My tryst with the multi-step Korean skin care

This is a really broad talk that has probably been discussed at length. However, I have loved reading personal accounts of people at totalbeauty and just could not stop myself from sharing my story. The first time I was introduced to Korean skincare was about 1.5 years ago. There was so much hype about it that I was compelled to research whether this really was a miracle or an over-hyped dud. To all those just starting to research or try the multi-step process, you have my utmost sympathy. There is too much information, all of which does not make sense. From 12 to 19 steps which just sound ridiculous. After a day or two of research, I gave up and decided this was just a ploy to get consumers to buy additional products they do not need. I came back to Korean skincare after 6 months. This time, I searched for simple 3-5 step routines and tried to understand what are the different steps. After a month of reading up on the steps, deciding which step I wanted to introduce into my routine and researching the ingredients; I decided to try an Essence. It is regarded as one of the most important and essential steps. I researched the difference between toners and essence since I have used toners before and did not see the need or use for that. Asian toners, aka essence, are milder and more hydrating versions of American toners. They do not include alcohol or any drying and irritating ingredient. Their sole purpose is to hydrate after a face wash to return moisture and in some cases balance your skin's ph level (this is a slightly more complex discussion that would require a different post). I promptly went on amazon and bought Missha Time Essence. It was cheap and had prime shipping. While it was a decent looking bottle the product itself looked unimpressive - clear watery liquid with a mild not-pleasant and not-unpleasant scent. Now it is hard to introduce steps to your skin care regime. I was used to washing my face and using a multi-benefit cream, and maybe sometimes a vitamin c based serum. I would constantly forget to use the essence, especially because I could not see any difference within a day or two. I am an instant satisfaction person and the essence was sorely lacking that aspect. I eventually gave up on the serum. Meanwhile, the hype about Korean products continued to grow. Thus, I decided to give it one last try since I had already bought the product (yes yes I am the queen of abandoning stuff and randomly coming back to it). This time, I gave it a month and realized my skin was better hydrated than without the essence. My serums and creams went on easier and I never had dryness nor the oily t-zone which is the bane of my existence. Today I have to use the essence after washing my face. The thing to understand about Asian skincare is that each product fulfills a specific need. They are not made to be multi-beneficial like their American or European counterparts. So if you expect your hydrating essence to brighten your skin or clear your acne etc then you will be disappointed. But if you expect it to hydrate your skin then it works perfectly. Since then, I have ventured far and wide into Asian products. In fact, today my entire routine is Asian products. I still don't have 12 steps or an equally ridiculous number. I have maybe 4-5 steps based on my skin needs. I research products to understand what is their purpose and then identify whether I need that product and whether I already have a product that does something similar. I know that no matter what anyone says a toner and essence are the same and I only need one. Similarly, if I use a hydrating essence and a cream then I don't feel the need for an emulsion (which is also a moisturizer but less thick than a cream in texture). One would think that applying multiple products would dilute the initial product but somehow it doesn't. They work for their separate purposes well and sometimes even enhance another product. Asian products use an incredible list of ingredients which are filled with antioxidants, vitamins, essential oils and some probably icky things which are backed y research to be effective. I love and use them for their innovation with ingredients and not because they come up with fancy names for the product we have all used before. Are Korean or broader Asian products for you? I firmly believe everyone can benefit from using them, provided that you have the patience to wait for results and the patience to use more than 2 products. However, there is no universal holy grail when it comes to skincare. What works for 97% people might still not work for you. I am not Asian but love the products, my sister-in-law is Asian but exclusively uses European products. It is all about research and experimentation to find what works for you. If you did read the entire lengthy article and have reached this point, then thank you. I would love to hear back from you guys. < Previous Post Next Post >