The Korean skincare is probably the most popular routine out there. With its roots dating back to about 8,000 BCE, the system delivers outstanding results.
The Korean skincare routine involves 10 steps, which are all made to keep your skin looking young and fresh. It’s very easy to see why the Korean hacks and 10-step skincare methods are all the talk of the town.
If you are not familiar about the 10 steps in this skincare routine then this is the post for you. We will start with the steps, talk a little about how you can work your way around them before teaching you the best methods of taking care of your skin.
What are the 10 steps of the Korean Skincare?
The Korean skincare routine is very easy to understand. Here’s a look at the 10 steps.
Step 1: Oil-based cleanser
The first and foremost step is using an oil cleanser. Start by splashing a little bit of water on your face prior to applying this cleanser.
The oil cleanser mainly gets rid of oil- based makeup and impurities from the skin. This type of cleanser can be applied in the morning when you wake up, and in the evening before you go to bed.
Once you apply it on your face, massage your skin in circular motions to let the cleanser sink in, and to spread the product evenly across the face.
Step 2: Double-cleansing
After you have rinsed off the oil cleanser, apply a water-based cleanser. This type of cleanser helps to remove the oil residue as well as the water-based impurities from the day. That said, this is an ideal cleanser to apply during the evening hours.
Step 3: Exfoliate
While exfoliating your skin is a very important step in the skincare procedure, it’s not a daily method. Typically, you should exfoliate your skin about twice a week.
Exfoliating helps to remove the dead skin cells that accumulate on your face, and preventing key product ingredient absorptionThe best way to exfoliate your skin is by using a gentle enzyme or bead-based exfoliator.
Step 4: Toner
While most people consider toning as optional, it is a very important step. A toner helps mainly helps in balancing and restoring the skin’s pH levels, especially after you have double-cleansed your face.
Step 5: Essence
Layer your toner with an essence in order to hydrate your skin.
Step 6: Serum
Just as a toner, a serum comes with a lot of benefits, one being that it enriches your skin with various minerals and vitamins. It also give your skin a boost of hydration, especially after a long day’s work.
While you can apply a serum at any time of the day, it is most effective when you apply it during the night.
Step 7: Sheet mask
A sheet mask is basically a cloth that has been saturated with skin vital ingredients, and come with benefits such as hydrating and delivering anti-ageing treatment. That’s all it’s about. The best part about the sheet mask is that it is perfect for all skin types.
Step 8: Eye cream
Once you have allowed your skin to absorb the nutrients from the sheet mask, it’s time to apply an eye cream around the eye. This protects and hydrates this area.
Step 9: Sleeping mask
A sleeping mask is another essential step that is mostly taken lightly. These type of masks maintain the level of moisture on your skin while you sleep. So when you wake up in the morning, your skin will still be feeling hydrated, and that’s a great way to start your morning.
Step 10: Sunscreen
After all is done, the last step is applying a sunscreen. Here, go for an SPF of 50 or higher for extra protection.
Can the Korean skin care routine be simplified?
We don’t always have the time to go through all the 10 steps. Sometimes, you just want to spend a minute or two on skincare, particularly when you have things to do.
Is there a way that the routine can be simplified?
Yes, fortunately, there are some steps in the Korean skincare routine that can be exempted when you don’t have enough time. Here is the simplified version of the routine.
- Step 1. Wash with water
- Step 2. Toner
- Step 3. Serum/Ampoule
- Step 4. Eye Cream
- Step 5. Moisturizer with SPF
No matter the rush, the steps listed above should never be skipped. The 10 steps really do sound like a lot, but the Korean skincare is all about layering, and each step has its own important job that keeps the skin looking young and healthy.
Taking care of your skin (4 steps)
There are 4 main ways that you can keep your skin healthy.
1) Hydrate
Above all steps, hydration is the key to radiant and plump-looking skin. By hydrating, you are avoiding excessive dryness, which may be caused by exposure to too much sunlight or exfoliating (which will be talk about in a moment)
And the best way to hydrate your skin is to layer products. This system is very helpful as it enables the products to penetrate the skin better, making them more effective to your skin’s health.
What I like most about hydrating is that the results are instant. Once you start hydrating your skin, you will immediately notice that your skin will be plumper and younger-looking, not to mention the glowy effect that exudes from within.
There are 4 main was that you can keep your skin hydrated. These have been explained below:
- Splash water in your face
The very first method is to splash some water in your face. Why are you doing this? This is because the natural oil that is generated by the skin has moisturizing properties that play a vital role in keeping skin looking moist.
- Carry a mist spray
Next, you have to keep a water-based mist spray in your bag. By carrying it around, you can spray it on your face anytime you start to feel dry. It’s an easy way to make sure your skin stays well moisturized.
- Use cushion foundation
The other method is through use a cushion foundation. These type of foundations provide the maximum coverage all day, which keeps your skin from drying up.
Since cushion foundations are very watery, Korean beauty experts invented cushion applicators to allow for extremely even and natural-looking coverage.
- Use a facial Sheet Mask
In order to maximize the amount of moisture on your face, consider using a facial sheet mask. While it is recommended to use this mask once a day, some Korean women even use more times, regardless of how busy they may be. At the end of the day, the frequency depends on your preference.
2) Exfoliate
Exfoliating is a very effective way of taking care of your face. While we are may consider exfoliating as a skincare routine and nothing more, Korean women actually scrub their bodies and faces for religious reasons.
These people are said to go to saunas or take long baths before they can start the exfoliating process. The baths help in opening the skin’s pores.
What is exfoliating all about?
Exfoliating is the process of removing dead skin cells and other impurities from the skin’s surface using exfoliating mitts.
Tip: you are recommended to use both cold and warm towels. These helps to open or close the pores before exfoliating and applying any products.
3) Sunscreen and UV protection
Most people tend to overlook sunscreens, but not Korean women. They know that appropriate protection against the sun is vital for great skin health.
With the knowledge we have learnt from them, we know that we have to out an SPF of 50 or higher every three or so, even when relaxing at home or on a rainy day.
In fact, some of these people are very serious to the point where some Korean car companies have even started to introduce windows with SPF. Too much? I don’t think so.
4) Eat and sleep well
The food we eat and the amount of sleep/rest that we get is also very vital to our skin’s health. So, we always have to pay attention to our food and make sure that we rest.
Korean women have taken a more holistic approach to skincare, and according to them, healthy eating and proper sleep are considered to be just as important as the use of skincare products that are in our daily routines.
Food is medicine, even when it comes to the skin, so if there is any skin trouble, it can be treated by both skincare products and food.
Conclusion
The Korean Skincare routine is very popular, and very insightful. It typically consists of ten steps. The first step involves using an oil cleaner to remove all oil-based debris, such as makeup and soot.
Secondly, you use a foam cleanser, which removes water-based debris, such as sweat and dirt.
The next step is exfoliating. Here, you simply use an exfoliating peel to remove the dead skin and impurities that may be left on the skin after the double-cleanse.
Then, you can use a toner to soften the skin, allowing it to easily absorb the Essence and serum that will be applied afterwards. Then, you can either choose the optional sheet mask before applying an eye cream and a sleeping mask. Lastly, you can then add the sunscreen.