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The ultimate beauty routine

What goes first - moisturiser or toner? If you've ever wondered about the order in which to put on skincare products, here it is, according to a Korean beauty expert

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Every individual has a different skin type and we all want to have glowing and healthy skin. The core of Korean beauty is not merely using many products on your skin, but about truly understanding it and using the right products for it.
To begin with, cleansing should always be the first step of your skincare ritual. In the morning, you should wash your face with a foam cleanser, but in the evening, it is very important to double cleanse. First, wash off your makeup, dirt and sebum with cleansing water, oil or balm. The next step is to clean any residue and clogged pores with a foam cleanser. After cleansing, wipe your skin with a toner to balance your skin's pH levels and prepare your skin to better absorb the treatment. Gently dab an eye cream below your eyes to help brighten and hydrate the delicate eye area. Feel free to use eye patches or eye masks if you wish.
To nourish and repair your skin, apply serum, ampoule or essence, and use a moisturiser to restore hydration. Dry skin causes irritation and inflammation, giving a look of roughness and emphasising fine lines. Regardless of your skin type, this is why you should continuously give nutrients and hydrate your skin using essences and creams. Moisturisers are specifically designed to lock in all the nutrients and healthy ingredients you apply on your skin.
Lastly, you should protect the skin from the sun's harmful ultraviolet rays. Using sunscreen helps tighten the look of your skin and reduces fine and coarse lines. Now you can put on makeup for that extra shine.
If you want to improve your skin's texture, add an exfoliating routine once a week. It essentially removes dead skin cells, revealing brighter skin. Another optional step after toner is using face masks. There are many types of masks to choose between - from sheet masks to wash-off masks to sleeping masks. Sheet masks are single-use masks which are popular in the K-Beauty realm. They are soaked in serums that give nutrients and a boost of moisture to your skin. After washing and wiping your skin with the toner, leave the sheet mask on for about 15 to 20 minutes, then gently take it off and lightly dab the remaining essence onto the skin. Wash-off masks are those that you need to rinse off with lukewarm water after 15 to 20 minutes. Otherwise, you can put on a sleeping mask which is a cream that nourishes your skin while you sleep. These mask are well designed for different skin types (dry, oily, sensitive, combination and acne prone skin) with a lot of innovative ingredients like avocado, honey, snail mucin and pearl.
Here's a Korean skincare regimen you can incorporate into your daily routine
1) Double Cleansing
Korean skincare routine basically starts off with two ways of cleansing.
Oil-based Cleanser
The first step is to remove impurities, oil-based makeup, excess sebum, SPF and harmful pollutants on our skin after a long day. This routine is usually done at night before washing your face.
Water-Based Cleanser
Following the oil cleanser is the water-based cleanser. This helps to remove any remaining residue and water-based impurities from your skin. This routine is usually done on a day and night basis.
2) Toner
Toning prepares your skin for the next remaining steps and balances your skin's natural pH level - allowing it to absorb nutrients better.
3) Eye Cream
Once your skin has fully absorbed all the nutrients it needs, gently dab an eye cream below your eyes to help brighten and hydrate your delicate eye area.
4) Essence/Serum/Ampoule
These products let your skin absorb all the hydration and nourishment it needs. It also helps you with skin concerns like hyper-pigmentation, acne scars and ageing.
5) Moisturiser
Finally, moisturising helps to lock in all the nutrients your skin absorbed from the previous steps. It also rejuvenates and beautifully evens out your complexion.
6) Sunscreen
Protect your skin from the harmful UV rays of the sun. Putting on sunscreen on a daily basis will lessen your pigmentation, dark spots and fine lines. This step only applies during day time. Now you are all set to put on your makeup.
wknd@khaleejtimes.com