Korean Skincare: The Ultimate Day And Night Korean Skincare Routine Step By Step

A good skincare product makes as much of a difference as a good skincare routine and nothing speaks volumes than Korean skincare routine. That is why in this ultimate guide to a Korean skincare routine, we will break down everything you need to know about caring for your skin, using affordable skincare products. If you want to go flat out, then use the best Korean skincare routine products to get ahead of skin problems like acne, anti-aging skincare, and many more.

Korean skincare routine products

The Korean skincare routine morning

Step One: Wash with water

At the core of the Korean skincare routine is the first wash you have in the morning when you wake up! Though you did not go to bed with makeup all over your face, a good splash of water lays the foundation to your better glowing skin, that’s ready for anything thrown at it!

If you have no idea of what toning does to your face, then you probably need this! You see, after hydrating your face with pure water and nothing added to it, your next step is to apply toner, and what that does to your face is gently cleanse your face while kicking up the notch in hydration.

While you may know toner as drying to your skin due to alcohol, the Korean skincare takes a different approach, toning with a good Korean toner actually hydrates as it removes any remaining bits of sebum oils.

The evening serum (if you use one), transferable dirt, and debris left behind by the cleanser and the most important part of toning is how toner helps your invisible skin inflammation soothe, nourish, and hydrated. It also gets invigorated as it gets into the restoration process of its delicate pH balance levels.

Step Two: Use A Toner

Best toner for combination skin

Korean skin toner can be a minefield to navigate if you have no idea how to make the whole Korean skin routine work coherently with a range of best of the Skinfood range. 

We have got you covered in this ultimate Korean Skincare routine as we will cover everything even recommend some of the best skincare products for you to try them out!

How often should you tone your face

Most toners you have used before are more or less alcohol-based. These are skin drying and unkind to the skin. What I like about Korean skin combination toners is the fact that they are much gentler on your skin and aggressive on the absorption of skin goodness. 

Whether you are using facial sheet masks or gel on your next step of the routine, the application of the toner is predominantly to prepare the skin for the next phase of your skincare regimen. If you are a newbie to the likes of Korean tomato toners and other notable brands, they will surprise you!

The base these products are specifically formulated for the preparation of your skin into the hydration stages to come in the next stages where essences, serums, and creams are applied. And if you thought that was all, wait until you hear this! Korean skin toners come with exfoliating properties too –

This is a big deal in the grand scheme of things! Instead of extraneously scrubbing that delicate facial skin with grit, you can now say hello to Korean toner which works its magic by sloughing off dead skin in a much gentler way.

What is the best Korean toner?

Here are the 8 Best Korean skincare toners you can apply two times a day(Morning and Evening toner application routine) if you want a Glowing Skin after discovering Dry or wrinkled skin:

Anyone with dry skin or noticeable signs of aging must religiously follow this appropriate skincare regimen by applying toner of their choice once or twice a day soon after a thorough cleansing followed by a generous moisturizer.

Korean Skin toning routines is often preferred as it is predominantly focused hydrating as opposed to most toners which are not alcohol-free toners. The severity of alcohol toner can be damning as it can overly dry out your skin and if it’s already dry then you have a double whammy.

Step Three: Use An Essence

What is the essence in Korean skincare?

In the context of a typical Korean skincare routine, the facial essence stage is where a focused use of creamy skincare products is given a front role instead of any ordinary toner and if you must take notice, essence routine uses products that predominantly contains higher levels of active ingredients.

The essence skincare stage is deliberately designed for an enhanced skin deep penetration of skin food and all the good stuff into the skin. A well thought face essence should therefore instantly balance the skin after cleansing and toning, adding hydration and priming the skin for the next step of your routine.

Without a doubt, the Korean Skincare routine is often misconstrued and completely taken out of context by many beauty regimen zealots. Under normal circumstances, anyone sane can never do 10 Korean skincare steps daily. It is impossible and expensive to for time and money for beauty products. Instead, take Korean skincare routine as more to do with engaging with different varieties of products that are used consistently at every one of the beauty stages giving your focus to your skin concerns you want to be eliminated and your skin type altogether.

If you are a middle-aged woman who is looking to improve your skin look and feel, your daily routine may in fact just be anywhere from a two or three-step routine, alternating in between these 10-step commitments on a day to day basis. The take away here is that you find a balance that works best for your skin expectations

Step Four: Ampoule

Think of this stage as your treatment stage where you condition your skin in preparation for the up and coming skin routines. Anyone with recurring acne breakout or Psoriasis and Eczema will benefit from this stage as the serum and other beauty products used on this stage are a primary focus for treating those skin conditions. If you want to try my favorite product then try Blossom Jeju available on Amazon’s next day delivery or Mizon Snail Intensive Repair ampoule cheapest here on Amazon’s deals of the day.

