Armed with good looks and unbelievably impeccable complexions, Korean actors and pop stars have become the poster boys for a new kind of handsome—one that is defined by one’s ability to care for the skin using products and methods traditionally associated with women. Taking cue from their female counterparts, South Korean men make painstaking efforts in looking after their skin. While the regimens they follow may seem a bit extreme to observers, their extraordinary discipline clearly pays off big-time. Here are a few things they can teach you about skincare.

Skincare Should Start at an Early Age

Korean culture considers skincare to be a fundamental aspect of everyday life. This practice is ingrained in childhood and carried well into one’s adulthood. Korean men who take their skincare practices very seriously will probably point to their mothers as their original inspiration, as these women would go about their beauty rituals religiously every day.

For non-Koreans who weren’t taught the value of skincare early on, it is never too late to start. Anyone can begin taking care of their skin no matter their age. It is better to act now than to wait for your skin to suffer further lasting damage in the future.

Skincare Should be a Part of Your Daily Routine

Many Korean men also follow the intensive multi-step skincare regimen being observed by Korean women. It’s the first thing they do after showering, and it is the last thing they do before going to bed.

No matter how busy or how tough their schedules can be, Korean men find time to take care of their skin. Skincare for them is never an afterthought, as it is something that is incorporated into their daily routines. Even Korean men in military service tend to be very concerned with skincare that an estimated 70% of them use products such as sunscreen and post-training cooling and whitening masks.

Skincare is Not a Female Thing

In Korea, skincare and grooming are not seen as feminine-only practices. In an ultra-competitive society such as theirs, men consider their skin as an asset when searching for jobs or doing business. Having an excellent skin is seen as being indicative of one’s youth and vitality, thus increasing one’s chances of succeeding in life. The result, according to a survey, is that South Korean men have become the world’s top per-capita consumers of male cosmetics, using 13 grooming products on an average per month. In fact, most Korean personal care brands today carry products for both men and women in equal volumes.

A quintessential example of a Korean skincare brand that caters to both sexes is The Face Shop The brand, which prides itself on being environmentally responsible by opposing animal testing and by using natural and organic ingredients in its products, is widely marketed in the country by top Korean actors and male pop stars. Their wide range of skincare products like anti-aging creams, oil control cleansers, hydrating toners, aftershave, and hair wax are very popular among Korean men.

In Korea, the business of skincare has evolved in a way that it now has more to do with catering to particular skin types instead of focusing on the divide between men and women. As such, taking care of your skin does not really take points off your masculinity. Over there, improving your looks is actually seen as a positive thing. Moreover, achieving great-looking skin goes beyond aesthetic reasons for Korean men. Improved skin can mean increased employment opportunities, higher paying jobs, and better chances of meeting a mate in the future.