Of all the skincare trends to hit the scene in 2018, none captured people’s attention like the Korean 10- step regimen. Countless beauty influencers have sworn by it as the key to their glowing skins. Read on to find out exactly what it is and how you can adopt it in 2019.
10 steps might sound daunting, but you’ll be glad to know that the number of steps is flexible and changes depending on your skin type and seasons (if you live in a temperate region).
These are the common steps recommended by most Korean beauty retailers and influencers:
- Oil cleanser
- Foam/cream cleanser
- Toner
- Essence
- Emulsion
- Ampoule/Serum
- Sheet Mask
- Eye Cream
- Moisturizer
- Sunscreen
- The Korean skin regimen involves double cleansing: first with oil then a foaming cleanser. Oil removes sunscreen, sebum, and pollutants while foam deals with sweat and dirt from the environment. When cleansing, massage your face gently to drain lymphatic fluid that causes puffiness.
- Next is toning. In contrast to what you may be used to, this toning is a thin layer of moisture aimed at regulating your pH and softening the skin, preparing it for the steps that will follow. Apply gently with your fingers, a cotton pad or ball.
- The basis of this skin regimen is layering products, rather than relying on one cream only. Essence is a watery product that penetrates the skin deeper and aids with absorption of the next products.
- Emulsion is an additional layer of moisture. This contributes greatly to the ‘glass skin’ effect. However if you have oily skin you might want to skip this step, since you could end up greasy.
- Serums and ampoules are highly concentrated products that provide intense moisture, a thicker texture and additional glow.
- Sheet masks are probably the most popular part of this regimen. Use them when you’ve been exposed to a drying environment e.g a day in the sun, a place with lots of wind, or travelling by air.
- Eye cream moisturizes the ultra-thin skin around your eyes where crow’s feet and fine lines appear. The earlier you start using them, the better in order to delay the onset of wrinkles.
- A moisturizing cream is applied to seal in all the layers of product before it.
- Sunscreen is essential for protecting your skin from UVA and UVB rays. Use it everyday whether leaving the house or not.
- Sleeping masks (optional step) help your body to repair facial skin while you get some shuteye.
