The pursuit of glass skin can be fun, painful, and completely confusing. Some people slap on sheet masks every single day of the week; others undergo laser treatments. And if you're a member of Korean boy group Astro, you slather your face in contact solution or vinegar.
While interviewing Astro backstage at the K-Expo recently, Moonbin points to Rocky and tells me he uses contact solution on his skin. "What?" I ask the translator, convinced there was a miscommunication. But there wasn't. The chemical-spiked water your contacts float in for sanitation purposes is the secret to the 19-year-old dancer's clear complexion. Of all the unexpected skin-care techniques and products people have recommended during my tenure as a beauty reporter, contact solution has never ever come up. This is the first time Cha Eun Woo has ever heard of it, too.
Despite Astro's leader JinJin comparing Rocky to Mother Nature because "he hates staying still and always tries to change himself," contact solution is a consistent part of Rocky's skin-care routine. The reasoning is because he's a "mama's boy." (Moonbin's words, not mine.)
Growing up, Rocky's mom was his beauty advisor, gifting him products and advice. Now that he's an idol with pressures to have perfect skin, Rocky still keeps his mother's guidance in mind. "I'm just doing what my mother told me to do," Rocky says. "So when my mother's not looking, I'm always passionately doing an extensive skin-care routine."
On a count of three from Moonbin, everyone points to Rocky as the member with the most extensive skin-care routine, including the man himself. He doesn't break down every single step of his regimen but details the most important one instead: toner. Foam cleanser often makes Rocky's skin feel tight, so he pours toner on a cotton pad and wipes it on his face to balance out his skin. Now, this makes sense to me. Due to the high pH some foam cleansers have, they can strip away the moisture of your skin. If you follow it up with a toner of about 5.5, which is around the same level as skin, it helps skin retain moisture and bring it back to equilibrium.
Another member of Astro who takes his skin-care regimen very seriously is Sanha. He also incorporates an odd ingredient into his cleansing step. Rocky reveals Sanha uses vinegar. After he waves off Rocky's callout, Moonbin clarifies that Sanha combines vinegar with water and washes his face with it.
A couple others have even tried out Sanha's glass skin secret. (Rocky did mention that even though Sanha's the youngest of the group, he has the highest authority.) "We heard that it's really good for your skin," JinJin says. No one knows for sure what the reasoning for washing your face with diluted vinegar is or where the tip first originated, though — it's just human knowledge, according to JinJin.
I'm not so sure I'll also be following Sanha's vinegar-face-wash lead anytime soon, though. After interviewing Astro, I felt the need to ask a dermatologist what she thought of the group's interesting cleansing routines. Turns out, neither contact solution nor vinegar contains the appropriate cleansing ingredients for skin, says New York City-based dermatologist Shari Marchbein. In fact, she called both a terrible idea because they can cause irritation and redness.
Sanha even admits he hasn't seen a change in his skin since he started washing his face with vinegar. "It's the same," Moonbin adds.
Moonbin, on the other hand, focuses on a product that is proven to benefit skin: lotion, which is a thinner version of moisturizer. "I think moisturizing is the most important thing," he says. "I don't really care a lot [about my skin-care routine], but I always use lotion." He's also particular about his lip tint. He prefers to apply it only to the center of his lips. (Rocky and Sanha like to swipe it all over their lips, though.) Since debuting in 2016, Moonbin has noticed that the color of your lips can depict your first impression of a person. "When your lip color is pale, it looks like you're sick and don't have energy," he explains. "So if you have a redder lip, it gives you a more positive, healthy vibe."
Makeup obviously has become an integral part of the lives of Astro over the past two years. MJ says that his makeup and hair help bring him more confidence on stage, and JinJin agrees. "Whether you bring a song or album in front of the audience, I think [hair and makeup] is the best way to express ourselves," he says.
I have to admit JinJin's green hair in "Always You" is what first drew me to Astro. "Crazy Sexy Cool" and "Baby" have gotten stuck in my head numerous times before, but I'd never watched an Astro music video or performance until a picture of JinJin came up on my Instagram Explore page. The shade reminded me of that Fun Dip flavor that starts off blue but turns green — in the best way possible. JinJin says the next bright hair color he wants to try out is white. You may see more green hair looks from Astro in the future, though. MJ lists off mint, and Sanha says emerald as the one bold color they'd dye their hair for the rest of their lives. However, MJ points out that they were just listing off their favorite colors. So, who knows?
Cha Eun Woo has captured the attention of people who previously weren't Astro fans, too, thanks to his recent acting gigs. He shares with me that he didn't realize how much he learned about beauty since debuting until he was on a reality show that required traveling overseas by himself — without a manager or beauty team. "Since I'm a celebrity, I want to be very pretty on screen," Cha Eun Woo says. So he tapped into basic beauty skills: straightening his hair, using toner, and applying base makeup. "I can't say I did a great job," he adds. "But it wasn't too bad to do it."
Read about more the beauty routines of K-pop stars:
- The Rose Gets Real About the Pressure in K-Pop to Have Good Skin
- Dreamcatcher Is the Goth-Inspired Girl Group Shaking Up the K-Pop World
- Why Chung Ha Washes Her Face Three Times Every Night
Now, watch Noah Centineo try nine things he's never done before:
