You've probably heard about Korean trends like 'glass skin.' However, Korean skincare is more than the hype; it's a process that prioritizes your skin. If you're not sure where to begin, you're in the right place. This is your beginner’s guide to a new skin care routine.

If the famous "10-step routine" sounds intimidating, you can relax. Real K-beauty isn't about using countless products. It's a gentle approach built on three core ideas:

• Hydration is Key: When your skin is well-hydrated, it’s healthy, plump, and has that coveted glowing skin look.
• Prevention is Better Than Correction: Focus on protecting your skin now to prevent issues later.
• Gentle Layers Work Best: Apply thin, hydrating products that your skin can easily absorb.

This guide provides a simple starting point to achieve that signature K-beauty glow, empowering you to make informed choices for your skin.

Know Your Skin Type: A Guide for Dry Skin, Oily Skin & More

To achieve the best results, it's helpful to know your skin type first. This ensures you choose ingredients that are right for your skin care routine.

→ Dry Skin: Often feels tight or rough. It needs deep hydration and moisture.

→ Oily Skin: Looks shiny and can be prone to breakouts. It needs lightweight, balancing formulas.

→ Combination Skin: It is oily in the T-zone such as forehead, nose, chin and dry in the U-zone such as cheeks, jawline. It needs a balanced routine.

→ Sensitive Skin: Gets red or irritated easily. It needs calming, gentle products.

If you're unsure of your skin type, our AI Skin Analysis is a simple way to determine it and begin your skincare routine with confidence.

Find Your LuluTI Skin Code

The first step in a Korean skincare routine is to know exactly what your skin needs. It's not just about being "oily" or "dry"—it's about targeting your specific concerns.

LuluTI is like an "MBTI for your skin." It's a personal code that uses AI to create a simple report on your skin's unique needs.

Your code is made of letters that stand for your main concerns:

• W = Wrinkles & Elasticity
• A = Acne
• T = Texture & Pores
• P = Pigmentation (Dark Spots)

Examples of LuluTI Codes:

WASC, WASP, WATC, WATP, WUSC, WUSP, WUTC, WUTP, EASC, EASP, EATC, EATP, EUSC, EUSP, EUTC, EUTP.

Click on any code to learn more.

The best part is its precision. Instead of guessing, your code tells you exactly what to focus on. A WATP code means your routine should target Wrinkles, Acne, Texture, and Pigmentation.

Think of your LuluTI code as the perfect starting point for a smarter, personalized skincare journey.

Choosing the Right Products

To build an effective skincare routine, pick skincare products for your skin type and specific skin concerns.

For Dry Skin:

• Your skin produces less oil and needs help with moisture. Look for richer creams and lotions with ingredients like ceramides and hyaluronic acid to support your skin barrier and lock in hydration.

For Oily Skin:

• Look for lightweight, oil-free, or gel-based products that hydrate without feeling heavy. Ingredients like niacinamide to help regulate oil, salicylic acid to keep pores clear, and hyaluronic acid for oil-free hydration are excellent choices.

For Combination Skin:

• Use a gentle, balancing cleaner that doesn't strip your dry areas.
• Look for lightweight, gel-cream moisturizers that hydrate your U-zone without making your T-zone greasier.

For Sensitive Skin:

• Choose fragrance free and gentle products.
• Always patch test new products to see how your skin reacts.

If you're ready to take your routine to the next level, you can add products with active ingredients that address your specific skin goals. This is where you can truly personalize your care for even better results.

For Wrinkles & Loss of Firmness:

• To support firmness and smooth texture, ingredients like retinol and peptides are excellent choices.

For Acne & Trouble:

• To keep skin clear, look for ingredients like salicylic acid (which cleans inside the pore) or benzoyl peroxide (which targets acne-causing bacteria).

For Texture & Pores:

• To refine skin texture and minimize the appearance of pores, look for ingredients like glycolic acid (an AHA that smooths the surface) and niacinamide.

For Dark Spots & Pigmentation:

• To brighten the complexion and fade dark spots, vitamin C is a powerhouse antioxidant, while alpha arbutin and niacinamide are also highly effective.

The Basic Skincare Routine for Everyone:

• Must-Haves: A gentle cleanser, a moisturizer, and daily sun protection of at least SPF 30.
• Why it's important: This helps prevent skin cancer and premature aging.
• For later: Add targeted treatments for specific skin concerns like enlarged pores

Remember, consistency is key to reaching your skin goals.

To know more about what skin care products are right for your skin type, see our complete guide on Best Korean Serums for Every Skin Concern.

Your 5-Step Basic Skincare Routine

Here is a great starting point for any beginner. These steps are designed to work together to keep your skin healthy and glowing.

1. Double Cleanse (Evening) This two-step method gets your skin perfectly clean.

• Oil Cleanser: First, apply this to your dry face to gently melt away makeup and sunscreen.
• Water-Based Cleanser: Next, use a gentle foam or gel cleanser to wash away any leftover dirt and sweat.

2. Toner Korean toners are for hydrating. They are watery lotions that replenish moisture to your skin after cleansing and help other products absorb more effectively. Just pat it into your skin with your hands.

3. Essence / Serum This is your treatment step. You can select a serum tailored to your specific skin goals. Good ingredients for beginners include:

• Snail Mucin: For hydration and repair.
• Propolis: Great for breakout-prone skin.
• Ginseng: For brightening and anti-aging.

4. Moisturizer A moisturizer locks in all the previous layers of hydration and protects your skin's barrier. You can find lightweight gels for oily skin or richer creams for dry skin.

5. Sunscreen (Morning) This is the most important step to protect your skin and prevent aging. Korean sunscreens are popular because they are lightweight, feel comfortable, and don't leave a white cast.

