Korean Skincare Routine: Do You Really Need 10 Steps?
When I talk about Korean skincare in India, I am often asked whether people in Korea really follow ten steps every day. For many people, a Korean skincare routine means ten products applied one after another, from cleanser to cream. But more steps do not automatically make a better routine.
This note looks at how the idea of ten steps spread, what everyday routines in Korea actually focus on, and how to decide on the number of steps that suits you. The skin care content here is general information, not medical advice.
Where the idea of ten steps came from
The 10-step routine is an idea that spread widely through beauty articles and social media outside Korea. Accounts of who first used the term, and when, vary. In a 2022 article, Korea JoongAng Daily pointed to the spread of Korean content around the world and the marketing of Korean cosmetics brands as the reasons the routine became known globally.
The same article said that ten steps may be an exaggeration, and that the term is more symbolic than literal. It added that caring for the skin in several steps is still a distinct feature of everyday skincare for Korean women. So it helps to look at the thinking behind the routine rather than the number ten.
What everyday routines in Korea focus on
The everyday routines I have seen in Seoul are less about applying ten products without fail and more about a few habits: washing gently, adding light products in thin layers, and not forgetting sunscreen in the morning. Many people cut steps on busy mornings and add one or two in the evening when they have more time.
The Korea JoongAng Daily article also covered a move towards fewer steps. It described how skinimalism, a simpler approach to skin care, drew attention during the Covid-19 period, and noted that some Korean brands released products that combine two or three steps in one. Even in Korea, the number of steps is not a fixed answer but a choice that changes with the person and the situation.
More steps are not automatically better
In skincare guidance for teens and tweens that the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) published in 2025, a dermatologist says that skincare does not have to be complicated to be effective, and that consistency matters more than a 10-step routine. The dermatologist advises focusing on fewer products used consistently, and introducing one new product at a time so you can tell whether your skin tolerates it. The same guidance explains that adding too many products can cause irritation.
In its advice on anti-ageing products, the AAD also says that using several products at the same time can irritate your skin. It suggests starting with one product and stopping any product that stings, burns or tingles. For prescribed treatments, ask your prescriber whether the reaction is expected before stopping use. It adds that most anti-ageing products take at least six weeks to work. If you change several things at once, it is hard to tell which product suits you and which one is causing discomfort.
A simple core and optional extras
A sensible core is three things: cleansing, moisturising and sunscreen. The AAD advises using a gentle, non-abrasive cleanser with lukewarm water and your fingertips, not scrubbing, and patting your face dry with a soft towel. It suggests washing no more than twice a day, and washing as soon as possible after heavy sweating.
For sunscreen, the AAD recommends broad-spectrum protection against both UVA and UVB rays, SPF 30 or higher and water resistance. It advises applying it every day to skin not covered by clothing when you will be outside, and reapplying about every two hours outdoors, or after swimming or sweating.
Steps such as a serum, a toner or an exfoliating product can stay optional, chosen when you need them. The order of application the AAD gives is: wash your face, then any medication or treatment you use, then moisturiser and/or sunscreen, then makeup. A serum or toner fits between cleansing and moisturiser, and adding them one at a time, thinnest first, keeps things clear.
How to choose your number of steps
Start with what you can keep up every day. If the three core steps feel easy for a few weeks, try adding one product you need. After adding a new product, leave everything else unchanged for a while and notice how your skin feels.
It is fine for the number of steps to change with the weather, the season and your day. The measure is not hitting a number but whether your skin feels comfortable and whether you can keep the routine going. With any product, if your skin reacts, stop using it and talk to a doctor or dermatologist.
Why HANARI chose three products
HANARI settled on three daily products with a short routine in mind: Clean Start Gel Cleanser, Even Days Serum and Air-Fit Gel Cream, planned to launch together in December 2026. Sunscreen is a separate morning step, outside these three. None of them is on sale yet, and the sales start date and channels have not been decided. Product news is on the products page, and the story of how HANARI began is on the How HANARI started page.