Popular Mechanics (South Africa)
MEANWHILE, IN SOUTH KOREA…
South Korea is a society underpinned by rigid beauty standards. Their obsession with clear skin has led to plastic surgery and dermatology clinics popping up by the dozen – a recent report stated there are more than 600 in Seoul alone. The medical tourism industry is also booming – in 2018, there were roughly 400 000 international patients who chose South Korea as the best place to have aesthetic surgery. This country boasts the highest number of cosmetic procedures per capita worldwide.
While LG in South Africa is well known for its connected home appliances and extensive range of smart televisions, the South Korean electronics giant is leading the way when it comes to beauty tech in Asia. Not only does LG own a number of luxury beauty brands, it manufactures a range of high-end, award-winning (read: pretty expensive) beauty gadgets.
LG’s PraL Derma LED Mask, for example, has 120 LEDs to improve skin tone and elasticity. It looks like a futuristic space helmet (with a built-in eye shield) and uses sensors to ensure the LEDs only turn on if placed correctly on the face. In only nine minutes a day, apparently, you’ll have firmer, more youthful-looking skin.
Then there is LG’s Galvanic Ion Booster, which makes the skincare products you are already using work better. How? It leverages the attractive forces between ions of opposite charges to draw out fine impurities from the skin. In Boost Mode, ultrasonic wave vibrations in conjunction with heat massage help ingredients penetrate more deeply into the skin.