Your Sample Schedule for a Consistent Daily Routine

Seeing all the steps laid out can feel like the trickiest part, but this is where it all comes together in a simple, gentle rhythm for your skin. Think of the morning as your moment to hydrate and protect, and the evening as your time to cleanse and repair.

Here is a sample schedule you can adapt to fit your needs.

Morning Routine (Focus: Hydration & Protection)

Your goal in the morning is to prepare your skin for the day ahead.

• Cleanser: A quick wash with your water-based cleanser is all you need to awaken your skin gently.
• Toner: Immediately follow with a few pats of your toner to instantly hydrate.
• Serum: This is an ideal time to use an antioxidant serum to help protect your skin. Try Vitamin C serum, or use a hydrating serum to give your skin a plump, dewy start.
• Moisturizer: Apply your favorite moisturizer to hydrate skin.
• Sunscreen: And finally, the most crucial step. Always finish your morning routine with sunscreen to protect your skin from the sun's UV rays.

Evening Routine (Focus: Cleansing & Repair)

Your night time routine is about washing the day away and giving your skin the nourishment it needs to regenerate overnight.

• Oil Cleanser: Start by massaging your oil cleanser onto your dry face to dissolve sunscreen and any makeup.
• Water-Based Cleanser: Follow up with your water-based cleanser to ensure your skin is perfectly clean.
• Toner: Apply your toner to your freshly cleansed skin to rehydrate it.
• Serum: Now is the perfect time to use a serum focused on repair and nourishment. A product with snail mucin or propolis would be a wonderful, gentle choice here.
• Moisturizer: Finish your nighttime routine using your moisturizer to seal in all the nutrients to support your skin's repair process while you sleep.

Ready for a Boost? Intro to Treatments like Glycolic Acid & Face Masks

Once you've mastered your daily personalized routine, you may target specific concerns, such as stubborn scars or dark spots. Think of treatments as an occasional boost, not a daily necessity.

Easy At-Home Boosts

You can add these to your routine once or twice a week. If you have sensitive skin , it's essential to introduce these new steps very slowly, one at a time, and always patch test first to see how your skin reacts.

→ Exfoliants (AHAs/BHAs): Help make your skin look brighter and feel smoother. If your skin is sensitive, consider starting with a gentler acid, like Lactic Acid or Mandelic Acid, just once a week.

→ Retinoids: Great for improving skin texture and signs of aging. These are powerful, so caution is key for sensitive skin. We recommend starting with a very low concentration, using it only once or twice a week over your moisturizer to buffer potential irritation.

→ Weekly Masks: A perfect way to give your skin an extra surge of hydration. This is often a safe and calming step for sensitive skin, as long as you choose a mask focused on hydration or soothing (like one with Centella Asiatica) and avoid high-strength acids or fragrances.

When to See a Professional

For faster, more significant results, you can explore professional options.

• Lasers (like Pico): Can target stubborn dark spots and pigmentation.
• Injectables (like Rejuran): Help your skin heal and repair itself from the inside out.

Learn more about skin treatments →

Remember, your consistent skincare routine is fantastic for targeting daily skin concerns and maintaining healthy skin . However, some stubborn conditions often require professional treatments to fully resolve. If your daily routine isn't solving certain specific concerns , we recommend exploring which skin treatments can help you achieve your ultimate skin goals.

Your Journey Starts Here

To begin, just remember to focus on hydration and always wear sunscreen.

Most importantly, this is your personal journey. Listen to what your skin needs. Tools like the Lululab AI analysis can help with that. You don't have to do every step, every day. It's about enjoying the process.

Welcome to K-beauty! By being gentle and consistent, you're investing in a lifetime of healthy, radiant skin.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: "I'm overwhelmed by the 10-step routine. What do I actually need to start?"

You can relax. The 10-step routine is not a daily requirement.

Your starting point is simple. You only need these 3 steps for a basic skincare routine:

• A Gentle Cleanser (Double cleanse at night if you wear makeup/sunscreen)
• A Moisturizer (for your skin type)
• A Sunscreen (for the morning)

That's it. Start with these three. You can add a Toner or Serum later once you are consistent.

Q: "I have oily, acne-prone skin. Won't an oil cleanser make me break out?"

This is a smart question. It seems strange to put oil on oily skin.

But the science is simple: "like dissolves like."

An oil cleanser is the only thing that properly dissolves the "bad" oils on your skin (like sunscreen, makeup, and excess oil) that clog pores.

When you follow it with a water-based cleanser, your skin is left truly clean but not "stripped." Stripping your skin of its natural oils can actually make it produce more oil. The double cleanse is a key step in helping to balance acne-prone skin.

Q: "I bought a toner, snail mucin serum, and a cream. What order do I use them in?"

The golden rule is easy to remember: Thinnest to Thickest.

Apply your products from the most watery to the richest so they can absorb properly.

• Toner: (Thinnest) Apply to freshly cleansed skin.
• Serum (Snail Mucin): (Medium) Pat on after your toner.
• Moisturizer (Cream): (Richest) Apply last to seal everything in.

(In the morning, Sunscreen is always the very last step, after moisturizer.)

Q: "How important is sunscreen really? Especially if I just started using glycolic acid?"

Sunscreen is one of the most important anti-aging products you can use.

This is especially true if you use active ingredients like Glycolic Acid. These ingredients reveal new skin that is much more sensitive to sun damage. Using acids without sun protection can make pigmentation and damage worse.

Applying sunscreen every single morning is a non-negotiable part of a consistent skincare routine. It's your #1 defense against premature aging and skin cancer.