The Shortest Way to Flawless Skin With Korean Skincare Routine

Proper skin care is all about self-respect. When you know how to treat your skin right, life just gets so much better.

That’s because your confidence grows and you take control of yourself. And hence, you have time and energy for the things you love.

For centuries, the nations around the world have been building the perception that a beautiful skin shows much about your personality and position in society.

Nowadays, even though the concept has slightly changed, people who know how to achieve and maintain flawless complexion receive the attention and approval of everybody around very quickly.

The boom of vlogging and blogging stars, who began like ordinary people, sharing their experience with others, is just another proof that those who can utilize the art of utmost skin care, can go very far for a successful career and acceptance. (more related info)

Further, in this article, our experts are revealing their best little-known beauty tricks, and explain how to master the Korean skincare routine to improve your daily regimen.

From top dermatologists to celebrities and dedicated beauty lovers, there’s one thing that creates a silent union between anyone, looking to catch up on the most successful and trendy looks.

And so everybody is turning their eyes towards the dollish, almost unreal faces of the Koreans.

Jessica Jung and Kendall Jenner are just 2 of the famous names who have gone outraging on the best Korean ways to show off a gorgeous skin.

But how do Koreans achieve that impeccable complexion and is that skin glow natural? Can we bargain some of their makeup and skincare hacks? 

Apart from some favorable skin-health factors, such as meteorological conditions and a diet, rich in seafood and low in processed sugar, Koreans do admit that looking after the skin takes practice, will, and persistence. (more related info)

And so the Korean beauty morning routine is just the beginning.

Regardless of the gender, many Koreans admit that they regularly drop by at one of their favorite beauty SPAs during lunch break.

Nonetheless, skin culture is something that the whole family talks about, and so most of the Koreans do start their skin regimens at a very early age.

However, the most significant factor in answering the question why do Koreans have beautiful skin is that they merely follow their daily and nightly steps with dedication and diligence. 

Indeed, it all sums up to a faithful routine.

No matter if you’re looking for ways to cope with existing skin issues, or you are lucky to possess a bright and beautiful skin -- it remains a must to find and utilize the most suitable regimen for you.

Maybe you are asking yourself: “Can I do the Korean skin care routine in the morning?”-- you’re in the right place to find out what you need here.

The Korean morning face routine differs from their night time facial routine, and we’re digging deep into the topic.

And speaking of routines, you can’t follow the same skincare programme forever. So yes, skincare routines are necessary for a healthy and blemish-free skin, but you have to keep being flexible.

That means you must self-observe your face, and pay attention to the external factors.

These include:

And so considering the many factors that come from the outside environment, are suddenly changing, and often unpredictable -- the least you can do for your skin is to keep a consistent skincare routine. 

Building the most suitable routine for you is not a single-step process. There might be many trials and errors down the road, but this shouldn’t discourage you.

What is a Korean morning routine and what is the Korean night beauty routine? These are questions which many people ask.

If you only get to notice how much our cultures differ from each other, you will know why a Korean regimen for the face has nothing to do with everything we have experienced so far.

The complete 10 step Korean skincare routine can seem like a mouthful, primarily if you are used to a much more straightforward version.

So don’t expect to get maximum results from an incomplete beauty care style.

However, knowing how to follow the right pace and order of applying your cosmetics is what you need to begin the journey towards a flawless complexion.

There is a suitable Korean morning skincare routine for acne and pores, and it’s logical that we can develop it fully adopting the best night skin care routine.

If you are a newbie to the Koreans regimen, you might be feeling very perplexed in the beginning.

Cheers up, we’re living in the era of open Internet connection with the world, so starting the correct practices depends only on your determination.

To be of your assistance, we have listed the exact steps below, and all you have to do is be patient and follow them precisely.

The desired outcomes are sure to boost your good mood, but you need to take it slow. Remember that if you want to reap all the benefits, then you have to go for long-term solutions.

