Master Skincare Routine Steps With a Dermatologist

Skincare routine steps can be confusing. Back when I was a teen in the nineties, cleanse-tone-moisturise was all I heard. By the time I became a dermatologist in the 2010s, there were serums, face oils and sheet masks. Today, Korean skincare routines have exploded in popularity, thanks to K-beauty’s ambassadors—the K-Pop stars and the glass skin they sport. The elusive glowing skin popularised by K-beauty when K-pop fever swept the globe also sent those in the scientific community investigating. Soon, dermatologists also realised that the glow they sported was for real.

I’ve compiled here 3 systems I’ve developed based on modifications of the traditional cleanse-tone-moisturise skincare routine steps. These are my top tips for perfecting skincare routine steps based on as little as 2-steps taking under 3 minutes each time.

They are tailored for universal skin types including dry, combination and oily skin types, with additional tips on how to identify your skin type. I hope that can guide you on your skincare journey.

An ideal skincare regimen can repair your skin barrier, leaving it hydrated and looking healthy. The cleanse-tone-moisturise routine has some innate problems which I will explain in this article.

Cleansing is the fundamental skincare routine step that must never be missed

Single step cleansing does not completely remove makeup and pollutants. If pressed for time, those with dry skin should just use an emulsion cleanser. This is a milky solution rather than a lathering cleanser, and is designed to hydrate and repair the skin barrier at the same time removing oil soluble makeup pigments. Those with dry skin can skip double cleansing and avoid micellar cleansers as this dries out skin. Those with combination skin should double cleanse, ideally with a lathering cleanser based on gentle surfactants such as honey and soy, instead of SLS-laden cleansers which can damage the skin barrier. Those with oily skin should use a hydrodermabrasion or microdermabrasion device with their cleanser, this will increase the effectiveness of the cleansing skincare steps.

Toning is an outdated concept—Korean skincare routine steps replace toners with hydrating facial mists, lotions and essences that repair the skin barrier

Don’t use any toners that contain acids or alcohol. In the past, toners were regarded as astringents which dry out skin. This is a no-no for sensitive and dry skin types. K-beauty toners are more like facial mists/essences. These contain botanicals like rice bran extract, broccoli extract, purslane that are anti-inflammatory. Look for moisturising actives like glycerin, hyaluronic acid and polyglutamic acid.

This is based on the latest science about the skin barrier. Importantly, dermatologists have discovered that even those with oily skin can have a dehydrated skin barrier. The key function of a toner is to rebalance, and that does not mean to remove surface oil. Rather the Korean beauty approach is to incorporate synergistic extracts which help to create the ideal skin microenvironment. For those with oily skin, water alone has an astringent effect—the same reason why wet compresses are recommended by dermatologists for oozing wounds, and why your skin feels refreshed by water cleansing. Alcohol always damages the skin barrier and must be avoided.

Some toners incorporate salicylic acid and glycolic acids, but as leave-on skincare products, they should be avoided if you have dry skin. For combination and oily skin users, it can be helpful but some users also develop skin sensitivity after some time. Enzyme peels based on bromelain and bakuchiol are gentler and are used in K-beauty formulations.

Moisturising is key in any skincare regimen—here are my modifications to the traditional skincare routine steps based on K-beauty

This is the second most important step in a skincare regimen after cleansing. If you adopt the same approach of skipping toner and replacing it with a facial mist instead, you are already hydrating your skin. However, to repair the skin barrier fully, layering is an important concept. Skincare layering means to use products in a sequence to increase effectiveness of the ingredients and actives. Typically, serums go first, followed by lotions, emulsions and moisturising creams and mists. This is based on the texture of each skincare product. The main principle being the most lightweight ingredients go first. As a dermatologist, I have been recommending the following for my patients with different skin types:

Dry skin: moisturise with serums, lotions, facial mists but if you have only time/patience for 1 step, use a palm-sized amount of moisturiser each time and allow it to fully absorb before leaving the house. Just massage any residue onto your neck and body. Repeat at night, this is the concept of a “sleeping mask” which really is just a moisturiser.

Combination skin: I recommend using a facial mist throughout the day to help balance the skin moisture levels especially over areas that tend to be dry, for instance the cheek area. The above mentioned sleeping mask method should be helpful for hydrating skin once to three times a week.

Oily skin: It is possible to skip traditional cream or lotion moisturisers especially in tropical, summer climates. Opt for hydrating water based serums and facial mists instead. However, I would definitely use a ceramide-based cream moisturiser once a week to fully repair the skin barrier with lipids. This is an often overlooked component in skincare routine steps for those with oily skin.

A Dermatologist’s Skincare Routine Steps for Glowing Skin

Let me break down the science of glowing skin for you which will help you best understand how to craft the ideal skincare regimen for yourself. There are 3 main factors that must be addressed with specific skincare routine steps:

• Skin cells are renewed
• Skin cells are energised
• Skin barrier is hydrated

My bare-bones skincare routine addresses the 3 processes specifically

• I double cleanse and add on gentle exfoliation with a hydrodermabrasion tool
• I use skincare serums that contain botanical actives and ubiquinone
• I always use a moisturiser after cleansing and avoid air conditioning when I sleep—that dries out the skin barrier due to transepidermal water loss.

Here’s the science behind the skincare routine steps I take:

• Skin cells are renewed

Dull skin is caused by dead skin cells retained at the surface. That’s also one of the causes of acne, a phenomenon known as follicular hyperkeratosis.

• Skin cells are energised

That’s why skin dullness is associated with ageing skin. When cell activity slows down with biological aging, so does cell energy. Using serums and creams with botanical actives can help stimulate cell energy. For example, CoEnzyme Q10 also known as ubiquinone works by enhancing cell energy

• Skin barrier is hydrated

If you suffer from dry or sensitive skin, you’ll probably observe that your skin looks dull. That’s really because the skin barrier is damaged. The layers of skin at the surface are held together by ceramides, and when that is defective, it can cause flaking, scaling and redness. That has nothing to do with dead skin cells and you definitely shouldn’t exfoliate—it will only make it worse. Rather, you need to hydrate with ceramide-based moisturising creams.

Dermatologist’s 2-Phase Skincare Routine Steps for Busy People

Finally, here is my final distillation of a minimalist skincare regimen that’s still effective. The next time you feel pressed for time, don't let that be an excuse for skipping your skincare time. It’s really just a two-step process, now isn't that easy?

CLEANSING STEP

• Double cleanse and add on gentle exfoliation with a hydrodermabrasion too

HYDRATING/MOISTURISING

• Skincare serums that contain botanical actives and ubiquinone
• Use a moisturiser after cleansing
• Avoid air conditioning when sleeping—that dries out the skin barrier due to transepidermal water loss

Dr. Teo Wan Lin is a board-certified dermatologist practising at TWL Specialist Skin & Laser Centre, with published research in the skin microbiome and microclimate in top dermatology journals like the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology and the International Journal of Dermatology. As the chief scientific officer and formulator of leading clinical skincare line Dr.TWL Dermaceuticals, she is the author of Skincare Bible: A Strategic Guide to Resilient Skin as well as books on K-beauty. She is widely regarded as an expert on Asian beauty, Korean skincare routines and is passionate about skincare education.