Korean Skin Care Routine Breakdown

Hi All!

I can’t tell you how much the Korean skin care routine has helped my skin.  I recently got on medicine for acne and was on some harsh chemical exfoliants. It really ripped up my skin and during the winter I suffered from really dry skin. I gave the Korean skin care routine a go on a whim and it really transformed my skin.  It is now hydrated and makes me feel great.

The Korean skincare routine is finally taking hold in the USA, so I’d like to share what each step does!  Feel free to optimize to your specific skincare needs! Check out my Korean Beauty Favorites post for more on my loves and lusts! A general rule of thumb when designing your own Korean Skin Care routine is to remember that the process in moisturizing goes from thinnest consistency to thickest! Remember that and you will be set!

Evening:

1. Makeup Removal: This step is necessary after a long day of wearing makeup! I recommend an oil based makeup remover wipe it really melts off the eye makeup. I recommend giving the Innisfree Olive Real Cleansing Tissue 2 Pack a try they are my favorite!
2. Oil Cleansing: Believe it or not, makeup removing wipes simply aren’t enough to cleanse the face properly! Use an oil based cleanser on dry skin and rub in circular motions to disrupt the makeup and break it up then wash it off with washcloth or under the faucet. I like using Burt’s Bees Facial Cleansing Oil with Coconut and Argan Oils because it is sold at your local stores in the US plus it is for both Normal and Dry Skin!
3. Water Based Cleansing: That’s right, we still aren’t done cleansing!!! This technique is referred to as double cleansing and this removes any oil residue from the previous cleanse along with any other stubborn stuff still left on the skin! For a gentle cleanser I recommend The Face Shop Rice Water Bright Cleansing Foam it is creamy and great for sensitive skin.
4. Exfoliate: Don’t do this step too often, twice a month is plenty! Check out scrubs by Skin Food, their Black Sugar Wash off Mask really treat the skin to a mask and scrub all in one! I plan on trying the Skinfood Black Sugar Strawberry Mask because I have tried the regular one and loved it!
5. Tone: Unlike in the US, Korean version of toners are much less harsh on the skin and don’t dry the skin out. In fact it is typically applied with the hands in a patting motion to absorb it into the skin, rather than swiping the US alcohol based version with a cotton pad. The Korean toners are designed to prep the skin for absorbing all of the moisturizing steps to come.  No sense in putting all of the moisture on the skin if it isn’t ready to absorb it! Big Sellers include Skinfood Peach Sake Toner and Son & Park Beauty Water
6. Essence: This is the step that really transforms your skin over time.  The center of the Korean skin care routine, the essence is both a toner and serum hybrid that hydrates skin and effects the skin at a cellular level, repairing and creating new skin cells. Apply with hands and pat into the  skin. I use Benton Snail Bee High Content Essence because it is for sensitive skin and makes my skin feel tight.
7. Serum & Ampoules: Also tapped into the skin, these products can cover specific issues for your skin in addition to hydration. They can help with:
   • Dull skin
   • Pores
   • Pigmentation
   • Wrinkles
   • Acne prone skin
8. Sheet Mask: These are my favorite part of the routine! These can be done anywhere from twice a week to once a month depending on the season and dryness of your skin. My skin tends to be dry, especially in the winter months so I usually try to do one once a week or once every two weeks.
   • They come in a variety of styles and materials. The more inexpensive ones are usually made of a paper soaked in a variety of skin boosting ingredients.
   • Higher end ones are made of hydrogel and are gelatinous in nature and adhere much better to the skin. Some are even made of lace!
   • There are so many of these out there and not just for the face either! There are ones for certain areas like the lips, eyes, hands, and nails! Here is a good place to start!
   • Keep them on for about 15-30 minutes or if you are like me as long as you can stand to reap the benefits!
9. Eye Cream: Since the eye area is the most sensitive and delicate, extra hydration is needed. Using the ring finger to tap the product around the eye can give some much needed gentle hydration. Check out these eye creams!
10. Moisturize: Apply a thicker moisturizer at night to absorb into the skin! Pick one that will suit your skincare needs, here is a good place to start!
11. Sleeping Pack: A sleeping pack is basically a thick jelly like moisturizer that you slather on the skin before going to bed where it will absorb all night. In the morning you rinse it off and then begin your morning routine. One of my favorites is the Etude House Bubble Tea Sleeping Pack. Not only is the packaging adorable, it smells great and has different flavors for different skin concerns. I recommend using this once a week or if you notice dry patches of skin!

