BEAUTY insight

44 AUDREY SPRING15

ASIAN SKINCARE, DE-MYSTIFIED

STEP 1. DOUBLECLEANSE: REMOVEMAKEUP

In Korea and Japan, women have long considered skin care thekey to good makeup. Only a strict skin care regimen of layeringproducts, patting into skin for proper absorption and facial massagecan prep skin to “eat” your makeup well, with foundation meltinginto skin and imparting a natural finish, as opposed to sitting on topand looking like a mask.

Why layer products? According to Christine Chang of GlowRecipe, an online site for natural, harsh-free Korean skin care prod-ucts, “It’s similar to how wearing several thin layers during the winteris often warmer then just one thick sweater. Several layers of skin careproducts are thought to be a more effective way to keep skin hydratedand supple for longer, rather than one thick layer of a heavy cream.”

While there’s been debate over exactly how many steps constitutethe true Korean skin care regimen, the steps below offer a solidguideline. “The famous 10-step skin care routine is possible becausewomen also like to use sheet masks at night, which are used directlyon skin after cleansing and toning, then followed by one’s usual skincare routine,” says Chang. “A few other steps that are in vogue arepre-serums or ‘first serums’ [like Sulwhasoo’s First Care ActivatingSerum or Shiseido’s Ultimune Power Infusing Concentrate], whichare used before one’s usual essence to give a boost to the rest of theskin care routine, and also ‘finishers,’ which are used after a cream togive an extra dewy glow to the skin.” R

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“Throughout Asia, cleansingis widely considered themost important part!of skincare, which has!resulted inthe development of highlyspecialized products andmethodologies,” says Chang.“The double cleanse methodis commonplace in Koreaand Japan, where there is thebelief that because!multiple‘layers’ are needed to achievea finished daytime look (skincare, makeup, UV protec-tion), more than one step ofcleansing is needed to trulyremove everything.” Thefirst step!is to removemakeup and sunscreen with a cleansingoil. “These products are formulated to re-move even the most stubborn oil-basedproducts and eye makeup,” says Chang.

Dolce &GabannaEssential

Cleansing Oil.

STEP 2. DOUBLECLEANSE: WASHFACE

After an oil cleanser, thesecond step!is to clean dirt,pollution residue and de-bris with a foamingor gel cleanser.

1. Made of silkfrom asilkworm farmin Japan, thisingenious mittengently exfoliates.Chidoriya Pure SilkFacial Mitten. 2. AmarteDaily Wonder Cleansing Foam.

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STEP 3. HYDRAT-ING TONER

Also called “skin” in Korea,this category goes by severalnames, ranging from “lo-tion” to “water.” Asiantoners prep skin and boostthe efficacy of followingtreatments. “Korean toneris not the same as the

Red pine balances skin’s pH and delivershydration deep into the skin. SulwhasooTimetreasure Perfecting Water.

A fresh face at Seoul Fashion Week.

45AUDREY SPRING15

insight BEAUTY

STEP 6. EYE CREAM

STEP 7. FACE CREAMWestern concept of toner, which is alco-hol-based, liquid and applied with acotton round,” says Hilary Burns-LaRiche, marketing manager at Koreanprestige brand Sulwhasoo. “Korean ton-ers are a watery gel texture that soothesthe skin and restores balance.”

STEP 4. ESSENCEOR SERUM

This is where it can get confusing be-cause essence and serum are both skintreatments with high concentrations ofbeneficial ingredients. In Asia, what iscalled “essence” can range from a liquid(some are even sprayed on) to a thickerserum-like texture. “Women in Koreause the two words interchangeably,”says Chang. “In fact, many foreignbrands rename their serums locally as‘essences,’ since this is the more widelyunderstood term.” Generally, think ofessences as lightweight versions ofserum, both in texture and often in con-centrations of active ingredients. So ifyou’re in your 20s, go with an essence.A little older? A serum might be better.

1. Koh Gen Do Oriental Plants Essence. 2. La Mer TheBrightening Essence Intense. 3. 3Lab Perfect Glow Complex.4. A serum that zooms in on the skin’s capillaries foroptimum skin health. Shiseido Bio-Performance GlowRevival Serum. 5. Miyu De-stress Mi Beauty Essence Mini.

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What are mists? “Mists have come a long way since simple H2O sprays,” says Chang. “These days, mist products are infused with a rangeof skin care benefits and loaded with anti-aging and hydrating ingredients, on top of instantly creating a film of protective moisture on skin for aglowing radiance. Korean women also believe that it’s critical to hydrate skin right away after cleansing to prevent moisture from evaporating andto maintain a balanced level of moisture in skin, and a convenient spray mist is a great way to deliver this. Another reason is the rise of convenient,on-the-go skin care — women often keep a mist in their purses or at their desks to constantly replenish moisture throughout the day.”

STEP 5. EMULSION,FLUID OR LOTION

Whatever you call it,this step is basically alightweight moistur-izer to replenishskin’s hydration lev-els. Emulsions pro-vide light hydrationon its own, saysBurns-LaRiche, soin hot summerweather or if youhave an exceptionallyoily skin type, youmay want to skip theface cream step. For drier or more ma-ture skin, you’ll want to layer on both.

1. Sulwhasoo EXBrightening Fluid. 2. DHC Beauty Lift Milk.

“Korean skin care is a routine that be-gins very early on for preventative pur-poses,” says Burns-LaRiche. “This isnot so common in Western culture.Young women in Korea use eye creamsto keep fine lines, puffiness and darkcircles away.” SK-II’s new eye cream isformulated based on studies that showthat eye bags begin to sag in your 20s,eyelid wrinklesstart formingin your 30s,and crow’s feetin your 40s.

For deep hydration of theskin, use one with SPF forday and one formulated totake advantage of yourbody’s restorative processesat night.

STEP 8. SUNSCREEN(DAY) OR SLEEPINGPACK (NIGHT)

Overnightmasks or “sleep-ing packs,” asthey are referredto in Koreanskin care, offer adeeper, moreeffective level ofhydration andnourishment,more than acream can, saysBurns-LaRiche.“Your skin repairsitself overnight,and these overnight masks work withthe natural process of your skin so youliterally wake up looking refreshed.”

1. Eight de-agingingredients sculptand lift skin duringits sleep cycle, all ina soothing cream-gel formula.Clinique RepairwearSculpting NightCream. 2. Shiseido White Lucent All DayBrightener SPF 22.

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1. Amarte Ultra Veil SunscreenFluid SPF 50+. 2. Koh Gen DoOriental Plants NightMoisture Mask.

SK-II Essential PowerEye Cream.

Dylan Xue and Jing Wen at Acne.

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