The lazy man's guide to easy Korean beauty

(Ain’t NOBODY got time for 10 steps. AMIRITE? Carolyne Teston/Very Good Light)

Korean beauty’s 10 steps – ain’t nobody got time for that.

If you’re like many, many, MANY lazy men (including me), 10 entire steps is like, nine too many. Washing your face is already a chore. We’ve heard that Kbeauty does wonders to your skin but can you get away with a third of the routine? Like, do you ~really~ have to prescribe to the 10 step process?

As a refresher, what are the 10 steps in Korean beauty? It goes a little something like…

Oil cleansing
Foam cleansing
Exfoliating
Toning
Essence-ing
Treatment-ing (ie treating problem areas like hyperpigmentation, acne, etc.)
Sheet Masking
Moisturizing
Eye Creaming
SPF-ing

The thinking behind Korean beauty is the more pampering, the better the skin. In essence (pun intended!), Korean beauty is ALL about treating your skin and ensuring that it’s super supple, moisturized and bouncy. Meaning that the more moisturized it is, the healthier it becomes. What can you take out from the above Korean beauty process? While each is essential, there are a few steps you really don’t need to do everyday.

For instance, one doesn’t need to sheet mask every day, rather, 3 times a week. Some people don’t even need to sheet mask at all depending on the climate of where you live. (If you live in a super humid area, for instance, the air is already moisturizing you). An eye cream isn’t a do or die, either. Some people don’t even believe eye cream is a real thing, rather, simply a thicker moisturizer. Most guys who don’t wear makeup or SPF don’t truly have to oil cleanse. That leaves a few steps in between.

Here’s the BARE minimum for still practicing Korean beauty without all of the extra steps. Keep in mind, this is seriously BARE BONES.

1 Foam Cleanse

You still want clean skin, so this step cannot be sidestepped, unfortunately. Cleansing twice a day is imperative to keep bacteria, impurities and dirt at bay. That’s what causes ~lots~ of problems including: Acne, blackheads, whiteheads, the list goes on. The best way to ensure you’re actually getting rid of the pollution and dirt from the day is to cleanse once when you wake up and before bed. We’re really into Paula’s Choice Skin Balancing cleanser. It’s tough enough to get rid of impurities but gentle enough so it’s not stripping away your skin. Buy it here

, $18.

2 Toner

Possibly the most important part of the Korean beauty routine is moisturizing. So a toner is completely important. Some would say it’s the most important part of your regimen. That’s because a toner does MANY jobs. It hydrates your skin, balances the pH after you’ve washed your face (which is highly alkalized), and softens it so that a moisturizer can actually do its job and get past your skin’s thick outer layer. Some Korean women actually swear by splashing their faces with toner 7 times. It’s EXTRA AF, we know, but whatever makes them happy. One that we love at the moment is from Missha. It feels like a super hydrating water and is extremely hydrating. Buy it here

, $24.

3 SPF/Night cream

For the daytime, SPF is a MUST! It prevents sun damage that can do a whole lot of evil: premature wrinkling, skin cancer, hyperpigmentation aka sunspots, and more. For the daytime, a good SPF should have hydration properties as well. For many guys, this an SPF’s hydration is good enough. We recommend Elta MD’s SPF 46. But it here

for $32. It’s great for those who are acne prone, but has a good amount of moisturizing properties. For night, switch out the SPF for a proper night cream. We love Make P:rem’s Safe Cream from Glow Recipe. Buy it here for $36.