If you've spent any time scrolling through beauty videos lately, you've probably seen someone showing off skin so shiny it practically reflects the bathroom lights. Apparently, glowing skin is no longer enough. Now we're aiming for glass.

The Korean beauty trend has become a social media favorite, with influencers sharing elaborate routines that promise an impossibly smooth complexion. But, before we start buying every serum in sight, let’s take a closer look at glass skin and see if we really need all those products.

Why Does Everyone Want Glass Skin?

Glass skin is a beauty trend that originated in South Korea, where skincare routines often emphasize hydration and a healthy-looking complexion. The goal is skin that looks wonderfully smooth and luminous, almost as though it has a glass-like finish. And, judging by its popularity on TikTok, plenty of people are interested in giving it a try.

The trend is part of the growing enthusiasm for Korean beauty products, commonly known as K-beauty. In 2025 alone, U.S. sales of K-beauty products reached $2 billion.

Of course, there's a difference between enjoying a little extra glow and expecting our faces to look like they've been professionally polished.

Do We Really Need a Ten-Step Routine?

Some glass-skin tutorials feature enough products to fill an entire bathroom shelf. But, dermatologists say there's no need to complicate things.

The basic idea is to keep skin clean, comfortably hydrated, and protected from the sun. A simple routine might include:

• Gentle Cleansing: Wash away dirt and makeup without leaving your skin dry or irritated.

• Moisturizing: Choose a moisturizer suited to your skin type to help maintain hydration.

• Daily Sunscreen: Protect your skin with broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher.

• Careful Exfoliation: If your skin tolerates it, occasional gentle exfoliation may help with uneven texture.

Using too many products or exfoliating too aggressively can irritate your skin, rather than improve its appearance.

TikTok Doesn't Always Get It Right

There's another reason to be cautious about copying every skincare routine we see online. Research presented at the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology Congress examined 38 popular TikTok videos about Korean skincare. Researchers found that nearly 95% contained at least one potentially misleading claim.

Many failed to account for different skin types, while others promoted combinations of skincare ingredients without adequate safety advice. That's worth remembering when someone on our feed insists that a particular product is the secret to flawless skin. What works beautifully for one person may not work for someone else.

Real Skin Isn't Made of Glass

Here's something we could all stand to remember: healthy skin still has pores. It also has natural texture, and there's nothing wrong with that. Some of those impossibly smooth complexions we admire online have a little help from flattering lighting and photo filters.

While a good skincare routine can improve hydration and help our skin look its best, no cream can make every pore disappear. Anyone with sensitive skin or conditions like rosacea also needs to be careful about experimenting with new products.

A Little Glow Is Plenty

There's nothing wrong with enjoying a beauty trend, especially one that reminds us to take good care of our skin. But, we don't need to turn our evening routine into a chemistry experiment.

If glass skin inspires you to moisturize more regularly and remember our sunscreen, wonderful. And, if your skin never quite resembles a freshly cleaned window? That's perfectly fine, too.

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