The Skincare Routine That Has Completely Transformed My Skin in Under a Week

Bodies are funny – they THRIVE with a certain product, a certain food, a certain workout…then one day, it’s the complete opposite. Like CrossFit for me…or paleo…or these days, skincare. I’ve been using the same products for years, but I’ve found that in the past year my skin has been pushing back. Especially as I start to travel to humid places again. As soon as I get back to dry Colorado, my skin is dry (duh), flaky, and honestly miserable. I found that all the work I’ve been doing at the esthetician month after month wasn’t really showing through because my skin was so dry that it actually looked older. The products I had used for years and loved just weren’t working for my skin any longer and I had to make a change. So I reached out on instagram to see what recommendations people had for dry skin. And let me tell you…99.9% of the responses were different. I think I saw ONE person who recommended the same product as someone else. How insane is that? Hundreds, maybe even thousands of responses, were all completely different. That’s proof right there that not only are all skin types so different, but there are about a million different skincare products to choose from.

After all those responses, I felt even more lost. I didn’t know where to start so I started at Walgreens with some of the drug store finds. A little aquaphor and cerave would fix my dry skin right up, right? Wrong. I was still miserably dry. Then I read a message from someone recommending the 7 Skin Method (google it for more infor). I’ll give you the quick breakdown – it’s a Korean skincare method of double cleansing your skin then applying a hydrating toner or essence to the skin 7x, back to back to back before topping it with hydrating moisturizer. Korean skincare is all about HYDRATION. So I decided to give it a try with the products I had on hand. And since all my American toners had alcohol in them, which Korean beauty is not all about, I used an essence I had at my house. I washed my skin twice with a papaya enzyme cleanser, applied essence 7x, then topped it with my most hydrating moisturizer. Then I put a humidifier right next to my bed, and guess what? I finally woke up with hydrated skin for the first time in a YEAR. It was finally the answer I had been looking for. Then I had someone on instagram tell me about The Face Shop, which sells Korean skincare and makeup so I went in immediately and completely revamped my daily skincare routine.

Korean skincare, also known as K-Beauty, is all about hydration and brightening the skin. Unlike many American products, Korean skincare products are natural and organic. They don’t use alcohols or ingredients that can screw up the skin barrier and leave the skin feeling dry and malnourished. But unlike many American routines that are only a few steps, K-Beauty is a 10 step routine. Yes, 10 steps. And it’s worth every step, I promise you. Here is what the 10 step routine looks like:

1. Cleansing Oil – removes any makeup, sunscreen, and the first layer of dirt
2. Cleanser – remove residue from cleansing oil and any left dirt and debris
3. Chemical Exfoliator – removes dead skin cells without hurting the skin itself (used only a couple times per week)
4. Toner – removes any impurities left and balances PH level
5. Essence – adds hydration to the skin
6. Serums – targets and treats skins needs to help improve tone and texture
7. Sheet Mask – hydrates and moisturizes the skin
8. Eye Cream – diminishes fine lines, wrinkles, and dark circles
9. Moisturizer – seals in moisture
10. Sunscreen – protects the skin from UVA & UVB rays

That may look like a lot, but I haven’t found it to be too time consuming. Obviously wearing a mask takes most of the time, but I’m going to share my favorite tool that makes wearing a mask way easier, so you can go about your morning or evening without it feeling like it’s in the way. Sure, you may scare the people in your household, but who cares. Your skin will be happy, so you’ll be happy!

