Before the entire beauty industry boomed, most of us women think of skincare as something optional; a process comprised of washing your face, toning and moisturizing. While we all know how skincare is quite important to everyone, it’s hard to deny that it can be a very tedious process. Everytime we go to beauty boutiques or go over beauty portals online, we see how skincare has involved so much products through these years. Skincare isn’t just about washing your face anymore as we see serums, night creams, face packs, pore masks and everything! Not to mention how Korean beauty has made a huge influence to beauty enthusiasts all over the globe. If you like cosmetics and everything beauty-related, you’ll probably know how vast the Korean skincare market is composed of. There seems to be a specific skincare product for every part of the body and they all come in different forms! Well, the whole Korean skincare process can be a very confusing as it involves so many products. In this article, we are talking about the ultimate Korean skincare routine and yes, it’s composed of 10 steps! If you are really determined to transform your skin into something amazing, keep reading.
Step #1: The Makeup Removal
Source: Fun Size Beauty
It’s never good for your skin to sleep with makeup and surely, it’s a fact that everyone knows already. To completely remove makeup from the skin, washing it off with foam cleanser isn’t enough. The makeup removal process in terms of Korean skincare involves the usage of cleansing oils or cleansing balms. These are oil-based makeup removers that thoroughly melt makeup off the skin and are meant to be removed by either wiping it off with tissue or washing it off with water.
Step #2: Exfoliation
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Exfoliation is quite necessary to remove dead skin cells from your skin. This is a process not to be done daily or else you’ll end up causing abrasions to your skin. Exfoliation is done 2 to 3 times a week only as it lets you scrape dead skin cells off your skin to prevent clogging your pores. This is also the processs where you allow a new layer of skin to generate. In Korean skincare, they use peeling gels instead of scrubs. Facial scrubs have a really rough and gritty texture that’s not very skin-friendly so Koreans use peeling gels instead. Peeling gels are more delicate and are often infused with nutrients to help your skin recover from the peeling.
Step #3: Deep Cleansing
Source: Sephora
Deep cleansing is composed of two steps – foam cleansing and the use of micellar cleansers. After the makeup removal and exfoliation process, this is when you wash your face using your foam cleanser. This will help wash off the melted makeup as well as the oil-based makeup remover from your skin. It also washes off the residues from your exfoliator or peeling gel. After toweling your skin dry, proceed to applying micellar cleanser (also known as water-based makeup removers) to get rid of remaining impurities deep within your pores.
Step #4: Toning
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In this step, Koreans usually use skin toners (also known as refreshers) that do not have alcohol. A lot of Western brands use alcohol in their toners which can be quite harsh to the skin. In the toning process, you help prep your skin for the rest of the skincare products you are about to use. It helps balance your skin’s pH levels while also clearing out your pores to allow better product absorption.
Step #5: Essence Application
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Essence application isn’t a very familiar step for many, but for Korean beauty enthusiasts, it’s the heart of the 10-step Korean skincare. The essence plays a significant role in speeding up skin repair and skin cell turnover. As your skin is stripped off with moisture as you cleanse, the essence is specifically formulated to restore it.
Step #6: Serum Infusion
Source: Laneige
Serums are the most expensive product variant when it comes to skincare. Serums feature a highly-concentrated formula to ensure that every drop is jampacked with all premium nutrients beneficial to the skin. Korean serum ampoules deliver twice (or thrice) the effect of essences which is why this is considered very important to those who have special skin needs. Serum ampoules come in different types, each focusing on a specific target – acne, anti-aging, brightening or hydrating – whatever your skin needs!
Step #7: Eye Care
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The eye area is very delicate as it has a thinner layer of skin compared to the rest of the face. Eye creams are essential in the Korean 10-step skincare to give special attention to dark circles, eye bags and wrinkles. Some use eye patches instead of eye creams as it is more pampering. Think of it as chilled cucumbers over your eyes.
Step #8: Application of Face Mask
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After having the serum fully absorbed into the skin, it’s time to seal everything off with a face mask sheet. Face masks are huge in the Korean beauty industry! It features a sheet mask fully immersed in highly-concentrated essence.
Source: Pinterest
It effectively infuses superior nourishment into the skin to seal all the skincare products you used deep within the pores. It’s also a great time to relax and pamper yourself as you wait for it to work its wonders for around 15 to 20 minutes.
Step #9: Deep Hydration
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If you have noticed, Koreans have very dewy, glowy skin. Immense hydration is their secret to this gorgeously dewy youthful radiance and it is brought to you by night creams. This is also a crucial step in terms of skincare as it provides an extra moisture film that acts as a protective barrier.
Step #10: Sunblock Application
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Sun protection is a very important process not only for Koreans, but for every single one of us. It’s a significant step that will prevent our skin from experiencing sun damage. This prevents dark spots and uneven complexion which usually occur when the skin gets exposed under the sun for long periods of time. The Korean skincare usually involves sun creams or sun sprays that range from SPF35 to SPF50 PA+++.
Well, it may be a super long process but as we can see from these Korean beauty enthusiasts, the whole step really pays off. As most of them are very conscious about their skin, their advanced technology has brought superior care into bottles and believe us, there are Korean cosmetics products that really live up to their promise! The entire 10-step routine may sound quite intimidating but it’s really a great way to take care of your skin while pampering yourself. Do you think it’s something you’ll try?
