I Tried a 10-Step Korean Skin Care Routine and Here’s What Happened

I was fortunate enough to have a teenaged family member stay with me this past weekend, and as part of our activities together, we tried a Korean skin care routine.  For my family member, this was old news, but for me, this was something very new. It included 10 steps, making it easily the most intensive regimen I’ve ever used on my face, but it was a lot of fun. I thought it might be a good topic to share today, for anyone who has never heard of this type of strategy, or for anyone curious about giving it a try.

Why a 10-Step Korean Skin Care Routine?

According to my family member – and the online searches I did in preparation for writing this post – clear, healthy-looking, radiant complexions are a top priority in Korean culture at the moment, and many people spend quite a bit of time in an effort to achieving it. This has caused the practices used there to become quite popular in other parts of the world, such as here in the United States.

I’ve clearly been living under a rock, having only just heard of it all for the first time over the weekend, but it is genuinely fascinating, and I found it to be quite relaxing as a practice.  All I truly wonder is how anyone enough time for this type of 10-step Korean skin care routine, since it’s meant to be practiced twice per day – morning and night – with additional steps done on a weekly basis.  This one practice wasn’t fast. I can only imagine that I’d have to start it the moment I got up in the morning and, if I was still working, it would need to begin as soon as I got home at night!

My Experience and the Products I Chose

For my 10-step Korean skin care routine, I used the products I already had in my home as well as a few that my family member had brought with her, since there were some steps that have never been a part of my regular practice.  Here’s what I used and the order I did it in.

1. Cleanse – I used Noble Naturals May Chang Cleansing Cream. This step is meant to be done with an oil-based cleanser. I used my regular cleanser, which does include grape seed oil and jojoba oil among its top ingredients, as well as may chang oil, so I hoped that hit the mark. This is a gentle initial cleansing stage.
2. Cleanse again – Apparently double-cleansing is a thing. I used the same cleanser for this stage because it’s what I had. Ideally, a foaming cleanser should be used at this stage. I did my best. The first stage is meant to remove oil-based impurities while this one should remove remaining dirt, sweat, and other unwanted substance.
3. Exfoliate – For this step, I used Eminence Calm Skin Chamomile Exfoliating Peel, which was introduced to me at a day spa that did a lovely facial treatment on me. My skin feels exceptionally soft after using it.
4. Toner – I used the Noble Naturals Balancing Toning Mist for this stage. I just gave my face a quick spritz and let it all sink in. My family member tapped hers in with her fingertips, but I just kept my fingers off my face for this stage.
5. Essence – I’d never even heard of this, but I guess it’s a core step to a Korean skin care routine. My family member brought Granions Magnesium ampules – which I later discovered were shockingly expensive – for us to use. Fortunately, one ampule could be shared between us as a few drops go a very long way and they just need to be lightly patted into the skin.
6. Serum – Again, this was something I already had, and I used my beloved Noble Naturals Fountain of Youth vitamin C serum. I wondered how it would even absorb into the skin after so many other layers, but, as my family member assured me, it did.
7. Sheet Mask – This, I’d seen before. I had to laugh at this stage. We used ones my family member brought, the Andalou Naturals Instant Hydration sheet masks. They were freezing cold, very slimy – unbelievably slimy – felt just awful and drippy, and looked ridiculous, but it was a lot of fun trying them out.  I couldn’t believe that my skin would be able to hold any more products, but it did, because after removing them and rubbing in the…goo?…it did absorb!
8. Eye Cream – At this point I felt a bit boring as I used yet another one of my usual Noble Natural products, this time the Java Firming Anti-Aging Eye Cream. My family member had such a selection of products while I seem to stick to a handful of brands. Still, it felt lovely applying this step. Eye cream is always one of my favorite steps.
9. Moisturizer – I was amazed that this step – one I find to be such a basic one – took so long to arrive, but apparently, this tops everything off, helps to press it all in, and creates the final protective moisturizing barrier to the skin. I used the Noble Naturals Sol (Day) Cream that is my favorite for the daytime during the summer because it is very light and still very hydrating.
10. SPF – Once that was all complete, the final step to the Korean skin care routine was SPF. I chose the All Good Sunscreen Butter, which is all natural, comes in a convenient little tin (great for travel or tossing into a purse with no spills!).

That done, we were ready to go…and I was surprised that there was any day left at all, because that was well over an hour’s worth of Korean skin care routine!