Young Korean men make a conscious effort to look good, even if it means using makeup, according to a government survey Tuesday.

About one-third of the men surveyed said they had used a face pack at least once in the past month, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety said.

And about 20 percent said they had used BB cream.

Half of male respondents said they had used perfume, sunscreen and facial foam cleanser in the past month.

Actor Lee Dong-min for Korean cosmetics company Shara Shara in a December 2014 campaign. (Shara Shara)

More men than women wash their hair daily, according to the survey, in which 35 percent of men said they use shampoo daily compared to 30 percent of women.

In a country that emphasizes the beauty standard of a pale, glowing complexion, 90 percent of surveyed women said they use sunscreen compared to 56 percent of men.

Women and men in their 20s used the most cosmetic products per month, with 20-something women using an average 27 items and men in the same age group using about 13.

Women use lip gloss or lip balm more frequently than any facial skincare product, with results showing that 2 in 3 women use lip gloss or lip balm. This compares to only half of female respondents who said they use skin toner and lotion on a daily basis.

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety released the results Tuesday of the survey conducted last April of 1,800 men and women aged 15 to 59.

By Yoon Sarah (sarah356@heraldcorp.com)


It was previously reported that one-third of men used a makeup compact, instead of a face pack. The mistranslation has been corrected.