When I
first encountered the concept of the multi-step Korean skincare some time back,
it made so much sense to me. A lot of the thought put into the skincare
routines seems logical.
In the
western world, skin care seems to consist of a half-assed cleaning, then maybe
some toner and followed by moisturiser. Then once we turn 30, the mad dash out
for an anti-wrinkle cream that will magically fix everything.
Instead of
spending crazy money on that one magical cream, why not spend some on good
cleansing, toning, moisturising and SPF products… And then working them into a
good routine?
The key is
daily prevention and nurturing, which eliminates the need for expensive fixes.
That sounds
a lot like the principles we all know and love from haircare, right?
The Korean
multi-step skin care routine doesn’t reinvent sliced bread, but it is taking
the steps we all know already and prioritising them. You put a conscious effort
into your skin and make it a routine.
So what are
the differences?
- The skin care routine seems to be an ingrown routine that you learn from a young age.
- The number of products used.
- The amount of time invested in your routine.
- Cleansing is highly prioritised.
- There can be a lot of additional steps between cleansing and moisturising. (Like, a lot!)
- Moisturising products are layered.
- SPF is highly prioritised.
There are
anywhere from 7-17 steps in a Korean skin care routine. Maybe even more
(Sources all have their own numbers).
The rule of
thumb is, you should spend the same amount of time cleaning off your face as
you did putting it on.
The 424
method
This is
part of the skin care routine for cleansing. Cleansing with oil before using
face wash is also known as double cleansing.
It has 3
steps:
- 4 minutes of massaging oil into the skin. Oil dissolves oil, so you absorb the bad oil in your pores into the good oil you apply.
- 2 minutes of massaging a foam cleanser into the skin. This removes both good and dissolved, bad oils.
- 4 minutes of rinsing the face. This is to make sure you really remove all cleansing products instead of just rinsing until the visible bubbles are gone. If you want to get fancy, turn down the heat the last two minutes to close the pores.
After
cleansing your face, you can then proceed to your usual routine.
Cleansing
with oil is also called OCM and has many techniques and theories to be found
around the net.
Let’s break
the multi step routines down into two:
- Basic or morning routine
- Advanced or night time routine
Basic or
morning routine
Step
1: Oil Cleanser, towelette, makeup remover or Cleansing Balm
As
described above, you remove the dirt and makeup from the day. You can use oil
as mentioned above, or a cream cleanser or a towelette-type remover.
You can probably skip this step if you have dry skin. No need to risk dehydrating your skin.
You can probably skip this step if you have dry skin. No need to risk dehydrating your skin.
Step 2:
Foaming, Milky, or Gel Cleanser
The purpose
of this step is to thoroughly clean skin once all makeup has been removed.
Massaging the face increases circulation, which equals brighter skin.
Korean
women believe thorough, proper cleansing is the key to a radiant, acne-free
complexion. It’s important to select a cleanser with a pH below 7 since
high pH cleansers can damage the skin’s protective barrier.
Step 3:
Toner
The natural
pH value of skin is acidic to protect itself by having a hostile environment
for invading bacteria and fungus. The pH on healthy skin is usually said to be
around 4-5 (dependent on source) and pure water has a pH at around 7. This
means than after rinsing your cleansing product off, your skin has been pushed
towards an unnatural pH value. Toner is acidic and will restore the pH value
quick. It is also said to clear up the last remnants of your cleansing product,
tighten pores back up and prepare your skin to receive the following
moisturising products.
Step 4: Eye
Cream
Gently tap the
cream around the eye area. This leads to better absorption of the product. Use
your ringfingers because those are the weakest and wont tug or pull on the
sensitive, thin skin.
Step 5:
Essence
Essence is
a nourishing liquid concentrate that effectively enhances skin’s cellular
renewal process, leading to an increase in elasticity and firmness, as well as
a brighter complexion. It’s very similar to what we know as “serum”. They are
generally designed to target specific issues, such as hyper pigmentation, dullness,
signs of aging, or acne.
Step 6: Emulsion
An emulsion
is a moisturizing treatment, which usually has a light consistency. It is meant
to moisturize, but also often has a lesser concentration of some of the same
actives in the essence. People with drier skin will also apply a cream later.
Step 7:
Sunscreen
As
previously mentioned, Asian women go above and beyond when it comes to
protecting their skin from UV damage. Most Asian sunscreens provide high
factor, broad spectrum protection.
