What can you learn from korean cleansing routines?

1. Help Prevent Your Skin From Showing Visible Signs Of Aging

Whereas much of Western skin care is focused on treating and improving, Korean skin care places a heavy emphasis on prevention — slowing down the visible signs of aging, cleansing it from free radicals, and protecting your skin with SPF. Good skin care behaviors are instilled at a young age which limits damage throughout a lifetime. Adopt this mentality in your every day life by always cleansing your skin and using SPF. You could see it almost like skin insurance where you’re good behavior pays off in the long run.

2. Cleanse Thoroughly

Most Korean women wouldn’t be caught dead going to sleep with their make up on. In fact, cleansing is the foundation of their impeccable skin. Most even employ a technique called double cleansing. In this process a facial cleansing oil is applied first to remove any make up or residue. Then a gentle foaming cleanser is applied to the skin and massaged into it to remove any remaining impurities. Double cleansing provides a deeper cleansing experience and helps remove all traces of impurities or particles that may be on your skin. Washing your face once can leave build-up and make up traces on your skin but washing it twice ensures an optimal clean.

3. Moisturize – Always

Korean skin care employs many steps that involve hydration. They are huge fans of serums, essences and emulsions which all add an extra layer of hydration and skin-perfecting ingredients. If you don’t want to add that many additional steps to your skin care routine you can just limit yourself to a really great moisturizer. Use one formulated with antioxidants as they truly can benefit your skin. “Antioxidants are molecules that can neutralize free radicals, and thus mitigate the negative effect of free radicals on the surface of one’s skin,” says Nannan Chen, Associate Principal Scientist, Garnier Scientific Affairs. Try Garnier SkinActive’s Clearly Brighter Brightening and Smoothing Daily Moisturizer. It’s formulated with antioxidants Vitamin C and E to help ward off environmental damage and has SPF 15 to protect your skin from the sun.

4. Masks

Masks take your skin to the next level of hydration — imagine them to be like deep conditioning but for your skin. Sheet masks are huge in Korea and their easy application and effectiveness make them simple to use with great skin benefits. Another way to get fresh, healthy-looking skin is by using an overnight mask like Garnier SkinActive’s Miracle Anti-Fatigue Sleeping Cream which is formulated with lavender essential oil, hyaluronic and hydroxy acids. It helps renew, firm and can even reduce the appearance of wrinkles all while you’re sleeping so you can wake up with fresh, rested-looking skin.

5. Eye Cream

Koreans pay special attention to the eye area which can often look parched and is usually the first area to show signs of aging. Always make sure to moisturize and protect this delicate area so that you don’t show premature signs of aging.

6. SPF

Koreans guard their skin from the sun’s harmful rays and you should do the same. Never leave the house without SPF and avoid being in the sun, particularly during peak hours from 11 am to 2 pm. Wear sunglasses and hats if you have to spend a prolonged amount of time in the sun. Also make sure to use SPF on your hands, ears and chest. They show signs of aging and are likely spots to develop skin cancer.

7. Be Conscientious With Your Skin

The best takeaway you can have from Korean skin care is that you need to be mindful of your skin and make an effort. Adopt the policy that the time you give to take care of your skin will be given back to you in the form of beautiful, youthful and glowing skin.