Liah Yoo, Susan Yara, James Welsh, and Hyrama. What do these names have in common? They all promote and believe in Korean skincare (K-Beauty)! The letter “K” on pretty much everything has taken the world by storm. Gone are the days wherein it would be a specific niche or small group of people who would enjoy the exports of Korea. Now, be it the musical domination of groups such as BTS, EXO, Red Velvet, or Blackpink, the myriad of K-Dramas ready to be streamed wherein there’s bound to be one to appeal to you or cinematic masterpieces with a dose of fun like Parasite, there’s a K-Something for everyone.

One of Korea’s most popular contributions to the world? Korean Skincare

We have people like Singaporean actress Nurul Aini and Taiwanese actress Barbie Hsu proving the product’s effectiveness by looking like they’re still in their 20s. Influencer and blogger Kryz Uy, on her website, has a whole section dedicated to talking about anything and everything about Korean skincare. We have even seen A-list Hollywood celebrities and award-winning musicians use and support  Korean skincare products like Emma Stone and Lady Gaga.

It is one of the things Korea is most known for after all and it’s here. It’s been here for a while now, but it’s these days where it’s truly at its peak.

What is The Korean Skincare Routine Anyway?

Before anything, before we talk about its history and context, it would be best if we talk about what the legendary Korean Skincare routine is in the first place.

It’s a 10-step regimen that’s said to be the secret behind Korean women’s flawless and glass-like skin. The peak that most women in the world aspire for. More than just a simple routine or everyday regimen, we believe that it’s more than that. It’s an actual way of life.

It’s actually rooted in a specific Korean Skin Philosophy that believes that “More is more.” As such, they researched deeply and fully into the process of beautification and created something that’s not short of an art form.

And the fact that it feels therapeutic as you do it is a giant plus!

The 10-Step Korean Skincare Routine 

Steps 1-2

The first two steps make up the rather infamous double cleanser routine. You use an oil cleanser, followed by a foam cleanser. This one-two punch will remove makeup and pollutants from your face and dissolves dirt and sweat respectively.

Step 3

Next, you move on to the Exfoliator – the final step in cleansing your skin. 

Step 4

The fourth step is to the pregame of sorts before the main event of the rest of the routine: using a toner that regulates PH levels and softens your skin.

Steps 5-7

The next few steps are where it gets exciting: Essence, treatments, and sheet mask! This is where you can really dig into what works for you. Therefore focus on what you want to achieve while feeling the magic of your products work on your skin.

Steps 8-10

The last three steps are eye cream, moisturizer, and sun protection to seal the deal and complete your beauty ritual.

Although these ten steps are the basic regimen you have to follow, you don’t have to follow it too strictly, and are actually quite flexible. Like with most things, you can take what works for you and tailor-fit it to your skin’s individual needs.

There are even people who add more steps to the routine.

Using this routine as a base, make it work for you and your beauty needs and you’ll get the skin you want in no time.

How Did We All Get Here?

It feels like we all woke up one day and without realizing it, we were already doing our daily routines the Korean way. It’s interesting to explore how and why we got to this wonderful “here” in the first place.

One of the main reasons truly ties into the rise of Korean Culture transitioning, being accepted, and then celebrated into popular culture. As mentioned earlier, these shows, stars, idols, and musicians have made their way not just into our consciousness, but our hearts as well.

We start to not only enjoy them but idolize them. And because of that, we want to emulate them and see how they achieve their flawless looks.

And if there’s something that these Korean stars and celebrities do well, it’s to look good.

Have you ever watched something you loved and just went “What? How did they end up looking like that?! They look so good! I want that look too! But how???!!”

Alright, maybe not that excitable, but you get the picture.

Before anything, yes, there is that aspect of going under the knife and plastic surgery as being one of the reasons why some of them look not just beautiful but ageless, but that’s not for everyone. Mostly, they do it by taking great care of themselves and their skin.

Korean Skincare a part of Korean Culture

Skincare is part of Korean culture. Probably more so than others, and women, as well as some men, are taught how to take care of their skin at an early age. They have such a high standard for beauty that almost everyone tries their very best to live up to it. The result of which is the global perception of Koreans having perfect, flawless, and enviable skin.

You can see it. There’s a glow to their beauty after all. So once we see something we like, of course, we’d like to emulate it, copy it, learn it, and make it ours. Thankfully, it wasn’t that hard. It wasn’t a highly kept secret or anything and before we knew it, the secrets of Korean beauty became public knowledge to some of us.

That some, that select few, started spreading what they knew online. They shared their knowledge with the rest of us, and, before we knew it, we all had access to the information. And when we realized that the products they used weren’t just effective, but affordable as well?

Well, how could the floodgates not open?

And how lucky we are that they did.

Will It Stay On Top?

From the look of things, Korean beauty and the skincare used to achieve it will be here to stay. It isn’t going anywhere and honestly, why should it? If you haven’t already, we urge you to give it a try for yourself! There are so many tutorials, bloggers, and influencers out there (or right here!) making content that can help guide you.

So what are you waiting for? There’s a reason Korean Beauty and the wonderful skincare routine rose to the top. Try it for yourself and see where you and your skin can go.