Anyone who’s into beauty products is probably well aware of the Korean skin care craze that’s hitting the Western world and there’s definitely value in the intensive, multi-step regimen. While a ten step ritual (see the steps here) may seem like a lot, it really comes down to cleansing, exfoliating, treating with vitamins and nutrients and moisturizing, plus applying SPF during the day. At our Vancouver laser clinic, we see a lot of women wanting to turn back the clock on aging, which is why we’re going to focus our flawless skin secrets on keeping skin fresh and youthful. While laser treatments can have a huge impact on your skin, there are home care treatments that can help as well. We know that the skin, like any other body organ, can lack certain vitamins and minerals and as we age, it requires more assistance. If you’re wondering how to take care of Asian skin – or any skin for that matter – build a routine using these skin care must haves to infuse your complexion with the nutrients it can’t make on its own:
Cleanser
Wonder why the Korean skin care regimen involves pre-cleansing and cleansing step? It’s because it’s so important to remove pollution and toxins from the surface of the skin. Our skin is a lot like a sponge; it absorbs anything we put on it. Imagine wearing a white t-shirt for a full week, day and night. It collects dust, dirt and everything else. So does our skin! If we forget to cleanse and wash away the pollutants our skin has to work overtime to get rid of what’s been absorbed, which actually ages the skin. The skin has to use its energy to keep itself clean rather than using it to produce healthy new skin cells. Thankfully there are cleansers on the market for all skin types. If you’re following the Asian skin care guidelines, you’ll want to invest in an oil cleanser to remove makeup and follow with a foam or cream cleanser.
Exfoliants
Another one of the Asian skin care secrets is buffing the skin to perfection. Exfoliating is much like throwing your clothes in the washing machine. Remember that dirty white t-shirt we talked about? Imagine having a food stain on it. The only way your shirt will get clean is with a deep cleanse so it will be stain-free and fresh again. This is what exfoliation does for the skin. It gives you a nice clean, fresh canvas. You should exfoliate, on average, two times per week. In our opinion, exfoliation is THE most results-oriented home care step, which is why we have a whole blog post dedicate to which exofliant is most suitable for your skin type.
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Vitamin C
We all know that as our body ages we produce fewer new cells and our body’s regeneration process slows. Therefore we have more and more old, damaged and aging skin cells. Vitamin C is THE vitamin our skin utilizes to produce new, healthy skin cells. It’s definitely our favorite anti-aging vitamin. Your face will thank you if you add a product, such as a serum, with vitamin C to your skin care routine. Also consider including a mask containing Vitamin C a few days per week since masks are an integral part of the Korean skin care routine.
Peptides and Antioxidants
Here’s a very basic explanation of free radicals and how they affect our skin: Free radicals are atoms or molecules found all around us. They attach to living things and use their life source to stay alive. In other words, they damage or take life away from healthy skin cells. We can fight free radicals by applying an antioxidant-rich topical cream or serum to shield and protect against them as well as pollutants and UV rays.
We definitely encourage you to do a little research into free radicals, antioxidants and the skin. But don’t just stop at the antioxidants because peptides are another powerhouse ingredient that function as moisture-binding agents and also encourage the skin to repair itself. When searching for the recommended eye cream, emulsion and ampoule to complete your Asian skin care regimen, these are ingredients to look for.
Sunscreen
Our skin’s defense mechanism against the sun’s rays is to produce pigment. This is why we tan. Some pores are deeply affected by sun exposure and produce even more pigment, resulting in sunspots, freckles and dark spots. Our skin doesn’t have any other way to deal with UVA and UVB rays so we have to help it out by wearing sunscreen daily. UVA rays are out 24 hours per day, rain or shine. They’re said to be even more intense when it’s raining or cloudy as they’re magnified, which is why we burn in the pool or on the water on really sunny days. There’s no slacking on this one and this is the most important step for taking care of Asian skin or any skin. Slather on sunscreen every day to keep your complexion young and healthy.
These are the major components of a solid Asian skin care regimen. However, topical creams and products can only do so much. Lasers and IPL reach deeper layers and will give you more dramatic anti-aging benefits. Combine treatments with the aforementioned ingredients for maximum results and seriously flawless skin. Visit NuAGE Laser for Vancouver laser treatments or set up a free consultation to discuss your options.
