The 10-Step Korean Skincare Routine

The rise of Korean skincare to mainstream media has highlighted the quality and innovation of Korean brands and products. Since then trends revolving K-beauty have continued to emerge, including the oh so famous 10-step Korean skincare regiment. In this post, we explain what the 10-step Korean skincare routine is and what benefits you can expect from it.

What is the 10-step Korean Skincare Routine?

The 10-step Korean skincare regiment is composed of ten different stages:

• Oil-Based Cleanser
• Water-Based Cleanser
• Exfoliator
• Toner
• Essence
• Serums, Ampoules or Boosters
• Sheet Mask
• Eye cream
• Moisturizer
• Sunscreen

Altogether these steps help clean, prep, nourish, and protect your skin. The end result is a beautiful complexion that glows from within and radiates confidence.

Step one: Oil-Based Cleanser

Oil-based cleansers are excellent tools to remove the top layers of dirty, dust, and oil on the skin. They represent the first step in this 10-step skincare routine and should be applied to dry skin to properly break down the oils and debris created by makeup, pollution, SPF, and sebum at the surface of the skin. Once massaged into the skin, lukewarm water should be added to emulsify and rinse off the solution.

For any makeup user out there, oil-based cleansers perform better than most makeup removers. The reason for it is because oil melts any debris on the skin, removing makeup better than most common makeup remover options such as micellar water.

Step two: Water-Based Cleanser

To guarantee a deeply cleaned complexion, water-based cleansers are used as a follow-up to oil-based cleansers to eliminate any remaining residue on the skin. This double cleansing method allows the skin to be deeply cleaned, preventing possible clogs ups and breakouts.

To prevent the stripping of natural oils from the skin, make sure to use gentle cleansing formulas that don’t over-dry the dermis.

Step Three: Exfoliator

Exfoliation helps refine the texture of the skin by removing dead skin cells from the surface of the dermis. The exfoliating massage helps stimulates collagen production, reducing the appearance of fine lines and other signs of aging like dark spots. Acne-prone skins can also benefit from exfoliation since the removal of dead skin prevents the clog up of pores that lead to the formation of pimples and blackheads.

All in all, exfoliation can benefit all skin types. However, there are some exfoliation methods that benefit certain complexions more than others. For instance, chemical exfoliation methods tend to benefit more sensitive skins; While manual exfoliation methods perform better on less sensitive complexions. To learn more about which exfoliation method best suits you, read our post about the  Best Korean Exfoliating Pads for Radiant Skin.

Step four: Toner

After cleaning and exfoliating the complexion, the pH balance of the skin is irregular. An irregular pH can lead to the weakening of the skin barrier, which leads to more sensitive, irritated, dehydrated, and acne-prone skin. Toners prevent this from happening by balancing the pH level of the skin. Overall, this helps prep the skin for the following skincare products, allowing better absorption and results.

Step Five: Essence

Next in this beauty routine are essences, which are, in simple terms, light concentrated serums. Their core purpose is to lightly moisturize the skin before the following serums or skin treatment applications. The reason for so is because the skin better absorbs products once wet. As a result, essences have the purpose to moisture the skin and complement the better absorption of the following products.

Step Six: Serums, Ampoules or Boosters

Serums, ampoules, and boosters have a more potent active ingredient list than essences. They focus on specific skin issues such as aging, acne, redness, or dullness, and provide more evident results than essences. Using one of these is crucial to help your skin be more elastic, smooth, clear, and bright.

Step Seven: Sheet Mask

Sheet masks provide another nurturing layer to the skin. They vary in purpose and ingredient list. Meaning they can hydrate, reduce swelling, brighten, and so on.

Each sheet masks is soaked in skin nutrients and that deeply penetrate the skin during the 15 to 20 minutes the sheet mask lays on top of the skin. Altogether this nourishes the skin in a very relaxing way, taking your beauty routine to another level.

Step Eight: Eye Cream

Next to sheet masks are eye creams, which are applied on the skin around your eyes. They aim to deeply moisturize the area of the eyes and prevent the creation of fines lines. Depending on the formula (e.g. if it contains vitamin-C or caffeine), eye creams can also help reduce the appearance of dark circles by brightening up the under-eye area.

Step Nine: Moisturizer

Moisturizer represents the final layer of moisture that seals all the previous ingredients and nutrients applied to the dermis. Moisturizers vary according to skin type and skin necessities. Nevertheless, you can find them in the shape of lotions, creams, gels, and even emulsions. To achieve the best results, select a formula that doesn’t contain any harsh ingredients and caters to your skin’s needs.

This layer of moisture is vital as it will provide the skin a plumper look, reducing the appearance of fine lines as well.

Step Ten: Sunscreen

Last but still as important in this 10-step skincare routine is sunscreen.

As many dermatologists say, sun protection is the best anti-aging solution. So incorporating sunscreen in your daily skincare routine will protect your skin from sun damage and premature signs of aging like fine lines and dark spots. However, one application is not enough. To evenly protect your skin, you should reapply your sunscreen throughout the day.

Korean skincare brands have developed some of the most convenient sunscreens in the market. In most cases, formulas are very lightweight and not greasy, which makes the application of sunscreen easy and delightful.

Benefits of the 10-step Skincare Routine

All in all the 10-step Korean skincare routine can bring a lot of benefits to your skin. For example, according to Emily Rekstis, in one week both redness and pimples were reduced thanks to this 10-step regiment. However, the extensive list of steps can be burdensome for many.

The truth is that this regiment provides a good base for what you should be doing when it comes to skincare. Nevertheless, you don’t need all these steps to achieve glowy and healthy skin. For instance, some steps like exfoliation and masks can be set aside once or twice a week.

The secret is customization and flexibility. Altogether this will allow you to listen to your skin and to give that extra love and treatment whenever it needs; Rather than overbearing it with a variety of products.

Final Thoughts

Overall, the 10-step Korean skincare routine is an excellent opportunity to take your beauty regime to another level. There are a lot of lessons you can take and apply to your day and night skincare routines for a more radiant complexion. The important thing is to be flexible with the steps as well as the products. Listen to your skin and its needs, and you will be able to achieve the skin of your dreams!