There’s really nothing special about quick and non-lasting programmes.

Your first giant leap towards the most suitable skin care procedures for you is to understand day and night routines.

For example, how to create a Korean morning skin care routine for acne and pores, and then complete your regimen at night?

These 2 are much different from each other, as our skin needs different care from when the moment we wake up until we go to bed again.

Koreans acknowledge the body’s infinite relationship with Nature and learn how to support the skin accordingly.

Nevertheless, Koreans have a deep connection with their roots, and this makes them capable of transferring family secrets and rituals from the past to the future. (more related info)

Just think of it that way: Are you the same person throughout the whole day? 

We get up after a deep state of relaxation. Afterward, we get hit by everyday life with its responsibilities and activities, maybe head for a night out, and end up with retreating to the realm of dreams.

In all these states, our skin gets the impact from different sources. You sure won’t need a sunscreen when going to bed but merely slapping on your daily moisturizer is not much of a benefit, either.

Cosmetic lines are created with various ingredients, each serving their unique purposes.

Another great example to apprehend day and night routines comes from one of the top world experts, the Dior makeup and image director, Peter Philips.

I would never forget the statement he made on a random show I was watching on a lazy Sunday afternoon:

“Do you put a foundation before falling asleep? Of course, you don’t-- because it is made to be used during the day!

But the same logic is applied to your night skin care routines -- you have to learn to utilize the most suitable products if you want to see better results.”

As a beauty expert, I often get across some utterly surprising questions from people around, such as:

“Is it possible to just do the Korean skincare method only in the morning (no mask)?” 

My answer to this question is to apply face masks at night. 

I have to admit that, personally, I’ve encountered some difficulties in getting used to my morning routine.

That’s because being a mommy, wife, house-keeper and master chef all in one, plus a full-time job brings about some challenges.

At first, I didn’t feel very determined to follow my regimen strictly, as it seemed like a waste of time to me.

Thankfully, after somehow succeeding in pursuing my goal for long enough to see the results, I would never go back to the old “skip-this-step” habits.

In fact, a good morning routine can help you much to become a well-organized and happy person. 

Below, I share my full Korean skin care morning routine, step by step.

Step 1: The Good morning cleanse

Rise and shine -- it’s all about a fresh wake up cleanse. I always start with my favorite Korean oil-based cleanser, which helps to remove oils, secreted during the sleeping face.

Next, I alternate my favorite facial cleansers, depending on my mood and the state of my skin.

Pro tip: Washing 2 times in a row is the secret key to healthy skin! Rituals are what make the Korean beauty morning routine so efficient. 

You can click here for a complete list of the most effective Korean face washes that we are using every day to achieve clear and glowing skin.

Step 2: Balance the pH levels using a toner

Just grab your favorite toner and apply it generously to the face and neck. You can dab it on a clean cotton pad, or try the Korean method of layering it directly with your hands.

Meanwhile, you should tap simultaneously, so that the product gets to sink better, than leaving it on its own.

This intricate beauty tool serves to protect the skin and stabilize the pH levels, disrupted by water and cleansing compounds.

If you're looking for the best Korean toners to use, you can read our detailed reviews by following the link here.

Step 3: Proper moisturization makes all the difference

And by proper moisturization, I mean applying my favorite Korean essence, serum, and moisturizer. I am not a fan of heavy makeup looks on a daily basis, so I can afford to use all of these babies on my face.

However, if you’re only a beginner, stick to the moisturization with a suitable product until you develop your habits to implement the complete steps. Just don’t forget to let enough time pass between the cosmetics you put.

This way you will allow them to reveal their beneficial action undisturbed by other compounds.

Finding the right moisturizers can be a bit difficult, that's why we've made the complete roundup of the most effective on the market. Just check it out now!

Step 4: Sunscreen is my skin’s protection shield

Regardless of the season, your sunscreen will make all the difference when it comes to protecting the skin from environmental stressors.

