Product types

How product types map to a routine

Korean skincare is organised around routine steps more than around marketing categories, and that is why these pages are ordered by where a product goes rather than alphabetically. Applying the right formats in the wrong order is one of the most common reasons a routine underperforms: a thick occlusive before a watery essence blocks it, and an active applied onto unprepared skin is more likely to sting than to work. Use this index to see what each format is for before choosing individual products.

What each format is doing

Cleansers:

Oil or balm cleansers remove sunscreen and makeup; a gentle low-pH water-based cleanser follows to clear what remains without stripping the barrier.

Toners and essences:

Lightweight hydrating layers that prepare the skin surface and carry humectants before heavier steps.

Serums and ampoules:

The concentrated step where most actives sit. This is usually where one change at a time should be made.

Moisturisers and creams:

Emollients and occlusives that hold hydration in and support barrier recovery.

Sunscreens:

The final morning step, and the one with the clearest evidence behind it for preventing visible photoageing.

Masks and pads:

Occasional or targeted steps layered into an existing routine rather than replacing one.

Practical ordering rules

• Work from thinnest to thickest texture, finishing with sunscreen in the morning.
• Introduce one new active at a time and allow a fortnight before judging it.
• If skin is stinging, tight or flaking, pause actives and rebuild with cleanser, moisturiser and sunscreen only.

For a full step-by-step order tailored to your skin, use the routine guides or the product finder.