Have you been wanting to get in on the K-beauty craze but not sure how to choose the right products for your sensitive skin? Well, you just hit the jackpot! Hitting on all 10 steps of the ideal Korean skincare routine, this article leaves you with more than enough options to build a system that works for you. From cleansers to sun creams, this is your ultimate guide to skincare for sensitive skin. Ready or not, here we go!
Step 1 – Oil-based Cleanser
Start your skincare routine with an oil-based cleanser to remove impurities and excess sebum. These types of cleansers are especially helpful in dissolving thick or heavily applied makeup so that it can be easily lifted from the skin. After massaging the product into the face for two minutes or so, simply add water to the mix – so to speak, and finish it off with a rinse. Here are a several oil cleansers for sensitive skin.
YURI PIBU Grante Cleansing Oil
This cleansing oil is designed for a one-step clean. The oil from green seeds works to keeps your skin moist while the Vigna Radiata seed oil complex does the purifying work. The feature oil complex contains rosemary leaf, green tea seed, bergamot, macadamia seed, lavender, safflower seed, mandarin, jojoba, rosewood, and corn germ oil.1 This product promises to leave your skin feeling nice and dewy.
beplain Mung Bean Cleansing Oil
The beplain Mung Bean Cleansing Oil is designed to effectively remove makeup, sebum, and impurities while maintaining skin hydration. Infused with mung bean extract, it offers a lightweight formula that melts away residues, leaving skin feeling soft and refreshed, making it suitable for various skin types, including sensitive skin.
SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Light Cleansing Oil
The SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Light Cleansing Oil is a gentle, plant-based cleanser designed to remove makeup and impurities without irritating the skin. Formulated with six plant-derived oils — particularly, Madagascar Centella Asiatica extract, it soothes and calms while effectively dissolving sebum and debris. Its lightweight texture emulsifies easily, leaving the skin feeling clean, refreshed, and hydrated, making it suitable for sensitive and acne-prone skin types.
TONYMOLY The Chok Chok Green Tea Lemon Mild Cleansing Oil
In Korean “Chok Chok (촉촉) means moist and dewy. Infused with Korean green tea extract, rich in antioxidants, and lemon seed oil for a brightening effect, this product aims to purify pores without stripping the skin’s natural moisture. Its gentle formula emulsifies easily, leaving skin feeling clean, soft, and revitalized, and its fresh, citrusy scent provides a pleasant cleansing experience.
d’Alba White Truffle Return Oil Cream Cleanser
This oil cream cleanser by d’Alba is described as a “one-step deep cleanser that is gentle but effective.”2 It features the brand’s Trufferol, which is packed with antioxidants, as well as gold clay and Belgium spa water.
Step 2 – Water-based Cleanser
The water-based cleanser is an optional step in your skincare routine. Dermatologists and beauty researchers often warn against cleansing ones face more than necessary. While it can leave you with the feeling of being super clean, the actual results are far from positive; this is especially true for those with sensitive skin. Too much washing damages the skin barrier and strips its natural oils, this leads to dryness, acne, enlarged pores, and other skin troubles. So, it is up to you to decide whether a second cleanse should be included in your skincare routine. Alternatively, the water-based cleanser can be employed as your first – and only – cleansing step.
beplain Mung Bean pH-Balanced Cleansing Foam
This cleanser prioritizes maintaining the skin’s natural balance while effectively removing impurities. The mung bean extract works to gently purify, ensuring a clean feel without disrupting the skin’s delicate pH levels.
Torriden DIVE IN Low Molecular Hyaluronic Acid Cleansing Foam
Focusing on hydration, this foam cleanser delivers moisture deep into the skin during the cleansing process. The low molecular hyaluronic acid allows for better absorption, leaving the skin feeling supple and refreshed after washing.
SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Ampoule Foam
Formulated with Centella Asiatica from Madagascar, this cleanser aims to soothe and calm irritated skin while cleansing. Its gentle foam provides a thorough cleanse, leaving the skin feeling comfortable and revitalized.
S.NATURE Aqua Rice Foam Cleanser
This product utilizes the natural benefits of rice to gently purify and brighten the skin. It creates a soft, creamy lather that effectively removes dirt and excess oil, revealing a smoother, more radiant complexion.
