10 Step Korean Skincare Routine
The influence of Korean beauty has finally hit the UK beauty scene, with influencers and celebrities trying to achieve ‘glass skin’. Not one to shy away from a challenge, the Procoal team gave it a try for a week to see how difficult it was and if it was worth the effort.
The Process
After extensive research online, it seemed clear there was no definitive ‘10 Steps’ as almost all of them were slightly different but followed a similar pattern. For example, some people choose to use a scrub, but this can be very taxing on the skin and cause irritation if used every day. The final order looked like this:
Oil Cleanser
Foaming Cleanser
Toner
Essence
Lotion
Serum
Sheet Mask
Eye Cream
Moisturiser
SPF
Oil Cleanser
Apply directly to dry skin after washing your hands to remove any makeup and pollutants that may be hiding on your skin. Dermalogica Balm was chosen for this challenge.
Foaming Cleanser
A consistent step in the Korean skincare routine is double cleansing, as the second step can help remove any impurities that may be causing breakouts. The Biore Baking Soda Cleanser was chosen because it is known for its excellent skin blemish fighting properties.
Toner
This is considered a great prep step and also removes any excess residue from cleansing products. However, Jess isn’t a big fan of toners in general, so they opted for the Pixi Glow Tonic as it is more of a liquid exfoliant that leaves skin glowing.
Essence
As for the anti-aging aspect of the routine, serums are incredibly hydrating and work similarly to a serum. This was an area that neither Jess nor Tom knew much about, and after some advice, they opted for the Estee Lauder Micro Essence.
Lotion
This layer isn’t included in all the routines you can find online (about 20%), but it does help create that “glass skin” look. Since lotions are usually water-based, it was hard for Jess to find one in her beauty collection, so the L’Oreal HydraGenius Aloe Vera Water was the closest option.
Serum
Serum is an important part of your skin care routine as it firms and smooths the skin, restores elasticity and moisture, and regulates sebum production. After extensive research, Jess and Tom decided on a Vitamin C serum, with the Vonza serum being their product of choice.
Sheet Mask
This is the longest part of the whole process, taking between 15 and 20 minutes. However, it is the most relaxing part of the whole process and can be very relaxing in the morning. The Marine Hydrating Mask was chosen, each containing 25 ml of extract-rich serum and botanical extracts.
Eye Cream
While some debate the actual benefits of eye cream, the fact is that the area under the eyes is extremely sensitive and unfortunately prone to dark circles, fine lines and wrinkles. Luckily, this is where eye cream comes into play, hydrating, nourishing, preventing dullness and softening fine lines. The weapon of choice for the plan was the Aurelia Eye Cream.
Moisturizer
Jess couldn’t stop loving and admiring the Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream, so decided on this before planning her routine!
SPF
One of the most important takeaways from the whole routine was the need to protect yourself from the sun, even in the winter months. They chose a quick, simple spray as a finishing touch and chose La Roche-Posay Anthelios Invisible Face Mist, SPF 50.
How long did it take?
The first day took an hour, which was exhausting, but as the week went on, the time got shorter and shorter, becoming a quickie mode, eventually coming down to 40 minutes. The biggest time investment was the mask, with a target of 20 minutes on the face, which accounted for 50% of the time invested on the weekend.
What else did people include in their 10-step routine?
As mentioned before, not everyone has exactly the same routine as us. Some people choose to exfoliate every day, but we weren’t sure if this would cause skin irritation, so we decided not to. Lip balm is also sometimes used, but it seems like an easy way to go if you don’t know what to add, as it’s pretty separate from any other part of the process.
Others have added ampoules, which work very similarly to serums, offering some anti-aging benefits and helping with certain skin care issues. The problem is that it doesn’t seem to offer anything more than what we already have in our routine, so we’re not sure if it’s just duplication of limited benefits.
We mentioned that SPF and moisturizer are separate steps, but some people use moisturizer with SPF, so they can include an additional option.
Is it effective?
Both Jess and Tom found it to work surprisingly well and were impressed with the results. Tom’s skin definitely had a glow at the end, although that’s not surprising since he’s not used to putting anything on his skin.
On the second day, both Tom and Jess had a slight rash, but it went away within 48 hours and they ended up with completely clear skin.
One stumbling block was that the eyes actually burned on the fourth day, and they burned for about 10-20 minutes each morning because so much product was applied to the face.
Both liked the foaming cleanser as a starting point, but may not use two cleansers in the future, and they both plan to continue using serums, eye creams, moisturizers, and sunscreen every day. The mask seemed to work well, but she cut it down to 1-2 times a week due to time constraints.
DQH Knowledge drop: In your 20s, your skin cell turnover decreases. (Cell turnover is a key component in keeping your skin youthful.) You know what else slows down? Your collagen production. Starting in your 20s, collagen decreases by about 1 percent per year. Should you want to prevent fine lines and wrinkles, start by eliminating behaviors that contribute to premature aging. “If it’s bad for you, it’s bad for your skin,” says dermatologist Michel Somenek.
“Cigarette smoking reduces blood flow to the skin and causes premature wrinkling and a dull skin texture. Making the repeated pursed motion to inhale can also cause smoker’s lines. Alcohol and recreational drugs are toxins for the skin that damage its cellular structure and DNA,” Somenek tells us. “The faster you eliminate vices while you are young, the better chance your skin and body have to recuperate.” Also, adopting an anti-aging routine in your 20s is key. After all, the best offense is a good defense. We spoke to Somenek and experts Joshua Ross and Audrey Kunin to find out more.