Most products nowadays have very user-friendly formulations, and they don’t interrupt the rest of your makeup.

Using sunscreen every day will get you a clean and even skin tone and save you much time, efforts, and money, to solve skin issues, caused by a gradual or abrupt UVA/UVB damage.

If you're looking for a good Korean sunscreen to use, read our reviews here.

And so getting motivated to follow the correct regimen for you is just the first step.

What usually comes next, is bumping your head into the wall with all those products available out there, slapping us from various directions, promising the gift of flawless skin.

As mentioned above, our team of experts does its job in finding, testing, evaluating, and outlining the best solutions.

We don’t believe in advertisements until we see it for ourselves.

That’s why we are always proud and eager to share our discoveries among the most well-working and effective cosmetics on the market.

Below is our carefully-curated list, containing the basics of everything you will need to begin or diversify a good morning routine.

Nighttime is the best period to pay some more attention to your skin (source). 

To make the most of your Korean night skin care routine, you can try different techniques, and experiment with various products.

Meanwhile, this is just the best time to treat the face right and erase the traces of tiredness, as well as to reduce the adverse effects of free radicals and pollutants.

Step 1: We always start with the double cleansing 

The good old “water and soap” method is, fortunately, a thing of the past. Even though it has its benefits, I recommend using it no more than twice a week.

For the rest of the days, don’t forget to expand the cleansing step when it comes to the night regimen.

Start with an oil-based cleanser, but instead of going through the face once, do it twice. 

The same goes for the foam face wash. And then you’ll know you have removed anything that keeps blocking your skin!

That’s what a good Korean night time face routine is all about.

Step 2: Exfoliating will make your skin glow

There’s no equivalent to exfoliation in the whole world of cosmetics. There is no other way to remove the dead skin cells from the surface of the skin so thoroughly, as with a good scrubbing.

Koreans exfoliate almost every single day.

​And while this sounds like a fantasy for most of us, Westerners, Koreans do score very high points for their constant exfoliation practices. And the result is easy to spot on their faces!

The difference is that they utilize various exfoliators so not to overdo the process and hurt the skin. They choose a leading scrub, which will be a 2-3 days routine.

Then they will have a more natural and gentle one, including only mild exfoliating beads, which only serve to improve the blood flow and remove tiny flakes without interrupting the physical protective barrier of the skin.

These products will be 2-3 days weekly.

And for the rest of the time, Koreans add up an oil-based exfoliator, which diminishes the friction between the particles and the skin but simultaneously helps to reveal a soft and smooth new layer.

In fact, this is genius when you shave, don’t miss to try it out.

Jay Lo might be hiding from us the same approach for the Venus razor shavers ad to show off such golden, silky-like skin.

(Come on, we all know the irritation and how things really look like straight after we shave!)

Pro tip: For those of you with dry or acne-prone skin, make sure not to press too hard while scrubbing.

That’s so you don’t irritate the bumps or over-flake the dry patches. Just don’t rub aggressively.

​Bonus tip: It's best to exfoliate at the end of your daily shower when the skin is softer from the warm water, and it’s effortless to remove the dead cells.

Also, applying a face mask straight after exfoliation is how you will make the most of the nourishing compounds, without wasting any of them.

Thus, all the precious elements will enter effortlessly through the new layer of skin.

I know this new level of skincare routine can be very perplexing in the beginning, so here’s the complete guide that shows our top 3 choices for the best weekly exfoliating routine. 

(P.S. You can also click here for our detailed reviews of the most effective Korean exfoliators on the market)

​Top Expert Tip: Don’t fall into the old marketing trick for “all in one” when it comes to these face scrubs.

Calling them a face mask is just a way to emphasize that these have extended benefits than an ordinary exfoliator. 

It wouldn’t be that compelling if they told us these are merely more gentle and rich scrubs.

