Skin care according to the Korean method has reached the rank of exact science and a healthy obsession of many women from Moldova and the whole world. This Korean routine is more of a lifestyle than strict rules. Women all over the world have started adopting these 10 steps to enjoy a gorgeous, flawless, glowing and forever youthful skin.
Discover 10 amazing secrets of the Korean skincare ritual and the sequence of steps for applying this products.
We present you a note with the basic steps, which must be respected in the morning and evening, and what is optional throughout the week.
Everything is individual and depends on your skin type, what you have in your routine, that’s why on the moonglow.md website the consultants will help you make the right choice. And here, on the blog, we will inform you about each step in the skincare routine, so that you know better how to get the skin of your dreams!
Cleansing oil
Cleansing oil – truly liquid gold. This is a product designed for deep cleansing of the skin, easy removal of even persistent makeup products. Cleansing oil consists of oils (usually natural) and emulsifiers, which actually do true magic – that is, be soluble in water, vitamins and other beneficial substances. Upon contact with water, the cleansing oil turns into a fine foam / gel, which is easily removed with warm water.
The most common mistakes:
- DO NOT rinse the cleansing oil with cold water. Only warm, almost hot water dissolves the oil completely.
- DO NOT use the cleansing oil in the morning. In this way you increase the sensitivity of the skin, destroy the hydro-lipid barrier, the microbiome of the skin (beneficial bacteria).
- You MUST remove your eye makeup with cleansing oil, so you don’t stretch the fine, thin skin and go over it with makeup remover pads, which traumatizes the skin in this area.
- Cleansing oils are part of the very gentle two-step (oil and foam) make-up remover, preferred and promoted by Korean women as part of their routine.
- During cleansing with cleansing oil, the skin receives minimal impact and mechanical stress, there is no need for discs, nor stretching of the skin which is not beneficial especially for mature and sensitive skin.
- The use of cleansing oil makes the skin soft and velvety. After cleaning with these products, there is no feeling of dryness of the skin, no irritations.
- Use is extremely simple: apply a small amount (1-2 pumps) of oil to dry skin, directly over make-up. It is necessary to gently massage with circular movements, in this way we give the oil time to dissolve all layers of makeup. Then, adding a little water, continue the procedure until the oil emulsifies into a foam with a content similar to milk. Rinse with lukewarm water. The oil is easily removed with water. After this stage it is necessary to wash the face with a foam or gel.
Cleansing oil is also suitable for oily skin, with regular use you will notice fewer blackheads, pores will become cleaner and the complexion brighter.
If you want to make a change in the correct care routine, then – the 2-step cleanse is a good start!
Foam
The ideal option would be to have 2 cleansing foams – morning foam and evening foam. The evening foam should provide deeper cleansing, to remove not only impurities, but also cleansing oil residues. If the cleansing oil is not effectively removed, then we will have adverse effect and inhibited pores!
The morning foam should provide a gentle cleansing, because at night the skin restores itself and we need to remove the degradation products that have formed overnight.
Who Should Use Foaming Cleanser? EVERYONE, teenagers and men alike! Choose the right product, the consultants on the moonglow.md website will gladly help you with this!
Common mistake:
- You MUST only apply the foam bubbles to your face, not the actual product / foam. Only the bubbles can penetrate the pores and effectively clean impurities, cleansing oil residues.
How to use:
- Create a rich lather in the palm, apply to the skin, massage gently and rinse with warm water!
Exfoliation
Exfoliation of dead cells (peeling) – one of the most important stages of skin care. If you do not do this step in time, the products applied afterwards will not work at full power, the skin will lose its brightness, the complexion will acquire an uneven color and look tired.
Exfoliation can be done with toners / serums based on acids, enzyme powder or the easiest and safest solution – peeling gels.
The most common mistakes made:
- With the acid toner wipe the face, but we do not apply by tapping, because we need to clean the skin of dead cells.
- Any peeling must be applied to dry skin (except enzyme powder), because water neutralizes the activity of acids.
- DO NOT exaggerate with peelings, because you can increase the sensitivity of the skin and destroy the function of the skin barrier.
Hot to use:
- All acid toners are applied to dry skin with a cotton pad. It easily goes over the massage lines. It is used as the first step, after cleansing.
