All About The 7-Step Korean Morning Skincare Routine

The Korean culture emphasizes portraying their best self regardless of any situation, so skincare is given so much importance in Korea. The Korean people prefer having spotless and glowing skin, and therefore Korean beauty products are also designed to prevent skin problems and make it almost glass-like.

Korean skincare products are buzzed to be the most innovative products in today’s world that use natural ingredients to offer a layer of multitude benefits. The main focus of the Korean skincare routine is to prevent skin deterioration and improve our skin’s health by keeping it hydrated. Following the Korean morning skincare routine and the night skincare routine daily helps in getting good skin.

K-beauty has gained immense popularity over the years with the media popularizing Korean media that introduced the people to a new experience of the Hallyu wave. It has also become famous in European countries, which resulted in fierce competition among the different K-beauty brands.

Demand for Korean beauty products has increased over the days. New products are introduced rapidly. Today, the Korean beauty market faces a high rate of competition from Western drugstores and high-end brands coming up with K-Beauty-style products and even collaborating with Korean celebrities.

1. The Korean Morning Skincare Routine

The Korean skincare routine is comprised of a 10-step morning and a night routine. But the process is highly customizable. Some of these steps can be avoided.

In this article, we will be looking at the 7 steps Korean morning skincare routine.

Steps 1 and 2: Double Cleansing

The first step of the Korean morning skincare routine is to wash the face twice, first with an oil-based cleanser and then with a foam or water-based cleanser. The oil acts as a powerful cleanser removing oil-based impurities like sebum, makeup, and dirt particles on our skin.

Using a foamy cleanser ensures our skin is squeaky clean before moving on to the next step. Ph levels¹ of the products are to be checked before usage. Either or both of these steps can also be skipped if someone has too sensitive or has ultra-dry skin. In that case, one can wash their face using water.

Step 3: Toner

The second step of the Korean morning skincare routine includes applying toner to the skin. The word toner should not be confused with what toner means in European countries. Toner here is a thin layer of moisturizer meant to regulate the ph levels and soften the skin.

One can either apply it using one hand or with a small cotton ball and pads and then pat it on the skin. However, it is advisable to use your hands as the skin reacts well to a warm touch.

Step 4: Essence

Applying essence to the skin is the next step in the Korean morning skincare routine. This, like the previous one, is also a thin layer of moisturizer, sometimes even watery, that penetrates through the skin, providing a deeper level of aid to absorb the products yet to come. It is also the first layer of moisturizer added to the skin.

Step 5: Serum and Ampoule

Serums and Ampoules are the extra strength treatment products added to the Korean morning skincare routine. Retinol-based serums and ampoules are beneficial as they act as an anti-aging agent on the skin.

It prevents skin drooping, stimulates collagen synthesis², and also increases skin cell turnover. Serums are highly concentrated products, and ampoules are the pumped-up version of a similar kind that contains potent hydrating ingredients helping moisturize the skin.

Step 6: Moisturizer

The next step in the Korean morning skincare routine is moisturizing. Any moisturizer (gel, cream, lotion, or emulsion) can be used on the skin.

Moisturizers seal the moisture in the skin by plumping it up and smoothing the fine lines. Moisturizers also help in removing the dark spots on the skin. One must apply moisturizer daily to get glowing and healthy skin.

Step 7: Sun Protection

The final step in the Korean morning skincare routine is applying sunscreen. Applying sunscreen is an important step as it protects our skin from harmful UV rays ³and prevents premature skin aging. The sunscreen acts as a shield by protecting from skin cancer, and one must not avoid this step by any means.

2. Korean Sheet Masks

Using sheet masks daily is an important part of the Korean skincare routine as it rejuvenates the skin to make it plump and hydrated. If it is time-consuming to use a sheet mask every day, it’s advised to skip and use it at least once a week.

The sheets soaked into the serum⁴ allow the skin to fully absorb the moisture and nutrients present and provide a sense of relaxation and calmness. Sheet masks are the best products for skin hydration, nourishment, and radiant glow. The serums inside the packets can be stored to be used for the whole week.

3. Eye Cream

One can also include an eye cream in their daily Korean skincare routine. The skin around the eye is the thinnest and most delicate, and therefore it requires extra nourishment. The highly concentrated eye creams contain special ingredients that help reduce the puffiness and dark circles in that area. Eye creams⁵ are to be applied daily to keep the eye area hydrated and healthy.

4. Exfoliation

Exfoliation is necessary for getting healthy glowing skin as it removes dead skin cells, excess sebum, blackheads, and dry, dead skin follicles from the surface and deep within. Exfoliating helps in cleansing pores getting clogged from accumulated oils on the skin. Both DIY and chemical scrubs can be used for exfoliation. It is recommended to add exfoliation at least twice a week in the Korean morning skincare routine.

5. Healthy Diet

Apart from such an extensive skincare routine, Korean people also drink plenty of water and include many fruits and vegetables in their daily diet. The use of chemicals over a long period can result in bumpy skin texture and strip off the natural skin surface layer.

To avoid that, one must only stick to products that contain natural ingredients or a combination of both nature and chemicals. This way, the skin and the health of the user will remain glowing, and the fear of skin loosening can be reduced to a minimum.

Korean beauty gurus tend to tap into their products instead of vigorously rubbing them in a circular motion. In this way, the products get easily absorbed, and lines, wrinkles, or fine lines do not appear, resulting in a younger and youthful face for decades.

The benefits of a Korean skincare routine are in abundance. The above steps are required to follow daily to get the best results. Each product in the list has different benefits and purposes. It is advisable to properly read the labels and instructions of any product before applying.

It is also unnecessary to invest in a 7-step routine but choose the products best suited for one’s skin for a healthy and glowing look every day.

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Last Updated on July 22, 2024 by Sathi Chakraborty, MSc Biology