teaching these techniques, but Korean women have been passing them down for free through generations.
4. They hydrate from the inside out with specific timing
Korean women over 60 don't just drink water. They have a specific hydration protocol that maximizes facial plumpness and skin elasticity. They drink warm water first thing in the morning, before any food or coffee, and they sip water consistently throughout the day rather than gulping large amounts at once.
But here's where it gets interesting. They stop drinking large amounts of liquid two hours before bed. This prevents nighttime puffiness that can stretch facial skin over time. They also add specific ingredients to their water: a slice of ginger in the morning for circulation, and sometimes a pinch of sea salt for mineral balance.
The warm water thing initially seemed odd to me, coming from Australia where we prefer everything iced. But warm water is absorbed more quickly by the body and doesn't shock the digestive system. Better absorption means better cellular hydration, which directly impacts skin firmness and that lifted appearance.
5. They eat collagen-rich foods daily, not supplements
While Western women pop collagen pills, Korean women over 60 get their collagen from food sources, and they've been doing it long before collagen became a buzzword. Bone broth, fish skin, chicken feet, and pig trotters are regular parts of their diet.
They also pair these foods with vitamin C sources to boost collagen synthesis. A typical combination might be fish soup with kimchi, or bone broth with fresh herbs. They understand that collagen from food is more bioavailable than processed supplements.
What struck me was their consistency. They don't eat these foods occasionally; they're part of the daily diet. One woman told me she hasn't gone a week without bone broth in 30 years.
6. They protect their faces from gravity throughout the day
This habit is subtle but genius. Korean women over 60 are constantly aware of how gravity affects their facial skin. They avoid looking down at phones or books for extended periods, instead holding devices at eye level. When applying skincare, they use upward motions exclusively.
They even avoid certain facial expressions that work with gravity to pull features downward. Frowning, for example, is consciously minimized. This isn't about suppressing emotions but about being mindful of habitual expressions that contribute to sagging over time.
In my book Hidden Secrets of Buddhism: How To Live With Maximum Impact and Minimum Ego, I write about mindfulness in daily actions. These women have mastered this concept specifically for facial preservation.
7. They use cold water exclusively on their faces
Never hot water. Ever. Korean women over 60 wash their faces with cool or cold water only, regardless of the season. Hot water strips natural oils and breaks down collagen and elastin fibers over time.
But they take it further. Many keep their skincare products in the refrigerator and use cold spoons or ice rollers on their faces each morning. The cold causes vasoconstriction followed by vasodilation, which boosts circulation and creates a natural tightening effect.
Some even practice cold water immersion for their faces, dunking their faces in bowls of ice water for a few seconds at a time. The immediate lifting effect is visible, but the long-term benefits of preserved collagen are what really matter.
Final words
After studying these habits, what strikes me most is their simplicity and accessibility. These aren't expensive treatments or complicated procedures. They're daily practices that require nothing more than consistency and mindfulness.
The Korean women I've observed don't view these habits as chores. They're simply part of life, as automatic as brushing teeth. And perhaps that's the real secret: making facial care so routine that it becomes effortless.
Since learning these techniques, I've incorporated several into my own routine, and my wife has adopted even more. While we might not have 40 years of practice behind us like these Korean women, starting now is better than never starting at all.
The naturally lifted appearance these women maintain into their 60s, 70s, and beyond isn't magic. It's the compound effect of small, daily habits performed consistently over decades. And that's something anyone can start today.
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