The Korean skincare routine has gained a lot of popularity in recent years. The intensive “10-step method” has been touted as the holy grail of skincare by many, with women around the world swearing by its ability to hydrate, treat and revive facial skin.
Luckily, the HC Spring Break Survival Kit gifted us beauty junkies with four different K-beauty skincare products from Innisfree’s Green Tea range. The welcome-kit (pictured below) comes with sampler amounts of all four products, allowing for easy use in your busy, time-sensitive schedule. Here is a step-by-step to incorporating them into your everyday routine!
Firstly, start off with a freshly cleansed face (the K-beauty “double-cleansing” method is a go-to for a thorough cleaning) so that you have a clean slate for the rest of the products to work their magic.
1. my real squeeze mask-green tea
Sheet masks are a great way to pamper your skin, especially during the cold winter months. This sheet mask uses 100% biodegradable Eucalyptus fibres soaked in super-hydrating Jeju green-tea extract to restore the moisture in your skin. Given how dry New England climate can strip skin of all moisture, a one-time use of this mask was enough to make my skin feel instantly more supple.
2. Intensive hydrating serum with green tea seed
Serums tend to be highly concentrated in order to offer intense hydrating benefits to dry skin. This follow-up serum contains more of the same hydrating ingredients found in the sheet mask to further nourish dry skin. I evenly applied the sampler included in the welcome kit, and my skin immediately absorbed the product, leaving it feeling softer to the touch without a sticky residue.
3. Intensive hydrating eye cream with green tea
I’ve never really paid much attention to eye creams in the past. I guess I’ve just fully accepted that my dark circles from way too many late nights in college and the stress of everyday life are here to stay. I used a small amount of this eye cream and it gave the delicate skin in that area a cool and relaxing sensation, alleviating the perpetual tiredness in my eyes, even if just temporarily.
4. Intensive hydrating cream with green tea seed
The last step in this routine was obviously moisturizer. I’ll admit, after all the super intense hydrating products I’d already put on my face, I was a little concerned my skin would appear greasy with an additional moisturizing product on it. This cream felt lightweight though, and a little went a long way towards sealing in that final moisture layer on my skin.
Granted, it takes real time and commitment sticking to a routine like this (something I honestly don’t really think I’m cut out for). However, trying out these products gave me a glimpse into the crazy intense world of K-beauty. While I probably won’t adopt this routine on a daily basis, I am definitely going to have some of these products on hand for those days my skin needs a little extra attention.