Korea has been looked up to as the epitome of skincare science for years now. You’d be surprised to know that Koreans believe that you can see your future within your face, and this is the reason many of them spend a lot of their time on skincare to create the best future possible by ensuring that their skin is as healthy as it can be. 

Korean skincare really feels like a pampering session for yourself and helps you clear your mindset. It’s like a lifestyle that has taken over the skincare and beauty industries for a few years now. It is now a global phenomenon and it takes some sincere dedication to follow that 10 step regimen twice every day. Korean skincare is emphasizing on the fact that you need to take care of your skin before some actual concern or skin problem arises.

10 Step Korean Skincare Routine For Men

Here are the 10 steps that collectively comprise the Korean skincare routine.

1. Oil cleansing

Oil cleansers help break down oil-based debris that gets collected underneath our skin. They nourish and hydrate the skin and leave a natural scent. What you need to do is to take an oil cleanser that suits your skin and deeply massage your skin using it, twice a day.

2. Water cleansing

Dermatologists and facialists of the world speak in favor of double cleansing the skin. Water cleansing is essential to remove all the water-based impurities from the skin.  In this regard, milk works as an excellent cleanser that clears your skin without stripping it.

Water cleansing involves gently applying a water cleanser on your skin in circular, smooth motions, two times a day.

3. Exfoliation

Removal of dead skin cells from your body is one of the most important Korean skincare tips. What exfoliator to use would depend on your type of skin. Exfoliation helps in allowing the other products that you use on your skin to absorb more efficiently. You can focus this only on those areas of your skin where you are facing any kind of problems.

4. Lotion for essence

Essence hydrates the deep levels of the skin, beneath what we see. These are gels concentrated with active ingredients, and that contain a higher content of things like glycerin, hyaluronic acid, and other natural extracts. Patting a small amount of such lotion on the face and skin of the neck twice a day will be enough.

5. Serum

To most men, this might seem as too much, but believe us, serums are like the building blocks of your skin. These contain active ingredients, like lotions, that help in a lot of problems, ranging from hydration to skin ageing. One essential part of applying serums includes selecting the right serum for your skin and according to the skin issues you’re facing. You can apply this on your entire skin, or only on the problematic areas, as you wish. Gently pat your face and the skin around your neck or on other areas, twice a day, like all other steps.

6. Masks

The intent behind using sheet masks is primarily to push the ingredients that help bind water to the skin, into the face. They come in tissues, bio-cellulose bodies, etc., and allow concentrated ingredients to get fully absorbed into the skin. 

7. Eye cream

Targeting the sensitive skin around the eyes, and aiming to reduce puffiness and darkness in that region, eye creams, gels, or oils are an important ingredient of Korean skincare for men. It can also help you with the problem of dark circles, by hydrating and brightening the skin around your eyes. Use your ring finger and gently tap the eye cream around your entire orbital bone, and by now you know you need to do it twice a day.

8. Emulsion

Emulsions are lightweight moisturizers and contain vitamins and actives that nourish the skin and bind moisture to it. Probably, most men wouldn’t even have heard the name ’emulsion’, but you’d be surprised to know that they suit the male skin in particular, and can be a really good option for humid climate when you do not want to apply a heavy cream on your face. An emulsion enhances the use of the above given 7 products and nourishes your skin to deeper levels.

9. Moisturizing

It’s highly important to not forget the moisturizer, and more so when you’re sticking to the Korean skincare regime. Moisturizer acts as a protective layer to your skin and makes sure that all products that you use soak into your skin, instead of evaporating. 

10. SPF

You just cannot afford to miss this last one while following the Korean skincare routine.  Sun damage is a real thing and is cause for a lot of external skin problems. Keeping your skin covered, wearing gloves and sunglasses, etc. are all protective measures that you can follow to keep your skin away from any possible damage from the skin. Applying an SPF is the easiest and the best safeguarding this regard, and must be an essential component of your daily skincare kit.

You must reapply this throughout the day on your face, neck, shoulders, and other parts of your skin that remain uncovered in the sun. By now, you would have understood that sticking to Korean skincare for men isn’t easy at all and you might be looking for some shortcuts. Well, if you do not want to go through all the ten steps, you can cut it down to following it in this order:

Double cleansing, exfoliation, essence, serum, and SPF moisturizer. This doesn’t in any way mean that you must straight away jump down to following the shortcut. We would suggest trying out the entire 10 step routine, and then figuring it out yourself if you have enough time and dedication to follow it daily, twice a day. Ultimately, skincare leads down to understanding what works the best for your skin, and Korean skincare is no exception to it. Hence, we would suggest understanding your skin perfectly, trying different things and products out, and giving your skin the extra care it needs.

Also Read: Is Korean Skin Care Worth All The Hype?