The Modern Girl's Guide To Korean Skin Care

I talk about Korean skin care all the time.
I just taught another Beauty 101 class, and all the ladies were asking me about K-Beauty and which products I used and what all these things men, so in their honor, here is a blogpost dedicated to breaking down the parts of Korean Skin Care.

Korean women are considered to have the best skin in the world, and obsess over which products they use.
Making the change to Korean products has been the best thing I have ever done for my skin and it has never looked better.

South Korea is not only the mecca of skin care it is actually the world leader in research and development of skin care products. Korean skin care utilizes technologies we don't have yet in America, so these products are really high performance and give you absolutely amazing results.

The Korean skin care system is based on layering products and targeting very specific skin concerns. I added each category of product in one at a time so that I could see if they made a difference, and if layering them was worth it. It was.

The following post is a break down of each of the main components that make up the Korean skin care regimen. You can use them all, or if that is too overwhelming just pick and choose the parts that work for you.

You can find Korean skin care in various stores (such as Sephora), or you can order them online. I buy online from Memebox, the largest purveyor of Korean skin care products. They are based in the San Francisco area so everything ships out quickly and arrives in 3 - 5 days. 

I write about Korean skin care and Memebox often, and normally post about my orders when they arrive. If you go to the search bar and type in either Memebox or Korean skin care you will get a list of them all. 

West Face East, How To Layer Your Skin Care Korean-Style

Korean Skin Care - Where Do You Begin??

Disclaimer: Memebox does not sponsor this blog and does not give me free product. I buy every product I talk about, show you, or use. 
I do have affiliate marketing with Memebox through a third party. This means that if you order from any of the links in this post my blog may earn a few cents.

One of my recent Memebox orders. All these amazing products for around $100!

1. The Cleanse

The Korean skin cleanse is actually a two step process. One cleanse to dissolve makeup, the second to clean the skin.
Personally I just do a single step cleanse, using a cleansing oil. I use I'm Cleansing Oil from Memebox. It dissolves makeup (even waterproof mascara!) and leaves my skin feeling super soft and supple.
You should cleanse your skin with a product designed for your skin type. If you have oily skin or get breakouts you need cleansing products designed to lift away excess sebum and help deep cleanse the complexion.
If you have dry, irritated or sensitive skin you need very gentle cleansing products.
Find Korean cleaning products here.

2. The Exfoliation

The next step in the Korean skin care system is the exfoliation.
From scrubs to enzyme masks to peels, the pathway to smooth, glowing skin is exfoliation. Be careful not to exfoliate too frequently or too aggressively, and choose the formulation you need to meet your skin type. 
Sensitive and irritated skins need to be especially careful because aggressive or abrasive exfoliators can make skin even more sensitive and irritated. Exfoliating every couple of weeks is ideal for most skins.
Explore Korean exfoliators here

3. The Refresher

After cleansing your skin the next daily step is a refresher. That can be a facial mist (my favorite) or a softening toner. The refresher softens and prepares the skin for the treatment and moisturizing products that follow.
See Korean refreshers here

4. The Essence

Korean women consider this to be the most important step in their skin care regime. Essences combine multiple intensive ingredients into a super concentrated form (you really only need one drop) and then transports them deep into the skin. They are lightweight in texture, so the surface of your skin doesn't feel slimy or oily, and they are skin concern specific, so you target the issues that you want to work on. Aging/dehydration/acne/excess oil/lightening and brightening - you name it there's an essence for it. You can also layer essences and tackle multiple skin issues at the same time.
Find essences here

5. The Ampoule

An ampoule is a super-charged, highly concentrated serum that again you only need a tiny amount of and that go super deep into the skin (much deeper than the average serum or moisturizer). 
Again this product is skin concern specific. You look at what you want to fix about your skin, whether its smoothing the texture, brightening, super hydrating, anti aging - you name it there's an ampoule for it.
The results are sensational and your skin will love you for adding ampoule into daily routine! If you are using both an essence and an ampoule the essence goes on first.

6. The Emulsion

So far if you are doing all the steps in the Korean system you have been targeting skin concerns and deep treating them. Now it's time to start moisturizing the skin. Emulsions are lightweight moisturizers. You can use them alone, or as the next step after your ampoule. They give you all the moisturizing that you need without being really heavy on the skin.
During the day you would follow this with an SPF product and then put on your makeup. (but when your skin gets all glowy and healthy from using this skin system you will find that you both want and need much less makeup than you currently wear!)