- Enzyme powder is applied to wet palms, lathers, then applied to wet skin. Massage gently and rinse with warm water.
- Peeling gel is applied to dry skin after cleaning, in a thin layer, leave for 1-2 minutes, for the acids to work, then massage the skin with light movements, until lint forms. Rinse with warm water. Do not force while massaging, this does not influence the quality of exfoliation, you only traumatize the skin.
Toner
The main question – what is the difference between tonic and toner? Tonic – is a care product from the European routine, whose concentration of ingredients is much lower. Toner – is a product with maximum concentration of active and beneficial ingredients for the skin.
Don’t be surprised if your toner will cost more than the cream, Korean manufacturers emphasize the most concentrated formulas in such products (toners, essences). Why? Because their molecules are much smaller and penetrate deeper.
The main rule in the Korean routine – we apply the most liquid products to the densest. Serums and creams will help to penetrate deeper (toners and essences) that you have previously applied.
Who should use the toner?
- Absolutely everyone, without exception! Just choose the product according to your skin type!
How to use:
- Very important, to be applied with the palms by tapping. You’re actually trying to tap, but not in a circular motion. This will eliminate the possibility of traumatizing or stretching the skin.
Essence
The next step in the routine after toner is the essence. In this product, the concentration of active and beneficial ingredients for the skin is higher than in toner. It is applied like the toner – we tap with our palms so that the product penetrates deeper.
The essence can have different consistency. If it is more liquid then it can be used instead of toner. Especially those based on enzymes (galactomyces). Namely, in the fermentation process, useful components are allocated, and the ingredients themselves are transformed into very small molecules, which allow deeper penetration into all layers of the epidermis.
If the essence contains Galactomyces, then apply it as the first step after cleansing, because the component weakens the upper layer of the epidermis and the serum applied afterwards will penetrate deeper and act more effectively.
Some essences have a denser consistency, then immediately before it we apply a toner.
Who needs to use the essence?
- Everybody. Galactomyces essence is not recommended for sensitive skin. Don’t forget, our consultants will gladly help you in choosing the right essence for your skin!
Serums and Ampoules
Serums and Ampoules – are highly concentrated products, which are meant to perform certain functions. As I mentioned before, in the Korean care routine the rule is – we apply the products from the most liquid to the most dense. The dense texture helps deeper penetration of products with a more liquid texture applied before.
For each purpose you have to choose the serum with certain components, here our consultants will gladly help you, who are at your disposal on the moonglow.ro website from Monday to Friday, from 09:00 to 19:00!
When choosing a serum, you need to understand what result you want to achieve:
- Intensively hydrate the skin?
- Shrink pores?
- Get rid of acne?
- To provide brightness and neat appearance?
- Get anti-wrinkle effect?
- To whiten pigment spots or post-acne?
The serum is an active product. Namely, it provides the skin with various active components (vitamin C, peptides, collagen, hyaluronic acid, etc.).
Who is it suitable for?
- It all depends on the skin condition and age.
How to use:
- We always apply with our hands on the skin.
Fabric masks
Fabric masks have different functions: moisturizing, brightening, anti-wrinkle, soothing, reducing pores, etc. From the more than 200 masks on our website, you’re sure to find your favorites!
Masca din țesătură este o etapă suplimentară, pe care o aplicăm după esență. Uneori putem aplica și după serum, în special cu propolis, astfel se sporește acțiunea acestuia și primiți acea luminozitate mult dorită!
Secretele folosirii măștilor din țesătură:
- Masca din țesătură se ține pe piele atât timp cât este indicat de producător pe ambalaj.
- Atunci când scoți masca de pe față, ea trebuie să fie încă umedă, ceea ce înseamnă că va oferit umiditate la maxim, dar nu a început procesul de extragere.
Cât de des folosim?
- 2-3 ori pe săptămână, dar dacă simțit pielea deshidratată, obosită și rutina de bază nu face față – încearcă un curs “7 zile/ 7 măști”. Optează pentru 7 măști diferite, care le vei aplica în fiecare seară, astfel pielea va primi doza necesară de hidratare, nutriție și vitamine.
