So Last year, I encountered the 10- Step Korean Skincare Routine and I was like, WHAT?!?!?? 10 Steps? My face is lucky if I can even remember to wash it before I go to sleep. Oppsie!

Related Content: Korean Skin Care Routine Experience

Curiosity got me and I started reading/ researching about skin care and why does it have to be that meticulous. I learned about the different skin care products and ohhh what it can do to my face and now.. 10 steps? BRING IT ON!

I am not getting any younger, you know that and my face SURE do knows that! The signs of aging are well, starting to show signs!

I have been doing this Korean Skincare routine for quite a while now.. and though I still don’t look like the famous Korean actress Park Shin Hye, I noticed a big difference on my skin.. smaller pores and more compliments!!!! huraays! Specially comments that I don’t look like I have 4 kids!

So let’s dig this 10 Steps Korean Skin Routine shall we?

10 Things You Need To Know About The 10 Steps Korean Skin Routine

#1 Cleansers comes in many forms

There’s foam cleanser and oil cleanser for removing make up. The product I tried so far are:

• • Oil cleanser- The Face Shop Rice Water Bright Cleansing Light Oil
  • Facial Wash- Physiogel Cleanser
  • Laneige Multi Cleanser
  • Laneige Pore Deep Clearing Foam

Other cleansers that are worth mentioning:

• Oil cleansers:
  • Nature Republic Chamomile Cleansing Oil
  • Laneige Fresh Brightening Cleansing oil
• Foam Cleanser/ Facial Cleanser
  • SkinFood Aloevera Foaming Cleanser
  • Laneige WHITE PLUS RENEW Bubble Cleanser

#2 The many tones of toner

Toners are also known as refiner or refresher or skin balancer. The consistency of most toners is watery and clear.

Contrary to popular belief, YOU NEED A TONER. The use of toner removes any residue from cleansers and restores the pH balance of the face.

Guide in buying a toner>> Do not use Alcohol based toner, the best toner is water based but for sensitive skins, well-formulated toners are the best. Tony Moly Toner is a nice option as well as Laneige Power Essential Skin Refiner.

#3 Serum, Essence, Emulsion and Moisturizer 

This is the part where it gets a little confusing. It seems that all these are just creams. What’s the difference between serum, essence, emulsion and moisturizer? Do we need to use it all? Although one can argue that they all look the same. They are not.

Serum and Essence are the same in a way that they are both for specific purpose such as pore tightening, brightening or repair. The only difference is, Serum is thicker and more concentrated than Essence. Do you need both? No, you can only use one, rule of thumb is, the older you get, the thicker (or more concentrated) you should get. The Serum is more expensive but penetrates the skin faster than the Essence. If my calculations are correct. I need a SERUM.

Emulsion on the other hand is a light lotion. The consistency is lighter and  is usually applied after the toner.

Moisturizer as the name says it all is a moisturizer.

When I started writing this article, I was using the products on the picture above. But even before I finished this, I switched to another brand which is more age appropriate for me. I bought Laneige New Essential Care Trial Set (Light) and have been using the brand for about two months now (yes, this post has been on my dashboard for more than 2 months). I’ll try using serum as soon as I run out of essence.

#4 Do I really Need an Eye cream?

I want to believe I don’t need an eye cream because it is not cheap. My eyes are telling me other wise though. We need eye cream, our age needs it.

Why do we need an eye cream and why can’t we just use the same cream we use on our face?

The skin around our eyes is different from our facial skin. It is thinner than the rest of our skin. You will notice that if you’re dehydrated, wrinkles starts to appear in your eyes. Same happens when you scratch your eyes frequently, it sags. So please always drink water and do not scratch the skin around your eyes. Aside from wrinkles, dark circles around your eyes are exposed veins, again due to dehydration. When the skin around your eyes lacks the fluid it needs, it becomes thinner, thus exposing the veins which gives that darkness around your eyes.

