The infamous 10 step Korean skincare routine has taken the beauty industry by storm with its meticulous process. The routine is a phenomenon which many beauty guru’s now follow to achieve flawless ‘glass-like’ skin. A 10 step skincare routine may seem cumbersome, but it merely serves as a rough guideline – you need only choose to incorporate the steps you feel are beneficial to you. However, what’s important is the order in which you layer your products. To maximise absorption, the general rule is that after cleansing, you want to layer your products from the lightest formula to the thickest.
Some steps, such as spot treatments, only need to be followed when needed. Others, namely exfoliating, should not be done more than 2-3 times a week.
Realistically speaking, not all of us have the time to follow a 10 step skincare regime everyday, twice a day! Thus 3, 5 or even 7 steps can suffice for an everyday routine. As you get into the knack of skincare, specifically the Korean way, you will be able to customise and adapt your routine into one that fits your lifestyle and your skin’s needs.
South Korea’s secret to squeaky clean pores is the double-cleanse system.
First, we want to ensure we’ve removed all oil-based impurities on our skin, which include sebum, makeup and waterproof sunscreen. Keep in mind that like dissolves like, so we want to make sure we’re using an oil cleanser or an oil-based cleansing balm for this first step.
Whether your skin-type is oily or dry, don’t be afraid of oil cleansers, you’re going to be rinsing it off in the next step. Oil cleansers are safe and beneficial for every skin type, as they’re made with oils that do not clog your pores, nor do they strip the skin of its natural moisture. For some extra self-care, and to encourage lymphatic drainage, use your oil cleanser for a facial massage before rinsing it off your skin. Browse through our selection of oil and balm cleansers, and find one that best fits your routine!
2. WATER-BASED CLEANSER:
The second step to our double-cleansing ritual is a water-based cleanser. This step is equally as important as the first, as it removes water-based impurities such as sweat and environmental pollutants. South Korean water based cleansers are incredibly gentle as they’re formulated at a pH that’s close to your skin barrier’s natural pH level, thus keeping it in tact. Generic mainstream cleansers on the other hand, often tend to interfere with your skin’s pH levels, which can leave your skin feeling ‘tight’ and somewhat dry.
Hero ingredients found in most of our water-based cleansers include snail mucin, egg protein and hyaluronic acid. These aid in treating various skin concerns such as hyperpigmentation, texture and wrinkles. For normal to combination skin types, we recommend using a foam cleanser. However for acne-prone skin, a gel cleanser will be gentle enough whilst offering a deeper cleanse.
3. EXFOLIATE:
As we age, our skin becomes slower in its process of removing dead skin cells from its surface. These dead cells eventually clog up, leading to issues such as acne or breakouts, dry skin and wrinkles. This is why exfoliation is such a crucial step in the k-beauty regime. There are two main types of exfoliators: physical exfoliants and chemical exfoliants.
Physical exfoliants usually come in the form of a textured product such as a scrub. We don’t want to use an overly-abrasive physical exfoliator on our delicate facial skin as this can damage the skin’s barrier. Thankfully, k-beauty exfoliants are formulated to be gentle on the skin for this very reason.
Chemical exfoliants make use of acids such as Alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs), Beta-hydroxy acids (BHAs) & Polyhydroxyacids (PHAs). Chemical exfoliators are generally smooth-textured and work to break down the dead layers of the skin using micro-particles.
4. TONER:
While most toners serve to further clean out your pores and shrink them, the main purpose of a toner is to balance your skin’s pH levels. The fun thing about toners is that there are so many different types – there is a toner out there for each and every skin type and concern. Whether it be pigmentation, active breakouts or even anti-aging, we’ve got you covered with our wide array of toners. You can even layer up to 7 toners! Patting each one into the skin before moving onto the next step helps with hydration and plumping the skin, just be careful not to mix or layer conflicting ingredients.
5. ESSENCE:
Somewhere between a toner and serum, essences have a water-like consistency with high concentrates of various key ingredients. Essences are particularly beneficial because they offer the skin intense amounts of nourishment, hydration, antioxidants and minerals. Essences can be used both in the morning and at night.
The skin absorbs essences incredibly well if used at this stage in our routine, due to its light, thin consistency. Thus an essence is the perfect base for your makeup as it will leave your skin looking glowy and less textured. If you have certain concerns such as pigmentation, acne scarring and anti-aging, we would highly recommend that you add an essence into your routine. The high concentrates and potency of various ingredients in essences work well to fight these concerns. Have a look through our range of essences for one that best suits you!