7. The Sleeping Pack

Korean women really understand the importance of super moisturizing the skin to keep it soft, supple, glowing and healthy, so at night after all these steps they apply a sleeping pack, which seals all the prior products in for the night. A sleeping pack has a similar texture to a night cream, but is slightly more gel-like. It doesn't leave a film on your skin, doesn't mess up your pillow case, it just absorbs in and makes the magic happen!
Find Sleeping Packs here.

8. Sheet Masks

Every week you should do a mask, whether it's for hydration, brightening, clearing blackheads, cleaning your skin, or whichever issue you want extra help with.
Sheet masks are great because they get a completely even coating of product and seal it into the skin. Also they're not messy, which I love.
If you are not a sheet mask girl Korean skin care is full of regular mask options too.
See Korean skin care masks here

Find Korean skin care products for oily skin and breakouts
Find Korean skin care products for normal and dry skins

How To Choose The Perfect Cleanser For Your Skin

I am skin care obsessed.
I love lotions and potions, serums and masks, essences and facial mists - I love it all. The more steps to a skin care regime, the more products in a line, the more I want in!

In fact while I'm writing this post I have a sheet mask on - my Sunday night routine.

When clients get in my makeup chair I often see that their skin looks stripped, irritated, congested, or maybe overly juicy. When we get talking about their skin more often than not I find that they are using the wrong cleanser. The key to great skin is using the right cleanser for your skin type, so lets break down the different skin types and which cleansers are the right cleansers for each skin.

1. Normal Skin.

Lucky you - you're not dry, you're not oily, you're not acne'd. 
You've got it made.
But be careful - if you don't take care of your skin it's not going to stay looking gorgeous!

Try using the Luna cleansing brush, paired with Foreo's Day and Night Cleansers

2. Sensitive Skin

Sensitive skin needs extra TLC. Avoid foaming cleansers, cleansers with acids in them (salicylics, glycolics etc), and also avoid exfoliating cleansers. All of these can strip your skin, irritate your skin, and generally wreck havoc on your skin.
Instead choose a gentle milk or cream cleanser to dissolve makeup and clean your skin.

Try Ren Everclear Gentle Cleansing Milk, available online at Space NK

3. Congested Or Acne Prone Skin

Your cleansing goal is to help clear the debris, clean up the breakout, balance your skin's natural oils and prevent new breakouts from occurring. A creamy, milky cleanser isn't going to lift away enough, you need a wash.

Try Ciracle Anti Blemish Tea Tree Face Wash, available online from Memebox




4. Dry Skin

Dry skin, like sensitive skin, needs lots of love and attention.
If you don't take care of your dry skin you will fast track the aging process, so choosing the right cleanser is super important.
I have dry skin and my cleanser of choice is an oil cleanser. Oil cleansers dissolve makeup and clean your complexion. On top of that they leave your skin feeling silky soft and very loved up.

Try I'm Cleansing Oil #01 Moist Oil For Dry Skin, available online at Memebox.com. You will love it!

Korean Skin Care - Where Do You Begin??

I've been getting tons of messages from readers telling me that they want to try Korean skin care, and that they go on the Memebox website but get totally overwhelmed and don't know where to begin.

I hear you!

That's how it was for me too. For me the foray into KBeauty didn't begin with a box of freebies from any company, it started with me stumbling upon the Memebox website by chance, and then trying to figure out what to buy and where to start.

Read about Korean Skin Care here

I didn't start with a 10 step regimen either - I just added in bits and pieces along the way. 
I'm not an easy sell with skin care, because if I don't see a near immediate difference to my skin then I don't want your product. And that's where Korean skin care got me. The difference to my skin has been amazing. My skin has never, ever looked better! 

I sometimes take a side-step over to Tatcha for some high end luxury Japanese skin care, but for the most part it's a little too pricey for me to use on a consistent basis. My everyday skin care game is K Beauty.

So for those of you who are as confused as I was in the beginning, here is a mini guide to where to start on the Memebox website, or in trying Korean skin care for the first time.

My most recent order from Memebox

Start by identifying your skin care concern. Is your skin oily or dry? Do you have breakouts and blackheads? Are you worried about aging?