That’s how important eye cream is. And to answer the question why can’t we just use our facial cream, it’s because other ingredients that is in our facial cream (like SPF) are not safe for our eyes.

#5 The Difference Between Day And Night

Ten steps and then you have to do it twice daily?? You’re kidding, right? That was my initial reaction too! No WAY!!! I have no time for this! Believe me when I say, that, it’s not as time consuming as you think it was. In fact, reading this post is even longer than doing the regimen.

Basically, the steps are the same for day time and night time, save for a few additional to protect your skin from the sun. There’s the Sunscreen or for me, I use CC cream with high SPF during the day.

#6 The BB cream and the Alphabet

And speaking of these alphabet creams.. BB cream, CC cream, DD cream, etc, etc, wait, is ZZ cream on the way???

I use CC cream because it’s lighter and works well with my acidic face (BB creams are violent towards my acidic face). I got some CC cream samples from Laneige (that’s why I love this brand, they’re generous on samples!) and really love how light it is on my skin.

Why do you need a BB or CC cream during the day? Uhhm WHY NOT? Well, if you’re working, it is just natural that you put a little something on your face right? For work at homes or stay at homes like me, there’s use no? NO WAY! Even I’m at home, I make sure I am at my prettiest no (and you should too! haha)

#7 The Finisher and The Mist are no Myths

I haven’t tried using a finisher or mist but from what I have read, the finisher acts like a sealant and is applied last, after the moisturizer and before the alphabet cream (BB or CC or DD).

Mist, on the other hand, is used as your hydration refill during the day. It works well during the cold season when your face is dryer. I heard Etude’s Mist is one of the best in the market.

#8 Korean Skincare Brands in the Philippines

I only tried 4 brands: Laneige, Tony Moly, The Face Shop and Skin Food. I love Laneige the most (because as I have said, the moisture it gives is more age appropriate), if you’re younger, The Face Shop is good too (and cheaper!). I tried the Skin Food but my skin is not fond of food 🙁 The Tony Moly toner I tried is good too.

Here in the Philippines (as far as I know), the Korean Skin Care Brands available are:

• Tony Moly
• Etude
• The Face Shop (their face masks are cheap!)
• Laneige
• Nature Republic

#9 Scrubs, Masks and Peeling Gels 

The routine does not end there. There are times that you will need a little extra, such as facial scrub (I haven’t tried, so if you have a brand you can recommend, share it with me!), Masks and Peeling Gels.

When it comes to Masks (and packs), there are sleeping masks/packs, repair packs … My favorite, Kanebo 3D Masks. It’s the best facial mask I have tried, instant face lift! But the price is not uplifting, so expensive!

Other masks/ packs I have tried:

• The Face Shop Facial Mask (I can remember which but it’s less than 100 PhP)
• The Face Sop Sleeping Mask (the one on the photo)
• Laneige Water Sleeping Pack  (thumbs up)
• Laneige Multiberry Yogurt Repair Pack (left on my face for more than 10 minutes and my face was sooo soft!)

Peeling Gels are like scrubs, only gentler and it’s a gel. When you use peeling el, do not expect your skin to “peel”. It does not. Peeling gels removes the dirt and some oil on your skin. A small amount of gel would sometimes result in lumps when rubbed on the face. This lumps are the dirt and oil that comes contact with the gel.

#10 Is it really 10 steps?

Hmmm, let me count..

Evening Routine:

1. Wash (after> scrub at least once a week)
2. Toner (after toner> 1 or 2x a week mask or repair pack)
3. Emulsion
4. Essence
5. Moisturizer (1 or 2x a week use sleeping pack instead)

Morning Rotuine:

1. Wash
2. Toner
3. Emulsion
4. Essence
5. Moisturizer
6. CC cream

The most step is 7 steps (but it does not include eye cream and finisher and mist).. There goes the ten steps and the 10 Things You Need To Know About The 10 Steps Korean Skin Routine