Essential Skincare Steps and Their Benefits You Should Know

What order do you follow in your skincare routine?
With so many skincare products available these days, it can be confusing to know which item to use and when.
Using skincare products in the wrong order may even prevent you from seeing their full effects.
So let’s go back to the basics and review the proper skincare steps and their benefits.
By understanding the purpose of each product and applying them in the correct sequence, you can transform your skin into a healthier, more radiant complexion—free of common concerns.

The Steps of a Skincare Routine

Did you know that the purpose of skincare differs between morning and night?
In the morning, skincare focuses on cleansing away sweat and excess oil that accumulated overnight, hydrating the skin, and protecting it from daytime stressors such as UV rays.
At night, the goal is to thoroughly remove makeup, sebum, and any impurities picked up during the day, while caring for and repairing skin that has been exposed to damage.
Let’s take a closer look at each routine and the benefits they offer.

Morning Skincare Routine

While you sleep, sweat and excess sebum can build up on your skin. If you apply makeup without cleansing properly in the morning, it can lead to poor makeup application or cause your foundation to crease and wear unevenly. Additionally, a proper morning skincare routine helps protect your skin from daytime aggressors like UV damage.

• Facial cleansing

Start by washing away sweat and excess sebum that accumulated while you slept to reset your skin to a clean state! Simply rinsing with water isn’t enough to fully remove impurities. Use a foaming cleanser or create a rich lather with a foaming net, and gently cleanse your skin without rubbing. After washing, gently pat your face dry with a clean towel.

• Concentrated serum

When using a beauty serum concentrate, apply it immediately after cleansing and before applying toner.
Since the timing may vary depending on the product, be sure to check the instructions before use.
Unlike regular serums that contain multiple beauty ingredients, a beauty serum concentrate is made up of 100% cosmetic raw material with a high concentration of a single active ingredient.
You can choose a beauty serum concentrate according to your specific skin concerns, allowing you to incorporate only the ingredients that suit your needs.
If you use multiple concentrates, it is recommended to apply them starting with the lighter, more watery textures, and then layer the thicker, more moisturizing ones.

• Toner

If you are not using a beauty serum concentrate, apply toner immediately after cleansing to thoroughly hydrate your skin. Take a generous amount of toner in your hands and gently press it into your entire face to help it absorb. Toner provides moisture to the stratum corneum (outer skin layer) and helps to refine skin texture.
This improves makeup application and adherence.
Additionally, toner aids the absorption of subsequent skincare products, which is why it is considered most effective to use toner at the beginning of your skincare routine.

• Serum

Serums are generally used between toner and cream.
Since the timing may vary depending on the product, be sure to check the instructions before use.
The main benefit of serums is that they provide targeted, intensive care for specific skin concerns!
You can layer multiple serums, but it’s best to apply lighter, water-based formulas first, followed by thicker, oilier products.

• Cream, Emulsion

Finally, to lock in moisture and prevent the evaporation of active ingredients, seal your skin with a cream or emulsion.
Both cream and emulsion serve the same purpose in skincare, but emulsions contain more water, while creams have a higher oil content.
Therefore, for oily skin prone to shine, using only an emulsion is recommended; for dry skin, using both emulsion and cream is ideal; and for combination skin, apply emulsion all over the face and use cream on the dry areas.

Nighttime Skincare Routine

At night, you cleanse away the dirt accumulated throughout the day and provide skincare to help your skin regenerate and stay beautiful while you sleep.
A thorough nighttime skincare routine helps improve the condition of your skin the following morning.

• Makeup Removal and Facial Cleansing

First, use a cleanser to thoroughly remove makeup and the dirt accumulated during the day.
There are various types of cleansers: for dry skin, moisturizing milk or cream cleansers are recommended; for oily skin, oil-based cleansers with strong cleansing power are ideal; and for combination skin, gel or milk-type cleansers work well. Also, after cleansing, be sure to wash your face to completely remove any remaining cleansing product.

• Concentrated serum

If you use a concentrated serum as needed, apply it immediately after cleansing and before toner.
Since the timing may vary depending on the product, be sure to check the usage instructions.
When using multiple concentrated serums, it is recommended to apply the lighter, more watery textures first, followed by the richer, more moisturizing ones.

• Toner

If you are not using a concentrated serum, immediately after cleansing, thoroughly replenish your skin’s moisture with toner. Take a generous amount of toner in your hands and gently press it into your entire face to help it absorb. Toner provides moisture to the stratum corneum (outer layer of the skin) and helps refine skin texture.
Since it also aids the absorption of subsequent skincare products, it is considered most effective to use toner early in your skincare routine.

• Serum

Serums are generally used between toner and cream.
Since the timing may vary depending on the product, be sure to check the instructions before use.
You can layer multiple serums, but it’s best to apply the lighter, water-based ones first, followed by the thicker, oilier products.

• Night Cream

Finally, to firmly lock in your skin’s moisture and prevent the evaporation of active ingredients, seal your skin with a night cream or emulsion. Both cream and emulsion serve the same purpose in skincare, but emulsions contain more water, while creams have a higher oil content. At night, moisturize more thoroughly than in the morning to prevent dryness while you sleep.

Summary

By reviewing your skincare routine once again, you can get closer to solving your skin concerns.
Since your skin issues can change daily due to lifestyle and environmental factors, it is important to regularly reassess your routine.
Check the condition of your skin and carry out skincare that suits your skin’s needs on that day.