When you click the skincare tab on the Memebox site it will offer you those options, so you can dive into products specifically to meet your skincare needs.

Korean skin care technology is vastly superior to the skin care technology here, so the products get very very specific.

Try An Essence

One place to start is by adding in an Essence. Essence is comparable to a serum, targeting specific skin care concerns, but it is much more concentrated and is delivered in a lighter, non greasy formula.

They have an Essence for every skin concern under the sun.

I start my day by rinsing or cleansing my skin, (normally just rinsing, if we are going to be completely honest). I follow that with a skin mist, which softens the skin and has some essence in it.

I have been trying out a different mist each time, and have loved them all. My latest order has the Scinic Aqua EX Jelly Essence Water. I use it after cleaning at night and after rinsing in the morning. Sometimes if my skin is feeling tired I will spritz it on during the day (it's a great product to keep in your desk drawer!) to revive you and make you look fresh again.

I layer my Essences. I normally follow the mist with another formula, in the mornings I use a Vitamin C based Essence so that I can maximize on the antioxidant, skin protecting benefits of Vitamin C, or maybe I go for something lightening and brightening. In the evening I use an Essence that is more about anti aging and extra hydration.

These products are not at all expensive. The It's Skin Essences that I have been using (pictured here) cost between $10 and $13 each. I have yet to see a $100 product here that gives the same kind of result!
Pictured above are It's Skin YE Effector Essence, It's Skin VC Effector Essence and Scinic Aqua Jelly Essence Water.
If any of them are out of stock I just get another one that deals with my specific skin concerns.

Add An Ampoule

In the Korean layering system an Ampoule is used after an essence. Ampoules are even more concentrated powerhouses that get the ingredients penetrating even deeper into the skin. Again you can get really specific to your own skin concerns, and layer things. For example if you feel like your skin is dehydrated and dull you can use an essence for lightening and brightening and an Ampoule for extra moisture.

Or maybe your concerns are blackheads and extra oil and dark spots. All you need to do is layer your concerns one over the next. I get my biggest concern in Ampoule form and the others in Essence.
I try a new Ampoule each time, and each time they have been fabulous. With this order I chose the Scinic Propolis Ampoule, because it's full of antioxidants and nutrients. And because I liked the bottle.

Add A Sleeping Pack

This one took me a while to get on board with, largely because the crazy names they use don't translate so well (Snail Slime and  Donkey Milk Yogurt for starters!) and in the description it sounded like a pillow case ruining step. 
But I'm so glad I did add in sleeping packs. What it is is a final step in the night time skin routine. After you have layered on your mist, your essence, your Ampoule and your emulsion (a lightweight but power packed moisturizer) you seal everything in with a sleeping pack.

The ones I have tried have a slightly gel like texture, but disappear into the skin, creating a fabulous barrier. None of it winds up on your pillowcase!

Try A Peel

I am not a fan of exfoliating scrubs. I always think they scratch up the baby skin underneath and keep you in a perpetual state of rough skin. I prefer to do enzyme peels that gently lift away the dead skin. I dont like peels that feel like fire ants are crawling over your face and I don't want to look like I'm shedding skin either. 
They have peels for every possible skin concern, from oily skin to blackheads, to dry skin, to dull skin - you name it!

I've been using this SNP Peel every other week. It makes my skin look amazing (and feel super fresh), but there is no stinging involved and no flaking. It takes about 10 minutes, and I follow it with a sheet mask.

Add A Sheet Mask

I'm pretty obsessed with these! They are just so very convenient and your skin loves you for it. And they are perfect for travel! After a long flight a sheet mask restores your skin and makes you feel lovely.

My Sunday night routine when I'm not working is to use the peel if it's the right week, and follow it with a sheet mask. I buy several different ones with each order I place, because they only cost a couple of dollars each. Sometimes I want brightening, or tightening, or collagen or anti aging - I often buy them just because I like the look of the package! Regardless, I always see a big difference to my skin.
Check out all the different sheet masks they offer here

If you want to try K Beauty, but are unsure of where to start, or if you don't want to do a 10 step skin care routine, but still want to find out what all the hype is about, try adding in any one of these items, or more, to you daily skin regimen. You will be blown away by the results!

