I have recently discovered that my blog post on Korean Skincare Routing for Summer featuring a Purito skincare routine has been quite popular lately and I realised that I don’t have the equivalent for the colder season! Slowly but steadily, the cold weather has creeped upon us. Only this month it has started to truly get cold and windy, and I have already started to order new products.
All summer I have been keeping it light – cleanser, toner, essence, serums, exfoliating twice a week, and light day & night creams. I also had the occasional sheet mask to a boost of hydration. But with winter coming, I find my skin being absolutely parched and soaking up every single bit of serum and cream. The light creams just don’t cut it and I have started to add an oil at night, and a thicker cream for the day.
In this post, I’ll share with you my step by step Korean skincare routine for winter, that I have been trying out since the beginning of December!
Step 1: Cleanser
As I am working from home and I’m not wearing much make-up, I have been looking for a gentle cleanser, that I can potentially use in the morning too, from time to time. I usually don’t use a cleanser in the morning. I have tried many techniques that left my face sensitive and irritated the entire day afterwards. This one from Rovectin is very gentle enough. It works great in the morning, evening and as part of double-cleansing (for when I wear make-up).
Step 2: Toner
The second step after cleaning my face (be it with the cleanser or just water) is the toner. I like to put a few drops on a cotton pad and wipe my face and neck. I then put a few drops in my palms and just tap it into my skin. The toner I currently use is the Etude House – Soon Jung pH 5.5 Relief Toner.
Step 3: Serums
I generally use two serums in both morning and night routines. I start with the I’m From – Ginseng Serum. I let it set into the skin and then I go with the Isntree – Hyaluronic Acid Water Essence. Sometimes I apply them the other way round. I’m still figuring out the order in which I should apply them, as to me they have the same thickness.
Step 4: Eye cream
If you are in our 20s, get yourself some eye cream! I wish I had started earlier than 25. I apply eye cream both in the morning and in the evening. Sometimes I start my morning with an eye mask to wake up my eyes and then add eye cream too. The one I’m currently using is Pyunkang Yul – Black Tea Time Reverse Eye Cream. It moisturises my tired under-eye area and makes me look awake.
Step 5: Moisturiser
During my morning routine, this is replaced by an SPF cream. I have been using the Purito Centella cream for a long time (and even have a new one that I haven’t opened yet). However, their SPF was recently discovered to not be 50, as they claim, but rather 19. Thus, I am still looking for an SPF 50 moisturiser. I’m currently using an SPF 50 face spray on top of it, to be extra sure.
During the night, I use a thick night cream – the current one is the Ceramidin Cream from Dr. Jart+.
Let’s not forget about lips in this cold season! I know that we are all wearing masks, so they are more protected when we go out, but it’s still cold. My favourite lip product ever is the La Neige lip mask. You can use this at night, as a mask, or during the day as a lip balm.
Extra Step: Exfoliation
Twice a week I exfoliate my face after the cleanser and before the toner. I never tried the famous NEOGEN peeling pads, but now I love their smell and how they feel. There are 30 disposable peeling pads soaked with AHA-rich red wine extract and lactic acid. One side of the pad feels rougher – this is to exfoliate the face. The other side is smoother – this you use it to gently pat in the essence. I usually exfoliate my face at night, but if you choose to do it in the morning, you must wear sunscreen.
Extra Step: Sheet Masks
I’m now realising that I actually need to use sheet masks more often. The weather is so dry, and the inside of my apartment too. I aim to have put on a sheet or a hydrating mask around 3-4 evenings per week. My absolute favourite Korean sheet masks as the Etude House ones – they are super thin and loaded with essence!
The general Korean skincare routine order is cleanser, toner, essence, lotion, serum, eye cream, moisturiser and night cream / SPF night cream. You can adapt this to your needs and even expand it into a ten-step Korean skincare routine by adding sheet masks and/or exfoliation as extra steps. Are you ready to build your Korean winter skincare routine?
P.S. If you are looking for a discount on purchasing Korean beauty products, check out YesStyle, Korean skincare online shop where you can use my code RUXANDRA.