10 Step Korean Skin Care Routine
The influence of K-beauty has well and truly made it over to the UK beauty industry, as influencers and celebrities alike are giving it a go, in an attempt to get ‘Glass Skin’. Not one to shy away from a challenge, the team at Procoal gave it a go for one week, to test out how difficult it would be and whether it was worth the effort.
The Process
Following some heavy research online, it appeared evident there wasn’t a clear ’10 step’, as almost all of them had a slight spin on it, but all kept a similar pattern. For example, some opted to include an exfoliator, however this could be pretty heavy on the skin and cause irritation if performed every day. The final order is highlighted below:
Oil Cleanser
Foam Cleanser
Toner
Essence
Emulsion
Serum
Sheet Mask
Eye Cream
Moisturiser
SPF
Oil Cleanser
After washing your hands, this is applied straight onto dry skin, helping to remove any make-up and any pollutants which could be lurking on the skin. For the challenge, the Dermalogica Balm was chosen.
Foam Cleanser
A consistent step in the Korean skin care routine is to cleanse twice, as this second step can help to remove any impurities which could cause a breakout. The Biore Baking Soda Wash was opted for as it is known for its great blemish control properties.
Toner
This is seen as a great preparation step, while also removing any excess residue left over from the cleansers, however Jess isn’t a huge fan of toner’s in general, therefore they opted for the Pixi Glow Tonic because it is more of a liquid exfoliator and will help bring a glow and radiance to the skin.
Essence
Moving on to the anti-ageing aspect of the routine, the essence can be incredibly hydrating, working in a similar manner to a serum. This was an area neither Jess or Tom were very clued up on, while after some advice, they chose the Estee Lauder Micro Essence.
Emulsion
This layer isn’t included in all the routines you can find online (around 20% of them), however it helps to add to the ‘glass skin’ appearance. With emulsions normally water based, Jess struggled to find something in her artillery of beauty products, so the closest option was the L’Oréal HydraGenius Aloe Water.
Serum
From helping to firm and smooth the skin, to restoring elasticity and moisture to the skin, as well as helping to regulate oil production, a serum is a crucial part of the daily skincare routine. Jess and Tom opted for a Vitamin C serum following some extensive research, with the Vonza serum the product of choice.
Sheet Mask
This is the longest part of the entire process, taking 15-20 minutes, however it is the pampering part of the process and can be quite relaxing in the morning. The Marine Moisture Sheet Mask was chosen, with each sheet mask packed with 25ml of extract rich serum, as well as botanical extracts.
Eye Cream
While some debate the real value of an eye cream, the fact is the area under your eyes is highly sensitive and is unfortunately prone to dark circles, fine lines and wrinkles. Fortunately, this is where an eye cream steps in, to moisturise, nourish and prevent dullness, softening those fine lines. The weapon of choice for this program was the Aurelia Eye Cream.
Moisturiser
Jess couldn’t stop going on about her love and admiration for the Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream, therefore this was decided before the routine was even lined up!
SPF
One of the key takeaways from the entire routine was the requirement to protect yourself from the sun, even during winter months. Opting for a quick and easy spray as the final touch, they chose the La Roche-Posay anthelios invisible face mist, SPF 50.
How Long Did It Take?
On the first day it took an exhausting 1 hour, however as the week progressed the time continued to decrease as it became a quick pattern, eventually bringing it down to 40 minutes. The biggest time resource was the sheet mask, with the targeted time on the face being 20 minutes, making it 50% of the time consumption by the end of the week.
What Other Items Did People Include In The 10 Step Routine?
As we mentioned, not everyone had the exact same routine as us. Some opted to use an exfoliator each day, however we weren’t sure whether this might cause some irritation so we opted against. Lip balm was also sometimes used, but this felt like an easy way out when struggling to know what to include, as this is very much separate to every other part of the process.
Some others added in the Ampoule, which worked very much like the serum, to offer some anti-ageing benefits, helping to target specific skincare concerns. The issue is it didn’t seem to offer much more than what was already being included in our routine, so we weren’t sure if would just be doubling up and offering limited return.
We mentioned SPF and moisturiser as a separate step, however a couple did use a moisturiser which had an SPF in, allowing them to sneak in an extra option.
Did It Work?
Both Jess and Tom felt it worked amazingly and were very much impressed by the results. Tom’s skin was certainly glowing by the end, however this might be less surprising considering he’s not used to applying anything to the skin.
Both Tom and Jess had a slight outbreak on day 2, but this disappeared within 48 hours and the skin was completely clear by the end.
One stumbling block was that the eyes did sting by day four and every morning they stung for about 10-20 minutes, with so many items packed onto the face.
They both loved the foam cleanser as a starting point, but maybe wouldn’t apply two cleansers going forward, while they have both committed to continuing the serum, eye cream, moisturiser and SPF on a daily basis. The sheet mask seemed to offer great results, but due to time requirements, that would be dropped to 1-2 times per week.
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.