I haven't looked at the K Beauty items available at Sephora, so don't know their pricing, but one of the great things about Korean skin care is that it is so ridiculously affordable! My last entire order from Memebox, pictured at the beginning of this post, only cost $100, came with free shipping, and because it ships out of California it arrived in 3 days!

How To Spring Clean Your Skin

Finally, finally, winter is on it's way out and spring is here!
As you are packing away your winter clothes and readying your home for the new season, it is also time to do a little spring cleaning on your complexion. 

Winter is the worst season for your skin. Between the harsh, cold weather and warm to hot air with central heating and open fires, those of us who are not celebrities or supermodels tend to get overly sensitive, irritated, dried out skin. 
Now is the time to restore your skin, get it glowing and vibrant again and ready for spring.

Here are three important steps to spring clean your face:

Step One: Change Up Your Cleanser.

In my experience as a makeup artist the single biggest skincare mistake women make is using the wrong cleanser for their skin type. Mostly they are using a cleanser that strips their skin and dries it out.
Personally, I advocate foaming or wash type cleansers only for oil girls and girls battling acne. For anyone else foaming/wash cleansers tend to strip the skin too much.
I am a huge believer in oil cleansers. If your skin is in any way dry, irritated or sensitive an oil cleanser is an amazing choice for you.

For oily skin girls oil cleansers are also fabulous. (I see you backing your way across the room, but hear me out). Think about what happens when you put oil and water together. They separate. They don't play well together. The truth is, if you want to lift away oil, oil is the best thing to use!

I'm in love with these Korean beauty oil cleansers available from Memebox, the world's largest online K-Beauty store. (It's HQ is in northern California, so your order ships from there and arrives in a couple of days, most of the time with free shipping).




I'm Cleansing Oil #02 Fresh Oil for oily or combo skin

I'm Cleansing Oil #1 Moist Oil for normal through dry skin.
Oil cleansers dissolve all makeup, and clean your skin beautifully.
At only $14.00 they are a smoking deal. You don't need much, so they last for ages.

Step Two: Clean a Little Deeper And Remove Dead Cells

With the correct cleanser working for you, now it's time to get some masks happening.
You need to get rid of all the dead skin cells on the surface that are clogging your pores and making your complexion look dull.
Here are three options from Memebox


Black Sugar Mask Wash Off  $14.70
An exfoliating skin-softening mask that will remove dead skin cells and create a soft, radiant complexion with Brazilian black sugar and helps decrease the number of black and white heads.

If your skin is feeling sensitive or irritated you may want to avoid a scrub style exfoliator. Here are 2 options that give you smooth, radiant skin without scrubbing:

Innisfree Jeju Volcanic Pore Clay Mask $14.00

Innisfree’s Jeju Volcanic Pore Clay mask is one of Korea’s best skincare items of all time. The award-winning product provides 6 intensive pore care functions which effectively puts the skin at its best state. It minimizes pores by contracting them, control excessive sebum production, exfoliates, removes deep-seated dirt, brightens up skin tone and gives a soothing cooling sensation. It contains Jeju volcanic capsules that has AHA to effectively remove dead skin cells and maintain smooth and soft skin.

I have this next one in my Memebox shopping cart. I love enzyme peels and very gentle peel-style exfoliators!

SNP Advanced Peeling Gel $15.00

Free your skin from dead skin cells with SNP Advanced Peeling Gel. This peeling gel gently removes skin impurities along with dead skin cells that usually cause rough skin texture and clogged pores. With seaweed extract as its key component, this peeling gel not only removes dead skin but also supplies abundant nutrients to help improve the skin’s overall condition. It also moisturizes the skin to give a softer, smoother skin texture.

Step Three: Nourish

Once you have your skin beautifully cleansed and masked it's time to add back in nutrients that your skin is craving.
In Korean beauty the final step each night, after loading the skin up with essences and ampoules is to seal all the goodness in with what they call a sleeping pack.
A sleeping pack falls somewhere in between a night-cream and a moisture mask. (don't worry - they don't wind up all over your pillowcase).
When you get up in the morning you simply rinse away whatever is left with a warm washcloth.



The Waterest Vital Sleeping Pack is only $25.00
Invigorate and restore radiance to your skin while enjoying a relaxing, beauty sleep! Waterest Vital Sleeping Pack features premium revitalizing natural ingredients that boosts the skin’s nourishment and moisture retention to ensure great skin the very moment you wake up. It contains double-fermented lotus flower extract which delivers moisture to the skin twice as fast. It helps purify and hydrate the skin overnight to give you smooth, soft and glowing skin the very next morning.