Always work
products down the neck and out towards the ear, including at least the tragus.
Extra
In order to
maintain that clean dewiness you've achieved, you can re-activate the
products by misting periodically. It isn't unusual to see women
in Korea
Advanced or
night time routine
Step
1: Oil Cleanser, towelette, makeup remover or Cleansing Balm
As described
above, you remove the dirt and makeup from the day. You can use oil as
mentioned above, or a cream cleanser or a towelette-type remover.
You can probably skip this step if you haven't had a full face of makeup.
Step 2:
Foaming, Milky, or Gel Cleanser
The purpose
of this step is to thoroughly clean skin once all makeup has been
removed. Massaging the face increases circulation, which equals brighter skin.
Korean
women believe thorough, proper cleansing is the key to a radiant, acne-free
complexion. It’s important to select a cleanser with a pH below 7 since
high pH cleansers can damage the skin’s protective barrier.
Step 3: Exfoliator
When it comes to facial exfoliation, Korean women often believe less is more. Removing the dead skin cells from your face will really boost the radiance of your skin. However, scrubbing your entire face every single night can be causing more problems than it solves. Stick to areas that need it and not irritate your skin more than necessary. Depending on your skin type, it can be less than once a week.
When it comes to facial exfoliation, Korean women often believe less is more. Removing the dead skin cells from your face will really boost the radiance of your skin. However, scrubbing your entire face every single night can be causing more problems than it solves. Stick to areas that need it and not irritate your skin more than necessary. Depending on your skin type, it can be less than once a week.
Step 4: Eye
Cream
Gently tap the
cream around the eye area. This leads to better absorption of the product. Use
your ringfingers because those are the weakest and wont tug or pull on the
sensitive, thin skin.
Step 5:
Toner
The natural
pH value of skin is acidic to protect itself by having a hostile environment
for invading bacteria and fungus. The pH on healthy skin is usually said to be
around 4-5 (dependent on source) and pure water has a pH at around 7. This
means than after rinsing your cleansing product off, your skin has been pushed
towards an unnatural pH value. Toner is acidic and will restore the pH value
quick. It is also said to clear up the last remnants of your cleansing product,
tighten pores back up and prepare your skin to receive the following
moisturising products.
Step 6:
Sheet Mask
Sheets
masks are more popular in South
Korea
Step 7: Eye Cream
Gently tap the cream around the eye area. This leads to better absorption of the product. Use your ringfingers because those are the weakest and wont tug or pull on the sensitive, thin skin.
Step 8:
Essence
Essence is
a nourishing liquid concentrate that effectively enhances skin’s cellular
renewal process, leading to an increase in elasticity and firmness, as well as
a brighter complexion. It’s very similar to what we know as “serum”. They are
generally designed to target specific issues, such as hyper pigmentation, dullness,
signs of aging, or acne.
The
layering of moisturising products will usually go from thinnest/runniest
product to thickest.
Step 9: Serums
and ampoules
Here might
be additional steps of ampoules and serums, which have different amounts of
ingredients and benefits. I have cut out the descriptions from here, since I
doubt this level of details will be necessary. There are many possible layers
of moisture and targets!
Step 10:
Emulsion
An emulsion
is a moisturizing treatment, which usually has a light consistency. It is meant
to moisturize, but also often has a lesser concentration of some of the same
actives in the essence. People with drier skin will also apply a cream later.
Step 11:
Spot Treatment
Spot
treatments can be a number of things – acne treatment, whitening serum, wrinkle
filler, etc. For reference, if you use any kind of retinoid, that would
fall into this category, as would any type of benzoyl peroxide or salicylic
acid.
Step 12:
Cream
Creams are
meant to provide additional moisture. They are generally thicker than emulsions
and come in a jar rather then a pump bottle. Many people skip this step,
particularly in the morning.
Generously
massage the cream with gentle strokes. Korean skin care often include a
massage-routine to stimulate circulation and glow.
Step 13:
Sleeping Pack
Sleeping
pack is sometimes called a sleeping mask. It’s designed to be applied over the
face at night to provide moisture and skin care benefits while you sleep.
By now your
skin should be glowing with moisture.
It might
seem excessive, but since sheet masks and exfoliation isn’t a daily thing, it
shouldn’t take much more than 15 minutes.
That is not excessive when it comes
to investing in pretty skin and preventing aging, now is it?
It should
be seen as a nice pampering while you wind down for the night.
