Here’s a look into the K-beauty way of caring for your skin.
Since you’ve ended up here, you’ve probably noticed that Korean men generally have really nice skin. Maybe you, too, want to join the ranks of skincare enthusiasts like them and step up your current routine. That’s a good thing!
Korean skincare has become a phenomenon in recent years. Maybe you’ve seen some of the hallmarks of these routines: the strange ingredients (volcanic scoria? snail slime?), the sheet and rubber masks with unique packaging, ampoules and essences, and the promises of glowing, healthy skin.
Men’s grooming has come a long way in the western world, but low-maintenance routines with as few steps as possible are still most commonly recommended for men.
You’re not going to find this in Korean skincare. Instead of trying to make skincare as simple as possible, making it as meaningful and intentional as possible might be a better approach for those struggling to commit to their skin’s health every day. Korean skincare delivers just that.
The Korean Skincare Philosophy
Though they’re immensely popular right now, K-beauty and Korean skincare are far from being fleeting trends. (K-Beauty is an umbrella term for skincare products derived from South Korea.) K-Beauty became popular in the West around 2011, so it’s had a decade to establish that it’s here to stay.
Korean skincare teaches a holistic approach to treating the skin’s concerns over time. You’re not going to find products promising to fix your skin overnight. Instead, you’ll find products like oil cleansers, essences, and masks that focus on hydration, health, and brightening for the long term.
Korean skincare routines tend to practice a lot of steps, making them seem like high-maintenance routines for the sake of being extra.
This is far from the truth, though — Korean skincare focuses on a layering technique that allows for all of the steps to mesh together in a way that maximizes skin hydration and ingredient absorption. There’s a science to it!
In South Korea, skincare is so important that it’s often taught alongside daily tasks like brushing your hair and brushing your teeth.
Brief History of Korean Skincare
Skincare and inner beauty have always been important to Korean men and women. Korean makeup history began in the period from 57-668 BCE during the three ruling dynasties of Goguryeo, Baekje, and Shilla.
During this time, makeup practices and skincare were popular to both men and women regardless of economic status. They didn’t necessarily want to look beautiful; they wanted to look healthy. This sentiment is still at the center of korean skincare today.
The products back then were made in small batches to prevent ingredients from going bad and to make small formulations for specific skin types. Even today, Korean skincare still favors gentle ingredients and using products tailored to your skin concerns.
Under Japanese colonial rule, Japanese brands took over the beauty market. But after liberation from Japanese rule, Korean products found momentum — only for the Korean War to slow down production of Korean beauty products once again.
Finally, in 1961 Korea banned foreign beauty products, and that’s when Korean skincare really took off industrially.
Understanding Korean Skincare for Men
The 10-step skincare routine is the most common Korean skincare regimen. You’ll find simpler variations like a 5-step version and even more complex ones that go up to 15 steps! The 10-step seems daunting, but its bark is bigger than its bite. Really, a lot of the steps can be quickly applied in a matter of seconds.
Also, depending on your skin type, you’re not going to use all 10 steps every single day. The 10-step list mostly serves as a way to explain all the products and how they should be incorporated in your routine weekly.
Korean Skincare Routine Products
The first two steps in a Korean skincare routine are referred to as the double cleanse.
Oil-based cleansers
Korean skincare routines tend to favor oil-based cleansers as the first step over water-based ones.
Oils are lipophilic, meaning they are attracted to other oils. This allows the oil of the cleanser to draw out excess oil and sebum from the skin and break them down effectively. Oil cleansers incredibly do all of this while not destroying the skin’s natural oil barrier.
Water-based cleansers
Water-based cleansers target water-soluble particles only. In Western skincare, that’s the only cleansing that you’re getting. But Korean skincare sees the value in double cleansing since the two types of cleansers target different elements of the skin.
The water-based cleanser is a quick final step to remove any remaining impurities after the first cleanse. Make sure to look for a gentle water or foam cleanser to ensure they won’t strip the skin of good oils that you want to retain.
Exfoliators
You might already be familiar with exfoliating products. They are essential to almost any skincare routine for good reason. Exfoliants give your face a blank slate by sloughing away dead skin cells. This allows the skin to more efficiently absorb any products you’ll follow up with.
Both physical and chemical exfoliants are used in Korean skincare, so feel free to choose whichever works best for your skin type.
Toners
Toners in Korean skincare serve to balance the skin’s pH levels after cleansing. Even if you use the most gentle of cleansers, the pH balance of your skin can still be slightly thrown off. The toner’s job is to reset and prep the skin to absorb the essence that’s applied after.
In Western skincare, toners are typically only used to pick up any remaining impurities after the single main cleanse.