And now your skin is spring cleaned and reboosted, and you are looking once again like your most gorgeous self!

Coolest New Skin Care Product Ever! 7 Seconds Morning Sheets

I just discovered the coolest new skincare product (ever!) for the busy, modern girl-on-the-go! 

Do you find yourself skipping parts of your A.M. skincare routine because you are running late, over slept, or just can't deal, and then all day long your makeup doesn't sit quite right because your skin didn't get prepped properly?
Or maybe your post-workout skin is flushed and sweaty and won't talk to your skin care products, leaving you looking like an oil slick landed on your face?
Or maybe you live somewhere hot and dry and your skin is literally begging you for some love when you get home? 
Or maybe you sit in front of a computer screen all day and your skin hates you?

I have the answer for you! 
It's a South Korean beauty secret called 7 Seconds Morning Sheets.


This one-step product has clarifying toner, essence (a fast absorbing super lightweight super serum) and moisturizer all in one. At $19 for an entire tub they are a smoking deal too!

You keep your 7 Seconds Morning Sheets in the refrigerator so that they stay nice and cold, (or if you are like me and take them out and about with you, keep them in a lunch cooler with an icepack).

The way they are supposed to be used is in the morning you lift out one of the little sheets and spend 7 soothing seconds wiping it across your face.



During that 7 seconds your skin gets a high potency, pre makeup treatment that lasts all day.

If you tend to have an oilier complexion this may be all you need.
If you are like me and trend normal to dry, you may add in some other products too.
If you are or have a teenager this is a super fast way to give your skin what it needs to look gorgeous.

After much scientific research (A.K.A me playing with them endlessly), I found they were great to keep in a lunchbox cooler with icepacks and take with me on shoots to give my models a little high speed skin loving. I also found that after the gym they are skin savers. When I am working day and night for multiple days in a row and I just feel and look like hell, they are soooo wonderful, all icy cool and refreshing.
Days like today, spent in front of a computer screen feel rewarded with 7 seconds of skin swiping.
Now I'm trying to figure out how to keep them cold on a plane for some travel-skin rescue!
They also work without refrigeration, but I like the cooling effect.

You can find this treasure in a tub on my favorite skin care website, Memebox.
Memebox is the world's largest online Korean skincare store and is based out of California, so shipping is super fast and mostly free (I think you just need a $35 order to get free shipping)

Read more about Korean Skincare here

Winter Skin Rescue

So how is your mid-winter skin doing?
For most of us January means dry, sensitive skin. Thanks to the colder weather, central heating and biting winds, the complexion gets dull and loses both luminosity and clarity.

Which means you need a strong game plan if you want to maintain or retrieve gorgeous skin.

I am a huge fan of Korean skin care and the concept of layering these amazing products. (Learn about it here: How To Layer Your Skin Care, Korean Style). Using these super high performance (and very inexpensive!) products has completely changed my skin. Depending on what is going on with my skin I can address it by changing just one product in the sequence, or adding in something new. 

The Essence

Korean women consider this to be the most important step. What it does is speed the cell turnover rate, which makes skin smoother and brighter. Essence provides multiple intensive ingredients in just a single drop, and takes them deep deep into the skin where they go to work. You apply essence before your moisturizer.

Innisfree Jeju Sparkling Mineral Essence

I just changed my essence to Innisfree Sparkling Jeju Essence
. This one is made with thermal water infused with minerals that heal the skin from the inside out. The mousse formulation is super rich in nutrients, keeping the skin hydrated and healthy, and is the perfect way to protect winter skin. 

The Ampoule

The Ampoule is like a super condensed version of the essence. You can use ampoules to target specific skin issues - dry skin, clogged pores, uneven skin tone, excess oil - whatever the condition you want to treat there is an Ampoule or serum for it.

Another thing I recently added in (which has been a lifesaver!) is 
the Propolis Light Ampoule by Cosrx

Propolis Light Ampule

Bee propolis is a natural antibiotic which gives extra hydration while it cures skin and soothes irritation. You will notice dryness disappears and skin gets radiant almost immediately.
You only use a small drop of the ampoule, and massage it into the skin after the essence and before the moisturizer. I've been using this one for a few months now and love it.

