The 10-Step Korean Skincare Routine

The 10-step Korean skincare routine may sound quite intensive and unnecessary, but the name of this routine is quite misleading in itself. It may be named the "10-step" skincare routine, but it doesn't have to include all 10 steps. However, even though each step is not necessary for everyone, it is nice to know the basics of every step in the routine.

First lets introduce the 10 steps of this skincare routine:

1. Oil cleanse*

2. Water-based cleanse*

3. Exfoliation

4. Toner

5. Essence

6. Face Mask

7. Serums/Treatments*

8. Eye Cream

9. Moisturizer*

10. Sun Protection*

*recommended/necessary steps of the routine

Now that we know what the ten steps are let's dig a little deeper into each step starting with cleansing.

The Korean Skincare routine is quite unique because it puts a large emphasis on double cleansing. This is when you cleanse with an oil-based cleanser first, then follow it with a water-based cleanser. The two cleansing steps are necessary because the oil-based cleanser gets rid of makeup, SPF, and debris from the day. Once the oil-based cleanser gets rid of all oil-based products on your face, you then wash your face with a water-based cleanser to get rid of any water-based products on your skin. This is all based in science because water and oil don't mix.

Following your cleanse, the next step is toner. Toners come in different varieties. Some toners are cleansing toners which help cleanse anything you could have missed while cleansing. Other toners help more with hydration. These toners help bring in some hydration into your skin after cleansing. Toners are usually water-based and very lightweight on the skin. If you want a shorter routine, the toner step is okay to skip, but it can help the other products penetrate the skin better because products penetrate better on damp skin.

Exfoliation is an important step to rid yourself of dead skin cells that could be blocking pores or causing your skin too look dull. There are two types of exfoliating products: chemical and physical. Chemical exfoliants are usually a form of BHAs, AHAs, and/or PHAs. While physical exfoliators are going to be scrubs that physically exfoliate the skin. Exfoliating is not to be done daily but at most two to three times a week unless a product is gentle enough to use daily. Also, keep in mind that some other products you are using may have exfoliating ingredients, so it is important to be aware, so over exfoliation does not occur.

The step after toner is essence, treatments, and face masks. I am combining these three steps because they all have the similar purpose of incorporating active ingredients in your routine. To explain, essence is a step entirely created in Korea, and is hard to find essences in non-Korean skincare companies. Essences, at first glance, are a lot like toners, but unlike toners, essences tend to focus on one active ingredient in it's formulation for certain skin concerns. Serums/treatments, much like essences, focus on one active ingredient and is much more potent than an essence. Face masks have active ingredients in the mask and when you put the mask on your face you are forcing your skin in penetrate the active ingredients into your skin by laying the mask on your skin for a certain period of time.

After you layer on the active ingredients, you want to seal it in with an eye cream and moisturizer. Eye creams are not necessary because you can use your moisturizer instead, but it all depends on personal preference. Moisturizers are important to seal in the active ingredients used in your routine and to protect your skin's moisture barrier.

The final and most important step is sun protection. This step would only be used in the morning routine, and it is recommended to reapply multiple times in a day. If you go through all of the trouble of incorporating a 3-step, 5-step, or even 10-step skincare routine into your daily regiment. There will be no point if you skip layering on the final step of sun protection. This is because the sun can cause sun damage, aging, and skin cancer. Sunscreen is the best product working against aging.

It is important to keep in mind that skincare is a personal journey, so what may work for someone you know may not work for you, and if you are not interested or not able to experiment with different products, it would probably be beneficial to see a licensed dermatologist or esthetician.