Skincare Diaries: The Best Order & Frequency For Your Skincare Products and the 10-Step Korean Skincare Routine

Hi!! So my latest skincare obsession is KOREAN SKIN CARE! I bought & read the book The Little Book of Skin Care by Charlotte Cho, owner of sokoglam.com and have been learning so much. I wanted to give a little summary of what I learned, what sparked my interest, and what products I have been using lately. I also called my aesthetician, Chelsea, at Zona Med Spa so she could weigh in her tips too. Let me know if you have any questions, and if there is a post on skin care you’d like to see next!

What Sparked My Interest…

I touched on this a little in my last blog post, but when I was at the Gritty Leadership Conference, one of the speakers, Cortnie Purdy-Fausner (CEO of The Venue Report), was on stage and I was like 50 feet away from her and her skin was literally GLOWING. She even said that she had a meeting earlier in the day that went longer than expected so she didn’t have time to get ready. I was like WHAT. She looked amazing.

So after she spoke there were all these women lined up to speak to her about her business, and I’m at the end of line waiting to ask her about her skincare routine LOL. Typical. But she had some great tips:

• Use the Soko Glam 10 Step-Korean Skincare Routine (and cleanse twice)
• Play meditation music while you do your routine (I like the Insight Timer app)
• Use the It Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC+ Cream with SPF 50+ (just bought it and I’m OBSESSED! Has such great coverage!)

Which made me IMMEDIATELY by the Soko Glam owner’s book and I finished it in 3 days. Lol.

What is the 10-Step Korean Skincare Routine?

1. MAKEUP REMOVER + OIL CLEANSER

   This was new to me. WTF is an oil cleanser? And why do I need to wash my face before I wash my face?! Lol. If you have oily skin, you may be thinking “why would I put more oil on my already oily skin!?”
   Basically, the ideas is that water washes off water, but water can’t wash off oil. Only oil can wash off oil. Insert: oil cleansers. I got mine a couple days ago and it kind of has the same consistency as coconut oil when it’s solid. You scoop out some with a spatula and rub it in between your hands to heat it up before massaging it on your face. It removes makeup and smells SO good.

   I use Banila Co Clean it Zero Cleansing Balm – it smells SO good and makes me feel like I’m at the spa.

2. WATER-BASED CLEANSER

   This is probably the type of cleanser you already use daily. When I was on Accutane, I used something really gentle like Cera Ve, but now I mainly use Kate Somerville’s Acne Cleanser.

3. EXFOLIATOR

   My aesthetician, Chelsea, at Zona Med Spa, says that this step is especially important if you have blackheads like me. My nose is COVERED in them. She said at least once a week, take an exfoliant (you can either use a mechanical one that has beads in it or a chemical one that has AHAs or BHAs like glycol acid, salicylic acid, or lactic acid) and spend more time massaging the area with the most black heads. The Exfoliant will help to break down the dead skin cells on your skin so that you can rinse them off! This prevents them from clogging your pores and turning into blackheads.

   I use Juice Beauty’s Exfoliating Peel Spray and also use Korean Exfoliating Cloths along with my regular water-based cleanser for added exfoliating.

4. TONER

   To be honest, I’m not a huge fan of toner. I think it makes me break out even more! I’ve tried Glossier’s Solution and wasn’t impressed. HOWEVER, Korean toners are actually different than American toners. The don’t make your face sting lol. So when I learned this I immediately bought the Son & Park Beauty Water (the reviews on it are insane). It’s not oily, it balances the pH of your skin, it’s HYDRATING (I feel like most toners dry me out and make my skin feel tight), and it doesn’t burn!!

   I also use my Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Glow Pad in this step because it exfoliates and needs to absorb before putting anything else on the skin. I love these because they also have self-tanner in them!!

5. ESSENCE

   Once your toner dries, you’ll want to pat in essence. This is the heart of the Korean skin care routine and it’s basically a toner/serum hybrid made for hydrating and aiding skin repair and cell turnover.

   I love Juice Beauty’s Essence and have also had my eye on the Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence because it is fragrance free (great for sensitive skin) and has a pH level of 6.5. It is great for hydration and getting rid of hyper-pigmentation!