So let’s get into some of the products I purchased and some of the products I’m using from my own stash until they are gone and I can make the full switch over to Korean product. I’ve used Tula Cleansing Oil for over a year now and love it. It doesn’t feel as heavy or as oily as some cleansing oils do. For the first step of the K-Beauty routine, I put it in my hands, rub it on my face, then I add water to mix with it and cling to any makeup. Then I use a reusable/washable microfiber towel to fully wipe away any makeup. If I could recommend anything, it’s getting rid of the disposable makeup remover wipes that not only often remove healthy bacteria from the skin, but they add excess waste to our environment. The microfiber towels remove makeup with just water, you don’t even need the cleansing oil if you’re in a pinch, and then you can wash them over and over. They rock. This pack comes in 14 so you have 2 weeks of cleaning microfiber towels before you have to wash them again. After oil cleansing, I use a new product I just purchased called Mango Seed Ceramide, which is an extremely hydrating creamy foam cleanser. Since my skin has been so incredibly dry and unhappy, she thought this cleanser would be best, and she was right! I LOVE it. It locks moisture into your skin. Once I cleanse my skin, I let the skin dry by itself instead of rubbing it dry with a towel. I saw this method on the 7 Skin Method – simply patting the water on the skin to help any water absorb into the skin, locking in as much moisture as possible.

And one step I have been doing twice a week is using a chemical exfoliator. Unlike many exfoliating products on the market that normally have beads in them that can be abrasive to the skin, this Mild Papaya Smart Peeling uses natural papaya enzymes to promote cell turnover. I couldn’t find the exact product online, other than eBay, so I’m linking a similar product here. The product starts off liquid and as you rub it into your skin, it begins to bead up and pill in your hands. The pilling is the dead skin coming off your face. So rad. This peel also has hyaluronic acid in it to lock in moisture and not strip the skin. I’m only using this product a couple times a week, it shouldn’t be used every day.

Now we are on to the fourth step – toner! When I was at The Face Shop, she recommended I tried Yehwadam Revitalizing Skincare to help lock in moisture. Yehwadam Revitalizing Skincare comes with a toner, which leaves the skin really hydrated and supple. This is where I create my own routine that goes back to the 7 Skin Method – I apply the Yehwadam Toner 3-4x before I move on to the Yehwadam Emulsion, which (I believe) is similar to an essence. I apply the Emulsion once then apply the Yehwadam Serum. At this point, your skin will hydrated AF and you’ll be one happy little camper. And then you’ll lock it in with a sheet mask. When I was at The Face Shop, I bought a bunch of different sheet masks and I have a ton that I’ve accumulated at home over the years. After trying some of the Korean sheet masks compared to the American brand sheet masks, I can say I definitely prefer the Korean and/or Japanese sheet masks I’ve tried. They hydrate the hell out of your skin then really brighten the complexion. I love them. I’ll be linking some of my favorites below that I’ve been able to find online! Obviously face masks can be a bit of a pain when you’re trying to get stuff done around the house because they often slide off, but I was introduced to this silicone face mask cover that covers your face and hooks behind the ears to keep the mask in place while you go about your business. I LOVE it. And since the silicone locks the mask in, it also keeps it hydrated longer since the mask doesn’t dry out as quickly. Such a simple, awesome invention!

Last but not least, moisturize!! I am currently using the last of my Colleen Rothschild Retinol Eye Cream before I move over to a Korean eye cream. I first apply my eye cream then I top it off with Yehwadam Rejuvenating Radiance Cream. This moisturizer is INSANE! I love it so much. Your skin feels so moisturized and like silk after you put it on. And if it’s morning time, I add some sunscreen on top. I currently have CeraVe Moisturizing Lotion with SPF30. Once I finish that product off, I’ll be switching over to a Korean sunscreen. I also use Tatcha Lip Mask every morning and every night to lock moisture in. Don’t forget about those lips!

I’ve been following these 10 steps for less than a week and my skin has never looked better. My wrinkles on my face are less visible, I have not had a dry patch anywhere on my skin, and my makeup sits on my skin much better than it has in the past. I am now a BELIEVER in the Korean skincare regimen and I’m not looking back. I’m even taking my sister-in-law and friend the The Face Shop this week to introduce them to new products and buy more face masks. I’m definitely not saying this routine is right for you, but I wanted to introduce you to a different way of skincare because it’s made a HUGE difference for me in such a short amount of time. If you’re in a dry place, I can’t recommend Korean skincare products enough! They are truly fantastic and The Face Shop will become my new stomping grounds for all skincare and maybe even makeup!! Let me know if you have any questions. I’m definitely new to all this and don’t know shit about fuck, but maybe I can point you in the right direction!

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