Step Five: Use The Best Korean Serum

Korean skincare serum is primarily focused on anyone who wants to target certain areas of concern and you want to enhance the application by driving your focus on those areas. And if you need a head start, check out these 10 Best Korean Serums For Oily Skin.

Step Six: Use A Good Korean Eye cream

Korean eye cream Erborian Ginseng Infusion Total Eye cream is a lifesaver (I found this on Amazon’s next day delivery). And for anyone who wakes up every morning with baggy eyes as I do, I know a thing or two about having to worry about under-eye wrinkly lines and sometimes dark-ish skin discoloration which if you find the best under eye cream it completely eliminates all of that. 

Step Seven: Use A Good Korean Moisturiser

Korean skin moisturizer cream is all about the skin’s ability to lock in those goodies so it can hydrate itself and deliver soft, smooth, and glowing skin. The beauty and skincare market is flush with lots of skin moisturizers.

Step Eight: Use A Good Sunscreen With SPF

There is no skin damage that any man or woman has not consequently suffered due to negligently overlooking the importance of slathering your body with a good sunscreen moisturizer with SPF.

More and more millennials are into premature skin aging due to unwarranted skin dryness which can easily be avoided by applying daily skin moisturizer with SPF. 

There is no reason why you should not come up with an easy to follow-daily routine for your sunscreen regimen. When matched with the best moisturizing cream with SPF like Neogen Day-Light Protection Sun Screen available on Amazon, things begin to look up really quickly.

The Korean skincare routine night

Step One: Apply An Oil-based cleanser

Oil-based cleansers are ideal for the removal of all fumes and dirt you may have trapped during the day time routine. A good face makeup wipe can only go so far but if you want to make sure that your face is squeaky clean from all the makeup gunk, you gotta do it right!

Step Two: Double-cleansing

This has got to be something you know will cleanse the stubborn water-based impurities stuck anywhere in the cracks and crannies off your face. Especially if you have enlarged pitted pores where your pores are always dilated, you will be surprised at what comes out of your face even after a good cleanse with the oil-based cleanser. 

Step Three: Use The Best Exfoliating Face Wash

Exfoliating your skin with an effective skincare product is an essential part of your weekly routine. While you may take it lightly on face value, the human body is a self-regenerating machine. As such it produces a hefty amount of dead cells daily which if left unchecked will most likely clog your pores and hinder the body from absorbing the skin food goodness you slather every morning and evening on your skin.

Step Four: Use A Good Toner

A good toner for balancing your skin pH is an integral part of your Korean skincare routine. So, whatever you do, this is not what you should be skimping on!

They say whoever finds a good toner shall enjoy glowing skin, invigorated young-looking skin and the skin shall always be pleasing to touch while envious to look! 

Step Five: Use An Essence

Applying essence to your face accelerates the skin’s ability to absorb skin food and hydrates the top layer while encouraging the skin repairing process. Gently and evenly apply your essence so that your skin can glow and radiate all day!

Step Six: Ampoule

If your skin feels and looks Luke luster, it is in a crisis mode and in need of a booster from the best Korean Ampoule you can find! There are loads out there but the one I personally recommend is Mizon snail skin repair which is available on Amazon’s next day delivery! This stuff works like magic! But don’t just take my word for it! Read real buyers reviews who used the best Korean ampoule money can buy!

Step Seven: Use The Best Korean Serum

Apply An Evening Serum which in most cases has to be the one thing you are targeting especially on the areas that need some TLC. Places like forehead fine lines and crepe neck skin lines where the skin needs to be resuscitated and plumped up!

Step Eight: Sheet mask

The sheet mask routine is one you should be looking forward to every time you want to get ahead of those pesky wrinkle lines! As a millennial am always up for something that can take off a few years on my overall appearance and the Korean sheet mask delivers everything your skin needs wrapping in one treatment.

Step Nine: Eye cream

Under-eye wrinkles are a common occurrence in most young millennials and it is all down to the fact that you are not hydrating the most delicate parts of your skin. Your eyes are an essential asset for your looks and it deserves the attention that a good Korean under eye cream can offer.

