10-Step Korean Skin Care Routine
If you haven’t jumped on the wave of Korean skin care, I highly recommend for you to start surfing now! I LOVE the 10-Step Korean skin care routine. I feel like it dramatically helped improve my skin. Not only that, but it feels good to do my skin care routine. I feel like I’m pampering myself. So my dear humans, please treat yoself!
Everybody’s skin care journey is different. After a lot of trial and error, you will find the right products for you. I would characterize my skin as combination skin. My t-zone is more oily, whereas other parts of my face are dry. I get hormonal acne (thanks period). Also, I have very sensitive skin and a lot of redness.
A couple great resources for learning more about skincare products are The Klog and Soko Glam. Also, during my skincare journey, I really enjoyed learning from content posted by Renee at Gothamista and Joan Kim.
This post isn’t sponsored by Soko Glam; I’m just a Soko Glam aficionado. Soko Glam has a
Curated 5-step and 10-step skincare routines based on your skin type
Skin Concierge - get 1:1 advice from their skin care experts!
All skincare products featured are products I’d recommend for anyone to start out with. As you learn more about your skin and what you like, you can customize from there.
Now, let’s dive into the skincare!
1. Oil Based Cleanser
First step of the double cleanse. Do not be afraid of the oil cleanse even if you have acne-prone skin. Gently massage the oil cleanser into your face to help break down oil-based impurities like makeup, SPF, and pollutants.
2. Water Based Cleanser
Second step of the double cleanse.
This is the step you’re all familiar with. A water-based cleanser helps cleanse water-based impurities like sweat and dirt. What’s important to note is you don’t need to feel like your face is squeaky clean. That squeaky clean feeling could mean you’ve stripped your skin barrier. Instead, your skin should feel soft and supple after the double cleanse.
3. Exfoliate
Gently exfoliate 1x/week with a chemical or physical exfoliant. Exfoliating helps to remove any dead skin cells and prepare your skin to better absorb your skincare products.
Your skin should feel soft like a baby seal after exfoliating. It should not feel irritated. If your skin is irritated after exfoliating, you may want to consider using a different product or exfoliating less often.
4. Toner
This is a cleanse and prep step. Toner will help remove any remaining impurities.It’s also an important skin prep step aiming to balance your skin’s pH and moisture levels as well as prepping your skin to better absorb moisturizing products.
You can use a cotton pad or your hands for application.
5. Essence
Lightweight moisture. Essence is the magic of your skin care routine. It can contain hydrating, anti-aging, and complexion boosting components. The holy grail ingredient you want to look for is hyaluronic acid.
6. Serums/Boosters/Ampoules
This is a skin treatment step. You can find a product that will treat your skin concerns such as hyperpigmentation, fine lines, acne, and so forth.
7. Sheet Masks
This is the spa like step of your routine. Your sheet mask is packed with yummy, beneficial skin care products. Wear the sheet mask for 15-20 min to allow your skin to absorb those ingredients and moisture.
Keep in mind if your mask starts to feel dry, you want to add additional moisture from the sheet mask pack, or take it off. Once the mask is dry, then the mask is seeping the moisture away from your face rather than depositing moisture.
You can use a sheet mask everyday! Many Korean celebrities have divulged they use a sheet mask daily and store their sheet masks in the fridge.
8. Eye Cream
Regular use of any eye cream can help hydrate and prevent dark circles, puffiness, and wrinkles.
The skin around your eye is very thin and delicate, so it’s important to be gentle when applying your eye cream. Use your ring finger and pat the eye cream around your eye.
9. Moisturizer
Time to lock in that moisture! You need a moisturizer to help seal in all goodies you just applied to your face. You can use moisturizers in the form of emulsions, gels, lotions, and creams.
10. Sunscreen
Use sunscreen every day. Period. Doesn’t matter if it’s summer or winter. Doesn’t matter if it’s rain or shine. Sunscreen will help protect your skin from damaging UV rays, so it’ll help in the long run with anti-aging and preventing skin cancer.
Dermatologist Note: Apply sunscreen 20 min. before exposure to sun to ensure maximum protection. Reapply sunscreen every two hours.