Korean Beauty Routine Hacks

Welcome to Lashes & Leggings!

I have been looking for a creative outlet that will allow me to share my love of food, fashion, beauty and just life in general.  I know that can be a pretty large "catch-all," but its what I love-- so its what I am going to write about!

I am the type of girl that can go full beat, glam for days; or I am the girl that bops around Target in her Lululemons and sneakers.
                                                     *Get you a girl that can do both* 
Well here is where I intend on doing both!  I want to share my love of all things makeup, beauty, skincare, fashion... you get the drift! 

Today I wanted to talk about one of my favorite new things in my life--my 7 step skincare routine!  I haven't always taken the best care of my skin in my 33 years, so I figured now was as good a time as any to start, right?  So, I did some research on YouTube (my favorite educational tool for beauty) and was able to find some really great products from the drugstore.  I wanted to do something similar to a Korean beauty routine, so I knew I needed quite a few products (7 to be exact), but I didn't want to spend an arm and a leg!  Off to the drugstore I went! 


Per the Korean beauty routine standards there are 7-8 steps (depends on who you ask I guess):

1. Cleanse.  It is recommended that in the mornings you only cleanse with water, so that couldn't be cheaper, but for evenings I wanted to get a gentle cleanser that would also help with makeup removal.  I came across this Peaches & Clean Deep Cleansing Milk.  The description of the product was a '4-in-1' wash off which helps to purify and clarify, soften skin, revitalize skin and melt away makeup.  Perfect!  And only $12?? Gimme!
2. Exfoliate.  It is important to remove dead skin and clean out your pores from the daily yuck-- which is where this step comes in!  I have two exfoliators that I love.  I don't like to use a physical exfoliant on my face more than 2-3 times a week because my skin can be a bit sensitive.  So, when I do, I use the Pacifica Glow Baby Walnut Scrub which I was able to find on Amazon.  It has a fine grit to it and feels so great on my face!  It is tough enough to get the job done, but gentle enough that it doesn't irritate my skin when I use it.  When I don't use that scrub I use a chemical exfoliant.  The one I have become obsessed with is the PIXI by Petra Glow Tonic.  I found the pre-soaked pads at Target which makes life so much easier!  It is gentle on my skin and I will use almost anything to get clean, healthy, glowy skin!
3. Tone.  I knew exactly which one I wanted.  I had used the Mario Badescu Rosewater tonic spray before and loved it.  It helps to balance the pH in order to re-hydrate your skin and allows your skin to better absorb the next 6 products you are about to apply!  Add that to my cart-- thank you!
4. Essence.  I hadn't really heard of an essence before and didn't really understand its purpose.  According to the NY Times an essence is an "amalgamation" of a toner, moisturizer and serum.  It basically helps to add another layer of moisture on the skin.  I found a cult favorite in May Coop Raw Sauce.  It is made with 93% Maple tree sap which helps to serve as a base for better absorption-- key for a Korean beauty routine!
5. Ampoule.  This step isn't really necessary since I found an essence that combines the benefits of a serum along with the toner and moisturizer, so I skip this.  But, from my research I have found some really great options: COSRX Propolis Light Ampoule and Skinfood Yuja Water C.
6. Masks.  This is my favorite part!  I have so many masks that I love!  I usually will pick up individual sheet masks from Ulta or Target for either brightening or moisturizing.  One of my favorite finds was the KoCostar Slice Sheet Masks which come in individual 'slices' of the fruit or vegetable that is featured in the mask.  It allows you to target more specific areas which I really enjoyed!  I put mine in the fridge and it was a nice, refreshing treat to have the cool cucumber 'slices' right before bed!
7. Eye Cream.  This step was the newest to me-- honestly.  I had never used an eye cream and didn't know what to use.  This is the only product in my routine that cannot be found at a drugstore.  I bought the Khiels Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado and a little bit goes a long way.  I love this product because it is gentle on the delicate skin under the eye and because of the intense moisturizing properties of avocado oil.  Would recommend-- 10/10!
8. Face Cream.  This is an incredibly important step as daily moisturization is key in making your skin look and feel soft and youthful!  I have a light moisturizer that I use daily and then an overnight deep hydration sleep mask that I use 1-2 times a week for an extra boost.  The daily version is the Soap & Glory Daily Youth and I chose this for a few reasons.  One reason was because of its claim of a '6-in-1' moisture promise.  It claims to be a "light lotion with moisturizing, soothing and skin rejuvenating benefits. It hydrates, re-energizes and improves skins suppleness."  Another reason was because it smelled amazing!  My face smells like yummy peaches all day!  The overnight mask I use is Boscia Tsubaki Deep Hydration Sleeping Mask.  Your skin's permiability is its highest at night, so a deep hydrating mask that stays on overnight is going to reap the most benefits.
9. SPF.  I don't put on a separate SPF as my foundation includes an SPF, but there are some really great options at the drugstore: 1 | 2 | 3.

I have noticed a huge change in my skin and I am a lot more comfortable on "no makeup" days.  My skin tone has evened out, the texture has become more smooth and I haven't had nearly as many breakouts as I used to.  I have loved this new routine and am so glad I was able to find products that worked for me.  What are some drugstore products that work for you?  Have you ever tried a Korean beauty routine?  Lets chat!