Step Ten: Use The Best Moisturizer

A good evening moisturizer is the staple skin food of anyone who aspires to have glowing skin and a plumped overall look. The last thing you want after a long day’s work is to lay your hands on the best Moisturizer that is battle-tested to withstand environmental irritants off your face while promoting skin repair.

The routine above breaks a general Korean skincare routine for anyone whether you have combination skin or not. The same can be said if you have acne-prone skin so you can finally see the back of the pesky pimples and blackheads.

But is there any good reasonable skincare product out there suited for anyone struggling with an acne skin problem? You bet there is!

Having struggled with acne for so long I have finally come to realize that if I’ve got to get rid of acne, the dark spots, pitted Pores I’ve got to get my game together and it all begins with a good skincare product and a battle-tested skincare routine.

Between you and me, everyone’s skin is different. whatever is going to work for my skin it’s not always going to work for your skin. The one thing that I know about skincare products especially where acne is involved, what is inside those skin products is just as good as how you use the product in your skincare routine and I think Korean Skincare routine for acne-prone skin speaks for itself.

Korean Skincare Routine Acne

There’s so much talk about the human skin having different levels of pH levels, apparently, it has the PH level of between 4.5 and 6.2.

And if that should be accurate which in most cases this is a good reason why the human skin is covered in acidic mantle and that’s simply because of Environmental irritants and bacterial invasion and other adverse external pressures that we experience every day.

Surely the body itself has to find a way of protecting itself and this is where a combination of sweat, sebum which clogs hair follicles on your skin and the Dead cells of the skin comes in. Now as you can see why the body would want to make sure it maintains an accurate level of pH with all these three elements at a constant attack.

There is no way of avoiding acne breakouts because these three elements are all the real causes of acne breakouts in most of the face and skin types. If you are like me, and you want to clean all these gunk sebum oils, dead skin cells and open up blocked hair follicles the only way is to use the Korean skincare routine adapted with a facial cleanser that is very well pH balanced.

This means it has to have an acceptable slightly higher acidic level. Don’t get me wrong, pretty much every skincare product in the acne market space will claim that it has acidity and possibly is PH balanced and there’s no shortage of products like that.

Take for example products like Baore, Cetaphil, and Irish spring bar soap which is ideal for washing your face, they all claim to have these properties.

But is it not worth it to make sure that you check which acne skincare product is going to work well with your skin type?

Now if you check some of these products especially the Irish spring Soap Bar has a ph level of 9.5 and if you can compare. Which left 4.5 and 6.2 pH levels that we talked about earlier on, you can see why this would destroy any acidity mantle that you have on your skin, therefore, leaving your skin taper, very vulnerable, and probably dry inflamed and weak to defend itself from all that causes acne breakouts.

But I also know that is not easy to find the best product that works for you, no wonder a lot of people are always asking, how do I know which acne skin cleanser should I be using? Tempting to recommend an acne cleanser as long as it says it contains Salicylic acid, you know these AHA or BHA as they are said to be the ones that are more helpful than others.

But what they don’t tell you is regardless of which brands that you use a cleanser is only going to be active on your skin only for a limited time and it offers very little in value. So it’s worth it trying a few products? What is known as a patch testing and comparing the results to see which one works better for your pH levels as well as the pH balancing ingredients contained in the product.

If you’re like me you too soon quickly find success as I did in most of the acne-treating foaming cleanser.

But it wasn’t without having to go through other skincare products which were overly drying my skin leaving it vulnerable after wiping out all my acid mantle the skin needs to keep those environmental elements that tend to cause an acne breakout.

Some products will surprise you! Cerave foaming facial cleanser, for example, was the one product that I found to be instrumental in my case . This product was such a rare find and I have no doubt that it would be a helpful addition to your acne skin care routine depending on how early and dry is your skin.

Cerave foaming facial cleanser will stand shoulder to shoulder up there with all the other acne products from well-respected brands. Now there is this belief that if the product is natural and organic then it must be good for your skincare. That is not necessarily true because some acne-treating cleansers can be damaging to your skin mantle, especially for the pH levels on your skin.

This can be for natural and organic products, they can actually often imitate and damage your skin in a devastating way than you would think about it. Evening natural like dyes, fragrances, lather- producing chemicals, and essential oils, all these products can be extraneous and unkind enough to act as an irritant to your skin though they are widely regarded to be friendly skincare products simply because they are labeled as natural and organic.

Given the chances, I would always choose over and over a good moisturizer like shea butter jojoba oils and glycerine as these products, by contrast, are kind to the skin, acts as a counter to the drying and irritating effects.

