Korean Beauty: My New Obsession

Annyeong, chingudeul! (Sorry, I kind of had to given the content of this post…)

I'm pretty sure you all have heard about or witnessed the hype for Korean beauty products by now... it's all magazines online and in print, youtubers and bloggers talk about. The main reason why it's so popular it's because the goal is to emphasise your natural beauty by reaching the point where your skin is and looks the most healthiest; talk about skin goals, am I right? Incorporating items such as humidifiers, heavy-duty moisturisers and a spa-like regimen are sort-of required to achieve the dewy yet glowy look most Korean women dream of.

The regimen is perhaps hard to achieve for some, since the whole routine is composed of 10 steps (yep, you heard right—10!) that help achieve a healthy complexion in a super personalised way. Don't fret, though! Most steps are not required daily and, although the products may seem expensive and somewhat unessential, there is a wide range of products that will sure fit into your needs and budget!

What does it take, you may ask? Here's the 10 step Korean skincare routine and the reasoning behind each step:

1. Oil-based cleanser: It makes sense if you think about it. In chemistry class, we learn that like dissolves like meaning that, in this case, the oil-based cleanser will dissolve all of the oils that have built up on your skin throughout the day, along with any makeup you might have been wearing.
2. Water-based cleanser: Also called "double-cleansing"; similar to the step before, it is based on the same principle of dissolving like products. This time, the cleanse is more thorough as the water particles fight against any oil remains in the skin, leaving you with a squeaky-clean canvas.
3. Exfoliator: This step is preferably done twice or three times a week because it can be too harsh and tough on the skin. However, this step should not be skipped since it works towards getting rid of dead skin cells on your complexion, making the skin more even and promote new skin cells regrowing.
4. Toner: A toner with the capacity to balance the pH levels on your skin should become your new best friend! Remember that the more neutral your skin is, the less chance there is for your skin to be irritated or acne-prone!
5. Essence: Perhaps essence is the most confusing product, along with being the toughest to incorporate to your routine (the holy-grail essence in Korea is only around $90; talk about cray-cray). However, essence is a unique addition to the routine as this is the product that helps achieve the fresh and young looking skin by working as a combination of both toner and serum.
6. Serum: Serums are very personal, just like the whole routine, to be honest. However, serums have the capacity to umph the power of any effect to help the concern you believe to be the one you want to work hardest to tackle.
7. Sheet mask: This is my favourite part since it's the funnest and most relaxing one! Along with the exfoliator, they don't have to be done each and every day (although they are recommended to be). Usually, masks are soaked up with essence and it's the easiest way to help your skin recover from stress, dehydration or harsh conditions.
8. Eye cream: We often hear that the skin around our eyes is the most delicate part and that's why it requires its own little time in the routine. It doesn't matter how young or old you are, caring for your eyes is so important as it not only helps de-puff them and make you look more awake, keeping them hydrated and healthy helps you look younger for longer!
9. Moisturiser: Moisturising your skin is the key to achieving the dewy, glory skin that is so characteristic of K-pop stars. It's always good to listen to your skin and moisturise according to the type of skin you have; that's the case for all the products, though.
10. SPF: It's no secret nor new thing that wearing making a little extra effort to protect your skin with SPF is an essential part that should be incorporated somehow into your routine. SPF is more essential during the day so, if you're practicing the routine during the night, I believe it's more important to pay more attention to lip care, in my opinion.

I have been testing this routine for a couple of months now but I have yet to have the complete 10 steps nailed down. It's tough to find CF products that will fit in the routine so, in order to keep everything fair, more research has to be done in my part. Keep your eyes open in the future for my product recommendations for each step, along with my "American" option to the Korean product!

What do you think of the routine?