Skincare 101: 10-step Korean Skin Care Routine

Skincare 101: 10-step
Korean Skin Care Routine

Korean skincare has gained worldwide fame through their incredible formulas and the elaborate 10-step routine to achieve flawless, glowy and clear skin. But there is a range of Korean skincare products, and you may have wondered time and again what goes on in what order. That’s where the elaborate Korean skincare regimen comes to play.

10 steps can seem quite overwhelming and even intimidating, but I will ensure you that it’s less complicated than it might sound. This routine can be accomplished in less than 15 minutes and can even be shortened to fit in your daily schedule! Ultimately, it’s not about following a certain number of steps, but tailoring a skin care routine to your skin’s needs. Here is a complete guide on how you can get started.

Without further ado, here are the ten steps that form the Korean skincare regime.

1. Oil-Based Cleansers

Oil and water repel each other, which means that a water-based cleanser won’t effectively remove all the oil-based impurities on your skin. So the first step is to use an oil-based cleanser to remove makeup, dirt, SPF and your body’s natural sebum. This doesn’t strip the natural healthy oils from your face. It leaves your skin nourished and soft before you go in with the water-based cleanser.

Apply on dry face and massage on for about a minute or two. Rinse off with lukewarm water.

2. Water-Based Cleansers

Now we enter the double-cleansing process. The water-based cleanser breaks down water-based impurities like sweat and dirt. It also helps sweep away any remaining residue from the oil-based cleanser. The main goal after using a water-based cleanser should be for your skin to feel soft and adequately hydrated.

Rub the foam onto your skin using gentle circular motions while avoiding the eye area, to remove remaining impurities. After a minute or two, rinse it out.

3. Exfoliators

Once all the dirt on the surface of the skin is removed, it’s time to clean deeper into the skin and clear out your pores. Exfoliation helps increase blood flow and remove dead skin cells. Removing dead skin cells helps even out your skin tone, prevents the clogging of your pores, improves your skin’s overall texture, and makes it easier for the products in the next steps to absorb into the skin cells and do real good underneath. Please follow product instructions and don’t use more frequently than recommended!

4. Toners

Toners are the ultimate way to prepare your skin because they offer a perfect transition from cleaning to nourishment steps as your skin is moisturized and the pH is restored. Toners repair the skin barrier and make it ready to suck up moisture. This base layer of hydration makes the skin more amenable to what’s about to go on top.

Apply with fingers or cotton pad.

5. Essences

Essences are formulated with fermented ingredients and are meant to hydrate and protect skin. It is much like a toner but is packed with active ingredients that help keep your skin hydrated and provide other benefits such as anti-aging and diminishing the appearance of large pores. In addition, essences promote cell turnover which makes the skin brighter and smoother.

Apply with fingers and gently pat until absorbed.

6. Serums & Ampoules

Serums are power-packed Korean products targeting specific skin concerns such as acne, hyperpigmentation, fine lines, or dryness. It is basically a concentrated version of an essence. Usually, serums have a more viscous and thicker texture than essences.

While serums have several active ingredients, an ampoule usually has only one or two. You can think of it as a supercharged serum with higher concentrations of active ingredients that you’re meant to use as a booster or when you’re having a skin crisis of some sort.

7. Sheet masks

Sheet masks do two main things: they flood your skin with hydration and other active, beneficial ingredients, and they create a barrier over your skin so that active, beneficial ingredients can better sink into your skin. Take a few minutes and lean back as the serum-soaked sheet masks do their magic on your complexion. A helpful tip - Don’t leave it longer than the instructed time which can cause a reversal effect. The dry mask will start to try to suck moisture out from your skin.

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8. Eye creams

The skin around our eyes is very delicate and therefore needs special care. There are a variety of eye creams available in the market depending on the kind of issues you have with your eyes- be it fine lines, wrinkles, or dark circles.

Apply a pea sized amount of product and use your finger to gently dab it on the under eye and eyelid area.

9. Moisturizers

We’re almost at the end of our skin routine! After making sure each area of your face gets the right kind of nourishment it needs to retain its youthful glow, seal everything in to ensure that your skin absorbs all the rich love and care it has received. Moisturizer keeps the signs of aging at bay by plumping up your skin.

Apply a generous amount of moisturizer, massaging it gently into the skin. Pat gently over face and neck.

10. SPF (AM)/ Sleeping mask (PM)

Finally, add in a layer of SPF to protect your delicate skin from the harmful rays of the sun. Protecting against the sun is essential as it prevents any sun damage that may cause premature aging and uneven skin tone.

When doing this routine at night, apply a layer of favorite sleeping mask to aid in your skin’s overnight healing. Sleeping masks are thicker night creams that are designed to be left on while you sleep.

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I hope this post made you (a little) less intimidated about the number of steps in a Korean skincare routine, because it surely is SO WORTH IT! Trust me, I know!! The main thing to figure out about is your targeted skincare needs. Then, you can gently address them with the correct products. It may take a while to find the perfect routine, but hey, we are here to help you every step of the way! <3

XOXO