ROUND LAB 1025 Dokdo Cleanser
This cleanser emphasizes gentle yet effective purification, using mineral-rich ingredients from Dokdo Island. It’s crafted to remove impurities without stripping the skin’s natural moisture, resulting in a clean and balanced feel.
Step 3 – Exfoliator
Exfoliants work to remove dead cells and smoothen the texture of your skin by revealing the healthier layer underneath. By working to unclog pores, exfoliation helps to reduce breakouts. It also minimizes the appearance of fine lines and evens out your skin tone. Exfoliants can be either physical, with various grain textures, or they can be chemical. Whereas the former works by scrubbing away dead skin, the latter uses acids or enzymes to break down dead cells. Depending on your skin’s level of sensitivity, you may have to consider whether a chemical exfoliant may be too much. Also, be sure to space out exfoliation days if your skin is extra sensitive.
ilso Super Melting Sebum Softener
This product focuses on dissolving excess sebum and unclogging pores. Its formulation is designed to gently break down oily buildup, providing a smoother skin texture and preparing the skin for further cleansing.
SIDMOOL Green Tea Peeling Gel
Harnessing the antioxidant power of green tea, this gel aims to delicately exfoliate the skin. It works by removing dead skin cells and impurities, leaving behind a refreshed and revitalized complexion, while the green tea provides a calming effect.
ROUND LAB 1025 Dokdo Peeling Gel
Emphasizing gentle exfoliation, this gel features ingredients sourced from Dokdo Island, known for their mineral-rich properties. It’s crafted to eliminate surface debris without harshness, promoting a clearer and more balanced skin tone.
beplain Mung Bean Milk Peeling Gel
Utilizing the natural cleansing abilities of mung beans, this peeling gel offers a mild exfoliating experience. The mung bean milk helps to remove impurities and dead skin, resulting in softer, brighter skin, and a soothed feeling.
Dr. G Brightening Peeling Gel
This product targets dullness and uneven skin tone by providing a brightening exfoliation. Its formulation is designed to slough off dead skin cells, revealing a more radiant and luminous complexion, while also aiming to improve skin clarity.
Step 4 – Toner
Now that your skin has been exfoliated, it is well-prepared to absorb all those helpful skincare products; well, for the most part. Similar to using a second cleanser, the toner is an optional step before applying essences and serums. Toners are light, liquid formulas used to remove any remaining dirt, makeup, or product residue from previous steps. They also help to restore your skin’s pH balance post-cleansing. Although toners are useful in creating a truly clean canvas for other products to be more effectively absorbed into the face, they are not a mandatory part of a routine targeted at skincare for sensitive skin.
S.NATURE Aqua Oasis Toner
This toner focuses on delivering a surge of hydration, mimicking a refreshing oasis for the skin. It aims to replenish moisture levels, leaving the skin feeling plump and revitalized after cleansing.
Torriden Dive In Low Molecular Hyaluronic Acid Toner
With a focus on deep hydration, this toner utilizes small hyaluronic acid molecules to penetrate the skin’s layers effectively. It provides lasting moisture, promoting a supple and dewy complexion.
ROUND LAB 1025 Dokdo Toner
: Emphasizing skin balance, this toner features minerals from Dokdo Island to soothe and hydrate. It’s designed to calm irritation and restore the skin’s natural pH, resulting in a healthier-looking appearance.
Isntree Ultra-Low Molecular Hyaluronic Acid Toner
This toner aims for maximum moisture absorption by using extremely small hyaluronic acid molecules. It permeates the skin deeply, offering intense hydration and a smoother, more refined texture.
Anua Heartleaf 77 Soothing Toner
This toner prioritizes calming and soothing sensitive or irritated skin, using a high concentration of heartleaf extract. It provides a gentle, hydrating touch, reducing redness and promoting a more even skin tone.
Step 5 – Essence
After the cleansing, exfoliating, and toning – all processes of stripping away, it’s time to give back to your skin. Essences are where we begin to rehydrate and prime for nourishing treatments. Common ingredients include hyaluronic acid, glycerin, antioxidants, vitamins, and various plant extracts.
