1. MAKEUP REMOVER & OIL CLEANSER

In order to start treating your skin right, you’ve got to get rid of all the obstacles, ie. makeup, dirt and general environmental grossness and impurities. A cotton pad with makeup remover or a cleansing wipe can do the trick to remove stubborn eye makeup and waterproof makeup. Ever wake up with a mascara-streaked pillowcase even though you’ve washed your face? You won’t after using an oil-based cleanser! Massage it over your dry face and neck to break up makeup, add a splash of lukewarm water to emulsify, and massage again, rinsing everything away.

2. WATER-BASED CLEANSER

And now the ‘double’ portion of the double-cleanse. Using a water-based cleanser to wash your face whisks away any residue from your oil cleanse and the remaining impurities with it.

3. EXFOLIATION

Exfoliating is crucial for a polished complexion. Sloughing off dead skin cells and debris makes it a breeze for the rest of your skin care products to mingle with your pores and really get down to business. Up to twice a week, gently massage or tap in an exfoliant into skin for your smoothest and softest-feeling skin.

4. TONERS (AKA “SKIN,” “SOFTENER” OR “REFRESHER”)

Time to prep your skin with toner. You can sprinkle into your hands and tap directly onto your skin or dispense onto a cotton round and gently swipe all around your face working outwards. Toner helps balance your skin’s pH levels and preps your skin with a bit of hydration to better absorb your following skin care treatments. Think about your skin like a sponge—it’s more difficult to rehydrate it when it’s dried up and hardened than when it’s already a bit damp.

5. ESSENCE

You can consider essence the heart of a Korean skin care routine. A bit dual purpose, essence is a kind of toner and serum hybrid made for hydrating and aiding skin repair and cell turnover. You apply it directly to freshly toned skin with your hands and pat it in.

6. SERUMS, BOOSTERS & AMPOULES

Time for treatment products—consider boosters, serums and ampoules the concentrated essence. You apply these in the same fashion, it’s all about the tap! These products can address any issue including brightening, pore-refining, pigmentation, wrinkles, acne—this is your skin-perfecting step.

7. SHEET MASKS

If essence is the heart of a Korean skin care routine, the sheet mask is its soul. It’s a quiet meditative, skin-nourishing ritual that imparts maximum treatment into your skin while you chill out for 15-20 minutes, looking a bit like a damp ghost. This is also the best selfie opp during your skin care routine. Once or twice a week is enough for this step, but our 7 Day Sheet Mask Challenge shows you that there’s no such thing as overdoing sheet masks!

8. EYE CREAM

The skin around your eyes is the most delicate skin on your face and should be treated like the fragile flower that it is, with extra helpings of hydration and protection. Use your ring finger to very gently tap—never rub—eye cream around the entire orbital bone, avoiding the water line.

9. MOISTURIZER

Hydration is your express lane to dewy glowing skin. Finding a moisturizer that works for your skin type is a crucial step to protecting your skin. They come in many different forms so it shouldn’t be too hard—like an emulsion, a lotion, gel or cream. Morning and evening, pat a moisturizer all over face and neck to keep skin protected and hydrated, sealing in all the work from your other steps. Once a week, sub in a sleeping pack to wake up with revitalized and fully hydrated skin.

10. SUN PROTECTION

Even if you’re stepping outside for a few minutes, sunscreen is the best thing you can do to prevent premature aging—it’s the OG anti-aging skin product. Apply every—and we mean every—morning, reapplying throughout the day as needed. It’s important as the last step so it can shield your skin from the harmful effects of UV rays without being diluted by all your prior skin care products.