I order all my Korean skin care products through Memebox.com


Each time I place an order I order extra sheet masks. They are super inexpensive, and quick and easy to use.
I change them up based on what my skin needs. This time I ordered Botanical Mask Packs in Rose and in Aloe

Have you tried any Korean skin care products yet?

Tell me which products you have tried and if you loved them or not, in the comment section below.

xo

Memebox Black Friday Deals!

I am obsessed with Korean skin care.

Korean skin care and cosmetics are world renowned for their unprecedented quality. South Korea is at the very forefront of cutting edge technology in skin care products, and their research and development. 
What this means to you and me is that we get the most technologically advanced, most high performance products from Korea.
You and I can't necessarily pop in to one of the many, many skin care emporiums lining the streets of Seoul, but we can order them online from Palo Alto based Memebox.

Memebox is the leading Korean beauty retailer, carrying curated boxes & individual items

Through Memebox Korean skin care is entirely affordable, much more so than even the most mediocre skin care sold in department stores. So you get to save money while you get extreme quality, look younger and have firmer, clearer skin. Win win win!

Korean girls are makeup obsessed too, so through Memebox you can order the fabulous makeup products that they use, either buying pieces individually or through their fun pre-made boxes.

I have a big order ready to place for myself, but I'm waiting for Black Friday to place it because they have amazing deals happening with discounts up to 80% off!

For the first time this year Memebox is offering Vault boxes in their Black Friday sale. Vault boxes are larger than the regular boxes (they contain 16 items) and contain some of the most popular products. There will be two types of vault boxes, each massively discounted at 60% off.
One will have makeup and skin care and a retail value of $363, but will be on sale for $149!!

The other is the K-beauty makeup box, valued at $195 and will be on sale for just $79!

Other Black Friday specials include 

* A year of masks bundle that has 100 of their best and most popular masks at 70% off. You pay only $79 for a $302 value.

* There will be four days of doorbusters with new batches of products released every 12 hours, including plenty of their best sellers. These will be at 80% discount while stocks last.

* Masks will be buy one get one free during the Black Friday promotions.

Get the Korean beauty secrets everyone's raving about at Memebox.com

If you have shopped with Memebox before you will know that supplies run out fast, so you will need to get in quickly.

For more info on buying and using Korean skin care products check out my post from May 2015, West Face East.
This will explain the order you use products in, and also some of the product categories that aren't well known in America yet, such as emulsions, ampoules and essences.

Check out the Memebox website Here

Six Simple Steps To Sensational Skin For Fall ~ Beauty Tip Of The Week # 31

image by Kelly Cappelli, makeup by Corinna Cooke, hair by Will Zecco

I hold on to summer until the last possible minute. I live in sunshine drenched Phoenix, which definitely makes it easier, but even out here eventually fall arrives.

Wherever it is that you are living, the transition from summer to fall to winter can be really taxing on your skin.
Your skin dries out, gets sensitive (and sometimes raw and red), it loses it's glow and become lifeless and dull as well as pale and almost grey.
Before you get crazy trying to infuse vibrancy back into your complexion with highlighters and bronzers, before you smother your skin in heavy foundation, check out these six simple steps to sensational skin for fall.

1. Change Your Cleanser.

If you use a foaming or lathering "face wash" style cleanser try changing it to a gentle cleansing milk, or even better try my personal favorite, an oil cleanser.

Try Malin and Goetz Facial Cleansing Oil from SpaceNK

Malin and Goetz Facial Cleansing Oil

2. Exfoliate

With the hot months well behind us it's time for a gentle exfoliation to get rid of all of the debris summer left on the surface of your skin, and to clear away the lingering dead cells.
Personally I am not a fan of scrub type products. I always think they create a cycle of scratched, rough skin, so instead I use enzyme peels to exfoliate and give my skin an absolutely unbelievable glow. One of my favorites is Philosophy's incredibly affordable The Microdelivery one minute purifying enzyme peel.

The Microdelivery by Philosophy

3. Add A Serum

Serums are a super important step in the road to glorious, youthful, radiant skin. You apply serum after cleansing and before moisturizing. They tend to be very concentrated so you only need a very small amount.
Think of serum as being a super sonic skin booster that goes extra deep and works at the ultimate performance level. 
My favorite serum, the absolute Holy Grail of serums, is Japanese luxury brand Tatcha's amazing Radiant Brightening Serum. My movie star clients' eyes light up the moment they see it on my makeup table because they know their skin is going to look like magic.

