I currently have the best skin of my life. By far. But I that’s definitely a more-recent thing, and it’s all thanks to Korean beauty products.
Growing up, I didn’t have horrible acne—not bad enough for meds (although we probably wouldn’t have gone that route unless there were no other options). But it still wasn’t great. In fact, looking back through my engagement photos, and couldn’t believe how much acne I had on my jaw line; I had thought my skin was pretty good then!
My skincare routine from my teens on was Proactiv, and, though it helped some, I eventually only used one of two products, because that’s all I felt did anything. I tried a myriad of other cleansers and moisturizers, but never felt like I had any products I actually loved, or would recommend.
When I got pregnant, I discovered Proactive recommended you stop using their products. So I did. You guys, my skin reached an all-time low. I had heard about people’s skin getting worse after stopping Proactiv, but, with my new raging pregnancy hormones and stopping proactive use….it was so, so bad.
I tried several different highly recommended products, but, still, they never did enough to make me feel like they were something I would recommend, or want to use forever. Did the people recommending them actually get results form using those same products?
Several year prior, I had followed some suggestions by Michelle Phan, and had loved the results, though it was just two things. After I had my daughter, I knew that I wanted to get my skin to a better place, and, most especially, I wanted to find products that worked for me.
I went back to my beloved (not even a joke) Michelle Phan video, and took notes. She had almost entirely recommended K-beauty products. Then I researched other k-beauty routines, and discovered that some sites have pre-made routines. After deciding on a 10-step list of types of products, I compared prices, and then had my lineup.
Immediately, I likes the scents, and gentleness of several products, but the real surprise came a little later. After about 2 weeks, I realized that my skin looked noticeably different to me. After a month, the results were outstanding. You guys. I. will. Never. Buy. Other. Products. Again. (In fact, I have, but I have literally hated them, as they made my skin feel bad, and didn’t smell nice either). This obsession with oil-free, and factory/lab-made is a huge mistake.
I know a Korean 10-step beauty program isn’t for every budget, but I wanted to share with you what I use, as well as some cheaper, alternatives to a couple that I use, and then give you my recommendation for a simpler 5-step line-up.
Oil cleanser – these cleansers will remove all your makeup, and not strip your skin silly. Don’t let the word ‘oil’ throw you for a loop.
Water cleanser – this will help get all the oil cleanser, and anything else left off your face.
Exfoliate – night time only! And don’t over-exfoliate. Usually twice a week is enough. You can do this with a mask, scrub, whatever works for you.
Toner – there are so many great options out there. I’ve used I’m From Mugwort toner to help defeat redness, but my ultimate favourite is Be The Skin.
Essence – if I’m being honest, I’m not even really sure what essence is. But I know that my skin looks great on it, and I can definitely tell if I run out. So, my best guess is that it’s magic water.
Mask – night time only! If you are doing something exfoliating, or a wash-off mask, do it before toner and essence, but you can do a sheet mask at the very end of your routine.
Serum – personally, I use Time-Stop Collagen, as well as vitamin C serum (if you’re new, definitely find a Vitamin C you like—that was one of the first skincare things I tried, and it made a huge difference in brightening and evening out my skin tone!)
Moisturizer – I love, love, love, love my snail cream. Something light but really moisturizing works well for me. But, depending on your age, you may want to use a heavier moisturizer. You never want to feel that dry skin tightness.
Eye cream – night time only! Years ago, I stumbled across something online about how some Korean actress wished her sister a happy 40th birthday, and the internet went nuts because her older sister literally looked like a collage kid. That sister claimed her skin was so perfect, because she used eye cream all over her face. If it’s good enough for a random, and extremely young-looking middle-aged Korean woman, it’s good enough for me. That’s what I do. Or at least under the eyes, and all over my forehead.
Sunscreen – day time only! Don’t skip it. Even if it doesn’t seem that sunny, the sun will still find you. Even if you’re indoors (assuming you have windows). Feel free to reapply hours later, if you’re heading outside, but make sure to at least put it on once.
I really love each of these products. If you would rather start off with just 5 products, my recommendation would be to do:
- oil cleanser
- water cleanser
- toner
- moisturizer
- sunscreen
The double cleaning has been the best thing for my oily/combination skin. But the #1 way to keep beautiful skin is to prevent damage in the first place, so sunscreen is a m u s t. Korean sunscreen is not like the sunscreen you use for a day at the beach, with that sunscreen-y smell, and white cast. It blends in, and doesn’t really have a scent, so you can feel normal with it on.
One of the best things I discovered is to use the ‘7 Skins Method’, which is great is you live someplace dry. Basically you put on 7 layers of toner and/or essence to really lock in moisture. When my skin was starting to look a little less nice, I began 7 Skins and it fixed everything. My essence is pricey, so I usually do 3-4 rounds of toner, and then 2-3 of essence.
Depending on your skin, and how the products are working for you, you can choose to not wash your face in the morning. If you washed and did an whole routine in the pm, your face probably isn’t really dirty. Sometimes, I just jump in with toner, and go about my routine from there. It’ll help your skin to not always strip it’s oils, and with the other products, I doubt you’ll miss the morning wash.
I’m also a big fan of masks, and like to use an exfoliator twice a week. I alternate between my Skinfood exfoliating mask, and an exfoliating stick, both of which give me good results.
As for other masks, I love a good sheet mask (so that rules out every sheet mask I’ve ever tried from Target). Innisfree are amazing, and you can find them, as well as some other good Korean sheet masks, at places like TJ Maxx for a discounted price! Currently, I have a rice mask from Skinfood, and Majestic Pure Cosmeceuticals 24K Gold Face Mask (it’s got a touch of a metallic smell, but it makes my skin so, so soft afterward). I also love Benton’s Snail Bee Ultimate Hydrogel Eye Patches, and use them under my eyes, the red spots around my nose, and most often, I all over my forehead. If hydration is a big key to beauty, and I live in a desert, I’ll use whatever I need to get really moisturized!
To cut costs, some of my go-to alternatives are:
- Replace the toner by going over your face with two cotton pads—one with water, and one with organic apple cider vinegar with the mother (important!). I still have my giant bottle after 4 or 5 years. Make circles, and follow up all cider swipes with water to avoid any burning sensation
- Use (organic) olive oil, or coconut oil instead of buying an oil cleanser
- Just buy Manuka honey for your face mask. It is cheaper, and will leave your face feeling smooth and happy
If you want links to the products I use—and ones I want to try—in one place, here’s my skincare routine Pinterest board, so feel free to check that out.
I literally don’t even wear foundation for photos anymore, and that is a big deal for me. In fact, I often don’t even use concealer (which used to be my #1 makeup product), because I didn’t feel like I need it since my skin tone has evened out so much. And, thankfully, during my second pregnancy, my skin never got bad. To anyone looking to improve their skin—at any age—I really hope you love these products as much as I do, and hope your skin loves them, too!
If you’re ready to invest in better skin, check out Peach & Lily, and Sokoglam!