Skincare routine: Step one – salicylic acid

If you have an acne-prone skin by now you should know that chemical exfoliants are your best friends. In fact, exfoliating your acne-prone skin with Salicylic acid which is a chemical exfoliate. It helps you avoid unnecessary inflammation of the skin which is mostly caused by most of the acne cleansing products that contain scrubs as they tend to irritate the skin.

 I know there’s quite a lot of noise about using a better facial cleanser by using Scrubs. In reality, any part of your body affected by acne, as long as it is prone to acne breakout it shouldn’t be scrubbed.

Instead, it has to be patted and that’s the rule of acne-prone skin care. So if you’ve got yourself a good product with Salicylic acid in it, the best way how you do it, is by gently spreading the product across the cheek. then begin to pat the area in a circular form without being too rough with it.

And that’s what’s going to help you to keep the acne skin Breakout less and less every time you wash your face with an exfoliating Salicylic acid product. Salicylic acid products only help you exfoliate your facial skin and gently get rid of all the dead skin cells and sebum oils with its chemical exfoliating properties. It’s important to make sure soon after washing your face you apply a good facial moisturizer.

Of course, there are other products like Cerave SA cream for rough and bumpy skin which is known for its ability to moisturize your skin while it is also exfoliating. At the same time, this product is just as good as most of the toners evening serums for acne-prone skin and the lotions that are best for dry skin that is prone to acne breakout available on the market today.

Acne skincare routine: Step two – use Benzoyl Peroxide

Acne creams with a concentration of benzoyl peroxide an ideal addition to your acne skincare routine as benzoyl peroxide is an antibacterial chemical. This is going to help you prevent your skin vulnerable from acne-causing bacteria by making sure that your skin is not only just dry.

Benzoyl peroxide is not widely used like Salicylic acid and that’s simply because Benzoyl peroxide has a reputation for bleaching fabrics, and I just can’t help to wonder if it can in the end bleach the skin as well!

Nevertheless, facial gels like Clean and Clear from Persa have been known to work perfectly well with most skin types to get rid of acne on your skin. And for anyone who is keen on using an effective acne gel treatment, you apply dabs on the spot which is ideal for budding or any form of persistent pimples.

Acne skincare routine: Step three – Moisturizing your skin

There is no two ways about it, any acne-prone skin that has just been cleaned or exfoliated has to be moisturized. After all, the cleansing of your facial skin itself will surely end up being dry and possibly feeling too tired.

Now for anybody who wants a moist and supple skin where acne breakouts are less visible and not under dry and flaky, must have a good moisturizer to hand. I have provided here some of the best moisturizers for acne-prone skin and if you need to find the one that I personally use which is SA cream it is on that list. 

And I have no doubt that some of you will find it helpful as it makes your facial skin feel moist and supple as quickly than you would expect from other acne moisturizers.

Best skincare products that are effective and affordable

As a huge fan of the all-natural ingredients, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that Javi moisturizer is on top of my list. If you want an all-day hydrating moisturizing cream for your skin, it is packed with extracts from cucumber peels, aloe vera, and shea butter then Jivi moisturizer is up to your alley.

This moisturizer comes with SP12 mineral sunscreen and it is free from animal testing. I am fussy when it comes to using greasy moisturizers and the one thing I like about this cream is that it definitely not a lightweight.

Why you will love this product

Noticeably, your skin becomes evenly toned and less inflamed with Jivi moisturizer, which also makes your skin feel supple and less oily. Jivi comes in two formulas and if you are an advocate of all-natural ingredient skincare products, this product is a no-brainer.

1. Eco Tools facial cleansing brush

This bad boy comes in handy whenever I want a deep clean of clogged pores and exfoliating in harder to reach areas and I wouldn’t change this face brush for anything else. If you are a city dweller who is always covered in vehicle exhaust fumes or from industries processing chemicals, your daily skincare products should include this product.

As mentioned earlier the last thing you want to do when cleansing your face is to scrub it, this Eco tools facial cleansing brush is made from cotton lint and a bamboo handle which is easy on your skin. There’s obviously a lot more to like about this product, it is fairly priced.

2. Mizon black snail all-in-one moisturizer cream

You will love Mizon black snail all-in-one moisturizer cream. This cream will not only please your face but t it’s also one of the best things I’ve come across that will clear out clogged pimples, blackheads, and even dark complexions from acne scars. It will minimize the visibility of enlarged pores while keeping your skin supple and nicely moisturized. For anyone who wants a blighter evenly torrent complex of their skin, Mizon black snail all-in-one moisturizer cream delivers on that.

