Korean Skincare Routine for Combination Skin

Last week I received a Korean beauty box from YesStyle for combination skin. I have been using the products every single day, twice per day (morning and evening) and I have to say I am SO happy with how my skin looks and feels. You know how obsessed I am with Korean & Japanese products and I am truly excited to have tested some great products that I will actually purchase myself again!

All the products for the face form a complete routine (minus the eye cream though) and the little leaflet inside the box shows you the order you have to use the products.

RiRe Style Black Head Brush Cleaner

The first step is cleaning the face with the foam. It removes blackheads, whiteheads and excess oil thanks to the blend of black rice, black soybean, black sesame extracts together with macadamia oil and jojoba seed oil.

After pressing a few times, the gel is released through the middle of the built-in silicone brush. I then start brushing on the wet face, until it gest foamy, and insisting on the areas where I have blackheads. I usually clean my face with a foam cleanser and a plastic brush for the same effect, but it gets messy. This is perfect for travelling as it’s under the liquid limit for onboard luggage and it’s super quick to use!

Etude House AC Clean Up Toner

After cleaning with the foam, it’s time for the toner. It based on salicylic acid and hinoki cypress extract to help maintain oil and water balance. I pour a bit on a cotton pad, then I swipe all over my face and neck. This is another product that I am thinking of purchasing again. It smells fresh and leaves my skin feeling purified!

Etude House AC Clean Up Pink Powder Mask

After the toner gets absorbed in the skin, I can either apply the pink powder mask or the snail bee mask.The pink powder is a clay-based mask with kaolin, salicylic acid and hinoki cypress to clean and tighten pores. I have tried it a couple of times to close the pores, especially on the nose and the chin. It smells great and fresh (like the toner – makes sense because they are in the same product range). It has a smooth texture, smoother than a mudmask, but when it dries it feels like that.

Benton Snail Bee High Content Mask Pack

As I had one snail bee mask, I used it during one evening. It’s an alcohol-free mask full of serum made from snail filtrate, bee venom, camellia leaf water and EGF to soothe and brighten then skin. It has no smell and it’s loaded with a lost of serum, so I ended up applying it on the neck too.

I was quite surprised it had no smell – usually all the sheet masks I used had a soft pleasant smell. I would definitely try more of this type of masks to see a long term effect. But after one use, my skin felt plump and soft!

AGATHA Essential Emulsion

The fourth step is applying the Agatha emulsion; it’s made of a combination of rose extracts and red flower complex that hydrates and restores the oil and water balance. It was quite difficult to use it, as the emulsion is quite dense compared and the hole in the recipient was too small. I had to use a toothpick to get out cream and this was a bit of an inconvenient. It was all worth it though – the emulsion smells flowery and feels so good on the skin!

In the fifth step I can either use the essence or the cream

AGATHA Essentiel Skin

This is from the same range as the emulsion. The recipients are identical, but because the essence is liquid, it was easier to use. It smells the same and love how it adds another layer of hydration without making the skin feel oily. This is what I use in the morning. On top of it I then add my SPF cream and then proceed with the makeup

Etude House Honey Cera Cream

This cream s very dense and smells like honey, of course. Because of its consistency, I use it ad night and apply generously on the face and the neck as the last step in my routine. The recipient is great and I will definitely reuse it when travelling with my own usual face cream.

The other products in the box, not related to my daily skin care, are the pimple patches, the hair mask and the lip balm

COSRX Acne Pimple Master Patch

This is a sheet that contains 24 patches of different sizes. These hydrocolloid patches reduce the pimples; they have to be applied on cleansed skin, before any moisturizes and leave them overnight.

I tried it last night on a small pimple and it was amazing how it reduced the swelling and all that was left was a tiny red dot that was easily covered with a bit of BB cream. I will try it again for sure!

REPIEL Smart Hair Mask Magic Steam

Oh my God, this hair mask is one of the best things I could have done for my hair! It’s sort of like the baby foot except it has a nourishing balm inside. You put your entire hair inside, wrap tightly around the head and close it. Massage gently to spread the balm and wait for 20 minutes. I love it because it’s a clean way of nourishing your hair and so effective.

I applied it last week and my hair has been super soft for the week, until I washed my hair again. I would usually have to add some oil throughout the week, in between washes. But now, I had to straighten my hair with the rotative brush less than usual and my hair has been incredibly soft. This is one product I will definitely purchase again!

Tony Moly Panda’s Dream Pocket Lip Balm

The Tony Moly lip balm is one of the cutest Kbeauty products! I love how adorable their panda range! The balm looks red in the box, but when I swatches it, it looks a sheer pink. It hydrates the lips well and gives them a subtle shine!

Honestly, I am so happy with this routine! Even if I was adding 2-3 layers of moisturisers every morning and night, my skin never felt suffocated. It felt fresh, plump and bright. I also noticed that because of the 3 layers of emulsion, essence and SPF every morning allowed the makeup (and especially on my nose and under my eyes) to stick better and last longer than usual. Properly cleaning and hydrating the skin is KEY to flawless, minimal and natural makeup.

I am really impressed with the routine, and as mentioned above, I will definitely purchas some products again (the hair mask especially) or in full size (I have been eyeing the toner!). We all know the high quality of Korean products, and they are always worth it, no matter the price. If they are slightly over my price range, I know that I am getting my money’s worth. These are all products that I would have definitely bought, but having tried them just convinced me even more!

Have you tried any of these products? What are your favorite products for skincare routine for combination skin?