Saying we’re infatuated by all things Korean beauty-related right now is probably an understatement. We’ve swooned over the killer street style and we’ve named our current beauty obsessions (weird ones included), but if there’s one thing we’re mesmerized by, it’s the complicated 10-step (or more!) skincare routine that essentially put Korean beauty on the map.
Though we may have only started to employ the much-talked-about skincare regimen recently, Koreans actually have been embracing this skin care culture at a very young age. “In Korea, smooth and translucent-looking skin is a measure of beauty and therefore takes priority in Korean women’s time, effort and budget allocation,” says AmorePacific’s Director of Marketing PR Nathalie Paiva. With the Korean beauty market slowly but surely becoming one of the major players in the industry, we’re not surprised.
But what exactly helped Korean skincare gain so much buzz and skyrocket it to the top in these past few years? Aside from introducing new beauty terms and ingredients into our vocab (double-cleanse, essence, snail cream, pig collagen – just to name a few), it’s the art of layering products that’s got everyone ooh-ing and ahh-ing. “This Korean beauty philosophy of ‘layering’ is an essential part of the beauty regimen,” explainsPaiva. “It allows one to enhance the results of skincare one is already using allowing for maximum benefits.”
However, the multi-step routine baffles many. Seen as superfluous (oh, how our wallets miss the days when our regimen consisted of only a handful of skincare products), it does beg the question, do we really need that extra step? “If we were in Korea conducting this interview that question wouldn’t even come up,” says Paiva. In other words, utilizing this concept of layering is just all part of Korean culture. And with SoKa celebrities and beauty bloggers taking pride in their always glowing, flawless skin, who are we to question?
To help us better understand this well-acclaimed beauty routine, we tapped Paiva to get the scoop on the importance and reasoning behind each step. We’ve rounded up the top cleansing oils, mists, masks and more in a range of prices, so if you do end up restocking your beauty cabinet with some new goodies, your wallet won’t be weeping so hard.
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korean skincare cleansing oil shu uemura
1. Cleansing oil
Why it is important: Koreans are big on the double-cleanse routine starting off with the cleansing oil. “Since our skin is pretty oil-based, we need oil to be fight oil and the cleansing enables that,” says Paiva. “It’s the only cleanser that can go into the pores and pull out the dirt (ie. makeup and SPF) within the skin.”
Yazbukey for Shu Uemura Ultime8 Sublime Cleansing Oil ($98, shuuemura.ca)
Why it is important: “With the help of a cleansing oil, the cleansing foam is then able to go in and remove any remaining surface debris on the skin that has accumulated throughout the day,” says Paiva.
Why it is important: “The exfoliator goes in to the cellular surface and takes out the dead cells when they come up to the surface,” informs Paiva. “It also cleans up the bad enzymes, while restoring the good ones.” Note: Use a couple times a week.
Why is it important: A toner restores the pH balance in your skin. “After washing off with water, you have all those minerals and bacteria usually found in tap water,” says Paiva. “A toner goes in and neutralizes it back to normal.”
Why it is important: “Pre-hydration is key because it enhances how effective the following products in the regimen will be,” says Paiva. “By prepping the skin via opening up the channels, products that are super potent in anti-aging benefits can go in faster and deeper.” It also results in you using fewer products.
Why it is important: “Essence in its function belongs in the pre-hydration step because of its light formula,” says Paiva. “But because it is also potent in anti-aging ingredients, it’s similar to a serum, hence why you would use it between pre-hydration and serum.” She continues, “Applying an essence not only enables you to have another layer without compromising the comfort of your skin, but also enhances products’ effectiveness.”
Missha Time Revolution First Treatment Essence ($45, sokoglam.com)
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korean skincare serum la prairie
7. Serum
Why it is important: This is where you target your worries that come with aging (loss of collagen, melanin production, dull skin – to name a few). “Serum is huge in the regimen because it has the most potent concentration of ingredients that are very high in anti-aging benefits.” When it comes to layering the different serums and treatments, order of viscosity is key. “Make sure the texture is going from light to heavy,” reminds Paiva.
La Prairie Anti-Aging Rapid Response Booster ($335, at Holt Renfrew)
Missha Time Revolution Night Repair Activator Ampoule ($42, sokoglam.com)
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korean skincare eye serum chantecaille
8. Eye serum
Why it’s important: After prepping your face, your eye needs some love. “Everything that happens within our skin (ie. lack of circulation flow, puffiness, etc.) becomes more apparent in the eye area,” says Paiva. Essentially, eye serums and eye essences help areas in need. Note: When it comes to the eye area, avoid layering too many products.
Etude House Moistfull Super Collagen Eye Concentrate ($22, sokoglam.com)
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korean skincare eye mask guerlain
9. Eye mask
Why it is important: “Importance of an eye mask is same as a face mask,” says Paiva. It’s filled with mighty ingredients that target the area around the eye.
Guerlain Super Aqua-Eye Anti-Puffiness Smoothing Eye Patch ($150, sephora.ca)
Too Cool For School Glam Rock Mask ($8/set of 2, sokoglam.com)
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korean skincare mask SKII
10. Face mask
Why it’s important: Koreans are devoted to using masks. Eye masks and face masks are essentially the same. “They are formulated differently because of the skin,” says Paiva. “Because a mask contains a lot more product, it enables stronger and larger dose of skincare to sit on your face and penetrate longer.”
Dr. Jart+ All That Lift & Firm Hydrogel Expansion Stretch Mask ($45, sephora.ca)
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korean skincare mask holika holika
Holika Holika Pig Collagen Jelly Gel Mask Sheet ($8, holikaholika.ca)
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korean skincare eye cream estee lauder
11. Eye cream
Why it is important: It keeps the area around your eyes moisturized. “With the skin under your eye is so thin, the molecules have to be smaller [than what we find in face products] so it does not “gunk up” under there,” says Paiva. Effectively, preventing fine lines, dark circles and puffiness.
Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye Synchronized Recovery Complex II ($65, theybay.com)
Why it is important: Depending on the time of day, a lighter-weight moisturizer is used for your morning routine while a sleeping mask is used for your night. “High in emollient, which is the moisture that makes your skin feels not tight or dry, is for the comfort of your skin,” she says. “It also helps the ingredients work a little bit longer.”
Why it’s important: This is the final skincare step in your morning beauty regimen before you apply your make-up. Unlike a traditional foundation or BB cream, it provides a thin coverage that is high with skincare benefits. “It’s the perfect marriage of the skincare and makeup,”says Paiva. Did we mention it already contains SPF? #win
AmorePacific Color Control Cushion Compact Broad Spectrum SPF50 ($72, sephora.ca)
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korean skincare cushion compact etude house
Etude House Precious Mineral Moist Any Cushion SPF 50 ($57, amazon.ca)