S.NATURE Aqua Collagen Peptide Triple Gel Essence
This essence aims to boost skin elasticity through a blend of collagen peptides. Its gel-like formula delivers a surge of moisture while working to firm and revitalize the skin’s texture.
SKINFOOD Royal Honey Propolis Enrich Essence
Drawing from the nourishing power of honey and propolis, this essence focuses on strengthening the skin’s barrier. It delivers rich nutrients and moisture, promoting a healthy, radiant complexion.
VT Reedle Shot 100 Essence
This unique essence utilizes micro-sized ingredients to enhance the absorption of active components. Its formulation is designed to stimulate the skin, promoting a smoother and more refined texture.
ma:nyo Galactomy Niacin Essence
Targeting brightness and clarity, this essence harnesses the power of galactomyces ferment filtrate and niacinamide. It works to even out skin tone and improve overall radiance, imparting a luminous glow.
mixsoon Bean Essence
This essence emphasizes gentle exfoliation and hydration using fermented bean extract. It delicately removes dead skin cells and provides a moisture boost, resulting in a smoother, more supple skin texture.
Step 6 – Serum & Ampoule
Skin serums and ampoules are very similar; so much so that some persons use the terms interchangeably. ISDIN3 offers a great explanation:
“… an important thing to remember is that the word ampoule describes the unique, sealed package that contains a serum. So the contents are serums while the package is the ampoule. Berta clarifies, ”Skin ampoules are also known as serums-in-ampoules.” These serums are typically powerful yet minimalist formulas, focusing on specific ingredient combinations to provide your skin with targeted care … These closed containers omit the need for the emulsifiers or stabilizers that larger serum formats can require — allowing for straightforward results. “Ampoules are like shots of concentrated ingredients that can be easily applied as needed,” shares Berta, [Isdinceutics Product Manager].”
How To Use Ampoules in Your Skincare Routine, ISDIN (March 26, 2024)
While both product types are designed to target specific skin issues with potent formulas, ampoules tend to have higher doses of active ingredients to produce rapid results. Although standard serums may be used daily, it might be best for those with sensitive skin to use serums-in-ampoules only once or twice per week.
Torriden DIVE IN Low Molecular Hyaluronic Acid Serum
This serum prioritizes deep-level hydration through the use of small hyaluronic acid molecules. It aims to saturate the skin with moisture, resulting in a plump, dewy appearance and improved skin suppleness.
WELLAGE Real Hyaluronic Blue Ampoule
Focusing on intense moisture retention, this ampoule delivers a concentrated dose of hyaluronic acid. It works to bind moisture to the skin, providing long-lasting hydration and a smooth, revitalized complexion.
MEDIHEAL Madecassoside BLEMISH REPAIR SERUM
This serum is formulated to address skin blemishes and irritation, utilizing madecassoside for its soothing properties. It aims to calm redness and promote skin repair, resulting in a clearer, more even skin tone.
S.NATURE Aqua Squalane Serum
Emphasizing lightweight moisture and skin barrier support, this serum features squalane derived from natural sources. It aims to replenish the skin’s natural oils, providing a soft, hydrated feel without greasiness.
allNATURAL Houttuynia Cordata Care Serum
This serum centers on calming and soothing sensitive skin through the use of houttuynia cordata extract. It aims to reduce inflammation and irritation, promoting a balanced and comfortable complexion.
Step 7 – Mask
Aside from being a relaxing and pampering experience, applying masks to the face can give your skin a hydration boost to leave it feeling more plump and supple. Masks come in various types; for example, anti-aging masks are known to minimize the appearance of wrinkles an promote youthful-looking skin. Face masks may come packaged as sticks, gels, or creams; but in Korean skincare, they are more commonly sold as single-use sheets.
freemay Olive Cica Calming Ampoule Mask
This mask focuses on soothing and hydrating irritated skin through a blend of olive and cica extracts. It delivers a concentrated dose of calming ingredients, aiming to reduce redness and promote a comfortable complexion.
allNATURAL Mask Sheet – Houttuynia Cordata
Prioritizing gentle care, this mask utilizes houttuynia cordata to calm and comfort sensitive skin. It provides a surge of hydration while working to alleviate irritation, resulting in a balanced and soothed feel.
