How To Make The Korean Skincare 10 Step Routine Work For You- Part 2

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I started off my series on How to Make the Korean Skincare 10 Step Routine Work for You explaining where in the U.K. you can find Korean skincare products. Now we’re going to look at each step and figure out why it’s important.

The Korean skincare regime is all about respecting the skin and each step has a particular function. Chances are you are already doing some of them and you probably already have some products at home that will work. There are a few additions you can make to your armamentarium to “K” your skincare collection. Essences and sheet masks are a couple of the products that have made their way over to our shores and are definitely worth exploring. Just think about your skincare needs when devising your routine and make it work for you.

How To Make The Korean Skincare 10 Step Routine Work For You- The Steps!

1.Take off the day with a rich cleanser- Use an oil based cleanser to remove all makeup. This is something most people do on a daily basis, Oil based cleansers like Liz Earle Hot Cloth Cleanser or Lush Ultrabland and a warm cloth will remove any traces of foundation and mascara.

2.Lather to remove any last traces of dirt- Facial cleansing using a mild foaming cleanser to remove any oil or dirt. Try and avoid Sodium Lauryl/Laureth Sulphate based cleansers, SLS is a foaming agent in most common cleansers that absolutely strips the oils from the skin. Marks and Spencer Pure Gently Refreshing Facial Wash is £5 for 125mls and contains no SLS.

3.Exfoliate to brighten the complexion– There are two ways to exfoliate skin- physically or chemically. Chemical exfoliants include Alpha Hydroxy Acids like glycolic acid and lactic acid. They break down the bonds in dead skin and allow them to be washed away. AHAs are good for anti-aging and increase skin hydration. There are many physical cleansers that contain ground nuts or microbeads (now banned!), this will these actually microscopically scratch the skin and cause irritation. Acids are the way forward. This Black Sugar Perfect Cleansing Cream by Skinfood is a deep cleansing exfoliator (and it’s made in Korea!)

4.Toner to complete the cleansing– Toner has a few functions-to make absolutely 100% positive that there are no molecules of dirt left on your face, to balance the pH of the skin ready to absorb actives and to impart actives. Toners are widely available in the U.K. so this is an easy one.

5.Hydrating Essence for a youthful glow– Now we’re heading into interesting territory. Essences are peculiar to Korean skincare. You might be tempted to dismiss Essences as being the same thing as toners. Essence is really quite different, it’s all about hydrating the skin cells and imparting nourishing actives as opposed to cleaning. You don’t use a cotton pad to apply a serum, just a few drops into the palms of the hands and pat it into the skin. They take skincare to the next level. When the skin is well hydrated it will absorb active ingredients more readily. Not only does skin look better because it’s well hydrated but the active ingredients will soak into the deeper skin layers and therefore be more effective. Essences often come in lovely glass bottles, their texture varies from water like to slightly gloopy.

I’ve been using Omorovicza Hydrating Essence while I’ve been investigating the Korean 10 step and can attest to the power of essence. It contains Lactic acid, Glucuronic acid, Hyaluronic acid and polysaccharides to lightly exfoliate and hydrate. If you are thinking of adopting any of the 10 steps, essence is the one that differs most from a standard western routine and has the most buzz about it. I like to keep some essence in a spray bottle for a quick blast of moisture.

6. Active packed hydrating Serum– also known as ampoules and boosters, these are active ingredient and moisture rich formulas. Serums are more dense in texture than essences and packed with actives. You select your serum based on your skincare needs- you could choose peptides for ageing, AHAs for pigmentation, niacinamide for enlarged pores. The light active rich formula will soak easily into your freshly hydrated skin.

7. Sheet masks for baby soft skin– Another K-Beauty product that is steadily making its way into our lives. Sheet masks are totally different to your typical clay masks that you have to rinse off. They come in a sachet and are made of a type of cellulose soaked in moist active rich serum/liquid. You apply to your prepped face and leave on for 20-30 minutes. You don’t rinse the liquid off after the 30 minutes just let it absorb in for a deep hydration. They are generally affordable, but understandably as they are single use, you might not treat yourself to one every single day. They’re fab if your skin is feeling dry or fragile after cleansing. Masque Bar does many different sorts of sheet mask for every skin type and everything from skeet masks to foot masks. You can also find the Sleeping Beauty Recovery Face Mask here and the Holika Holika Pig Nose Clear Blackhead kit here

8. Eye Cream to refresh the peepers Just because the eye skin needs that extra bit of moisture eye cream is a valuable step. The skin around the eyes is the first area to show signs of ageing and dryness- choose an eye cream with Hyaluronic acid and peptides for an extra eye boost.

9. Moisturiser to keep the skin plumped This is a step that I personally often skip as my skin is very oily. Any skin type less than super oily should have a moisturiser step. Moisturisers will have more actives again, as well as emollients for trapping that precious in. Again you tailor your actives to your skin needs.

10. Sleep Mask to maximise your beauty sleep– aka night cream, aka occlusive. So, you have done your best, really tried to pack that moisture into your skin. What’s going to happen when you go to bed? You will get warm and the moisture will evaporate. A sleep mask or night cream is heavier than a moisturiser and will keep that moisture where it belongs. Caolion, now selling in Boots, makes these cool duo packs- this one has a pore tightening bounce cream and a memory sleep mask in one handy pot here

You will of course still need SPF during the day. Yet another step?! I know, but it’s an important one.

I know it all seems a bit time consuming and fiddly, but if you have skin that won’t settle, that is oily or dehydrated, or oily and dehydrated Korean skincare will give your skin the TLC it needs. It may all sound a little crazy but the focus on balancing the skin reaps the most beautiful rewards.