This 7-Step Korean Skin Care Routine REALLY Hydrates 💦

The under-$27 toners, serums, and creams (including some viral ones) that have impressed me this season

For part 2 of my Korean beauty favorites, I wanted to focus on an entire K-Beauty skin care routine that I’ve been loving recently. As I’ve mentioned before, I have very dry, dehydration-prone skin, so Korean products really speak to me, since there’s a strong focus on soothing, natural ingredients. Plus, the ritual of layering toners, essences, and serums on top of one another can really pack in the hydration. And added bonus: almost every product here is under $27!

RELATED: Some new K-Beauty faves!

Below is the 7-step routine I’ve been using a few mornings a week…in this exact order.

Medicube Deep Vita C Pad, Skin1004 Centella, Anua Heartleaf Toner, Mixsoon Bean Essence, TirTir Vitamin C Serum, Bliv:U Collagen Bouncing Cream, Axis-Y Mineral Sunscreen

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Alright, let’s get into the individual steps:

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Medicube Deep Vita C Pad

These textured pads bring back memories of the Stridex pads of my youth but instead of feeling stripping, these Medicube pads are absolutely soaked with vitamin C essence. I give my whole face and neck and hands a sweep using the embossed side first then another sweep using the smooth side. Feels great and gently exfoliating.

Medicube Deep Vita C Pads, $18.19

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Skin1004 Centella Ampoule and Anua Heartleaf 77% Soothing Toner

Western skin care tends to focus more on moisturizers and less on the hydrating steps that come before it. I love to do at least two layers of hydration using essences and toners before any other steps. When I’m feeling particularly *extra,* I’ll pat on a few layers of each of these. It’s like giving your skin a drink.

Skin1004 Centella Ampoule, $14.99

Anua Heartleaf 77% Soothing Toner, $17.99

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Mixsoon Bean Essence

My friend Sarah Chung, who’s been called K-Beauty’s fairy godmother, refers to Mixsoon’s Bean Essence as “vegan snail.” For snail mucin fans like me, the bean essence serves a very similar purpose in your routine and the texture is eerily similar. This is a massively viral product…and for good reason. Especially after putting it on after a water essence, it really locks in the hydration.

Mixsoon Bean Essence, $26.25

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Tirtir Pure Vitamin C24 Serum

This is a newer discovery for me. Tirtir recently sent me every product in their entire skin care and makeup line. Their cushion compacts are currently a viral hit. But I was actually more wowed by the skin care, including this excellent Vitamin C serum, which comes out clear and doesn’t have the dreaded hot-dog-water scent of other C serums.

Tirtir Pure Vitamin C24 Serum, $19.99

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Bliv:U Collagen Bouncing Firming Cream

If I had to award just one absolute superstar from the bunch, I’d say it’s this Bliv:U Collagen Bouncing Firming Cream. It’s a brand that doesn’t have the same Internet buzz (yet!) as the others, so I was happily surprised. The texture is like a light gel-cream, so I worried it wouldn’t be moisturizing enough for me but my skin absolutely drank this up and looked so glowy. And the name is accurate: I swear my skin looked bouncier after just one use. It also wears beautifully under makeup with zero pilling.

Bliv:U Collagen Bouncing Firming Cream, $25.13

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Axis-Y Complete No-Stress Physical Sunscreen

I typically use mineral sunscreen so I’m constantly on the hunt for good ones (my other favorite SPFs here). This zinc oxide one has a nice, elegant, liquid texture—not chalky like some other mineral formulas. If you’re using enough of it, it does leave a slightly white cast at first, so you need to work it in a bit until it becomes more transparent and for darker skin, it might still leave a faint tone. BUT the smooth liquid texture is a real benefit since any lightness that’s left reads more like a lit-from-within glow.

Axis-Y Complete No-Stress Physical Sunscreen, $15.09

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A word about buying these products:

I included links to buy all of these through Stylevana, a Korean site I’ve ordered from several times in the past and trust. I’ve also used Olive Young and Yesstyle. You can find some of these products on Amazon but I would just urge you to do a little clicking around if you go that route: read some of the reviews and look at the seller ratings. There are some Amazon sellers peddling counterfeit K-beauty products so you have to be careful!

Also, keep in mind that products from the Korean sites are literally shipping from Asia so it can take a while to receive your package. To put it bluntly, you won’t be getting next-day or two-day shipping—far from it. So be patient and understand that waiting is part of the normal process.

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Any questions about these products or K-Beauty in general? Ask away below!