When it comes to skin care, people are always looking for new ideas. After all, there are numerous products and methods that are said to work wonders. You can find inspiration in distant countries, for example. Same in Korea. Pure and firm porcelain skin is considered the ideal of beauty there. Korean women therefore attach great importance to a complex care routine. Korean skin care can include up to ten steps. Sounds like it takes some getting used to? Ingredients such as snail slime or horse fat also appear exotic. However, Korean cosmetics are also increasingly relying on products that are organic and vegan, so everyone can find something that suits them.
Korean Skin Care Routine
Of course, you don’t have to take on all the steps, there are many modified forms, because you don’t always have enough time for the entire care program. Test out what is good for your skin and integrate these elements into your care routine. If you value healthy skin, you should also drink plenty of water, get enough exercise and eat healthy.
Step 1: Cleansing Oil
Korean women care for their skin using the layering method. This means they work their way through the beauty routine layer by layer. We start with thin care products, while thick, viscous products are only used at the end of the skin care process. The first priority is to thoroughly remove make-up. This is best achieved with a cleansing oil that does not dry out the skin.
Step 2: Foam
As soon as you have removed make-up from your face, you should clean it thoroughly to remove any remaining dirt from the pores. Korean women like to use cleansing foam to gently remove make-up and dirt from the skin. There is a practical set from The Face Shop brand, consisting of: Cleansing oil and foam.
Step 3: Exfoliate
Dead skin cells can lead to skin imperfections, which is why regular peeling is also worthwhile. There are practical ones from the popular brand Neogen Cotton pads, which are provided with a moisturizing peeling. This is how cleaning and care should be combined.
Step 4: Toner
The toner is used after cleansing and is the first step in skin care after cleansing. It is intended to regulate the pH value of the skin in order to optimally prepare it for the next steps of care. Toner is also called facial toner in Germany. In contrast to its counterpart in Korea, German toners often contain alcohol. It’s completely different with Korean products. The ingredients there are designed to have a moisturizing effect. This toner von Klairs is said to be mild and balance the pH of the skin. The natural pH value of humans is between 4.2 and 5.6. pH values that exceed or fall below this range can lead to skin irritation and acne. If your face feels too tight after washing, it’s a sign that the pH of the product is too high.
Step 5: Essence
Korean Skin Care involves layering to provide the skin with maximum moisture. Instead of relying on a thick cream, Koreans believe that layering products allow the skin to breathe and avoid clogging pores. The toner forms the first layer of moisture, the essence follows as the second layer. Korean products tend to be thinner in texture. This means they penetrate deeper into the skin and help absorb other products. This essence from Missha promises a lot of moisture.
Step 6: Emulsion
It’s hard to believe, but another layer of moisture follows. The emulsion layer is often a little tougher than the previous layers and is intended to give the skin fullness and shine. Consider your skin type because if you have an oily skin type, applying an emulsion layer may cause the skin to become too oily. For dry types, however, an additional layer may be worthwhile. As always, test it out and adapt your skin care routine to your skin. This nurturing emulsion from The Face Shop with mango seed butter is intended to keep the skin pleasantly soft.
Step 7: Serum
Depending on the ingredients, serums perform specific tasks. It is a thicker texture that is viscous. For example, they can reduce wrinkles or pigment spots. The serum from Klairs is 100 percent vegan and contains moisturizing hyaluronic acid.
Step 8: Sheet Mask
Cloth masks can now be bought in almost every German drugstore. The masks are soaked in a nourishing serum and are placed on the face for 15 to 20 minutes. You can put the mask in the refrigerator before using, so care and cool the skin equally. Beauty Kei offers nourishing Masks with aloe vera to give the skin more elasticity.
Step 9: Eye Cream
The delicate skin around the eyes in particular requires proper care because crow’s feet and fine wrinkles appear more frequently as we age. Using an eye cream is not only represented in Korean skin care, but also in Germany. The correct technique when applying is crucial. You should use your ring finger for this, as you would put too much pressure on the delicate skin with other fingers. The ring finger is just right, tapping the skin with light pressure. The Eye cream by The Yeon with honey is said to tighten the skin and prevent wrinkles.
Step 10: Sunscreen or moisturizer
During the day, it is important for Korean women to adequately protect their skin from harmful UV radiation. After all, this is the main cause of early skin aging and skin cancer. A nourishing sun protection gel is recommended during the day. Gels have a lighter texture than creams and can be combined well with make-up. The gel from Eucerin is light, does not greasy the skin or clog the pores. Before going to bed, apply a moisturizer to your skin. This cream from the brand Make P:rem consists of twelve ingredients and is said to be suitable for sensitive skin.
Korean skin care and playful design
Korean cosmetics are not only known for good ingredients, but also for special product design.
1. Night cream
While the cosmetic packaging in Germany is usually designed to be reserved, in Korea it can’t be playful enough. The best example of this is this one Night cream against pigment spots in panda design.
2. Hand cream
Not only does the night cream come in beautiful packaging, other care products also look great. For example, this banana-look hand cream.
3. Hair band
You can easily tame annoying hair on your face with a hair band. This means the hair doesn’t get in the way when you wash and care for your face. Playful hairbands like this one are popular Headband with cat ears.