Tatcha's magnificent Radiant Deep Brightening Serum

 

4. Add Daytime Protection

At night we replenish and rejuvenate the skin, but during the day we need to focus on protecting the skin both from dehydration and from the ravages of exposure to environmental pollutants. One of the ways to do this is by adding an ampoule.
Ampoules can be used at night in conjunction with your serum, and they can be used during the day underneath your moisturizer. 
The Cosrx Propolis Light Ampule contains bee propolis which super hydrates and protects your skin. It also acts like a natural antibiotic, clearing up skin irritation. 

Cosrx Propolis Light Ampule

5. Layer Your Hydration Products

I love the K Beauty concept of layering multiple skin care products, especially hydration products. If your skin is starting to feel the drying effects of winter weather try the Korean skin care routine of layering your first night time moisturizer, an emulsion, over your serum and then sealing it all in with a sleeping pack.
I have been using the Holika Holika Black Caviar Emulsion as my moisturizer and then layer over top the SNP Gold Collagen Sleeping Pack  (both available online at Memebox), which seals all the skin care products in.
Sounds like a lot? Check out my post about How To Layer Your Skin Care Korean Style. Sleeping packs don't feel heavy. They just feel like a regular night cream.

Holika Holika Black Caviar Emulsion

SNP Gold Collagen Sleeping Pack

6. Add In A Brightening Mask

Sheet masks are a quick an effective way to brighten dull skin.
Every week or two use a sheet mask like the Elisha Coy Natural pearl Mask available online at Memebox

Elisha Coy Natural Pearl Mask

West Face East - How To Layer Your Skin Care, Korean Style

West Face East ~ How To Layer Skin Care, Korean Style

I'm shamelessly obsessed with Korean women and their world famous, spectacular skin. 

Ob. Sessed.

South Korea is recognized as being light years ahead in research and development of skin care products, and is known to have the very best, most high performing products in the world. 

American companies to go South Korean to buy technologies for their new products, but don't have access to everything, just some things.

The technological advances in Korean skin care, and the obsession of Korean women with having and maintaining exquisite skin run unparalleled

Stateside women typically don't think about their aging skin until there is a problem, at which point they run to the department store and buy overpriced skin care products and inject every filler and toxin they can into their faces to try and recapture youth.

Asian women see their faces more holistically. They start beauty regimens at an early age, see skin care routines as an investment in themselves. Rather than pile on heavy makeup they prefer to see exquisite skin, and the enhance it with light makeup.

It's Utopic to me.

Korean women use a famously intricate 10 Step skin care program, compared to the average American woman's 1.5 - 3 step program. Personally if you try to sell me a skin system that involves 3 steps I will run for the hills. Tell me there are 10 or 12 steps and you will have my undivided attention.

If you do use multiple skin care products you might enjoy this guide to layering your skin care like a Korean beauty queen.

STEP ONE: Eye Makeup Remover

Use an eye makeup remover to break down stubborn mascaras and waterproof eyeliners, gently dissolve eye makeup and clean the delicate eye area.

This is also fantastic for removing long wear lipsticks or any lip stains or colors that are difficult to remove.

STEP TWO: The Cleanse

Korean women use 2 step cleansing, one to remove makeup and the second to clean the skin.

My favorite is to use an oil cleanser to dissolve makeup, and if I have time use my clarisonic to do a second cleanse.

When you are cleansing your skin it is important to take time to really massage the face, which improves circulation and helps breathe new life into the skin.
Missha Near Skin Liquid To Foam is gentle and also balances the skin's pH

Missha Near Skin Liquid To Foam

For non foaming cleanser try Holika Holika Soda Pore Cleansing Cream. It has capsules containing carbonated ingredients to get a deeper clean.

Soda Pore Cleansing Cream

STEP THREE: Exfoliate

But just don't overdo it. For most people every 2 weeks is plenty. Personally I'm not a fan of skin care lines that tell you to exfoliate everyday - I think that's too harsh on the skin, and creates perpetually roughed up texture.

If you are using a scrub look for one with fine grains, not big chunky particles. Or opt for an enzyme mask that gently eats away the dead surface cells.

