Korean Skincare Routine Order: A Staff Training Guide

The basic Korean skincare routine order is cleanser → toner → serum (essence or ampoule) → lotion or cream → sunscreen in the daytime → makeup. The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) recommends the same logic: cleanse, then any treatment, then moisturiser and/or sunscreen, then makeup.

The famous “10-step Korean routine” is a marketing idea, not a rule, and customers can shorten it to suit their skin and schedule. This guide is written for staff in shops and online stores selling Korean skincare, so they can explain the order simply. It does not discuss the benefits of individual products.

Step 1: Cleanse

The AAD’s guide to applying skin care products in order starts with washing with a gentle cleanser and patting the skin dry.

In Korea, “double cleansing” is widely known: on days with makeup or sunscreen, people first use an oil-based cleanser such as a cleansing oil or balm, then a water-based cleanser such as a foam. Staff can explain product types like this:

• Oils and balms: the first cleanse, to dissolve makeup. We compare the two in cleansing balm vs cleansing oil.
• Foams and gels: the second cleanse, lathered with water.
• Many customers find a single cleanse enough on mornings without makeup.

Step 2: Toner

Toner is the first, watery product after cleansing. Some people swipe it on with a cotton pad; others pat it in by hand. Toner pads are often presented as a tidy-up step between cleansing and toning. Toner is optional, so customers who want fewer steps can skip it.

Step 3: Serum, essence or ampoule

Serum, essence and ampoule usually describe textures thicker than toner and lighter than cream. They are not legal categories, and brands name them differently. If a customer uses more than one, the usual approach is thinnest to thickest.

The AAD advises applying any prescribed medication or treatment right after cleansing, so customers with a prescription should follow their doctor’s instructions first. In Korea, “functional cosmetics” such as brightening or wrinkle-improvement products are a legal category; see Korean functional cosmetics.

Step 4: Eye cream

If a customer uses an eye cream, it usually goes on at this point. The AAD suggests using the ring finger for the eye area. Eye products are optional.

Step 5: Lotion or cream

Moisturiser closes the routine; in the AAD order it follows any treatment. Customers with dry skin may prefer a cream, those who want a lighter feel a lotion or gel cream. Occasional products such as sleeping masks or sheet masks fit around this step. We compare sheet materials in sheet mask materials.

Step 6: Sunscreen by day, then makeup

The AAD puts sunscreen in the moisturiser step, after other skincare, with makeup last. Its sunscreen guidance says to apply to dry skin 15 minutes before going outdoors, reapply about every two hours or after swimming or sweating, and notes that many people apply only 20–50% of the amount needed to reach the labelled SPF.

Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, in a 2016 press release, suggested SPF 15–30 with PA+ or PA++ for mostly indoor days or short trips outside, and SPF50+ with PA+++ or PA++++ for hiking, swimming or long exposure to strong sun. For what PA means, see sunscreen PA ratings and labels.

Korean skincare routine order: training points for staff

• “10 steps” is not a rule. The minimum is a cleanser, a moisturiser and daytime sunscreen.
• Patch-test new products: the AAD recommends applying a new product twice daily for seven to ten days to a spot where it will not be washed off, such as the inner arm or the bend of the elbow, and using it only if no redness, itching or swelling appears (AAD testing guide).
• Stay within the label: staff should not promise effects beyond what the pack states.
• Refer skin conditions to professionals: questions about skin problems or diseases belong with a dermatologist.

Related pages: Brands we supply · FAQ · Contact us · Cleansing balm vs cleansing oil · Mineral vs chemical sunscreen · Sheet mask materials