The Korean Cotton Pad Obsession: When Even a Cotton Pad Has a Job Description
I have a confession to make. Every time I visit Korea from the U.S., I end up standing in front of the cotton-pad section at Olive Young far longer than any reasonable adult should. Yes. Cotton pads. Not serum. Not lipstick. Not a $70 miracle cream. Cotton pads. And I blame Korea for this. In America, a cotton pad is usually a cotton pad. You grab a round one, swipe off your makeup, and throw it away. Done. In Korea? Absolutely not. A cotton pad has a texture, thickness, number of layers, absorption level, purpose, and personality. I am convinced that Koreans are simply obsessed with details —and I mean that as the highest compliment. Wait… There Are HOW Many Kinds? Walk into an Olive Young and you may find cotton pads that are thick, thin, fluffy, embossed, unbleached, multi-layered, highly absorbent, low-absorbent, or designed to stick to your skin. Suddenly you realize that the cotton pad itself is part of the skincare routine. And there is actually a reason for this obsession. Kore...