What is the Korean skincare routine?
These are the 10 steps as commonly recommended by Korean beauty retailers and influencers.
Step 1: Begin With An Oil Cleanser
First, remove all traces of makeup from your skin. Pick an oil cleanser and apply it all over your face and neck. Make sure you cover the lip and eye area. Massage the cleanser gently into the skin, then dab some warm water on it. Massage the wet skin and rinse it. The process dissolves the makeup, dust, and debris that has accumulated on your face during the day, leaving it clean and fresh.
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Step 2: Follow Up With A Water-Based Cleanser
If you think you got done with cleansing after using the oil-based cleanser, then that’s not the case. There will still be some debris left on the face, and to remove that, you will need a water-based cleanser.
Wet your skin, apply the water-based cleanser, and gently massage it in a circular motion. Rinse it off with water. After this, your skin will be squeaky clean without a hint of dirt.
Water-based cleansers either come in foam or gel-based forms. They remove the impurities that the oil cleansers have missed and cleanse the skin completely.
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Step 3: Exfoliate
You need to remove the topmost layer of dead skin cells to reveal bright and polished skin. Scrubbing off dead skin cells helps skin care products to work on your skin thoroughly. Exfoliation clears pores and makes skin smoother and more radiant.
The microbeads in exfoliators help in removing dead skin cells. It makes your skin look flawless and helps your makeup to go on your skin much more smoothly.
Wet your skin and apply the exfoliant. Gently scrub it on your skin in circular motions and wash it off. You do not have to rub your face with an exfoliant every day. Use it three times a week if you have non-sensitive skin and twice a week if your skin is sensitive.
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Step 4: Tone Up
Toners refresh the skin and prep it to absorb the next product(s) well. They also balance the pH level of the skin. Toners balance the moisture levels of your skin and also remove any remote impurities that the cleansers might have missed.
Apply the toner on your face with your fingertips or dab it on your skin with cotton swabs. Massage in an outward motion – away from your nose, towards the ears.
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Step 5: Use Essence
Essence is unique to the Korean beauty culture. It is a toner cum serum hybrid that has a watery consistency and skin repairing properties. It is hydrating and rejuvenates the skin.
After using two cleansers, you do need some extra moisture to restore the moisture balance in your skin. Essence does that for you! In addition to brightening your face, it balances the pH levels of your skin.
Pat essence on your face either with your fingertips or cotton swabs in an outward motion soon after you tone it and let it stay on.
Step 6: Repair Your Skin With ‘Treatments’
If you have dark spots, uneven skin, pigmentation or any other specific skin issue, it is best to treat your skin accordingly. Choose among serums, ampoules, and boosters to help repair the skin and get rid of blemishes.
These treatments target the problem areas and combat skin issues like acne, wrinkles, large pores, and dull skin. They address the skin concern immediately and tackle it.
Take some of the treatment product on your fingertips and gently dab it onto your problem areas. Massage gently. They are perfect for solving skin issues.
Step 7: Pamper Yourself With Sheet Masks
Another Korean special, sheet masks nourish and pamper your skin with the best of ingredients while providing you with a meditative and calming experience. Choose a mask that has ingredients that suit your skin needs and type.
Sheet masks stick to your skin and condition and pamper the skin with nutrients.
Place it on your face and leave it on for 15-20 minutes. Relax while your sheet mask is on and feel rejuvenated. You can use sheet masks once or twice a week or even every day.
Step 8: Apply Eye Cream
The next step is to take care of your under eye skin. The skin around your eyes is delicate and needs extra attention and care. Eye creams are perfect for it; they treat dark circles and smoothen the skin.
Eye creams protect and hydrate the under eye area. They brighten your eyes and make them look young and fresh.
Using your fingertips dab the eye cream gently on the orbital bone area, avoiding the water line. Use it every day, once in the morning and once at night.
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Step 9: Moisturize
Moisturizer or a face oil hydrates the skin by sealing in moisture. It makes your skin supple and soft.
Make sure you choose a moisturizer that suits your skin type and use it regularly. It could be a gel, lotion or cream – whatever works best for you.
Use a moisturizer every day, once in the morning and once at night. Rub in some moisturizer on your hands and massage it into your skin.
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Step 10: Protect Your Skin With Sunscreen
Sunscreen with a good SPF is a must, especially if you are stepping out during the day. It prevents premature aging and protects you from skin cancer.
Sunscreen shields your skin from the harmful UV rays of the skin and protects it from tanning, pigmentation, and dark spots.
Use sunscreen every day in the morning before you go out and make sure it is the final product that you use on your skin to avoid dilution of products and weakening the effect of the SPF.
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source: https://www.stylecraze.com/articles/8-korean-beauty-secrets-you-should-definitely-know/#gref