Double cleanse
Oil-based cleanser first to dissolve sunscreen and sebum, water-based cleanser second. The pair opens the routine every evening.
Order, ingredients, ratings
The popularised Korean routine orders products from lightest to heaviest: oil cleanser, water cleanser, exfoliant, toner, essence, serum, sheet mask, eye cream, moisturizer, sunscreen. Each step has a job, and the numbers on the sunscreen label tell you how well it blocks the two kinds of ultraviolet rays your skin sees every day.
Quick reference
Scroll the strip sideways — 6 cards.
Oil-based cleanser first to dissolve sunscreen and sebum, water-based cleanser second. The pair opens the routine every evening.
AHA/BHA acids work here to lift dead surface cells. It is not the step to combine with retinoids on the same night.
The light middle of the routine. Hyaluronic acid sits in the essence or serum layer and binds up to about 1,000 times its own weight in water.
Worn for 15-20 minutes before the fabric starts to dry back onto the skin. Modeling masks set into a peel-off layer instead.
The heavier layers go on last before sunscreen, sealing everything underneath in order from lightest to heaviest.
The final morning film. SPF grades UVB and PA grades UVA; retinoid users need it every day because those actives raise sun sensitivity.
Only one step in the routine has a fixed duration attached to it.
| Item | Value | What it refers to |
|---|---|---|
| Routine steps | 10 | Oil cleanser through sunscreen, lightest to heaviest |
| Sheet mask wear time | 15-20 min | Before the fabric starts to dry back onto the skin |
| Hyaluronic acid water binding | 1,000× | Water one gram of the acid can hold |
| PA scale | PA+ to PA++++ | Grades protection against UVA, the rays behind skin aging |
| SPF | Number on label | Effectiveness against sun radiation, grading UVB |
| Retinoid timing | Night only | Increases the skin's sensitivity to sunlight |
| Young skin routine | 3 steps | Mild cleanser, moisturizer as needed, daily sunscreen |
| Modeling mask | Powder + water | Sets into a peel-off layer, a Korean spa staple |
From lightest to heaviest: oil cleanser, water cleanser, exfoliant, toner, essence, serum, sheet mask, eye cream, moisturizer, sunscreen.
The popularised Korean routine orders products from lightest to heaviest so that thin, watery layers sink in first and richer layers seal them underneath. Skipping the order leaves heavier creams sitting on top of skin that has not received the lighter treatment yet.
Double cleansing is the opening pair. It starts with an oil-based cleanser to dissolve sunscreen and sebum, followed by a water-based cleanser that lifts what the oil loosened. On nights you wore no sunscreen and no makeup, the oil step can be dropped.
The routine closes with sunscreen every morning. It is the last film on the skin and the step that makes the rest of the daytime sequence make sense.
Hyaluronic acid binds water, niacinamide supports the barrier, retinoids increase sun sensitivity, vitamin C and AHA/BHA work on tone and texture.
Hyaluronic acid can bind up to about 1,000 times its own weight in water, which is why it appears in essences and serums aimed at dehydration rather than oiliness.
Retinoids increase the skin's sensitivity to sunlight, so they are used at night and paired with daytime sunscreen. That single pairing rule is the reason the routine ends in sunscreen and why retinoid nights are not followed by a morning without it.
AHA and BHA are exfoliating acids used in the exfoliant step; they are not layered with retinoids in the same evening for most people, because the combination is harsh on the barrier.
Every figure on this page comes from the established descriptions of the Korean routine, the ingredient behaviour and the SPF/PA scales. Nothing is estimated, priced or attributed to a named person.
What this draws on
Standard descriptions of the Korean skincare routine, common active ingredients and the SPF/PA rating scales.