Korean skin care, also known as K Beauty, has become a major player in the world wide beauty industry. There is no doubting that Korean skin is among the best in the world. Let’s forget about celebrities and famous Koreans for a moment; even the everyday, average Korean has skin that is flawless, almost perfect.
If you have researched K Beauty, you will know that the beauty routine is more involved than he beauty routine of the West or Europe. It does use multiple products, and has many steps, sometimes up to 10. If you feel overwhelmed by how much work is involved in the Korean skin care 10 step routine, please let us tell you, every step is worth it
The 10 step skin care routine is:
- Oil Cleanse
- Water Cleanse
- Exfoliate
- Tone
- Essence
- Serum
- Sheet Mask or Face Mask
- Eye Cream
- Moisturise
- Sunscreen
Most of these steps take very little time to complete. The step that takes the longest time is the sheet mask (face mask). We advise that you do that in the evening or at a time when you can sit down for 20 minutes and let the sheet mask go to work. All the other steps can all be completed in the morning (even in you have a tight schedule) and would take you around 10 minutes to complete.
If you really want to improve your skin and treat any problems you may have like; acne, sagging or wrinkles, you should try the K beauty routine to help you get that flawless Korean skin.
Following are some common errors that women make and misconceptions that women have about the Korean skin care routine:
Double Cleanse – why you should do it
Cleansing is really important as you need to have clean skin to apply the next products or your makeup. A quick splash of water or a once over with a face wipe, doesn’t get your face clean. The first cleanse in an oil cleanse. Oil based cleanser remove ALL types of product; mascara, oil based foundations, SPF sunscreens and the oil and bacteria that is accumulated on your skin through out the day. The second cleanse is a water based cleanser, this removes all traces of the oil based cleanser and leave your skin totally clean and refreshed.
Rubbing Your Face – wrong!
The skin on the face is sensitive and you should not rub, tug or pull at your skin. If you are rubbing any type of product into your skin, please STOP! The correct method to apply any cream is to pat and press. It’s very easy to do; simply press the cream onto your face using your fingers and gently roll your fingers outwards. It’s not a big movement, very subtle, but it is what is done in a beauty salon. The pat and press application is much gentler on the skin that rubbing and pulling.
Apply Product The Right Way
When you apply product start from the centre of your face and then outward and upward. Eg. start applying cream onto your nose and then pat and press outwards towards you ears. Apply cream to the centre of your forehead and then pat and press outwards and downwards towards to temples. Again, apply cream to your shin and pat and press outwards along your jaw line. And finally the neck/décolletage area apply to centre of neck/chest and pat press towards shoulders/arms.
Whitening Your Skin
K beauty products will not whiten your skin. Products that are labelled whitening or brightening work to reduce pigmentation, discolouration and dull skin. They will definitely even out skin tone and colour and help to brighten the skin. They cannot bleach your skin to a lighter shade, only skin bleaching can achieve that.
The Korean Skin Care Routine Cost Too Much
K Beauty products are very affordable. A great sheet mask costs around $1.50 USD. Our recommended K Beauty store often has deals where you can get great products at 50% – 90% off. They also have daily deals and $9.99 boxes targeting a specific skin type. They Stay Young box deal that was offered in Oct 2018 was full priced at $72USD and the time deal was $9.99. There really are bargains on this site! Don’t be afraid to experiment as the products are so affordable and the cost of your new skin care routine won’t break the bank. To find Western products similar to the Stay Young box would cost hundreds from a department store in the US or any major Western country.
Not Following The Skin Care Routine Steps
It’s very important to complete the skin care routine steps in the right order. If you decide to skip a step, like exfoliating, that’s ok, just complete the rest of the steps in the right order. It makes no sense to apply a toner after you have applied a sheet mask. If you stick to the steps you will avoid putting a lighter product on top of a heavier product. Heavier products are always applied on top of a lighter product.
Work On Prevention And Treatment
Korean skin is beautiful, in general, because Koreans work on preventing skin care problems. Prevention of acne, premature aging and dehydrated looking skin is big in Korea. Of course Koreans will treat any skin issue that may arise. But they then work to maintain the health of their skin and to prevent any more issues from arising.
Be Consistent
We advise you to stick to the routine for 30 days. Thirty days of the Korean skin care routine will change your skin for the better. You may choose to do the exfoliation 2 – 3 times per week on days that suit you, so that will save you time. You may also choose to apply your sheet mask in the evenings when you can relax and don’t have to go anywhere. And obviously, you don’t have to wear SPF cream at night!
At the very least do this:
- Oil cleanse
- Water cleanse
- Tone
- Essence
- Serum
- Eye cream
- Moisturise
- SPF during the day
This simplified routine will take less than 10 minutes. Do this on a daily basis you will find that your skin will feel wonderful and look much brighter and clearer that it has before.
If you want to read more on the 10 Step Korean Skin Care Routine, check out this popular post!