What is 속건조 (inner dryness)?
⏱ 1 min read
⚡ Quick answer: 속건조 describes skin that looks and feels oily on the surface while being tight and dehydrated underneath. It is why oily skin still needs hydration, and why stripping it makes things worse.
속건조 describes skin that looks and feels oily on the surface while being tight and dehydrated underneath. It is why oily skin still needs hydration, and why stripping it makes things worse.
More detail
The fix is humectants and barrier support rather than more oil control. Skin that is dehydrated often produces more oil to compensate, which is how the cycle sustains itself.
🇰🇷 The concept is standard vocabulary in Korean skincare and has no neat English equivalent — 'dehydrated oily skin' is the closest.
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✍️ Written & reviewed by the KoreaPlus Editorial team — dermatologist-informed, cosmetic-science researched & source-cited. Last reviewed: 2026-08-23.
General educational information using cosmetic structure-function wording — not medical advice. Always patch-test new actives. © KoreaPlus.