O greșeală des întâlnită:
- Dacă masca este îmbibată cu esență, gel (oricare alte texturi lichide), neapărat după utilizare se aplică crema, ca să nu se evapore umiditatea. Îndeosebi măștile pe bază de acid hialuronic, dacă după utilizare nu aplicăm crema, are loc evaporarea umidității de pe piele și vom primi efectul invers.
Eye cream
Many people think that the cream under the eyes is not important and we can use the face cream on the given area. It is a very big mistake, because the skin under the eyes does not have sebaceous glands and its resources are not enough to moisturize and protect the skin. That’s why we need to help create the barrier, and only the right cream can do that.
How to use:
- The cream is applied only on the bone area, without approaching the lower eyelid. The product alone will spread on the connective tissue, otherwise you can have an allergic reaction, redness, irritation, film on the eye.
A common mistake:
- No additional cream is applied to the upper eyelid, only what is left on the fingers, otherwise over time the skin will sag and the overall appearance will become more tired!
Face cream
Remember one important thing: cream does not work miracles, there is no cream for everything!
The cream is the last step of skin care. In the consistency of the cream is the lowest concentration of beneficial ingredients. However, the cream remains an important step in the routine, as it seals all the previously applied products and makes them work more effectively and deeply.
The most important function of the cream is the formation of the skin barrier from damage, impurities, dust, bacteria.
A common mistake:
- The cream must be chosen according to the skin type, otherwise it can burden the skin, open the pores (too thick texture), or it will not hydrate enough and prevent moisture loss (too light texture).
Ultraviolet Protection (SPF)
SPF (sun protection factor) is based on physical, chemical and mix (of physical and chemical) filters. There are a lot of contradictions and disputes about filters, but it is already proven – the whiter the skin color, the more you need SPF.
Physical filters – they are some of the safest, see in the composition zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. They are like a mirror, reflecting the sun’s rays without reaching the skin. That is why it is very important to be renewed on time.
Chemical filters – like they penetrate the skin, that’s why the manufacturer tells us to apply it 30 minutes before going out.
Physical filters are inconvenient to apply (they can leave white marks), and chemical ones apply very quickly.
But! The most effective products are those that have both types of filters in their composition (mixed filters). What physical filters fail to do, chemical ones do. If you are prone to hyperpigmentation, we recommend you to use products that have both types of filters in their composition.
For children / pregnant women and breastfeeding women of course we choose physical filters. Chemical filters accumulate in the kidneys, breast milk, etc.
If you work in an office, a closed room, it is enough that the BB cream or foundation for make-up has SPF.
Eye Patch, Patches under the eyes
Once you try eye patch, you will never part with them! If you still don’t know what their benefits are, then definitely read below!
Eye patch – a fabric or hydrogel product impregnated with useful ingredients, which are predestined for the care of the skin under the eyes. Unlike the cream under the eyes, the eye patch quickly hydrates the skin, fills small wrinkles, eliminates dark circles, edema.
Myth – the longer we leave them the better, even overnight!
The product is kept on the skin as long as indicated by the manufacturer on the packaging.
One of the ingredients in the eye patch is water. That’s why, keeping it longer than recommended, you can have the opposite effect, when the product will extract the moisture from the skin.
From what age is their use allowed?
- Even from 18-20 years old we can use the product for additional hydration, and after 25-30 we already choose more active components, which will fight the first wrinkles and other age changes.
- Depending on what you want to fight (dark circles, edema, wrinkles, pigmentation, etc.) – Choose the product according to the established problem.
How to use:
- Apply to the desired area, after toner and/or essence, serum.
- After 15-20 minutes, remove the eye patch, gently tap the rest of the essence until absorbed.
- Apply your favorite cream.
Lip care
We all want to have voluptuous, hydrated and well-groomed lips. Here you will find secrets, and if you put them into practice, the results will not be long in coming!
- Every evening she applies a night mask for the lips that aims to hydrate deeply and help the skin to recover as quickly as possible!
- Once every 10 days, definitely do an exfoliation procedure for the skin of the lips with enzyme powder or peeling gel, this way you will help keep the skin soft!
- There are also special lip patches. Use them once a week for maximum effect!
- Daily moisturize the skin of the lips with a balm, and if you apply the balm before pencil, matte lipstick or simple lipstick, your lips will be voluptuous, hydrated and very sensual!
