The Korean skincare method

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.

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 carrying misters in offices and on public transportation.

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.

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 than the liquid masks we know. Because the ingredients are “trapped” in a thin sheet, it keeps the product from evaporating and forces your skin to absorb it. Unlike most western masks, you don’t wash after the treatment but rather massage the remaining product into your skin. Using more than one sheet mask isn't unusual.

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.