When you think of Korean skincare, you might picture a lengthy, 10-step morning and night routine. In reality, the so-called “10-steps” were always a misunderstanding. Per K-beauty expert Sarah Chung Park, Korean skincare was never meant to be a rigid formula. “The best part about Korean skincare is that it’s highly personalized,” she explains. “Depending on your skin concerns on any given day, you can add or take out as many steps as you want. Think of it as the precursor to layered skincare, whether that’s three products or fifteen.”
That philosophy shows up in how people actually use their products. As fellow K-beauty expert and former Allure editor-in-chief Michelle Lee explains, layering has always been the guiding principle. “If I’m feeling particularly dehydrated and dry one day, I might layer several hydrating essences and toners before moving on to my other steps, sometimes even a few layers of a milky toner,” she says.
At the same time, routines have naturally become more streamlined thanks to lifestyle shifts, ingredient innovation, and better formulations. Chung Park explains that “The technology behind beauty science is so fast-paced in Korea, and companies are constantly improving their formulations to offer advanced solutions that are highly effective. They are able to target specific skin-care concerns, and at the core of Korean skin-care philosophy is ultimately healthy skin.” Lee notes that how this plays out looks different for everyone. “People who are really into Korean beauty often end up building a skin-care wardrobe. Think of it like the everything shower-we all know we have certain days when we have more time to do everything. On weekends, maybe you do the mask, the ampoule, the whole routine. But on busy days, you do the abbreviated version.”
Trends like glass skin, mochi skin, and jelly skin may dominate your FYP, but they all share the same goal of healthy, resilient, calm skin. While partnering with Sephora, it’s easy for trends to blur the bigger picture. “Ultimately, it’s about finding foundational products that work well for your skin and then occasionally introducing new things to see what works for you, not getting stuck on a merry-go-round of trying viral product after viral product,” Lee explains.
With that in mind, this guide breaks down a modern Korean skincare routine, focusing on addressing the specific needs of oily skin, from layering tips to optional steps and product recommendations.
Understanding Korean Skincare Principles for Oily Skin
The core philosophy of Korean skincare revolves around achieving healthy, balanced skin. For oily skin types, this translates to managing excess sebum production without stripping the skin, preventing breakouts, and maintaining hydration. The layered approach allows for customization, making it ideal for addressing the fluctuating needs of oily skin.
Morning Routine for Oily Skin
The morning routine focuses on gently cleansing, hydrating, and protecting the skin from environmental stressors.
Step 1: Gentle Cleanse
According to celebrity esthetician and founder of Peach & Lily, Alicia Yoon, the first step in any Korean skincare routine is often an oil cleanser. Oil-based impurities like excess sebum, makeup, and SPF are best removed with oil because like attracts like. That said, this step doesn’t need to be overly intense. Many people find that a simple rinse works, depending on their skin type and what was applied the night before. If you choose to double cleanse, follow your oil cleanser with a water-based formula. “A gentle, hydrating water-based cleanser as the second step removes all water-based impurities like dirt, grime, and sweat, without being harsh on the skin,” Yoon explains.
Recommended Cleansers:
- Sulwhasoo Gentle Cleansing Oil: This product melts everything off and leaves your skin fresh and hydrated in the process, ideal for thoroughly removing makeup and SPF without tugging at the skin.
- CosRx Low PH Good Morning Gel Cleanser: This gel cleanser is safe for all skin types to use, helping maintain the skin barrier rather than stripping it. Its pH-balanced formula contains tea tree oil and BHA to soothe the skin and banish breakouts.
- Haruharu Wonder Black Rice Moisture Cleansing Oil: For those who prefer a streamlined routine, this cleansing oil works with just one pump. It emulsifies easily to remove makeup, SPF, and daily buildup without stripping the skin, thanks to a nourishing blend of rice bran, olive, sunflower, jojoba, and macadamia seed oils.
Step 2: Hydration and Skin Prep
Next comes hydration, which often involves both a toner and an essence. While toners may still carry a negative connotation, many modern formulas are no longer harsh, stripping, or astringent, especially within K-beauty. “Korean toners are incredibly hydrating, and their main job is to focus on balancing the skin, including the skin’s pH level,” says Yoon. Although toners and essences can offer similar benefits, they are not exactly interchangeable. Yoon explains that the difference lies in their primary functions: a toner helps balance the skin, while an essence floods it with hydration. If your toner is deeply hydrating, it can double as an essence. Depending on the formula, essences may also contain more concentrated ingredients and benefits compared to toners. “Think of essences as hydrating elixirs that can also deliver lightweight treatment benefits,” says Yoon.
Recommended Toners and Essences:
- Innisfree Green Tea Enzyme PHA Toner: A favorite for its great price point and suitability for all skin types, particularly sensitive skin as it’s non-irritating.
- Be The Skin Botanical Nutrition Power Toner: This toner drenches the skin with hydration through a cocktail of herbal ingredients (cucumber and thyme extract, and witch hazel) that nourish and soothe.
- Mixsoon Bean Essence: Formulated with antioxidant-rich ingredients, this bean essence leaves the skin incredibly supple, soft, and luminous over time.
- Beauty of Joseon Ginseng Essence Water: This product is composed of moisturizing ginseng water, niacinamide to strengthen the skin barrier, and a small dose of BHA to mildly exfoliate the skin.
