The 10-Step Korean Beauty Regimen Actually Worked For Me
Okay, so I tried the infamous 10-step Korean Beauty regimen and I actually like it.
At first I thought it was overkill. Why would I need 10 products to put on my face? Are beauty pros just trying to sell me more stuff? But then as I was actually doing the regimen, I actually felt like I was pampering myself and giving my skin the love it deserves.
So of course living in America it is not the easiest to just go out an buy Korean Beauty products, so I improvised. I used a total of two Korean products and the rest were American brands.
This regimen did add about 10 or 15 more minutes to my getting ready process but it is SO worth it. My skin has been going through some sh*t over the past few years. From massive breakouts to acne scarring and even skin dandruff orย Seborrheic Dermatitisย (which is as gross as it sounds). But of course nothing worked to get my skin as clear as it used to be.
But after only a week of faithfully doing this skin care regimen, my skin has shown great improvement. My dark spots are starting to really fade and my smaller bumps are disappearing, making my skin look smoother. I will be continuing this regimen and hopefully my skin will be even better in a month.
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I do recommend easing into this routine if you are ballin’ on a budget. Some of these products I had already such as my moisturizer and toner. But if you’re planning to start from scratch, you probably should introduce these products into your skin care regimen over time.
Step 1: Normal Cleanser
Starting with a simple normal cleanser or an oil based cleanser is perfect for melting off all of that makeup away and preps your face for the next step, which is a water based cleanser. This Milk Jelly Cleanser from Glossier, which retails for $18, is great because it does not stripping and doesn’t leave your face feeling too dry.
Step 2: Water-Based Cleanser
Next is the foam cleanser. In this case I chose this green tea foaming cleanser from the Korean Brand Neogen Dermalogy. I found this gem at Sephoraย for $19, after doing research on it of course. This stuff has real green tea leaves in the bottle and is so moisturizing that it doesn’t feel like overkill after cleansing with the oil based cleanser.
Step 3: Exfoliate
I love to exfoliateย and scrubย all those dead skin cells off my face. Although, I was hesitant to try this stuff because it it a chemical exfoliant. I usually use natural exfoliants on my precious face like a coffee bean face scrub. I wasn’t sure if it was going to be too harsh on my face. But these Lemon Gauze peeling pads by Neogen Dermalogy are soooooo good and safe for sensitive skin.
Retailing at Sephora for $27, these cleansing pads are perfect for rubbing away dead skin and helping rid dark spots because of the lemon in the formula.
Since you don’t need to exfoliate every day, these are really good because you may only use them twice a week, depending on how much you want to exfoliate.
Step 4: Toner
Toner is probably the holy grail of any skin care routine. It rids of all the access dirt and stubborn makeup that is left over on your face, even after double cleansing. It does not contain alcohol so it is not drying and it smells so great.
Thayers rose petal witch hazel is something I already had on hand from Whole Foods, but you can buy it online at Thrive Market for only $7.
Step 5: Sheet Mask (once a week)
This is probably one of the most refreshing and relaxing parts of this routine. Sitting back and relaxing while the mask does the work is perfect for when you want to catch up on some reality TV. These masks only need to be done about once a week. This Klairs soothing sheet mask retails for $3 at Urban Outfitters and you can purchase 4 of these for $10 so you’ll be set for a whole month.
Step 6: Essence
Next up is essence. Now I’m actually still not even sure what this stuff does but it moisturizes my face in ways that moisturizer does not. Its pretty much the same thing as a serum, but is lighter and less concentrated, thus adds an extra layer of moisture before you apply your serum.
This is what makes the Korean skin care regimen so special and unique because for every cleansing step, there is a moisturizing step that helps restore they moisture to your skin that is lost throughout the day and from double cleansing.
COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence can be found at Urban Outfitters for $21. And yes it does contain snail secretion so it is not vegan friendly ๐
Step 7: Serum
Serums are justย another way to moisture to your face. With active ingredients such as Vitamin B5 and Hyaluronic Acid, this serum, by Glossier for $28, is good for restoring elasticity. This step is another way to add moisture to your skin before putting on your actual moisturizer.
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Step 8: Eye Cream
We are almost to the end girl, I promise. Eye cream is a no-brainer in any skin care regimen. Eye cream is perfect for dark circles and bags. I have seen a huge improvement after I use this cream, especially if I went to bed late and don’t want to look like I’m on the Walking Dead the next morning. L’OREAL Eye Defense cream retails at CVS for $12.
Step 9: Moisturize
Moisturizing is so important, especially if you have dry skin. I use this spot correcting moisturizer by one of my favorite brands Shea Moisture. This also helps rid dark spots and it brightens the overall skin tone. A little bit of this stuff goes a long way. It is sheer enough for oily skin but heavy enough for dry skin.
You can find this product at $11.99 from the Shea Moisture Website.
Step 10: Sleeping Mask (night) or Sunscreen (day)
Sleeping Masks are something that is new to me. I’d never heard of them until I started researching about this skin care regimen and I actually really like it. When I woke up in the morning and looked in the mirror my skin was GLOWING. The two zits I did have reduced in size and my skin was so smooth. I used the Pearl sleeping mask from Sephora which retails for $4.
Sunscreen is necessary if you want to get rid of hyper pigmentation. This Bare Republic face sunscreen is perfect because it is very sheer and doesn’t leave your skin feeling like you just put on sunscreen. I bought mine from Urban Outfitters for $15.
After doing this skincare routine for a week, I will say that my skin has improved. By the end of the week I did get a little lazy and only completed the entire routine once a day because it is a lot. As crazy as it sounds I actually looked forward to washing my face, especially if I had a long day of riding the subway and could feel the dirt on my face.
Still, youย probably don’t need to go all out an get these all of these products and do a 10-step regimen every single day. It really is kind of overkill. Instead, I would just recommend adding a sheet mask every week for extra moisture, a toner and sunscreen to your daily routine and you will definitely see the change in your skin.