6. TREATMENTS:
This portion of our routine includes ampoules, serums and spot treatments. These are products that include high concentrates of particular ingredients that are targeted to fix and correct certain skin concerns such as breakouts, pigmentation and scarring.
Just like an essence, these treatments are remarkably effective in targeting various skin concerns as they include high concentrates of specific hero ingredients. For example, an ingredient like snail mucin is ideal for smoothing out any rough textures on your skin, and getting rid of scars and hyperpigmentation. Another effective and popular treatment are pimple patches, or spot patches; these are a must-have if you’re prone to breakouts or have trouble getting rid of stubborn pimples on your skin!
7. SHEET MASK:
After toning, sheet masking is probably my second favourite step as it is a wonderful way to relax and unwind after a stressful day. It adds a luxurious feel to your skincare routine. These single use masks are soaked in essence which provides the skin with extra hydration. Sheet masks can also offer brightening and anti-aging properties. When applying a sheet mask, we recommend to keep it on for no longer than 15-20 minutes as this allows for maximum absorption into your skin, but leaving it on for longer than recommended on the packaging may result in your sheet mask absorbing back some of the product from your skin! For optimum results, it would be ideal to make sheet masking a daily practice. However, don’t underestimate the benefits of a weekly sheet mask! Check out our wide range of sheet masks available for each of your skin concerns.
8. EYE CARE:
The eighth step in this routine is eye care, which to some may seem pointless, but in our experience with K-beauty eye care products, this step is actually incredibly effective in improving and tackling factors such as eye bags, fine lines and dark circles. K-beauty eye creams, eye masks, eye essences and eye patches are a life-changing element in skincare routines.
The skin’s under-eye area is significantly more delicate and thin then the rest of the face, thus eye creams are formulated with a smaller molecular structure which allows for maximum absorption. We recommend to gently pat a pea-sized amount under the eye area until evenly distributed and absorbed. Products such as eye patches work well to reduce dark circles and puffiness when used daily. Shop our range of eye care products to spruce up your skincare!
9. MOISTURISER:
A good moisturiser will lock in your products and treatments. Using a moisturiser prevents the skin from losing its moisture and hydration throughout the day, and in doing so, the skin will produce less sebum (excess oil). When our skin lacks moisture, it naturally produces sebum to counteract the dryness, but this is what often leaves our pores clogged, causing breakouts and leading many to believe that they have oily skin, when in fact their skin is in need of more moisture.
Our moisturisers come in many different forms, from thick rich creams, to gels which are great and calming for sensitive or acne-prone skin.
10. SUNSCREEN (DAY):
Should you have to pick only one single step out of this entire routine to implement, it MUST be this one. NEVER forget, and I repeat, NEVER forget to apply your sunscreen!
Okay, now that we’ve established its importance, let’s talk about why it’s so important. Sunscreen protects our skin from harmful factors such as UVAs & UVBs from the sun. These factors contribute greatly to the skin’s aging process and are a major cause of premature wrinkles, as well as hyperpigmentation. If you have acne scars and dark circles, neglecting to use a sunscreen daily may actually darken them.
Before my introduction to K-beauty, I thought sunscreen to be an incredibly annoying burden and often neglected it due to its tendency to clog my skin and leave me with the infamous, ashy-looking white cast.
However, those days are LONG GONE as Korean skincare specialists have perfected sun protection and these sunscreens can easily be worn alone on the skin or even before applying makeup without leaving any white residue or stickiness. They also work to shield the skin from harmful pollutants and do not leave pores clogged or greasy.
10. SLEEPING MASK (Night):
As sunscreen is applied during the day, a sleeping mask marks the very last step in your evening routine. These ultra-nourishing and rich moisturisers seal the deal, locking each skincare step into the skin before dozing off to sleep. Sleeping masks ensure that the skin remains hydrated and ingredients work overnight while you catch up on your beauty sleep. They also target other skin concerns such as anti-aging and brightening.
Sleeping masks are perfect for colder, dryer months when our skin tends to lose substantial amounts of moisture during the nights. They’re especially beneficial for those who struggle with flakiness and dry patches.
Shop our wide array of products here on our website, on Take A Lot and in store at We Are Egg Cavendish! Our products cater to whatever skin concern you may have but if you can’t find what you’re looking for feel free to contact us at info@luxeloft.co.za if you would like any guidance in curating and customising your skincare routine!
Happy shopping and remember to invest in your skin as it’s going to represent you for a very VERY long time! 🧖♀️💁♀️