The 10-Step Korean Skincare Routine: Explained

The first step is deep cleansing using oil. 

This step is mainly to remove any kind of makeup, deeply cleanse your pores and restore hydration. I highly recommend using Klair's deep oil cleansing. Massage on your face in a circular motion for a minute or so and wash it off with luke water.     

When: Only Night

The next step is a quick wash with any water-based cleanser. I use Cetaphil for this, however, you can opt for any other cleanser that you'd use normally. Off late, I've made a switch to Juicy's Chemistry's organic facewash.    

When: Day & Night

While exfoliating is usually done 2-3 times a week, Korean folks use this practice pretty much everyday. This step helps removing dead skin cells and it also helps loosen clogged pores. You can use Innisfree's Jeju Volcanic pore scrub foam. 

When: Night

In Korean beauty, toner is equivalent to a refresher. For this, while simple rose water too would suffice, for efficient results you can use Klair's facial toner. This came recommended by many skincare folks and enthusiasts. This toner helps with balancing the pH level and deep moisturising.       

When: Day & Night

Tip: the basic and the correct way of application of these products on your skin would be gently tapping the cream/serum on your face against rubbing.

Essence is considered as the powerhouse step in the Korean skincare regime. In fact, Korean women never forget essence in their skincare routine. It's essentially a water-based serum that helps restore hydration after using the cleanser and toner. Experts say that the active ingredients in an essence help support the benefits of all the other products in your skincare routine.

For this step, I've picked a water bank hydro essence from the popular Korean beauty brand - Laneige. This one's lightweight and less greasy compared to the others.  

Packed with active ingredients, a serum is applied post using an essence so it can be better absorbed by your skin. This step is helpful to boost skin's elasticity and treat skin issues like acne and dark spots even. For this step I recommend Klair's rich moist soothing serum. It's known for deep hydration and skin soothing. 

When: Day & Night 

Sheet masks or face masks is one the most popular beauty product when it comes to K-beauty. While this step doesn't have to be followed on a daily basis, it can be done twice or thrice a week. Based on your skin type you can pick from an array of sheet masks available in the market. 

I've picked the fruity face sheet from The Face Shop.  

When: Night

Korean beauty regimes include a dedicated step that includes special eye creams that have been formulated for the delicate under-eye skin. From reducing puffiness to dark circles to wrinkles - this step gives holistic care to your eyes. For this step too I trust Klair's eye awakening gel.      

When: Day & Night

Finally, you end your skincare regime with a face cream or moisturizer. For this step, you can use any face cream you've been using or buy any from brands like Dr. Sheths, Dear Klair's or The Face Shop. I am using Mirah Belle's hydrating face cream as it's got benefits of almonds, Vit-E and Palmarosa. 

When: Day & Night

Woohoo! You've reached the last step of the 10-step Korean beauty regime. End the routine with sunscreen or a suntan cream. As I am using this regime during the nighttime, I don't really need this step. However, if you're using this during the morning, SPF would be your last step to protect yourself against UV rays. If you don't already have a sunscreen at home, you can use Dr. Sheth's regular sunscreen. 

This one is a mineral sunscreen that mainly works towards reflecting the UV rays away. 

When: Day