10-Step Skincare Routine Guide, Tutorial: Why, What, How To

Ten points before we go any further:

1. This is not about a typical Korean skincare routine. I use a mixture of mainstream and Korean brands. 
2. Nor is it a strict 10-step skincare routine. You will find suggestions with just four products. Or even 12 steps.
3. This regimen is only at night. I have a life. My morning routine is a condensed 4-5 step version and includes SPF. That is for another post. 
4. Do not wake up tomorrow and decide to pile on 10 products at one go. Step by step. Introduce one product into your routine at a time. Build up to it gradually. I began with no/three steps.
5. There is no panacea out there. Some things work for some people. So include whatever suits you in your *-step routine.
6. Your mileage may will vary. Read that again. And again. Customise the routine according to your skin type. Skip/combine/split up/add steps.
7. You can use spot treatment, hyaluronic acid, a rinse-off mask, a sleeping pack, and a sheet mask on the same day you use Vitamin C. You can add every step you can think of and do a 20-step routine. Entirely up to your skin. 
8. My skin type is acne-prone, and very oily (the kind where countries think of replacing their oil export deals with my face).
9. An FAQ post will be posted tomorrow. Detailed posts on each step are also in the works.
10. Verbose post ahead. 

Scroll down for the Ultimate 10-Step Skincare Routine Guide and Tutorial.  

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WHY go through a 10-step skincare routine? 10 reasons.

1. It can incorporate everything your skin needs, from blemish treatment to hydration, anti-ageing, radiance... you name it.
2. It cleans, exfoliates, cures, treats, prevents, heals, nourishes, hydrates and protects. Nothing left out.
3. There is NO one miracle product that does everything, despite what beauty brands may claim. You need separate products for different things.
4. Because your skin deserves it.
5. It makes the skin look - and feel - so much better. There was a time when I thought my skin could look no better. Was I ever wrong!
6. This is your ultimate pampering, nourishing facial; your daily me-time.
7. You can go without spa facials. I have not gone near a spa for a facial in ages.
8. This is your ultimate anti-ageing routine. IF a non-invasive, topical-only regimen can give results, this can.
9. It does not take as long as you think. More on the time required in the FAQs tomorrow.
10. Why not? 

Some general skincare routine suggestions for various skin needs. Pin/share/ignore.

*Eye cream needs to be incorporated as a separate step in Routines 1 and 3.  
NB: Routine 4 will be explained at the end of this post.


NOTE: The first step depends on whether you have worn makeup or SPF on a given day. If yes, begin at #1. If not, begin at #2.

Step 1: Oil or balm cleanser

WHY? To dissolve all makeup gently, even waterproof mascara. I prefer this to the harsh two-phase makeup removers, which can contain ingredients that breakout or irritate some skins.
HOW?

• Apply the cleanser on dry skin, massage gently for a bit. Emulsify with water. 
• If my makeup is heavy, I use micellar water beforehand - if you have used Bioderma, wait for the face to dry a bit before cleansing.
• This is where I bring in the flannel cloth. Click here to see a list of the best face flannel/wash cloths.  

OPTIONS: Plain coconut oil. Whatever works for you. Also, I use micellar water before this step.
Product recommendations:

• Alpha-H Age Delay Cleansing Oil
• Antonia Burrell Natural Glow Cleansing Oil
• MV Organics 9 Oil Cleansing Tonic
• Ole Henriksen Pure Truth Melting Cleanser 
• Caudalie Makeup Removing Cleansing Oil (personal favourite) 
• Emma Hardie Moringa Balm
• Oskia Renaissance Cleansing Gel
• Eve Lom Cleanser

Step 2. Second cleanser - clay/milk/gel/cream

WHY? Double-cleansing has already been written about at length. It helps fully wipe out makeup, sunscreen, sweat, grime, filth, the makeup remover itself, war, mosquitoes and promotes better absorption of your skincare.
More on categories of cleansers and their differences another time.
HOW?

• On damp skin from the previous step. After rinsing the second cleanser off, pat your face dry with the flannel. 
• As a rule, I avoid foaming cleansers and stick to non-foaming clay, gel, or milk or cream cleansers. These second cleansers are also on rota as my morning cleansers.
• The clay cleansers I am talking about here are creamy and super-gentle, and not some kind of harsh, drying, gritty wreck.