Step 3: Now let your imagination run wild

You’re not late for work, you’re not late for a meeting, you’re home, and you can do whatever you like (well, duties are everywhere but still, we have much more precious minutes to dedicate to ourselves and our night face routine!).

Go for a magical DIY mask, or take advantage of a store-bought one. Koreans are pioneers in developing unique face masks, and it’s a pleasure to try out their ways.

In a Korean night time skin care routine, face masks are not for limited use only. Here’s how my face mask regimen for the previous week looks like:

It all sums up to a good 15-30 minutes, so the mission is entirely possible even for the busiest bees.

My night time routine has become my secret weapon.

And here’s a free cheat sheet to help you sort out some of the best masks to come up with fantastic ideas on how to improve your regimen easily.

I’ve listed these in the same order I like to use them during a weekly routine.

​Pro tip: When you are new to using masks on a regular basis, it is best to let your skin adopt, giving it a good 2 days rest during the first month of starting your Korean routine.

That’s why I gave you only our top 5 options here.

Step 4: You can never get too much of a good eye cream

There’s little I can say that would be enough to emphasize on such a significant tool as eye creams.

And I won’t stop repeating people every time I have this chance, that whether you choose to use or not to use an eye cream, will show on your face sooner or later.

The tender skin in the eye zone is more prone to damage, premature aging, as well as dark circles and puffiness.

The fact that you’re not experiencing any of these signs now doesn’t mean you won’t get to fight with these later.

The only possible insurance is an eye cream, and Koreans do know this very well.

We've made a detailed guide on how to find the best Korean eye cream for dark circles, fine lines and wrinkles, make sure you check it out now!

Step 5: The Ideal Time for your ampoule and serum

Much like during the day, it’s just that I started using serums and ampoules for both day and night until my skin became healthy enough.

Now I only maintain it, and prefer to apply these concentrated treatments as part of my night facial routine, so to have enough time to let them dry thoroughly on their own.

Meanwhile, it’s great not to leave the precious elements of serums and ampoules to interact with light, as they are very susceptible and this decreases their efficacy.

We've also made a full list of the most effective Korean serums, I'm sure you want to check it out here.

Step 6: Now seal all the healthy compounds with a suitable moisturizer

None of the above steps will work if we don’t moisturize the skin well with a rich anti-aging cream.

The formulations of night creams are specially created to provide more profound benefits as they seep in all the way down through the dermal layers.

Pro tip: Don’t forget to wait at least 15 minutes after putting on cream and going to bed. You don’t want to waste it on your pillowcase.

And now we come to our team’s favorite part-- assembling the perfect kit for every night face care.

After lengthy debates, numerous fails, but also many discoveries, we can’t wait to share with you our all-ready-to-go packs.

We included only the most well-performing products, which work simultaneously together in the best way.

The Bottom Line

Gone are the days when a beautiful skin was a patented trademark, limited to our favorite celebrity names, top dermatologists, and makeup gurus from the high fashion scenes.

Today, it’s all about having the most concise information. Nevertheless, knowing how to use it remains a personal decision.

The good news?

​It’s precisely taking that decision and turning it into action, which separates amateurs from experts, dreamers from achievers.

We hope that we have assisted you out in determining your Korean skincare morning routine, and what makes it different than a Korean night skincare routine.

Our team of beauty addicts is dedicated to spreading the light of beauty. And what’s more, we want to make it accessible to as many people as possible and help you out in a meaningful way.

So far, we summarized some of our favorite tricks and practical guidance on finding and utilizing a suitable skin care regimen for just about any skin type.

But we know enough is never enough, especially when it comes to a valuable outlook on the best techniques to support your beauty.

As we are all unique, each skin type can further benefit from an extended and in-depth routine.

Are you as eager as we are to keep digging into the best solution for each skin type?

Follow us to the next level of expert advice and profound insights that no one wants you to know. Check out our Korean beauty regimen for all skin types here.