Remember when the concept of the 10-step Korean skincare routine first burst onto the scene in 2014, thanks to Soko Glam’s Charlotte Cho? Beauty editors in the West started evangelising the trend with the frenzy that was partly fanaticism and partly results-driven, accompanied by a heavy dose of mysticism.
But eventually, the dust settled. Sometime last year, the skip-care routine starting gaining traction in South Korea. Think of it as an antithesis to the 10 step skincare routine. As its name suggests, the skip-care trend involves skipping skincare routine steps and products that you just don’t need.
Skip-care aims to be pared-down, efficient, and effective, ultimately focusing on the quality of the products over quantity. But besides that, the routine also has the added benefit of being better for your skin. It essentially leaves time for the skin to rest and rejuvenate with its own restorative abilities. It challenges the notion that a more complicated and in-depth skincare routine is better. The reality of the situation is that an increased amount of products also introduces potential skin irritants.