The New Korean Skin Care Trend That Is Making a Total Splash

Korea dominates the global beauty landscape and has invented many of our favorite trends of the last few years. Splash masks are the latest item to make waves. InStyle outlined everything you need to know about the new hot product.

Face masks have become a staple in our skin care regimens and Instagram feeds, thanks to a slew of Korean imports — and North American brands who've adopted similar products — that have changed our routines and skin for the better. The latest craze to hit our shores is the splash mask, which, if we're being really technical, isn't exactly an actual mask. But regardless of what it really is, it's the best Korean beauty product you probably haven't tried yet.

This face mask innovation is an upgrade of a Korean skin care tradition where women splashed rice- or flour-infused water onto their faces following cleansing. Slightly unusual but super impactful, this unique no-mask mask is a game-changing way to treat skin because it instantly delivers visible results.

So how does it work? After filling your sink basin a quarter full with water, pour a cap's worth of the mask into the sink, splash the mixture onto your face as if you are washing it for around 15 seconds, and pat your face dry with your hands.

The splashing and patting action helps the mask absorb more quickly, so skin feels smoother and looks more radiant almost instantly. If you're ready to make a splash, Blithe's Patting Splash Mask Soothing and Healing Green Tea ($48) is the concentrate's standard blend of lactic acid and botanical extracts with the addition of green tea extract and tea tree oil to calm irritated skin and help minimize blemishes for clearer, softer complexion.

Lack of commitment is perhaps the biggest benefit of splash masks. Unlike its counterparts, there's no 20-minute ritual involving application, drying, rinsing, and trying to get mask residue out of your hair. Better skin is simply a few splashes and pats away. Even if your schedule is always crammed, you can squeeze in a treatment you can practically do on the go — almost.
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