Step 3: Prescription Topicals (Optional)
“If you are using any prescription topicals, you would typically apply them directly onto dry skin once everything is patted in, either right after cleansing or right after your toner and essence,” explains Yoon. Every prescription has its nuances, so check in with your doctor on where exactly this would fit into your routine.
Step 4: Treatment (Optional)
The next optional step is treatment, typically serums or ampoules. “Depending on the formula, the order might differ, but the general rule of thumb is light to heavy in texture to optimize absorbency,” says Yoon. For oily skin, look for formulas that hydrate, brighten, firm, or calm the skin without being too heavy. Ingredient-wise, options like niacinamide are excellent for regulating sebum and improving skin texture.
Expert Recommendations for Treatments:
- Skin1004 Madagascar Centella Asiatica Ampoule Facial Serum: A highly regarded serum known for its soothing and hydrating properties, ideal for calming irritated or breakout-prone oily skin.
Step 5: Eye Cream
Don’t forget eye creams! Yoon advises choosing one that suits your eye area and addresses specific concerns. The eye area is sensitive and prone to milia, so always patch test. “Remember to dab on the product rather than tugging and pulling,” she adds.
Recommended Eye Creams:
- Haruharu Wonder Black Rice Eye Cream: Infused with bakuchiol, a gentle alternative to retinol, and vitamin-rich black rice to nourish the sensitive skin around the eyes.
- TIRTIR Collagen Lifting Eye Cream: Features a cooling metal roller applicator for a refreshing feel and is formulated with niacinamide, plant collagen, and peptides to moisturize and improve the appearance of fine lines.
Step 6: Moisturizer
It’d be a crime to skip moisturizer, which is why this step comes last to seal it all in. For oily skin, look for lightweight, gel-based, or water-based formulas that provide hydration without feeling greasy. According to Yoon, Korean skincare offers incredible textures and exceeds expectations with sensorial experiences. This is particularly true for Korean moisturizers, as the final step not only provides skin-care benefits but also significantly affects how your skin looks and feels after application.
Recommended Moisturizers for Oily Skin:
- Dr. Jart+ Cicapair Cooling Gel Moisturizer for Redness: This soothing repair gel cream absorbs immediately and leaves behind a soft, selfie-ready finish, perfect for calming redness without heaviness.
- Aromatica Youth Glow Vita Cream: Known for its delightful and unique lightweight, custard-like texture that instantly refreshes and soothes.
Step 7: Sunscreen
And in the mornings, the final step is SPF, rain or shine. “With the diverse and modern sun filters that can be used, Korean sunscreens are typically weightless, invisible, and feel more like a light moisturizer or soothing serum than the sunscreens we might be familiar with stateside,” says Yoon. Lee adds that Korean sunscreens are so lovely and cosmetically elegant that it’s easy to think of them as the final skin-care step rather than a chore. There are also a variety of formats that make reapplication easy throughout the day, including sun cushions.
Recommended Sunscreens for Oily Skin:
- Round Lab Birch Juice Moisturizing Sunscreen: Described as having a smooth, moisturizing texture that feels neutral on the skin, enriched with niacinamide and glyceryl glucoside to nourish and hydrate sans greasiness.
- Glow Recipe Dew Shield SPF 30: Formulated with niacinamide, which helps strengthen the skin barrier by boosting hydration and reducing hyperpigmentation from sun exposure.
- Abib Quick Sunstick Protection Bar: This clear sunscreen stick applies transparently with no risk of white cast, is easy to travel with, and makes reapplication uncomplicated. It offers SPF 50+ and is formulated with soothing ingredients like aloe vera, centella asiatica, and green tea leaf extract.
Evening Routine for Oily Skin
The evening routine focuses on thoroughly cleansing away the day’s impurities and supporting skin recovery and repair overnight.
Step 1: Double Cleanse
No matter how much or how little you did during the day, an oil-based cleanser is an essential first step in the evening. These formulas effectively dissolve and draw out oil-based impurities, including SPF, makeup, and excess sebum. As esthetician Mandy Epley explains, “During the day, oil residue and dead skin cells accumulate on your skin. The first step in a Korean skin-care routine is to remove this buildup. With clean skin, you create a blank canvas for the following steps to be most effective.”
From there, follow up with a water-based cleanser to complete the double cleanse, a cornerstone of K-beauty routines that’s since been widely adopted across skincare everywhere. This second cleanse helps remove water-based impurities like dirt, sweat, and grime. As Chung Park adds, it’s important to make sure your face is fully clear of any residue from the day so your skin can enter recovery mode while you sleep. When it comes to choosing a formula, Yoon suggests opting for a low-pH, sulfate-free, calming cleanser for a gentle reset or selecting a treatment cleanser suited to your specific skin concerns. If you’re acne-prone, she recommends an acne-specific cleanser to deeply cleanse down to the pores. Epley notes that double cleansing is best reserved for the evening, rather than as part of a morning routine.
Recommended Cleansing Oils for Evening:
- Anua Heartleaf Pore Control Cleansing Oil: Effectively removes all residue in just one wash, preventing raccoon eyes and lingering makeup, thus lowering the chance of clogged pores and blackheads.
- Pure Cleansing Oil: This deep cleansing formula features sunflower seed oil and Spanish grape seed oil, which are gentle yet effective at removing dirt and grime without any stickiness. It is also non-comedogenic, making it a great option even for acne-prone skin.
Recommended Water-Based Cleansers for Evening:
- Atopalm Moisturizing Facial Cleansing Foam: A highly recommended gentle cleansing foam that effectively cleanses without stripping the skin.
