Are you having a hard time with your annoying acne that just won't clear? I feel you!
Today, I am sharing a well-known Korean skincare routine for ridding acne with product recommendations that I have personally used and loved.
A great skincare routine is essential for healthy, luminous skin. But remember that adding unnecessary skincare steps will only irritate acne-prone skin.
The steps listed below are the most important out of a whole skincare routine if you're looking to clear acne. So, go ahead with these after you've removed your makeup!
1. Polyhydroxy Acid Toners
The most important step to care for acne is wiping down your skin with soaked cotton pads every day.
Many Korean cosmetic YouTubers and professionals emphasize using Polyhydroxy Acid (PHA) toners to improve skin texture by gently exfoliating dead skin cells and allows skincare to penetrate deeper into the skin.
 | Propolis Synergy Toner COSRX ￦22,000 |
 | Cica Toner COSRX ￦20,000 |
2. Serum / Essence
This step can't be missed especially when suffering from acne! Applying serum or essence (depending on your skin type) is almost mandatory.
Pick any serums or essences that suits your skin, and apply on washed, clean skin before your moisturizer in both mornings and nights.
However, avoid any products with vitamin or blemish clearing serums; these are mainly focusing on clearing freckles or melasma, not dark spots caused by acne!
 | Houttuynia Cordata Calming Essence goodal ￦30,000 |
 | Cica Serum COSRX ￦23,000 |
Another pro tip is to do a toner pack with the essence of your choice (if you are using one).
Source: COSRX
I personally found this even more moisturizing than doing a toner pack with regular toner.
3. Cream
This cream is a beloved product by anyone with acne or occasional pimples.
People with acne often apply light-textured gel cream or water cream; they often think that thick cream or moisturizer will block the skin and the acne will get worse due to the thickness.
Applying the right amount of thick cream will help to make a significant change on your skin.
 | GOOD CERA Super Ceramide Cream Holika Holika ￦22,000 |
4. Pimple Patch
Are you looking for a quick overnight fix before a big day? Pimple patches are available for you to calm down your irritating pimples.
If you ever visit Korean drug stores, there are numbers of acne/spot/pimple patches that you can find, and some are categorized by what has triggered your pimple.
To explain the four prodcuts quickly below, 'Easy Pick Blemish Patch Relief' is made for pimples before you pop them out.
The next product, 'Easy Pick Blemish Patch Care' is more focusing on after you pop a pimple.
I am currently using them, and I would like to recommend this due to its stickiness (on the skin), and how it helps to calm down your pimple.
 | Easy Pick Blemish Patch Relief 3M Nexcare ￦7,900 |
 | Easy Pick Blemish Patch Care 3M Nexcare ￦8,900 |
 | Acropass Trouble Cure acropass ￦9,800 |
 | No More Hide Spot Clear Patch ONCE IN A MOON ￦9,000 |
Acropass's 'Trouble Cure' patch is pretty pricey, but it totally worths the price! This two-step acne treatment is made to tackle and cure hormonal acne and cystic acne that typical hydrocolloid pimple patches can't treat as effectively.
The last recommendation is ONCE IN A MOON's 'No More Hide Spot Clear Patch'. This is specially made for hormonal acne (from the period). Each patch with an essence chip infused with centella asiaticia to soothe the skin. I recommend using this overnight
+ Weekly Detox With Masks
Clay masks are such a great addition to your skincare routine. They remove your dead skin cells, brighten up your skin tone with a smooth finish!
Innisfree's Jeju Volcanic Pore Clay Mask is an award-winning product; it absorbs excess sebum and clears the pores for clean skin.
 | Jeju Volcanic Pore Clay Mask Innisfree ￦12,000 |
 | I'm The Real Shrek Clay Mask Pack Dream Works ￦12,600 |
We cannot miss out on these sheet masks for acne.
From my personal experience, acne sheet masks won't help with your current breakouts on your skin. However, if I get the feeling of some acne will appear on my skin, I tend to use one of the two sheet masks to lower down the temperature of the skin and calm down the potential acne.
 | Tea Tree Care Solution Essential Mask REX MEDI HEAL ￦2,000 |
 | AC CTRL Deep Mask DEWYTREE ￦3,000 |
Acne sucks, but that doesn't mean that you will have to suffer from them forever.
I hope you find this blog helpful in getting some idea of how Koreans cope with their irritating pimples. Try some new K-beauty prodcuts or share your favourite acne-fighting products!
