Starting with the Korean Skincare can be too overwhelming for beginners. What is it all about? Where to start? How do I know which products I need? These are the questions you might asked yourself when starting. Your best teacher is actually the world wide web!

I myself found K Beauty by accidental research! I was looking for natural cosmetics when Google keeps redirecting me to Korean skincare. Honestly, I snob it many times, until I gave up, got curious and read the articles and for the first time in my 40 years of life, I got hooked with cosmetics!! Secret divulged, I only owned a single moisturizer (at least always with an SPF) my entire 40 years of age! What?? Yap it’s a horror… I know…But hey, better late than never!

What is it all about?

Anyway, what made Korean skincare stand out was the concept of the whole routine. It’s not just a single brand or product concept, but instead the whole Korean cosmetic industry is united, entwined with the culture of the country and the people themselves, which makes this skincare routine to every beginner fascinating and easy to adapt. K Beauty revolves around natural cosmetics that are mild and yet effective, innovative but fun to use and budget friendly. 

So, when someone came out with the 10 Steps in Korean Skincare Routine, it even became easier for everyone of us to follow. Plus, the fact, that many K Beauty Bloggers never shy sharing their thoughts and experiences on certain products. This is a big plus to people like you and me, who do not just plunge on trends, but scrutinize the ins and outs of a certain product before purchasing. In K Beauty, you know that the product you are using has been tested, reviewed and it is present in the web for a quick read.

Where to Start?

For a quick reference, I suggest you read the 10 Steps in Korean Skincare Routine. To understand the concept and master it better, there are books published by K Beauty Gurus that are must read:

• The Little Book of Skincare: Korean Beauty Secrets for Healthy, Glowing Skin by Charlotte Cho. Charlotte Cho by the way is one of the pioneers in Korean Beauty and the owner of the famous K beauty online shop, SOKOGlam. Her book talks about the 10 steps of the Korean Skincare and guides you through achieving a bright and radiant skin by numerating many skincare tips and advice you on what to look for in skincare products. This is a highly recommended book for all K Beauty enthusiast.

• Korean Beauty Secrets: A Practical Guide to Cutting-Edge Skincare and Makeup by Kerry Thompson and Coco Park. Both authors are famous K Beauty bloggers from the blogs Skin and Tonics and the Beauty Wolf respectively. The book guides you on how to assess your skin, build your routine and how to use the products accordingly to achieve a flawless complexion with or without a makeup.

For product comparisons, to read reviews of curated products and what products are trending (aside of course from BoOonBox), here are the outstanding and most trusted online shops in the US: (Listed are brands that we in boOon.ch also offers)

• SokoGlam: curates Benton, Banila Co, COSRX, Etude House, Goodal, Klairs, Missha, Skinfood, SU:M37, Tony Moly etc.
• Glow Recipe: curates Blithe (soon in BoOonBox), Goodal, Huxley, J.One (coming soon in BoOonBox), Lindsay, LJH (LeeJiHam), Whamisa (soon in BoOonBox) and many more…
• Peach and Lilly: curates Mizon, Tosowoong, and many other Korean brands

To keep yourself updated with K Beauty tips and tricks, I suggest the following blogs:

• TheKlog: it is managed by a group of K Beauty bloggers. In this blog, you’ll get many beauty tips and product recommendations through articles and video feeds.
• Snow White and the Asian Pear: variety of blog post for K Beauty beginners to expert category😊

How do I Know Which Products I need?

Assess your skin. Observe it everyday. Know your skin type. Are you oily, dry, sensitive, acne prone? Or maybe combination of dry and oily, or oily dehydrated skin? Or you have fine lines or saggy skin you want to treat? Blackheads you want to get rid of? Or dark spots that are bothering you? Knowing your skin types and skin problems makes it easier for you to find the right products for your skin needs.  But, remember too, that your skin type can change or influenced by other factors. Age for example can change your skin type from oily to dry, or your hormones can make your skin upside down! Observe your skin before, or when you have your period, and right after that. What do you see? Grab a soothing sheetmask or cream for example when pimples appear. The weather is also a factor, adapt your skincare products accordingly. Example use light weight gels and or emulsion in summer and deep moisturizers and or serums in Winter.

Ahh…in any case start from one product to the next! Never ever get too excited and apply 2-3 new products at the same time! Wait at least 2 weeks, before trying the next product.

Remember, patience and consistency is a great virtue for a flawless skin.