Breaking Down the 10-Step Korean Skincare Routine

True skin-care enthusiasts will tell you that the secret to achieving smooth, even-toned, dewy skin lies in a 10-step Korean skin-care routine. A leader in beauty innovation, Korea continuously pushes the standard with new ingredients, formulas, and techniques. The K-beauty influence on the U.S. is not new, but recently, more consumers are turning to Korea for best-in-class tips and tricks. According to licensed esthetician Natalia Barzotti, a 10-step Korean skin-care routine emphasizes hydration and mild exfoliation, resulting in the coveted glass skin.

Our Top PicksBest Moisturizer: Dr. Jart+ Cicapair Cooling Gel Moisturizer for Redness, $52Best Mask: Laneige Water Sleeping Mask, $32Best Treatment: SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Asiatica Ampoule, $20Best Toner: Innisfree Green Tea Enzyme PHA Toner, $24Best Essence: Mixsoon Bean Essence, $35Best Cleansing Oil: Sulwhasoo Gentle Cleansing Oil, $40Best Exfoliator: Peach & Lily Glass Skin Face Polisher, $48The 10-Step Korean Skin Care EssentialsThe steps themselves are pretty easy; there’s no need for using LED face masks every night to achieve results. They’re straightforward in the best way and can be easily incorporated into an existing routine if you trade a bit of your doom-scrolling time for some skin-appreciating time.

Remember that a 10-step skin-care routine requires something money can’t buy—patience and consistency. After all, these products will only collect dust in your medicine cabinet if you don’t stick to using them daily. While ten steps may sound overwhelming, especially if you prefer to keep things minimal, you don’t have to do all ten steps every night. Feel free to experiment and find what works best for you and your skin type.

In This StoryWhat is the 10-step Korean skincare routine?Why is Korean skincare so good?Meet The ExpertsStep 1: Oil-Based or Balm CleanserAccording to celebrity esthetician and founder of Peach & Lily, Alicia Yoon, the first step in any 10-step Korean skincare routine is an oil cleanser. Oil-based impurities like excess sebum, makeup, and SPF are best removed with oil because like attracts like, a principle familiar to those who can remember their high school science class.

Peach & Lily

Ginger Melt Oil Cleanser

This cleanser effortlessly removes stubborn makeup and SPF and rinses off easily without any residue or greasiness.

Sulwhasoo Gentle Cleansing Oil

If you decided to experiment with a waterproof cat eye or went for a full-coverage foundation look, you’re going to need something that removes everything easily and thoroughly. This means no rubbing, tugging at the skin, or worrying about emerging with raccoon eyes. This product melts everything off and leaves your skin fresh and hydrated in the process.

Step 2: Water-Based CleanserThe second step is, you guessed it, another cleanser! Double-cleansing is essential in K-beauty routines, though its since been adopted in skin care routines all over, including Victoria Beckham’s. By following up with a water-based cleanser, you can properly remove water-based impurities like dirt, sweat, and grime. Yoon suggests opting for a low pH, sulfate-free, calming cleanser to give skin a gentle kickstart or choosing a treatment cleanser suited to your skin concern. However, if you have acne, she suggests using an acne-specific cleanser to deep cleanse down to the pores. Esthetician Mandy Epley recommends this step for the evening only, not as part of your morning routine.

CosRx

Low PH Good Morning Gel Cleanser

This gel cleanser is safe for all skin types to use, helping maintain the barrier rather than stripping it. Its pH-balanced and contains tea tree oil and BHA to soothe the skin and banish breakouts.

Primera

Perfect Oil to Foam Cleanser

Epley loves using this oil-to-foam cleanser as it effectively cleanses the skin. Simply rub it on dry skin, then wet your hands to start the foaming process, leaving a squeaky clean finish.

Step 3: ExfoliatorDepending on your skin type and exfoliator, this might be a daily or weekly step—make sure to read the instructions on the label. Yoon explains that on the days you’re exfoliating, you should do so after cleansing.

Mediheal

Photo-Enzyme Peeling Pad

You may be committed to a ten-step routine, but doesn’t mean you can’t simplify the process. These exfoliating pads are easy to use and help remove dead skin cells, reduce sebum, blackheads, whiteheads, and breakouts, and minimize pores.

Peach & Lily

Glass Skin Face Polisher

This exfoliator can be used daily to gently buff the skin with a pre-rounded powder containing rice bran and enzymes.

Step 4: TonerNext come the toners. While toners may have a negative connotation in your mind, nowadays there are many that aren’t harsh, stripping, or astringent, especially if you choose a K-beauty option. “Korean toners are incredibly hydrating, and their main job is to focus on balancing the skin, including the skin’s pH level,” says Yoon.

Innisfree

Green Tea Enzyme PHA Toner

A favorite of Epley, this toner comes at a great price point and is suitable for all skin types. Sensitive skin types, in particular, will love it as it’s non-irritating.

Be The Skin

Botanical Nutrition Power Toner

Yoon recommends this toner because it drenches the skin with hydration through a cocktail of herbal ingredients (cucumber and thyme extract, and witch hazel) that nourish and soothe.

Step 5: EssenceToners and essences may offer similar benefits, but they’re not exactly interchangeable. Yoon explains that the main difference lies in their primary functions: a toner helps balance the skin, while an essence floods it with hydration. If your toner is deeply hydrating, it can double as an essence. Depending on the essence, they may also contain more concentrated ingredients and benefits compared to toners. “Think of essences as hydrating elixirs that can also deliver lightweight treatment benefits,” says Yoon.

Mixsoon

Bean Essence

Formulated with anti-oxidant-rich ingredients, this bean essence is one of our favorites. It leaves the skin incredibly supple, soft, and luminous over time.

Beauty of Joseon

Ginseng Essence Water

This product is composed of moisturizing ginseng water, niacinamide to strengthen the skin barrier, and a small dose of BHA to mildly exfoliate the skin.

Step 6: Prescription Topicals“If you are using any prescription topicals, you would typically apply them directly onto dry skin once everything is patted in, either right after cleansing or right after your toner and essence,” explains Yoon. Every prescription has its nuances, so check in with your doctor on where exactly this would fit into your routine.

Step 7: TreatmentsThe next step is your treatments: serums and ampoules. “Depending on the formula, the order might differ, but the general rule of thumb is light to heavy in texture to optimize absorbency,” says Yoon. You’ll want to choose a serum that either hydrates, brightens, firms, and/or calms to achieve luminous, smooth, clear skin. Ensure it can be easily paired with other treatments without concern.

Eco Your Skin

Meso Ampoule

Per Yoon, this serum is loved by A-listers in Korea for the hydrolyzed sponge in the formula, which has a microneedle-like effect on the skin to help visibly fade stubborn scars.