Written by Josephine Lee
Image by Josephine Lee
Misconceptions
There are many sources in explaining the steps of Korean Skincare. Some sources advertise or claim that the 10 steps are a must. The following list is taken from a SELF article (written by someone who tries all 10 steps for a week straight):
Oil-based Cleanser
Water-based or Foam Cleanser
Exfoliator
Toner
Essence
Serums, Lotions, and/or Ampoules
Sheet Masks
Eye Cream or Under-eye Treatment
Moisturizer: Day or Night Cream
SPF
This list looks overwhelming, making the regimen sound time-consuming and even troublesome--especially for busy bodies who only have time to eat and sleep when they get home.
The reality is that the 10 steps are not done every morning and night, but rather, some steps are recommended for every morning and night, others are recommended for only at night, while some can be done occasionally depending on the skin’s needs due to skin type, weather conditions, hormones, diet, etc.
The Basics
If you want to try out the Korean skincare routine with as little money as possible (because the amount of money spent for products adds up), these are the most prioritized steps:
Oil-based Cleanser
Water-based or Foam Cleanser
Toner
Essence
Assuming you wear make-up--whether a lot or not--the make-up must be washed off so that the pores can have time to breathe and clear out. An oil-based cleanser will help with wiping off make-up. However, for heavy eye make-up, additional products will be needed.
Even if you do not wear make-up, an oil-based cleanser is suggested because this cleanser will be effective in cleaning your face from built-up oil or air pollutants collected throughout your day. Although a water-based cleanser can get the job done, it will not be as effective as an oil-based one.
The water-based or foam cleanser is also necessary because this will ensure that there will be no possible residue on your face after cleaning your face with an oil-based cleanser.
A toner is essential because it hydrates the skin after the double-cleansing process.
Essence is regarded as the most important step, as the product prepares the skin to soak in hydration and benefits from the following steps such as serum, ampoule, eye cream, etc. The essence itself also usually has a lot of benefits, depending on the product. Some will have antioxidants; others may be targeting hydration of the skin
.
One can be creative in their routine: targeting to even out skin-tone, alleviating facial redness, wanting healthier pores or smaller pores, etc.
Looking at skincare holistically, skincare can be made personal, since every person has a different combination of skin issues, preference of scent or non-fragrance, and idea of their ideal skin.
Cultural Importance
I want to get this out of the way before narrowing down to skincare’s importance in South Korea: skincare is for all--no matter what gender or ethic background. Outside of Asia and even in some Asian countries, men view other men as more feminine for taking care of their skin--which is a perception that should be broken. People should not be judged for taking care of themselves. While in South Korea, this may be consciously thought and agreed upon, in many countries around the world (including America), we are not conscious of how skin complexion affects our perception of a person: not only does good skin gives a good impression of being organized and that you are able to take care of yourself, but good skin does make a person look more appealing (I believe this is a thought that most people--no matter where you are in the world--think but do not explicitly say). This does not mean that those with skin issues are not good-looking, but rather, those who do have skin issues can be even more physically appealing without the skin problems that skincare can prevent from becoming worse and can even heal.
In South Korea, physical appearance is very important to the point where even work resumes require an applicant’s picture. My mother who grew up in Seoul was telling me about how first impressions are very important and that in Korea, the first thing they subconsciously or even consciously look at is one’s appearance. They do have an impression that one who keeps themselves clean and fresh are able to take care of themselves, being viewed as more independent and more mature (than others who do not).
Even in Korean-American owned businesses, better-looking people have a higher chance of getting the job. In the food/service industry, they believe that customers will be more forgiving or understanding toward good-looking employees who make mistakes than if average- or not-so-good looking employees made the same type of mistake.
Their idea may not be wrong, as there are a lot of people who are not consciously aware of their change in behavior in this way. I am not saying that this is the right thing to do, nor am I justifying the process; this is merely Korean culture that--even as a Korean-American--I am not fully comfortable with .
Personal Experience and Thoughts
Ampoules
For trouble spots--such as small pimples or pigmentation, I found ampoules very effective. I think of them as a Neosporin for specific spots on the face; one would not apply the product all over their face.
There are many sites that say to use a couple of drops to apply to the whole face, but I figured out that if my whole face does not need the product, I might as well minimize the use to save more product which will help save me money in the long run.
An ampoule I used in the past was from Nature Republic but has been unfortunately discontinued. The store still sells a set of different ampoules--which all are currently out of stock. I think this is a testament of how effective their ampoules are. I will be buying one when they are in stock, since I did run out.
Masks & the Zero-waste Movement
With the whole zero-waste movement thing going on, I have been thinking about how to reduce waste with skincare. Luckily, there are stores like Nature Collection (also well-known to be called The Face Shop) that let you exchange empty bottles for a discount on another product, but what are people going to do with masks and products with one-time use disposable plastic?
I have committed myself to try eating healthier, as diet does have a tremendous effect on one’s skin condition. What if I did the most I can with my diet but still cannot improve my skin as much as I would like? My skin cannot stay moisturized without a periodic face mask?
One, your skin might get used to it, and it may need time to adjust. Change takes time, but permanent change takes even longer.
Another great solution is homemade masks! I have not tried these myself and cannot link anything that I know that works, but this is definitely an environmentally-friendly method.
For eye masks, Peach & Lily have 30 sets in a container that is similar to how many night creams look. Like face masks, eye masks usually are unwrapped for a one-time use. This product produces less waste without needing to compromise eye masks. I am hoping to see something like this for face masks soon!
Brands I Want to Try
One of them is SKINFOOD, which aims to make products out of ingredients--known to be healthy for the body--for the skin. This naturalistic approach is appealing to how I would rather use alternative medicine than rely on Western medicine. One thing that I was looking for is vegan skincare, which website does not prioritize--though their products are cruelty-free (which is a plus). They do use egg whites and fish eggs as ingredients in some products, so for people who want to find vegan products, this is not the website to shop from.
However, here is an article about vegan Korean skincare and places that uphold to the standards of veganism: https://theklog.co/vegan-k-beauty-guide/.
A website I have been wanting to try products from is Peach & Lily (which I mentioned earlier), whose founder has credibility in the field from personal experience with living with her sensitive skin issues and eczema.
Image By Josephine Lee
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