If you’ve seen folks dipping their faces into ice-cold water on TikTok, you might have been wondering WTF is going on. Even stranger seeming, they’ve got a full face of makeup on. Well, what some have caught on to is the jamsu makeup hack, a Korean beauty trick that continues to come back around every few months. Even Bella Hadid is said to be a fan of the trick that sets your makeup and supposedly keeps it on even longer than your favorite setting spray.
“Jamsu” roughly translates to “submerge.” But there’s a technique to follow before you go dunking your face. After applying your usual primer, foundation and concealer, you’ll want to set—or bake—your face with loads of powder. Then you dip your entire face into a sink or bowl filled with cold water for 15 to 30 seconds. Move your face from side to side to ensure your entire face is wet. Pat your skin dry with a towel. The result? A matte finish that keeps your makeup on much longer.
If you prefer a dewy finish to your skin, this hack isn’t for you. But it’s great for those special occasions when you really need your complexion to stay put. If you have especially dry skin, only stay under the water for 15 seconds instead of 30. Also note the hack can get a little messy with all that powder so be sure to do it before you get dressed for the day. (Or don’t wear black.)
If you try jamsu makeup and your skin is looking too one-dimensional, try only using the setting powder in certain areas, like your T-zone. That way, only those areas will become ultra-matte. The nice thing about jamsu makeup is that even though your skin is matte, it doesn’t look dry and cracked like makeup can sometimes do. And let’s thank Korean beauty for completely changing the makeup game.