Morning: 

1. Water Based Cleansing: To wash off the previous nights sleeping pack or to start off the routine, use a water based cleanser to cleanse and prep the face!  In addition to The Face Shop Rice Water Bright Cleansing Foam I mentioned earlier, I also love the Etude House Baking Powder Pore Cleansing Foam because it gently exfoliates my dry skin and makes my skin feel super clean!
2. Tone: Again, bust out that toner and apply to your face to prep the skin for hydration! Here are some more toners to try!
3. Essence: As we talked about above, the essence is an essential part that gets patted into the skin. Check out more essences here.
4. Serum & Ampoules: As I mentioned above, these can address certain concerns. Serums are more concentrated versions of the essence. Here are some to check out!
5. Moisturize: Pick a lighter moisturizer for during the day! Find one that is best for your skin type! Take a look here for a good place to start!
6. Sunblock: Before applying your makeup, apply a sunscreen, or use a foundation that has a sunscreen in it! Here are some primers, sunblocks, and foundations with SPF!

Let me know in the comments your fave product (because I want to try it!!!) or if you have tried the Korean Skincare routine before and your thoughts!

Korean Beauty Favorites

Hi All!

I’ve been loving Korean makeup for a while now, and have been experimenting with the Korean Skin care routine, so I wanted to share my current faves as well as what ones I’m currently dying to try!

Korean Makeup Essentials: These are my go to BB creams!

1. Missha Perfect cover BB cream in color 13 Milky Beige ,  This BB cream is very light with good coverage, it is thick for a bb cream and has a nice consistency. I love to use it in winter when my skin needs more moisture and I am the most pale.
2. SKIN79 The Prestige Beblesh Balm BB Cream Diamond Collection, This BB cream is perfect for everyday wear. It does have a greyish tone to it which I wasn’t sure about but I fell in love with how it makes my skin look! Great coverage and lasts a very long time!  Skin79 also has a sample pack on Amazon that you can test out some of their BB’s to find your fave.

Korean Skin Care Essentials: These are part of my current skincare routine! In order of use, too!

1. Innisfree Olive Real Cleansing Tissue, These are hands down the best makeup wipes I’ve ever used. They have a light healthy scent and one wipe cleans off all of my makeup. Claims to have antioxidants and vitamins to help skin, but they are seriously amazing wipes.
2. The Face Shop Rice Water Bright Cleansing Foam, This is a lightly scented face wash that is very effective at making your skin feel squeaky clean!  Simple and effective.
3. Etude House Baking Powder B.P Deep Cleansing Foam , I got a sample of this with one of my purchases and fell in love with how well it works to clean my face, now that I’m out of Rice water foam, I plan on picking this one up!
4. SkinFood Black Sugar Face Mask , This is just a great mask/exfoliant combo, which is perfect for winter months when your skin needs extra love.
5. Benton Snail Bee Essence, I tried this essence because I was new to Korean skincare and it was relatively inexpensive compared to others.  I personally don’t like the smell, but it has snail and bee venom in it which maybe thats the smell.  The bee venom firms the face. If smell doesn’t bother you its a great product for the price ($20)
6. The Face Shop Rice & Ceramide Moisture Emulsion, This is a great moisturizer, there is a lot of product for the price and has light scent.
7. Dermal Korea Collagen Essence Full Face Facial Mask Sheet (16 Combo Pack), These aren’t the best sheet masks in the world, but they are super affordable and get the job done.  I hope to check out some more renowned brands in the future!  There are some weird ones in this collections like Vegetable Placenta and bee venom but also some fun ones like wine! I think this is a great intro to face masks for people to try.
8. The Face Shop Jeju Tangerine Sleeping Mask, I like to use this in the fall and winter when my skin needs extra moisture! It smells so good and in the morning my skin is so plump from absorbing the mask over night. It comes with a large amount of product too which is good because it seems to be out of stock everywhere I look.

Korean Beauty Lust List: These are products I’d love to get my hands on to try next!

1. Etude House Sleeping Pack Bubble Tea: Black Tea, I really want to try this next once my current sleeping mask is finished.  It has cute tapioca inspired hydrating pearls and the packaging is adorable.  There are three different flavors, green tea, black tea and strawberry. It just looks like such a fun product!
2. Chateau Labiotte Wine Lip Tint, I’ve seen quite a few reviews of this product and would love to try it and recommend it to my lip tint friends.  The packaging is a cute wine bottle and there seems to be a variety of colors.  There is also apparently a nice scent and I’m glad that they have small sample sizes too!
3. Skinfood Peach Sake Toner and Emulsion, I’m currently using a traditional american toner and I know that Korean ones are gentler on the skin and overall have a different purpose.  Korean toners are applied similarly to moisturizers and it preps the skin to absorb moisture which is why its after the cleanser step.  This one has gotten a lot of love on blogs so I think it would be a good starting point.
4. Neogen Green Tea Real Fresh Foam Cleanser, This looks so luxiourous and I’m sure it smells great. I’m mostly sold on the packaging!
5. [TONYMOLY] I’m Real Mask Sheet Pack of 11, I want to try more masks but I want it to be affordable so these mask packs have a variety of ones to try!
6. Innisfree It’s Real Squeeze Mask Sheet Pack of 15 I want to try more masks and want it to be affordable and I love variety!
7. The Face Shop Living Nature Grind Mask Sheet x 15pcs, Like the two above I want ones that come in a pack and are reasonably priced since the skin care routine has you do them at least once a week