6. TREATMENTS

   What is a “treatment”? Basically any boosters, serums, and ampoules that target problems associated with your skin specifically. I use treatments that target wrinkles and acne! But treatments can target anything from dull skin, large pores, pigmentation, wrinkles, or acne. Gently tap these into your skin! I use Kate Somerville Anti Bac Acne Clearing Lotion and IMAGE Skincare Iluma Intense Lightening Serum.

7. SHEET MASKS

   My FAVORITE thing to do at the end of a long day is do my skincare routine and then put on a sheet mask. It’s so therapeutic!!! You just sit there for 15-30 minutes and let all the goodness soak into your skin.
   I used to get my masks at Sephora for like $7 each, but now I subscribe to FaceTory and get 4 sheet masks delivered to me each month for $8.90!! I always look forward to receiving it in the mail. It’s cheap and it’s a great form of self-care. I like to read a book, listen to meditation music, or scroll through IG while I mask haha.

8. EYE CREAM

   If you’re 25, it’s time for an eye cream! I use Juice Beauty Stem Cellular Anti-Wrinkle Eye Treatment and Dermalogica Stress Positive Eye Lift. The first focuses on wrinkles, obviously, and the second is a bit better at reducing puffiness and dark under-eye circles.

9. MOISTURIZER

   I LOVE MOISTURIZER! Can’t get enough of it. My favorites are Juice Beauty Anti Wrinkle Moisturizer and Dr. Dennis Gross Ferulic + Retinol Fibroblast Anti-Aging Moisturizer. If you’re looking for something a little lighter, I also really like Glossier’s Priming Moisturizer!

10. SUN PROTECTION

    If you don’t use SPF everyday then wyd????? Seriously. If you hate sunscreen then you’re probably wearing the wrong kind haha. Do yourself a favor and place an order – there are so many great ones that don’t make you breakout and don’t leave that white film on your skin. Try to get one with SPF 50. Also, get a powdered sunscreen-like makeup that you can reapply every 2 hours. I use Replenix SPF 50+ (it has caffeine and anti-aging properties) and reapply throughout the day with Colorescience Sunforgettable Mineral SPF 30 Sunscreen Brush.

11. MY OWN #11…. LIP MASK!

    I seriously don’t know how I lived before I got my LaNeige Lip Mask. It’s the BEST night mask for your lips. It’s chapstick on steroids and smells like Starburst. YOU’LL BE ADDICTED. I promise. Linked here.

In Summary, Proper Skin Care Order…

Think clear liquids to heavier lotions.

1. Oil-based Cleanser
2. Water-based Cleanser
3. Exfoliator
4. Toner
5. Essence (toner/serum hybrid)
6. Treatments (boosters, serums, and ampoules)
7. Sheet Mask
8. Eye Cream
9. Moisturizer
10. If nighttime… Retinols & Sleeping mask, this helps to hold in moisture
11. If daytime… skip on heavier lotions and use SPF (minimum 30)
12. Lip Mask & Eyelash boost serum & Floss 😉

Once a week….

• Do a charcoal/clay mask
• Do a vitamin C mask
• EXFOLIATE!!! If you use a scrub, it doesn’t have to be aggressive!

Multiple times per week (or as often as you’d like)….

• Do a moisturizing sheet mask

Once every 1-2 months

• See an aesthetician for a facial to catch that skin cycle turnover (if you live in AZ, see my girl Chelsea at ZonaMed Spa!! I’m a member and get botox and facials throughout the year). Here are some awesome facials to invest in:
  • Hydrafacial – best for dry, clogged skin
  • IPL – best for fixing dark discoloration
  • Micro-needling – best for building collagen or for treating Melasma
  • Chemical Peel – more of an exfoliation, but if you have time for the down time you can do this to treat Melasma for this as well

Other Things To Keep In Mind

• If you’re washing your face in the shower, make sure to do it AFTER you rinse out your conditioner. Blackheads around the hair line usually indicates conditioner isn’t getting cleaned off!

See below for most (if not all) links to the products mentioned and some others that I use too. Enjoy!

xx – Becca