OPTIONS:

• You can "layer" your cleanser - mix gel and clay; mix oil and clay... I like mixing liquid-gel and clay cleansers, especially Alpha-H Clear Skin Daily Face Wash Gel and REN Clearcalm Clay Cleanser.
• Avoid exfoliating or resurfacing cleansers if you are going to use an exfoliating or resurfacing treatment further in your routine.

Product recommendations with categories (all products available worldwide):

• REN Clearcalm Clay Cleanser (personal favourite)
• Tata Harper Purifying Cleanser (clay)
• Sunday Riley Ceramic Slip Cleanser (clay)
• Sarah Chapman Skinesis Radiance Cleanser (clay)
• First Aid Beauty Skin Rescue Deep Cleanser (clay)
• CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser (gel)
• Sonya Dakar Silver Clarifying Wash (gel)
• Sonya Dakar Detox Wash (gel)
• Alpha-H Clear Skin Daily Face Wash (gel)
• Alpha-H Triple Action Cleanser (gel)
• CosRx Low pH Good Morning Cleanser (gel)
• Julisis Silver Wash Night (gel)
• Pai Camellia & Rose Gentle Hydrating Cleanser (cream)
• Alpha-H Balancing Cleanser (gel)
• Caudalie Gentle Cleansing Milk
• May Lindstrom The Clean Dirt (powder) 

Double cleansing routine:

Step 3: Exfoliating Toner

WHY? Because physical exfoliation - harsh scrubs - can damage the skin. Exfoliating acids do the job gently and increase cell turnover. Alpha-Hydroxy Acid (AHA) imparts a glow; Beta- (BHA) takes care of blemishes. These are available in both liquid and pre-soaked pad forms.
HOW?

• I usually use a tingly acid pad. If I use Vitamin C, I specifically use a low-pH toner such as CosRx AHA/BHA Clarifying Toner. Avoid acid toners if using a resurfacing treatment (shown further below).
• If liquid, apply using a cotton pad. If pre-soaked, pat all over face, ears, neck, backs of the ears (yes!) and if the pad is still moist, do your elbows. No point in wasting product. Moisturise elbows afterwards.
• Before applying the next product, give the face a bit of time for the toner to do its magic. Some people prefer waiting until the tingly feeling (if any) goes away. I apply my toner and wait for as long as it takes to brush out my long hair.

OPTIONS:

• You can use BHA and AHA on the same day. Or a product which contains both.
• You can also use a rinse-off AHA mask here, such as Pai Copaiba Deep Cleanse AHA Mask (see photo above), or REN Glycolactic Radiance Renewal Mask.

Product recommendations (liquid only; pads already posted here):

• Pixi Glow Tonic
• CosRx AHA/BHA Clarifying Toner
• 111 Skin Ground Control Blemish Tonic
• Tosowoong Dr. Troubex Sparkling Mist
• CosRx BHA Blackhead Power Liquid
• Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant

Go here for my list of exfoliating/toning pads.

Step 4: Vitamin C

WHY? Not going to write an essay here (another post), but most importantly:

• Over time, it helps prevent fine lines and encourages collagen production.
• If you have dark spots, photo damage, or post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation *cough yes cough*, Vitamin C will help fade the marks sooner.

HOW? Certain formulations of Vit C (L-Ascorbic Acid) work with a low pH. I use Vit C right after my toner. Wait for 20-30 minutes before applying anything over Vitamin C, to give it time, before you alter the pH again. I go have my dinner after this stage.
Remember to store Vitamin C concentrates away from light and heat. 
OPTION: Use a general serum with a lower concentration of Vitamin C at the Serum/Ampoule stage.
Product recommendations:

• OST C 20 Serum. This is 20% Vitamin C (personal favourite)
• OST C21 (21% Vitamin C)
• Ling Skincare Hi-Vitamin C (12%) 
• Laidbare From Dusk Till Dawn Vitamin C Night Serum 
• Alpha-H Vitamin C (Ethyl-Ascorbic Acid)

Here is how my routine with Vitamin C looks. This is my current regimen - only, I alternate with Mizon's Snail Repair products as the essence and serum. 

Step 5: Hydrating mist or toner

WHY?

• To soothe the skin after all those acids.
• To sandwich as much moisture as poss. between layers.
• To rehydrate and refresh during the day.  
• No, hydration will not "make" the skin oily.

