The Korean skincare routine is renowned for its effectiveness in achieving radiant, glowing skin. For those with oily skin, this routine can work wonders by balancing oil production while deeply hydrating and nourishing the skin. This guide will walk you through each of the 10 steps, offering product recommendations across three affordability levels—budget-friendly, mid-range, and luxury—so you can find the perfect fit for your skin and wallet.
Step 1: Oil Cleanser
Starting with an oil cleanser helps to remove makeup, sunscreen, and excess sebum, setting the stage for deeper cleansing.
Budget-Friendly:
Product: Klavuu Pure Pearlsation Divine Pearl Cleansing Oil
Why It’s Important: This affordable oil cleanser dissolves impurities and excess oil without leaving a greasy residue, making it perfect for oily skin types.
Price Range:
Mid-Range:
Product: Banila Co Clean It Zero Cleansing Balm
Why It’s Important: This cult-favorite balm transforms into a silky oil upon application, effectively removing makeup and oil while hydrating the skin. Ideal for those looking for a bit more luxury in their routine.
Price Range: $18 – $25 – $29
Luxury/High-End:
Product: Sulwhasoo Gentle Cleansing Oil
Why It’s Important: Enriched with Korean herbal ingredients, this luxurious cleansing oil not only removes impurities but also nourishes the skin, leaving it soft and balanced.
Price Range: $13 – $40
Step 2: Water-Based Cleanser
A water-based cleanser follows the oil cleanser to remove any remaining impurities and deep clean the pores.
Budget-Friendly:
Product: Cosrx Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser
Why It’s Important: This gentle, pH-balanced cleanser effectively removes dirt and oil while maintaining the skin’s natural moisture barrier, perfect for oily skin.
Price Range: $10 – $15
Mid-Range:
Product: Neogen Real Fresh Foam Green Tea
Why It’s Important: This foam cleanser contains real fermented green tea to soothe and hydrate the skin while deep cleaning, ideal for oily skin that needs a refreshing cleanse.
Price Range: $17 – $18
Luxury/High-End:
Product: Dr. Jart+ Dermaclear Micro Foam Cleanser
Why It’s Important: This high-end cleanser uses hydrogen bio water and Dead Sea salt to purify the skin, providing a deep clean while keeping the skin hydrated and balanced.
Price Range: $28 – $38
Step 3: Exfoliator
Exfoliation helps to remove dead skin cells and unclog pores, preventing breakouts and promoting a smoother, brighter complexion.
Budget-Friendly:
Product: Skinfood Black Sugar Mask Wash Off
Why It’s Important: This affordable exfoliator uses black sugar to gently slough away dead skin cells, leaving the skin smooth and glowing without irritation.
Price Range: $11
Mid-Range:
Product: Wishtrend Mandelic Acid 5% Skin Prep Water
Why It’s Important: This gentle exfoliating toner contains mandelic acid to exfoliate and brighten the skin, making it suitable for oily skin that needs a bit more targeted care.
Price Range: $13
Luxury/High-End:
Product: Amorepacific Treatment Enzyme Peel Cleansing Powder
Why It’s Important: This luxurious exfoliator uses natural papaya enzymes to gently exfoliate and brighten the skin, leaving it soft and luminous without irritation.
Price Range: $68
Step 4: Toner
A toner helps to balance the skin’s pH and prepare it for the following steps, while also providing hydration and refining pores.
Budget-Friendly:
Product: Etude House SoonJung pH 5.5 Relief Toner
Why It’s Important: This gentle toner is perfect for oily skin, helping to balance pH levels and soothe irritated skin with its simple, clean formula.
Price Range: $15 – $20
Mid-Range:
Product: Benton Aloe BHA Skin Toner
Why It’s Important: This toner contains salicylic acid and aloe vera to gently exfoliate, hydrate, and calm the skin, making it ideal for oily, acne-prone skin.
Price Range: $18 – $24
Luxury/High-End:
Product: Laneige Essential Power Skin Refiner
Why It’s Important: This luxury toner deeply hydrates and refines the skin, preparing it for the following steps while keeping oily skin balanced and radiant.
Price Range: $30 – $35
Step 5: Essence
Essence is a crucial step in Korean skincare, providing intense hydration and boosting the efficacy of other products.
Budget-Friendly:
Product: Cosrx Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence
Why It’s Important: This budget-friendly essence deeply hydrates and repairs the skin barrier, making it a must-have for oily skin that needs moisture without heaviness.
Price Range: $20 – $25
Mid-Range:
Product: Missha Time Revolution First Treatment Essence
Why It’s Important: Known as a dupe for luxury essences, this mid-range product brightens, hydrates, and refines the skin, providing a glowing complexion.
Price Range: $35 – $45
Luxury/High-End:
Product: SK-II Facial Treatment Essence
Why It’s Important: This iconic essence is renowned for its ability to transform the skin, offering deep hydration, radiance, and improved texture, making it a splurge-worthy choice.
Price Range: $99 – $185
Step 6: Treatment (Serum/Ampoule)
Treatments target specific skin concerns such as acne, pigmentation, or dullness. For oily skin, look for lightweight, non-greasy formulas.
