THE new craze in the quest for beautiful skin has beauty enthusiasts like myself obsessed with the Korean’s skincare routine.

Most Korean women use an eight and 10-step skincare routine each and every day, to maintain healthy radiant-looking skin. This routine is more extensive as compared to other skincare regimen.

Korean skincare is all about layering a variety of products that each have significant effects on the skin.

The Korean

Step 1: Oil-based cleanser

For the evening, select an oil-based cleanser to start with as this will work to remove make-up and impurities from the skin. A good substitute is using coconut oil and wipes to remove make-up effectively.

Step 2: Foam cleansing

Following the oil cleanser, use a water-based foam cleanser to gently remove the oil residue and water-based impurities from the day. Create a nice lather that can give a deep and refreshing cleanse.

Step 3: Exfoliate

Once a week use a gentle enzyme such a papaya or bead-based exfoliator to remove the dead skin cells that can make the complexion appear lacklustre whilst blocking pores and preventing key product ingredient absorption.

Step 4: Toner

Apply a toner after your cleanser to balance the skin’s pH levels, a good substitute for toners is witch hazel.

Step 5: Essence

The essence is really the heart of Korean skin care, a step that is credited to their culture. It’s one of the most important parts of the routine. It’s a treatment product similar to serums, boosters or ampoules, but it’s more watery in consistency than the rest of those products, so it comes out like a toner.

Step 6: Ampoule

By applying this concentrated serum at night, your skin will be able to absorb all the hydration it needs following a long day’s work.

Step 7: Serum

Following with the serum should then be worked into the specific areas of concern, such as vitamin C serum for skin brightening or hyaluronic acid for anti-ageing benefits.

Step 8: Sheet mask

The sheet mask is a Korean beauty favourite – a cloth saturated with skin-loving ingredients! Perfect for all skin types, everyone can benefit from these masks which deliver a deeply hydrating and anti-ageing treatment.

This is not an every-night step, you really only need to do it twice a week. In fact, you can swap a sheet mask for a serum or essence to cut time off your routine. The mask contains those treatment products already.

Step 9: Eye cream

Smooth a light eye cream across both the brow and socket bone, moving from the inner to outer corner of the eye. Here, the skin is at its thinnest as there are no sebaceous glands to produce natural oils, so it’s important to keep this area hydrated and protected all day long. Depending on the eye cream you choose, this could focus on everything from fine lines to dark circles.

Step 10: Moisturiser

Lastly, select a night-time moisturiser to keep those skin-loving ingredients locked in. I personally love Shea butter as my moisturiser to seal in the serums that were previously applied allowing you to wake up beautifully rejuvenated.

The Korean Morning Routine

Step 1: Wash with water

First thing in the morning, cleanse your skin with only water, not cleanser. This is to remove the few impurities that settle on the face during the night as well as to hydrate and refresh the skin.

Step 2: Toner

Step 3: Essence

Step 4: Ampoule

Step 5: Serum

Step 6: Eye cream

Step 7: Moisturiser

Next apply a soothing cream-based moisturiser in a light layer across the skin for long-lasting, all-day hydration. Day-wear moisturiser should never be oil-based, this is to prevent blockage especially if make-up is worn

Step 8: Sunscreen

Applying sunscreen shouldn’t be reserved for beach days. Protecting the skin on a daily basis from UV rays will avoid the development of dark spots, wrinkles and fine lines. Find a great sunblock with SPF 50 and above.

Remember a little goes a far way, so apply a pea-sized amount of each

The Korean way simplified

Whether you employ the full 18-steps a day or not, try and remember the golden Korean skin rules: To hydrate, exfoliate and never skip suncare.

Michelle Vernon is a phlebotomist medical aesthetician who operates the Body Studio Skincare, located at 20 Constant Spring Road, Mall Plaza, Kingston 10, and Fairview Shopping Centre, Montego Bay. She may be reached at telephone 908-0438 or 684-9800; IG @ bodystudioskincare; E-mail: bodystudioskincare@gmail.com; Website:www. bodystudioskincare.com