STEP FOUR: The Refresher

This is what we in America would call "toning", but where most toners feel like skin strippers to all but those with oily complexions, Korean Refreshers actually do leave the skin feeling softened, supple and ready to accept the treatment and moisturizing products. The thought behind it is to help remove pollutants as well as any residue from your cleanser.

Try Etude House Moistfull Collagen Facial Freshener ($23)
This refresher has collagen as its main ingredient, keeping the skin firm and moisturized, but also is alcohol free, making it ideal for all skin types.

Moistfull Collagen Facial Freshener

STEP FIVE: The Essence

Korean women consider this to be the most important step. What it does is speed the cell turnover rate, which makes skin smoother and brighter. Essence provides multiple intensive ingredients in just a single drop, and takes them deep deep into the skin where they go to work.

Personally I have noticed a remarkable difference to my own skin by adding in Essence. I'm currently using the Dragon Blood Essence ($27) from the Memebox website, but also look at the world famous Missha Essences.

Missha Near Skin Moist Capsule Essence gives double moisture benefit, plus protects skin from environmental pollutants, while leaving it sleek and soft.

Missha Near Skin Moist Capsule Essence

STEP SIX: The Ampoule 

The Ampoule is like a super condensed version of the essence. You can use ampoules to target specific skin issues - dry skin, clogged pores, uneven skin tone, excess oil - whatever the condition you want to treat there is an Ampoule or serum for it.

Missha Time Revolution Ampoule energizes, repairs and restores skin, is super nourishing and delivers intense moisture that regular skin care just cannot do!

Missha Time Revolution Ampoule

STEP SEVEN: Emulsion

Korean women understand the importance of hydrating the skin, and typically do two layers of moisturizer. 

Stateside women are always telling me that they don't moisturize because they have oily skin (which basically means a shiny T Zone). Asian women generally have more oily complexions, but still understand the importance of keeping the layers below the surface treated and hydrated. An oily surface is no excuse!

So the first layer of moisturizing is the lightweight emulsion.
For rejuvenation, nourishment and anti wrinkle concerns try 
Holika Holika Black Caviar Anti Wrinkle Emulsion ($36)

Black Caviar Emulsion

To lift skin, tighten pores, hydrate without feeling greasy, and leave skin super soft try IPKN Hydro3 Cube Emulsion ($39)

Hydro3 Cube Emulsion

STEP EIGHT: Moisture Cream or Sleeping Pack

This is your heavier moisturizer, designed to seal in all the goodness you have layered so far, as well as treat any other specific needs, from pore minimizing to whitening to plumping to deep hydration. 
For dry skin that needs an extra boost of nourishment try
Elisha Coy Moist Up Super Hyalurone Cream ($27)

Moist Up Super Hyalurone Cream

For a dewy, healthy glow, to even out skin tone and tighten up pores try SNP Pore Contraction Whitening Cream ($25)

Pore Contraction Cream

Today I am ordering this one -
SNP Diamond Water Sleeping Pack. (Or I might order the gold collagen one.)

SNP Diamond Water Sleeping Pack

STEP NINE: Sheet Masks

Sheet masks are a fabulous addition to your skin care regime, specifically treating issues, from brightening to firming, to hydrating to clearing - you name it! Every time I go on the Memebox website I end up buying more sheet masks. They only cost from $1 to about $8 on average, so are not expensive, but make a huge difference to your skin. They are wonderful to travel with too.

The cotton sheet holds the treatment product against the skin, helping it to be more effective.
Try Deep Sea Water Skin Food Mask

Deep Sea Water Skinfood Mask

STEP TEN: SPF

Sun damage ages your skin faster than anything else, so Korean women wouldn't even consider venturing outdoors without a full layer of potent SPF on their skin. 
Try the Missha All Around Safe Block SPF 50

Missha All Around Safe Block SPF 50

Bonus step: STEP ELEVEN: Mist

I love this one! Facial mist can be used at any time. You can breathe life back into tired looking makeup with a quick spritz, you can revive your skin at any time, (especially wonderful if you sit in front of a computer all day) I often start my entire skin care process with facial mist. Facial mists are fabulous for every day use as well as being magic on long haul international flights!

It's Skin Facial Solution Water Mist

All products in this blogpost are available through Memebox.
Click on any product link or on the advertisement below.