This year I have made resolutions that I can stick to. The first is taking better care of my skin. Living in Korea has opened my eyes to a lot of things. Skin care regimen is one of them! If you've visited any of the Korean cosmetic stores, or even turned on the TV Its difficult to escape images of youthful looking Korean women, with amazingly glowing skin! it seems clear that Investing in your skin works like an ISA, it will pay off in the long run if you start as soon as you can.
Did you know that the average Korean woman uses 18 products per day on her skin! So for the majority of us westerners that are more familiar to the humble face wipe this can be a bit of a shock! Koreans are noted globally for having amazing skin, however this notoriety doesn't come without serious time and dedication.
The key to glowing healthy skin seems to be in the process by layering products in different stages. Layering seems to be the way forward when it comes to keeping skin at its best. The tricky part is finding out what does what!
The Korean market is saturated with products ranging from serums to emulsions. Don't no your emulsion from your essence? I'l break these products down for you so you can see for yourself what does what, and most importantly the correct process!
Cleanse
This is the first stage of the process and one that we are all quite familar with. The difference when doing it Korean style is to double cleanse. Koreans usually use a foam cleanser followed by a cream cleanser. Or for really stubborn makeup a cleansing oil. Double cleansing is effective especially when using strong BB creams that leave residue.
Tone
Once your skin is completley make up free you need to tighten the pores and remove all the dead cells and leftover residue from the cleanser. Toners are a must have staple item in a skin care regime! Plus they feel nice and refreshing!
Essence/ Serum
I have included these together and will explain the difference. These products should be used before your moisturiser and shouldn't replace your moisturiser. The difference between the two is moisturisers have larger molecules, and serums / essences have smaller ones meaning they can penetrate the skin and work from the inside. This is why they can correct a number of skin problems, such as dryness, enlarged pores and skin pigmentation. The benefit of using serums is that they tend to only use pure extracts, which also means you will find these to be the most expensive part of your routine.
The difference between an essence and a serum is the consistency. I would recommend using essence as part of your morning routine, as it's easily absorbed into the skin and lighter than a serum. Serums are best used at night, when you have time to let them fully soak in and allow them to work their magic overnight. Wait 10 minutes with both products before you move onto the next step to enable them to soak in.
Balancing water/ Water balance cream
This step is great for the dry winter months as these products deliver deep hydration for skin. They are usually gel based and easily absorbed.
Emulsion
The only emulsion i'd ever heard of pre Korea was the stuff you paint on walls! Korean emulsion is a light moisturiser which is great for oily skin. Depending on your skin type / season you might want to choose your own moisturiser.
Now you know your emulsions from your essences, the hard work begins! Deciding what products to use and where to buy from!! First you need to understand your skin type then the rest is trial and error!! Luckily most Korean cosmetic stores give samples and in Innisfree you can actually buy trial size versions of the popular ranges. Have you used any skin care ranges that have worked for you? If so drop me a line!