3. C&C chill-out cooling menthol facial cleanser

C&C chill-out cooling mint pore facial cleanser is your ideal skincare product if you want to open up nose clogged pores. It gives the skin a fighting chance without spending a lot of money to buy the skin product you want to look after your skin.

C&C chill-out cooling mint pore facial cleanser is specifically formulated for removing dirt and sebum oils leaving your skin fresh and clean. Anyone looking for a refreshing morning skincare routine which is also invigorating will find C&C chill-out cooling mint pore facial cleanser a Marvel product to use.

4. Biore deep cleansing pore strips

Biore deep cleansing pore strips are the ultimate deep cleaning magnets for clogged pores that are filled with sebum to the Brim.

With Biore deep cleansing pore strips, you will be able to pull them out in no time effortlessly. One thing I can guarantee about deep cleansing pore strips is that when you look at it every time you pull out you will notice divisible darts standing out.

5. The seaweed bath co body cream

The seaweed bath co body cream is an ideal lifesaver for anybody who has a pasty skin that requires a hydrating cream lotion. It combines the powers of oils like a gun ciabatta, hyaluronic acid, and Aloe Vera extract. The seaweed bath co body cream is the product of the moment if you want to replenish a skin that has been lacking essential nutrients and you want to give it a fighting chance.

This cream is not your average choice among many of the known and popular designer lotion brands that are available on the market. It is affordable, effective, and a lifesaver for any skin that needs a good slathering of skincare goodness. It is for people who have suffered at the hands of psoriasis and eczema.

6. Valencia organic Rose water toner spray

Valencia organic rose water toner spray comes packed with vitamin B6, nicely scented with Rosie Scent which is more or less like is luxurious Spa treat. When you sprayed it all over your face, the organic rose water spray will turn and balance red inflamed patches of irritated skin. Anyone looking to hydrate the skin and moisturize it at the same time will love this organic spray, it is definitely one of the must-haves in your daily skincare routine.

It’s not just dehydration and moisturizing factor that it delivers on your skin that I love about this product. If you have a skin that needs a bit of invigoration so it can look glowing all you have to do is give it a good spray in the morning and during the day.

7. Eva naturals skin clearing serum

Do you want to attack acne breakout? You need Eva naturals skin clearing serum, it comes packed with a 5% hyaluronic acid 80% salicylic acid and also comes with a 20% concentration of vitamin C.

While this product may not answer all your skin problems, it sure will solve some of the critical problems that you’re dealing with at the moment without breaking the bank. It comes in a slightly higher concentration of hyaluronic acid and vitamin C you can appreciate it is important acne skin care treatment.

8. Ponds Cold Cream Cleanser

Ponds cold cream cleanser is an all-around product that will not only clean your face to remove makeup, but it also moisturizes whilst decreasing your pores. The other thing I love about this product is that it deals effectively with waterproof makeup. As if that was not enough, it is one of the most affordable skincare products on the market.

Most mixed-race skin suffers from recurring dry skin, in my case, my choice has always been to visit a local store to get ideal products for my skincare that doesn’t always work in my favor as I always end up buying an expensive product that probably won’t deliver the best results.

Ponds cold cream cleanser is the one product I discovered by chance when I went on looking for budget skin care products that are effective.

Today the product speaks for itself, my skin is nicely moisturized, feels soft and I’ve got more money in my pocket as this product is affordable. I even said goodbye to breakouts and flaky skin and it’s all thanks to Ponds cold cream.

9. Cerave SA body wash

If your skin feels bumpy and rough it could use essential means that are capable of the restoring natural hydration and gentle exfoliation you get from Salicylic acid. This product delivers on gentle exfoliation which leaves your skin feeling soft and repaired. Works best with acne-prone skin which is also oily and scarred.

The Cerave body wash comes packed with ceramides and salicylic acid which leaves your skin smooth when you use it. Dry flaky skin is always a cause of bumpy looking skin which is embarrassingly not ideal for summer.

Thanks to Cerave body wash with just a few washes your body will be ready for any environmental changes that would have devastatingly irritated your skin and wreak havoc.

10. Ebanel bio drying lotion

When you have recurring zits, pimples, and blackheads, sometimes you want a product that can deliver. Ebanel bio drying lotion is your best chance if you want a lotion that would get rid of your pimples and whiteheads overnight, without worrying about having scars or pitted acne pores.

This lotion is with not leave your skin dry, it is effective for jawline acne and getting rid of acne on your forehead.

Best Skin Care Guides For Combination Skin