Keep reading for the best anti-aging products for your 20s, according to skincare professionals.
Sunscreen
“We all know that the sun is the number one cause of skin aging and starting the prevention in your 20s is very important,” Ross says. “The majority of your sun damage won’t start to appear until you’re in your 30s, so don’t wait until you see it surface or you’ll be behind the curve. Stay ahead of it with a good-quality zinc-based sunscreen worn daily.”
Farmacy Green Defense Daily Mineral Sunscreen
An invisible sunscreen with SPF 30, plus botanical extracts meant to protect skin with tons of antioxidants. Bonus: It’s clean and fine to use under makeup.
Bareminerals Complexion Rescue™ Tinted Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 30
Although we recommend you use your SPF and moisturizer separately, we also understand moments when you don’t have time or energy for that extra step. For those times, this bareMinerals moisturizer is a great thing to have on hand.
Vitamin C Serum
“A great introduction to anti-aging is to start with a vitamin C serum in your morning skincare routine,” Ross says. “It’s a powerful antioxidant that will neutralize free radicals and brighten the skin.” He adds that it’s a great way to counteract the effects of the sun’s harmful rays, which, as previously mentioned, are among the biggest causes of premature aging.
Drunk Elephant C-Firma™ Vitamin C Day Serum
The Drunk Elephant C-Firma is a lightweight serum that promises to give skin a glow by combining the brightening powers of vitamin C with ferulic acid, l-ascorbic acid, and vitamin E. The included sodium hyaluronate is meant to replace hydration loss, so you shouldn’t have to deal with any irritation.
Sunday Riley C.E.O. Rapid Flash Brightening Serum
This potent serum is jam-packed with vitamin C (15 percent, to be exact), which means it’s a potential superstar at both brightening skin and dousing it in antioxidants.
Peptides
Using peptides on your skin has many benefits, says Somenek. “The skin barrier is what defends the body against pollution, UV rays, bacteria, and toxins. It can be damaged by several everyday factors. Using topical peptides aids in building a stronger barrier,” he says. “Peptides comprise elastic fibers, which are a type of protein. These fibers help to make skin appear taut and firm. Peptides can also help repair damaged skin, relieve inflammation, and even out skin tone. Some peptides can kill acne-causing bacteria that is common in 20-somethings.”
Kunin agrees, saying, “Peptides are an excellent entry point for supporting collagen.” She recommends looking for face and eye treatments that contain these collagen-boosting powerhouses.
Charlotte Tilbury Magic Eye Rescue Cream
This Charlotte Tilbury super-emollient eye cream has a base of coconut oil and shea butter (read: it’s incredibly hydrating). Botanicals plus peptides are meant to help reduce dark circles and boost collagen, respectively.
This creamy moisturizer serves up potent collagen-boosting peptides and pycnogenol, and antioxidant-rich vitamin C. “Instead of sitting on top of the skin, peptides penetrate the outer layer so they go deep. The ‘signals’ they send tell the cells to produce elastin and collagen, which are needed for youthful-looking skin,” explains Somenek.
At-Home Peel Pads
Remember that skin cell turnover fiasco we talked about earlier? One way to help support it is by exfoliating. “Exfoliation is important to help keep skin fresh and luminous,” Kunin says. She recommends using at-home peel pads as an easy and effective way to exfoliate.
“The goal in your 20s is to fight the slowing pace of cell turnover. It is wise to use products that gently exfoliate, yet still remove oil and other impurities. Products that have Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHA) or Beta Hydroxy Acids (BHA) are a good choice.”
According to Somenek, you should only exfoliate two to three times a week. “People of all ages are guilty of over-exfoliating and that can be too much of a good thing,” he says.
Dermadoctor Kakadu C Intensive Vitamin C Peel Pad
A few swipes of this Derma Doctor powerful peel pad promise to leave your skin glowing and smooth, thanks to the seven (yes, seven) types of chemical exfoliants, including AHA and BHA. It also contains vitamin C via Kakadu plum extract for added brightening and antioxidant protection.
KEY INGREDIENTS Kakadu plum extract is sourced from the Kakadu plum, a fruit grown in northern Australia. It contains vitamin C, which restores the skin’s natural barrier, increases collagen production, and soothes irritation.
Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Alpha Beta® Universal Daily Peel Pads
These are the gold standard of peel pads, with a cult following and over 900 five-star reviews on Sephora. They’re easy to use and contain a blend of anti-aging exfoliating acids.
Emollient Night Cream
“In your 20s, you need to start upping the hydration in your skincare routine. You may have been cautious of over-moisturizing because of acne in your teens, but as you enter your 20s, your skin transitions and becomes drier,” Ross says. “I recommend an emollient night cream added into your evening skincare regimen.”
“Twenty-somethings need to make sure that they are not using creams that will clog their pores and cause excess oil production,” says Somenek. Opt for non-comedogenic products.
Cerave Skin Renewing Night Cream
One great choice is the CeraVe Skin Renewing Night Cream, which is a non-comedogenic night cream that leaves skin soft and glowy. It combines the moisturizing powers of ceramides and hyaluronic acid.
RoC Retinol Correxion Max Hydration Creme
“The best night cream ingredients contain retinol, benzoyl peroxide, and/or salicylic acid or hyaluronic acid. The goal is to moisturize, yet remove excess oil,” says Somenek. This Roc Retinol Correxion cream fits the bill as it contains both hyaluronic acid and retinol so it promises to moisturize while also being non-comedogenic.