HOW? Spritz all over if using a mist. Apply on cotton pad and pat on face if regular bottle. I prefer mists. They save a fortune in cotton pads and feel so much better on the face.
Wait till face is touch-dry before you proceed to the next step. 
OPTIONS: This step makes my face feel so good that I don't have alternatives.
Products recommendations (mists):

• Pixi Hydrating Milky Mist
• Caudalie Grape Water
• Caudalie Beauty Elixir 
• Pai Rice Plant and Rosemary Bioaffinity Tonic
• Monu Rosewood Reviving Mist
• Black Chicken Remedies Hydrate My Face
• Ole Henriksen Pick Me Up Face Mist
• May Lindstrom Jasmine Garden (personal favourite)
• Alpha-H Moisture Boosting Facial Mist
• Omorovicza Queen of Hungary Mist
• Caudalie Moisturising Toner
• Thayer's Witch Hazel Rose Petal Toner

You can see I'm obsessed with this step. And that's not counting the ones on my desk, in the car and in my handbags.

Step 6: Essence

WHY? An essence is a concentration thicker than a toner but thinner than a serum, and helps better absorption of subsequent products. If you scoff at that, think of it as an extra layer of moisture; you cannot have too much hydration for the skin. It is a lighter pre-serum treatment, to be followed with the big guns. I use an essence that contains whatever is not in my serum, so I get the benefit of a variety of ingredients.
HOW? Pat it in. It absorbs better that way. Wait till more or less absorbed (not ultra-dry, that won't happen) before proceeding.
Product recommendations:

• Antonia Burrell Forest Dew Conditioner (personal favourite)
• Ling Skincare Oxygen Plasma Potion (brilliant - sadly, bankrupts me)
• Seatree Syn-ake Essence
• Cellbydate The Real GalactoZero Essence
• Zymogen Centella Ferment Essence
• Grown Alchemist Antioxidant + 3 Detox Serum
• Benton Snail Bee Essence
• Mizon Snail Repair All-in-one Cream (personal favourite)

The last-named is a whipped essence to be used first, and not a cream. The Koreans have this step nailed. My favourites:

Step 7: Serum (or "Ampoule", if using Korean products)

WHY? Delivers key concentrated repairing/protecting/nourishing/treatment ingredients to the skin.
What Koreans call an "ampoule" is a saturated super-serum. Ingredient concentrations in Korean skincare can be many times that you see in mainstream/Western brands. For instance, OST's C21 has 21% Vitamin C, whereas most mainstream brands go for lower than 15%. 
HOW? I like to press the product in gently with my fingers. Wait till it sinks in a bit.
OPTION: Choose from clarifying serums, hydrating serums, radiance serums (can be exfoliating or Vitamin C-based), retinol serums (different from retinol resurfacing treatment; more on this in a minute), repairing serums, or those with a mixture of ingredients. 
Product recommendations:

• Caudalie Vinosource SOS Thirst Quenching Serum (go here for more about Caudalie's serums)
• MyChelle Clear Skin Serum (personal favourite; contains retinol and niacinamide) 
• Pai Perfect Balance Zinc Copaiba Blemish Serum
• Caudalie Vinosource Radiance Complexion Correcting Serum
• Mizon Steblanc Black Snail Repair Ampoule
• Zymogen Houttuynia Cordata Ferment Serum
• Nature's Beauty Ovine Placenta Gold Serum
• Caudalie Polyphenol C15 Serum
• Ole Henriksen Truth Serum
• Mizon Snail Repair Ex Ampoule (personal favourite ampoule)

Step 8: Emulsion OR Eye Cream OR Spot Treatment OR Sheet Mask

WHY? Let's focus on emulsion. You probably use eye creams anyway, and I'll address them in a separate post. Ditto spot treatment.
Emulsions are very light treatment lotions that also contain humectants that draw in moisture - from the air or layers right above them. The treatment aspect and the runnier, lighter texture make these different from regular moisturisers. I like emulsions that fight blemishes. Emulsions are non-occlusive, so whatever you apply above will sink in as well.
HOW?

• You don't have to use an emulsion, a moisturising lotion and a sleeping pack at one go. Go ahead if that is what your skin likes, though.
• I use emulsions containing salicylic acid, tea tree gel, centella asiatica, seabuckthorn, or other blemish-fighting ingredients here. If my skin feels flaky and there is no acne, I use hyaluronic acid instead. 
• Give it a few minutes to sink in. Brush your teeth in the meantime.

OPTIONS:

• You can use a hyaluronic acid lotion here. 
• If my skin is congested, I use both spot treatment and a light salicylic acid or centella asiatica treatment emulsion.
• If you cannot find an "emulsion", look for the lightest, runniest moisturising lotion that contains no occlusive ingredients. 
• Or just spritz your face mist once more. 
• Or skip altogether because:
• This step can also be eye cream or spot treatment, or a sheet mask.

