South Korea became the epicentre of beauty and cosmetics in the last few years.

Using advanced technology, innovation, and intellect, they have been producing beauty products that gained thousands of positive feedbacks from their consumers from all around the world.

Korean products have dominated the whole cosmetic industry because their products are very different from western products most people are used to.

Their products consist of natural ingredients making it much gentler to the skin.

Korean skincare requires a longer than usual routine, money, and commitment. Its most famous routine is the 10-step skincare routine which almost everyone tried.

10 steps seem too much, is it necessary?

Unfortunately, yes. The routine consists of essential steps for your skin to receive the maximum benefits of each and every product you are going to apply.

Are there other shorter routines I can follow?

Yes, there are 7-step and 5-step routines for people who are busy or just lazy, but the results can differ from the 10-step routine.

Koreans started their skincare regime at a very young age as an act of prevention from different skin conditions such as premature ageing.

Now, let’s talk about the K-beauty brand Cosrx who is famous for their products containing high concentration of active ingredients.

If you are the type of person who is looking for highly effective products for your skin issues, you should definitely check them out!

Below are the products you are going to see in every Korean skincare routine and its functions.

CLEANSER

Cleansers are always the first step when it comes to any routine.

It is responsible for removing makeup, dirt, dead skin, and excess oil from our skin. Most routines will suggest you to double cleanse (oil cleanser followed by water cleanser) but this is only necessary for your night regime.

If you have sensitive skin, you must look for cleansers that are gentle like Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser although this cleanser is designed for your daily morning routine, it can act as your second cleanser for double cleansing at night.

TONER

Toning is important after cleansing as most cleansers can mess with our skin’s pH balance. When this happens, bacteria can easily grow on the skin.

Toners balance our skin’s pH balance and it also helps in closing our pores to prevent foreign bodies from entering our pores.

AHA/BHA Clarifying Treatment Toner is a refreshing toner that has exfoliating properties as well. It can prevent your skin from having blackheads and whiteheads and provides enough moisture as well.

It is recommended for night use as it contains exfoliators AHA and BHA which makes the skin more vulnerable to UV rays.

AHA = responsible for removing any impurities on the surface of the skin.

BHA = penetrates deeper to remove dead skin cells and excess sebum.

ESSENCE

Essence is one of the Korean’s secret to a healthy and glowing skin.

It provides an additional hydration and helps the following products by providing them better absorption.

It is also formulated to have deeper penetration to provide intense moisture and repair damaged skin.

Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence contains 96% snail secretion filtrate which contains numerous benefits for the skin such as damage repair.

Also, Cosrx is known for their products infused with snail secretion filtrate or snail mucin.

AMPOULE

Ampoules more powerful than serums and essences, a small bottle will go a long way because 2-3 drops are enough for maximum hydration.

Most ampoules are designed for different purposes like anti-aging or brightening.

However, Triple Hyaluronic Moisture Ampoule is an ampoule that will provide extreme moisture on a deeper level so your skin will be hydrated all day long.

Hyaluronic acid is one of the ingredients you will mostly see on Korean skincare products.

EYE CREAM

Eye creams are vital because the skin around it is more sensitive and thinner compared to other parts of our skin. It is also more prone to wrinkles and fine lines when not taken care of.

Eye creams are formulated to be much gentler than the ordinary moisturiser we use and it is used to provide moisture and nutrients in that area.

Advanced Snail Peptide Eye Cream is an amazing eye cream that restores the elasticity of the area and improves dark circles.

MOISTURIZER

No words can stress how important moisturising is.

If you reached this part, you can see how important moisture and hydration to the skin is from the products above.

It makes your skin look younger and glowing when you do it daily.

Your skin can suffer from extreme oiliness or dryness if you don’t provide it the moisture it needs.

It can also make your skin look younger and glowing.

Check out the Cosrx Advanced Snail 92 All In One Cream that can provide the skin with the moisture it needs without the sticky finish.

SUN CREAM

UV rays are one of the major reasons for skin ageing and that’s why it is important to get protection from it even if you don’t spend most of your days outside.

It can also reduce your chances of getting skin cancer or any other serious skin conditions.

Aloe Soothing Sun Cream is SPF50 PA+++ which is already great for daily use. It does not only give you protection but also hydration from the aloe leaf extract.

Discussing the benefits of those natural ingredients would be a different article but knowing the basics before establishing a skincare routine is a must.

After that, know your skin type and check for any allergies before choosing any products. Always be mindful of the ingredients as some can be harmful to specific skin types.

Don’t forget to enjoy yourselves while doing your skincare routine!