Budget-Friendly:
Product: Some By Mi AHA-BHA-PHA 30 Days Miracle Serum
Why It’s Important: This serum combines chemical exfoliants and natural ingredients to target acne, refine pores, and brighten the skin, perfect for oily, acne-prone skin.
Price Range: $15 – $20
Mid-Range:
Product: Klairs Freshly Juiced Vitamin Drop
Why It’s Important: This vitamin C serum brightens and evens out skin tone while being gentle on sensitive, oily skin, making it a great mid-range option.
Price Range: $23 – $28
Luxury/High-End:
Product: Sulwhasoo First Care Activating Serum
Why It’s Important: This luxurious serum boosts the efficacy of your entire routine, providing deep hydration, radiance, and improved skin texture, ideal for those seeking top-tier skincare.
Price Range: $80 – $100
Step 7: Sheet Mask
Sheet masks provide an intense dose of hydration and nutrients, perfect for pampering your skin and giving it a radiant boost.
Budget-Friendly:
Product: Innisfree My Real Squeeze Mask
Why It’s Important: These affordable sheet masks come in various formulations to target different skin concerns, offering hydration and nourishment at a budget-friendly price.
Price Range: $1.50 – $3 per mask
Mid-Range:
Product: Mediheal N.M.F Aquaring Ampoule Mask
Why It’s Important: This best-selling sheet mask deeply hydrates and soothes the skin, making it ideal for oily skin that needs a moisture boost without feeling heavy.
Price Range: $10 – $15 for a pack of 5
Luxury/High-End:
Product: Dr. Jart+ Dermask Water Jet Vital Hydra Solution
Why It’s Important: This luxury sheet mask provides intense hydration and revitalizes the skin, leaving it plump, radiant, and glowing, perfect for a special treat.
Price Range: $22 – $35 for a pack of 5
Step 8: Eye Cream
Eye cream targets the delicate skin around the eyes, helping to reduce puffiness, dark circles, and fine lines.
Budget-Friendly:
Product: Mizon Snail Repair Eye Cream
Why It’s Important: This affordable eye cream uses snail mucin to hydrate, repair, and reduce the appearance of fine lines, making it a great option for budget-conscious skincare lovers.
Price Range: $10 – $15
Mid-Range:
Product: Innisfree Jeju Orchid Eye Cream
Why It’s Important: This mid-range eye cream hydrates and firms the delicate eye area, reducing puffiness and brightening dark circles, making it ideal for those looking for more targeted care.
Price Range: $22 – $28
Luxury/High-End:
Product: Sulwhasoo Concentrated Ginseng Renewing Eye Cream
Why It’s Important: This luxurious eye cream uses ginseng extract to deeply nourish, firm, and revitalize the eye area, making it perfect for those looking to invest
in a high-end product that delivers visible results. It’s especially beneficial for those who want to target signs of aging around the eyes.
Price Range: $120 – $150
Step 9: Moisturizer
A moisturizer locks in all the previous layers of hydration and treatment, ensuring your skin stays hydrated and balanced throughout the day or night.
Budget-Friendly:
Product: Etude House SoonJung 2x Barrier Intensive Cream
Why It’s Important: This lightweight, non-greasy moisturizer is perfect for oily skin, providing hydration without clogging pores. Its simple, soothing formula makes it ideal for sensitive skin as well.
Price Range: $15 – $20
Mid-Range:
Product: Belif The True Cream Aqua Bomb
Why It’s Important: This gel-cream moisturizer provides a burst of hydration while being incredibly lightweight, making it perfect for oily skin that needs moisture without excess oil.
Price Range: $38 – $45
Luxury/High-End:
Product: Laneige Water Bank Moisture Cream
Why It’s Important: This luxurious cream deeply hydrates and strengthens the skin’s moisture barrier, ensuring long-lasting hydration and a radiant complexion.
Price Range: $50 – $60
Step 10: Sunscreen
Sunscreen is a crucial step in any skincare routine, protecting the skin from harmful UV rays, preventing premature aging, and maintaining an even skin tone.
Budget-Friendly:
Product: Etude House Sunprise Mild Airy Finish SPF50+ PA+++
Why It’s Important: This affordable sunscreen is lightweight and non-greasy, offering broad-spectrum protection without clogging pores, making it ideal for oily skin.
Price Range: $10 – $15
Mid-Range:
Product: Missha All Around Safe Block Soft Finish Sun Milk SPF50+ PA+++
Why It’s Important: This mid-range sunscreen offers strong UV protection with a lightweight, matte finish, perfect for oily skin that tends to get shiny throughout the day.
Price Range: $20 – $25
Luxury/High-End:
Product: Shiseido Ultimate Sun Protector Lotion SPF 50+
Why It’s Important: This high-end sunscreen offers superior sun protection with a lightweight, water-resistant formula that stays put even during outdoor activities, making it a worthwhile investment for those who spend time in the sun.
Price Range: $49 – $65
Conclusion
The 10-step Korean skincare routine may seem extensive, but each step plays a vital role in achieving glowing, healthy skin, especially for those with oily skin. By selecting products that cater to your specific needs and budget, you can create a personalized routine that helps you achieve a balanced, radiant complexion. Whether you opt for budget-friendly finds or splurge on luxury items, consistency is key to seeing results. Happy skincare journey!
