The K-Beauty Podcast: Demystifying the Korean 10 Step Skin Care Routine

Since we are now on episode 10 of The K-Beauty Podcast, I feel it’s time to address the (in)famous Korean 10 step beauty routine, after dodging that particular topic for a while now. So…here it is – episode 10 of The K-Beauty Podcast: “The One Where I Try My Best To Demystify The Korean 10 Step Skin Care Routine (because it really doesn’t have to be as complicated as everyone makes it out to be…).”

Wow, I can’t believe I already managed to release a full 10 episodes of my podcast! I feel that the number 10 has a strange sort of mystical pull – if you say that you have created 10 of anything, it looks impressive enough to be a “real thing”, in a way, a solid project. I remember that I felt the same way when I had managed to create my first 10 blog posts. It seemed like this was now an actual, bonafide blog, something I could be proud of having stuck with until now. And, well, 3 years later I’m still sticking with the whole blogging thing, trying to work my way towards a full-time freelance and content creation career.

But, back to today’s episode of The K-Beauty Podcast: I am still unsure if it’s not a tad too ham-fisted to use episode 10 to talk about the Korean 10 step skin care routine. You know…10 and 10… But then, to be honest, I’ve had this whole topic cluster in the back of my mind for a while now, as it is usually the one thing people who aren’t too familiar with Korean beauty know about: all those complicated, confusing, time-consuming “steps” that Korean women go through obsessively every single morning and night. Those crazy Koreans, ammiright?

Yeah, so… As you can probably guess, I have a few things to say about this whole myth of the meticulously followed Korean 10 step skincare routine… But, apart from my usual questioning of myths and marketing narratives surrounding Korean beauty, I will also try my best to give some advise on how you can create your own multistep routine, if you so wish!

By the way, at some point I talk about occlusives and basically say that I don’t do well with mineral oil. I just felt, when listening to that part, that I made it sound as if I avoid mineral oil altogether, which I don’t – I just have to be careful not to use these types of heavy creams with lots of mineral oil too often. Just wanted to clarify that!

Here is episode TEN of The K-Beauty Podcast:
Demystifying the Korean 10 Step Skin Care Routine

Listen on ITunes ¦ Listen on Anchor.fm ¦ Listen on Stitcher

Demystifying the Korean 10 Step Skin Care Routine – Episode Notes

• Soko Glam’s Charlotte Cho shows her version of a PM 10 Step Routine in this Elle article
• Vogue’s Korean 10 Step Skin Care Routine is close to the Elle/Soko Glam version, but there are some differences in the way products are grouped together.
• Peach & Lily presents us with a core 6 step routine, with some extras such as sheet masks and sleeping packs as add ons – out of all K-beauty shops, I like their approach the most!
• Cosmopolitan has a number of different multistep routines on offer, depending on budget and time, but they also tell us to wash our faces only with water in the morning, which I am side-eyeing massively.
• This Coveteuer article does a good job at offering different and differing perspectives on whether or not the Korean multistep routine is a necessity.
• Just one of many, many articles describing how a Western girl tried a “crazy”, 14 steps long Korean beauty routine for two weeks and it “transformed” her skin – magical, isn’t it? Personally, I’m more shocked about the fact that the online magazine tries to sell its readers the Mizon Snail Ampoule for 38$, when you can easily find it for half that price…
• I hesitate to give this Self article clicks…sigh: one week (!) with the magical Korean 10 step skin care routine apparently transformed this person’s face dramatically, even though she still doesn’t know what an essence really is.
• Here is a short article about the specific needs of Asian skin.
• If you understand German, you may enjoy my blog article on the 10 step routine I wrote a while ago – it’s basically a summary of what I discuss in the podcast episode.
• Snow White and the Asian Pear is the queen of explaining the multistep skincare routine and how to organise your products – do check her out!
• This Racked article discusses the recent sunscreen study I mentioned on the podcast.

Demystifying the Korean 10 Step Skin Care Routine – Products mentioned:

• Neogen Wine Peeling Pads (not “grape” – they do smell like grape, that’s why I got confused!) – read my German review on these, buy at Amazon.com,* buy at Amazon DE*
• Shangpree S-Energy Facial Mousse Cleanser (it’s 35$, actually!) – North Americans can buy this at Peach & Lily, Germans best go via Miss & Missy
• Su:m37 Secret Essence – great product, but super pricey – Beautytap* sometimes has this drastically reduced, so watch out for their “Daily Taps”
• Whamisa Organic Flowers Deep Rich Toner – buy at Stylekorean*, Germans best buy this at Ecco Verde* or Najoba*
• Tia’m My Signature C Source Serum – buy at Beautytap*
• Cosrx BHA Blackhead Power Liquid – Beautytap* currently has the best price on this it seems!
• Cosrx AHA/BHA Clarifying Treatment Toner – buy at Beautytap*
• Swanicoco FGF Ampoule – read my English review, buy at Beautytap*
• Leegeehaam Vita Propolis Ampoule – buy at Amazon DE*, buy at Amazon.com*

The Weekly Craves, Faves and Misbehaves:

• Crave of the week: Peripera Ink The Airy Velvet Lip Tint Spring 2018 colours – buy all 5 at Yesstyle*

1. #11 Pinkish Grapefruit – buy at Stylekorean*
2. #12 Bloomy Orange – buy at Stylekorean*
3. #13 Apricot Coral – buy at Stylekorean*
4. #14 Rose Pink – buy at Stylekorean*
5. #15 Bright Plum – buy at Stylekorean* (currently for only 3,99$!!!)

• Fave of the Week: Heimish Dailism Eye Palette “Coral Essay” – read my English review, buy at Stylekorean* (currently on sale with 30% off!)
• Misbehave of the Week: No misbehave this week – there were too many great products that I pretty much all loved!

Thank you for listening to this week’s episode of The K-Beauty Podcast: “Demystifying the Korean 10 Step Skin Care Routine.” Don’t forget to subscribe on ITunes always catch the latest podcast episode! What does your skincare routine look like? Multistep or minimalist? Ever-changing or basically always a fixed routine? Let me know in the comments! By the way – I finally did it and signed up for a reddit account to become a part of the wonderful r/asianbeauty subreddit! Maybe I will see you there!

Take care, guys!
Sugarpeaches

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