Fighting acne doesn’t have to take a full 10 steps. Find out how to keep pimples at bay with this hard-working five step Korean routine for acne.
As someone who’s suffered from acneic skin my entire life, I know better than most how difficult it is to fight acne. It seemed like every few days I was struggling to figure out what was causing yet another breakout along my forehead or jaw! I found myself going back through my routine and re-reading all the ingredients hoping to find an answer, and eventually just giving in and dabbing on some tea tree oil and putting on a pimple patch.
Although this recovery method worked, I hated the struggle of feeling like the routine I have isn’t keeping my acne at bay. But, it wasn’t that there weren’t enough good acne fighting products out there—in fact, it was quite the opposite. Every day, I would read some new article or post about some new ingredient that thousands of people swore cleared their pimple overnight. Browsing for new products online, it seemed that every single product I laid eyes on swore it had the best ingredient to cure my acne.
Long story short, it was really overwhelming. That’s why I was super excited to see that Soko Glam curated a 5-Step Acne + Sebum Control Set—it’s simple, easy to understand, and such a relief from having to dig through thousands of products just hoping I find one that works. Read below to discover why I love this set so much, and what makes each product in this routine such an acne fighting star.
Banila Co Clean it Zero Purity
There are two things that are typically associated with acneic skin: excess oil and sensitivity. When you’re already struggling with excess oil, it’s critical to use an oil cleanser that thoroughly removes all oil based impurities on the skin to keep your pores clean.
Whether you’re removing a full face of makeup or just a day’s worth of sebum, there are few better options than the Banila Co Clean it Zero Purity. This balm gently melts across your skin and removes even the toughest oil based impurities, while remaining gentle on the skin. If you’re like me and actually suffer from dry skin with your acne, this cleanser doesn’t leave the skin stripped or dry, and actually provides light moisture to the skin as it cleanses. As for sensitivity, this cleanser is formulated without artificial colorants, synthetic fragrance, alcohol, parabens, and mineral oils.
Skinfood Tea Tree Bubble Cleansing Foam
There are few natural ingredients as effective at fighting acne as tea tree leaf extract. It penetrates deep into the pores and clears out impurities while gently drying out whiteheads and blackheads, while its anti-inflammatory properties help reduce the appearance of surface blemishes.
In this cleanser, tea tree is coupled with ginger extract to double down on fighting inflammation, and glycolic acid to gently slough away dead skin cells. How deeply it cleanses and purifies the skin is remarkable considering the gentle formula and soft, marshmallow-y clouds of foam. With a light and pleasant scent of tea tree oil, this cleanser is a definite go-to for fighting and preventing blemishes.
Missha Time Revolution Clear Toner
Keeping the skin clear of dead skin cells is one of the most effective ways to keep breakouts at bay. With active acne, it can be risky to physically exfoliate, so it’s crucial to use a mild chemical exfoliant to keep your pores clear. That’s why I love the Missha Time Revolution Clear Toner. It is formulated with a mix of mild AHA and BHA exfoliators to gently slough away dead skin cells and stimulate cell turnover.
However, it doesn’t just clear away dead skin—it also helps to nourish and restore healthy skin. It contains fermented yeast extract as its second ingredient, which helps promote skin’s turnover cycle and works to even out skin tone and texture. It also features citric acid which will help to re-balance your skin’s pH to its healthy, natural level. With light hydration and moisture, it leaves the skin soft, restored, and re-balanced.
Cosrx Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence
Up until now, this routine has been using products that work to fight and prevent acne (oil cleansers, tea tree foams, and chemical exfoliants). So, now that your skin is cleansed and clear and balanced, it’s time to treat existing spots and help to prevent any damage. I like to think of it as giving back just as much as you take away.
One of the best ingredients for nourishing skin that’s been plagued with acne is snail mucin. Its restorative and nourishing properties make it a superstar ingredient for fighting pigmentation and scarring.
That’s why I depend on the Cosrx Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence. It contains 96% snail secretion filtrate and wastes no time getting right to work on skin tone and texture. It works miracles reducing and preventing acne scarring and pigmentation. It also provides deep and nourishing moisture, so your skin can remain healthily hydrated and supple. This is especially important, as acne cleansers and exfoliators can be quite drying.
Missha Super Aqua Cell Renew Snail Cream
If you couldn’t tell, snail is kind of a game-changing ingredient for salvaging skin from the damage acne can cause, so using it in only our essence just wasn’t quite enough. Snail is extremely effective when formulated into a moisturizer. While the essence employs snail to treat pigmentation and scarring, this moisturizer harnesses the intense hydrating powers of snail mucin.
Formulated into a lightweight gel-like consistency, this Missha moisturizer packs a powerful punch and deeply hydrates the skin for a healthy, dewy glow. Plus, it’ll work to prevent acne damage at the same time—it’s really just a win win. Hand in hand with the essence above, your skin will get a heavenly embrace of nourishment, scarring treatment, and moisture.
Bottom line:
At the end of the day, the ingredients in this 5-Step Acne + Sebum Control Set speak for themselves. All too often, acne routines harshly attack acne to clear breakouts, but simultaneously ravage your healthy skin. However, this routine is carefully selected to show powerful results without stripping skin. It attacks your acne, but nourishes and hydrates your healthy skin. It supports cellular turnover, and works to prevent breakouts before they even occur. From tea tree to AHAs to snail mucin, your acne will be fought off, and your skin will be taken care of.
+ What’s your Korean routine for acne? Share it in the comments!
