Skincare, is having ten steps going overboard?

Based on reports on Marketline, in 2016 “facial care is the largest segment of the skincare market in South Korea, accounting for 92.6% of the market's total value”. With the rise of Kpop and Kdramas, the South Korean market sought other means of exploiting their soft power for economic purposes, one of which being their skincare and cosmetics industries.

By now, most of us who are engaged in skincare probably have heard of the ‘ten-step Korean skincare routine’. So, I aim to evaluate whether this skincare regimen is truly effective or it is just another marketing strategy aimed to exploit the hyper-consumerism of Hallyu (The Korean Wave).

Through a mini experimental project of seven days, I tested this ten-step Korean skincare routine using a mixture of Korean and local products I could find in my own country (the UK) to assess the effectiveness of the routine as opposed to a much more minimal approach to skincare.

So, what does it consist of? It begins with three cleansing steps: oil cleansing, foam cleansing, and exfoliating. Then comes the four treatment steps toner, essence (or ampoule), serum, and sheet mask. After that, it’s the moisturizing steps: eye cream, moisturizer, and sun cream. Exfoliation is only to be done a few times a week as it can be harsh for some skin types, similar to face masks and lastly sun cream is obviously a daytime step. What makes this regimen “Korean” are the extra two steps of the essence and face masks, which provides the skin with extra beneficial nutrients rather than just simple hydration. The ingredients in these products are normally much more “exotic” than those we might find in western brands. The likes of ginseng, centella asiatiaca and snail mucin just to name a few.

It’s not an exaggeration that face masks are an aspect rooted in Korean culture. Living in Korea for a year, I saw face masks that ranged from luxuriously high-end prices to less than 1500won (£1). Even in 24/7 Korean convenient stores like 7ELEVEN and Gs25, face masks are sold just in case you run out at night or if you forget to take some on a trip. Regardless of gender and age, it is safe to say that Koreans genuinely care about their skin. From what we can see on the media, Koreans normally have flawless skin but if we are a little skeptical, we may say they might just have skilled makeup artists.

So, let’s find out if that’s the case. During the time span of this project, I noticed relative improvements in my skin, compared to when I used my regular skincare routine which consisted of foam cleanser, toner, serum, and moisturizer. The ten-step regimen made my skin glow, hydrated and plump. During this project, my skin never felt dry despite the harsh cold British weather. Indeed, I believe this routine is genuinely effective but as it is ten steps, it’s very time consuming, therefore impractical at times.

The verdict is? Korean skincare is perhaps initially perfected not to fuel Hallyu consumption but in fact, to build a thriving industry that can provide variety in skincare products for Koreans who strive for beautiful and clear skin.

However, after the clean skins of Koreans caught the attention of the globe, trends to occupy our shelves with Korean skincare brands became an “it” thing. As a result, more brands and product varieties began popping out of nowhere, seemingly doing the same old products in different bottles and packaging. The dedicated Hallyu fans could be considered as the advocates and natural promoters of this trend thanks to Kpop idols’ and Kdrama actors’ active promotion of skincare brands like Nature Republic and Innisfree. The Korean skincare market realised that it has the potential to become a major contributor to the Korean and world economy, which is why now, you’ll see Korean skincare products all over the shelves of local pharmacies and beauty stores.

Despite the routine being time consuming, the feeling of have radiant and clear skin certainly boosted my confidence. Perhaps, this delightful feeling is what Koreans sought after when they invest so much time and money into skincare. So is ten steps for healthy looking skin going overboard? I wouldn’t say so if it raises confidence in ourselves.