Product recommendations (again, Koreans make the most treatment emulsions):

• CosRx Natural BHA Skin Returning Emulsion
• Sonya Dakar Nano Clarifying Hydrator
• Hylamide Low Molecular HA Multi-Depth Rehydration Booster
• Dr Alkaitis Organic Soothing Gel
• Skinfood Parsley & Mandarin Emulsion (personal favourite)
• Zymogen Houttuynia Cordata Ferment
• Any pure hyaluronic serum or lotion

Here's how I use a BHA Emulsion over spot treatment:

Step 9: Moisturiser OR Lightweight facial oil

WHY? Because moisturiser. 'Nuff said. There are three categories of moisturisers - humectants, emollients and occlusives. I need a whole separate post on this. For getting the job done here and now, let's just divide them into "lightweight moisturisers" and "occlusive or heavy moisturisers".
Facial oil has been a revelation for me. Last year, my dermatologist convinced me to add a light oil to my routine, despite my copious oil production. It has balanced my skin beautifully.
HOW? I take a bit of facial oil on my fingertips, and rub all my fingers together gently. I then press them on the face to apply. If you have specific dry areas that need care, press the facial oil into those areas.
OPTIONS: Do not skip this step. Use either:

1. A light facial oil, before proceeding to the next step OR
2. A light facial moisturiser, before proceeding to the next step OR
3. Use a thick moisturising cream and stop your routine. That's it. 

Product recommendations (moisturisers):

• Trilogy Balancing Face Lotion
• Ling Skincare Oxygen Plasma Glow
• Caudalie Vinosource Moisturising Sorbet
• Ole Henriksen Empower Featherweight Moisturiser (personal favourite)
• Ole Henriksen Truth Creme Advanced Hydration
• CosRx Oil-Free Ultra Moisturising Lotion

Click here for my list of the best facial oils.

Here is an example of a lightweight moisturiser followed by an occlusive facial oil. I've used Hylamide in lieu of an emulsion:

A routine where I've used a light facial oil, preceded by a light emulsion, and followed by a thick cream:

Step 10: Sleeping pack OR occlusive facial oil such as Sunday Riley Artemis.

WHY? An all-occlusive final step that locks in all the goodness you've layered earlier, and provides a boost of nourishment as you sleep.
HOW? See routine photos above.

• Follow lightweight moisturising lotion with occlusive facial oil.
• Follow light facial oil with sleeping pack. 

Sleeping packs:
Again, the Koreans make 'em best.

• Holika Holika Wine Therapy Sleeping Mask (personal favourite, reviewed here)
• CosRx Ultimate Moisturising Honey Overnight Mask
• CosRx Ultimate Nourishing Rice Overnight Spa Mask 
• Holika Holika Honey Blueberry Sleeping Pack
• Mizon Snail Repair Sleeping Pack

Step #: Resurfacing/exfoliating treatment

WHY? This is an intensive chemical exfoliating step that will stimulate cell turnover, help expunge acne marks and pigmentation, and give you a very thorough glow when you wake up. I use this once a week. Detailed post later.
HOW? IF you are using a resurfacing treatment, skip step 3 (exfoliating toner). The exception is the Dr Brandt Retinol Resurfacing Serum, which can go on after acid (as mentioned in Routine 4).
Apply the resurfacer after cleansing. Some products need to go on with a cotton pad while others may be applied with the fingers. You can:

1. Apply a hydrating mist, or even a proper moisturiser for less intensity, but some hydration.
2. Leave the resurfacer on by itself and not moisturise, for an intensive treatment. I prefer doing this because I'm lazy.  

Product recommendations:

• Alpha-H Liquid Gold/Liquid Gold Radiance/Liquid Gold Laser Concentrate
• Alpha-H Beauty Sleep Power Peel 
• Sunday Riley Good Genes
• Sarah Chapman Skinesis Liquid Facial Resurfacer (personal favourite)
• Dr Brandt Overnight Retinol Resurfacing Serum 

A resurfacing treatment routine looks rather like this:

Or like this, with 2% retinol resurfacing treatment (lower concentration retinols can be used as usual serums; this is the intensive resurfacing version mentioned in Routine 4):

Whew. Still awake? FAQs about the 10-step skincare routine will be published tomorrow. Till then, enjoy other beauty posts in the Monday makeup madness linkup here.

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