Essences
Essences are unique to the K-beauty world. Think of them as a daily dose of nourishment to the skin. These products provide an extra layer of moisture and lie somewhere between being a toner and a serum.
They aren’t as lightweight and watery as a toner, and they also aren’t as heavy and concentrated as serums.
Damp skin acts like a sponge and more efficiently absorbs active ingredients. That’s why this step is so crucial to the Korean layering technique. Thin layers of product means better absorption of active ingredients. Look for beneficial ingredients like birch juice, rice extract, and yeast in essences.
Treatments
Treatments target specific skin concerns like acne, hyperpigmentation, and fine lines. Product types include ampoules, serums, and boosters. Ampules are under the radar in Western skincare.
Think of them as a supercharged serum with sometimes at least 50% of the formula being the standout ingredient. You only need a few drops, and again, these products are super lightweight.
Sheet masks
Sheet masks come as single use thin paper masks that are soaked in active ingredients and antioxidants. The mask also serves to lock in ingredients from the essences and treatments.
(Pro tip: You can also apply any excess product from the packaging onto your neck to prevent product waste.
Eye creams
Another staple in both Korean and Western skincare. Eye creams are prioritized because the skin around the eyes is very delicate and prone to showing signs of aging first. Eye creams are specifically formulated to promote brightness, and decrease puffiness and dark circles.
Dark circles can be a result of genetics and, unfortunately, you can’t eliminate them completely (other than covering up with concealer.) Look for eye creams with ingredients like caffeine and vitamin C. Caffeine restricts blood vessels under the skin and vitamin c delivers a powerful brightening effect.
Moisturizers
Moisturizer is probably the most recognizable element of any skincare regimen. Even the most basic of routines will end with this step.
Moisturizing is essential morning and night because it serves as an outer barrier, sealing in all of the products that come before it and preventing water from evaporating from the surface of the skin.
Moisturizers come in gel and cream forms, so be sure to pick one suitable for your skin type.
Sun protection
SPF is the last step and arguably the most important as far as your daytime routine goes. Ultraviolet radiation from the sun can cause permanent damage to your skin over time.
It damages healthy skin cells and causes signs of premature aging like dehydration, fine lines, and uneven pigmentation. Don’t skip this one!
Korean Skincare Brands
Korean skincare brands tend to be all about hydration and science. Laneige is a well-known brand, but you might not have known that it is a Korean skincare brand. The brand considers itself a “true Hydration Expert.” They’ve studied water science in the lab for 25 years.
Dr Jart+ is another popular Korean skincare brand. The name stands for “doctor joins art” and the brand focuses on combining standout ingredients with fun and innovation.
Dr. Jart+ offers a wide range of Korean sheet masks.
Sheet Masks (Standout Korean Skincare Products)
Sheet masks are a hallmark of Korean skincare. Some routines even suggest wearing one every day for a week as a healing skincare punch before reducing usage to two to three times a week.
In Western skincare masks are often seen as a fun product to splurge on and try out before a special event. But these masks can be a powerful resource in your everyday skincare tool box.
Sheet masks are more than fun designs and scents; there is a science to them. The thin mask material (often cellulose or bamboo) acts as an outer layer that seals in all of the active ingredients and prevents them from evaporating.
Men can especially benefit from them. If you have longer facial hair (more than a week’s worth of growth) then you’ll want to opt for a sheet mask that is only for the top half of the face.
FAQ
Here are a few common questions and answers surrounding Korean skincare:
Is Korean skincare only suitable for Asian skin?
No! Anyone can implement a Korean skincare routine. The most important part is to choose products based on your skin concerns. Korean skincare promotes healthy, hydrated skin. Anyone can benefit from this!
Do I have to start with a 10-step routine?
You can start by adding a few steps to your current routine at a time. Slowly integrating new products into your regimen is best practice anyway so that you can monitor how your skin reacts to new ingredients.
Verdict: Try Korean Skincare
Korean skincare at first glance can seem time consuming and complicated. Hopefully you see now that it’s not necessary to use 10 steps every day twice a day.
For example, SPF is only used in the morning, and maybe you’ll only want to do the treatments, sheet masks, and eye cream at night. Exfoliating should only be done 1-2 times a week. That’s the thing about Korean skincare — it’s highly individualized and based on your skin type so you can get the best results.
Korean skincare isn’t trying to tire us out everyday with its regimented steps. Its goal is to have us slow down and prioritize our skin health every day rather than only treating it when a pimple pops up. Give Korean skincare a try, and your skin will thank you.
What’s your skincare regimen look like? Let me know in the comments!
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