MEDIHEAL Essential Mask – Tea Tree
Targeting blemish-prone skin, this mask features tea tree oil for its clarifying properties. It aims to control excess oil and reduce the appearance of imperfections, leaving the skin feeling refreshed and purified.
Torriden BALANCEFUL Mask
This mask emphasizes restoring skin balance and hydration. It provides a surge of moisture while working to calm and soothe the skin, promoting a healthy and revitalized appearance.
S.NATURE Super Aquagel Oasis Ampule Mask
Focusing on intense hydration, this mask delivers a surge of moisture through its unique Aquagel formulation. It aims to replenish the skin’s moisture barrier, resulting in a plump, dewy complexion.
Step 8 – Eye Cream
Another optional step, eye creams are particular useful for those who suffer from bagginess and dark circles caused by fatigue, allergies, or even genetics. Eye creams are specially formulated for this extra sensitive area of the face, reducing puffiness, brightening, and improving texture and elasticity.
S.NATURE Aqua Soy Yogurt Eye Cream
This cream focuses on providing delicate hydration and nourishment to the eye area, utilizing soy yogurt extract. It aims to gently moisturize and revitalize, promoting a smoother, more refreshed appearance.
LEADERS Green Collagen Eye Cream for Face
Designed for both the eye area and entire face, this cream leverages green collagen to enhance skin elasticity. It works to firm and hydrate, aiming to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
Bhab SLOWCHAGA™ Hydra Calm Face Eye Serum
This serum targets hydration and calming, featuring slow-fermented chaga mushroom extract. It aims to soothe delicate skin while providing a surge of moisture, contributing to a more tranquil appearance.
COSNORI Avocado Eye Cream
Emphasizing rich nourishment, this cream utilizes avocado extract to provide deep hydration to the eye area. It aims to improve skin texture and moisture levels, leaving the skin feeling supple and revitalized.
AHC Ten Revolution Real Eye Cream For Face
This multi-functional cream is formulated to address various signs of aging around the eyes and face. It delivers a comprehensive approach to skin care, aiming to improve firmness, hydration, and overall skin tone.
Step 9 – Moisturizer
When it comes to skincare for sensitive skin, moisturizers are an essential step. Moisturizers hydrate the skin by replenishing the moisture barrier, which helps prevent water loss. Active ingredients generally include humectants, emollients, and occlusives. Humectants like glycerin and panthenol attract and bind moisture to the skin. Emollients like cocoa butter and shea butter then help to prevent water loss by influencing cell function. Finally, occlusives rest on top of the skin to keep it moist and create a protective barrier from the outside envirionment. Some ingredients may act as both an emollient and occlusive.4
Torriden DIVE IN Low Molecular Hyaluronic Acid Soothing Cream
This cream concentrates on providing deep, lasting hydration with small hyaluronic acid molecules. It aims to calm and soothe the skin, leaving it feeling supple and refreshed, while delivering moisture to the deeper layers.
S.NATURE Aqua Squalane Moisturizing Cream
Focusing on lightweight, natural moisture, this cream uses squalane to replenish the skin’s natural oils. It’s designed to hydrate without heaviness, promoting a soft, smooth complexion and strengthening the moisture barrier.
Dr.G R.E.D BLEMISH Clear Soothing Cream
This cream targets blemish-prone and sensitive skin, utilizing ingredients to soothe and clarify. It aims to reduce redness and irritation, promoting a clearer, more balanced skin tone while providing essential hydration.
freemay Real Moisture Cream
This product emphasizes essential hydration, delivering a simple, effective moisture boost. It’s formulated to replenish the skin’s moisture barrier, leaving it feeling soft and well-nourished.
Makep:rem Inteca™ Soothing Cream
This cream prioritizes calming and strengthening the skin barrier with Inteca™. It aims to soothe irritation and provide lasting moisture, promoting a healthy, resilient complexion.
Step 10 – Sun Cream
Sun creams are designed to protect your skin from ultraviolet rays that cause sunburn and premature aging. The level Sun Protection Factor (SPF) is the most important consideration when choosing a sun cream, and a level of at least 30 is recommended.5
goodal Heartleaf Calming Moisture Sun Cream (SPF50+/PA++++)
This sunscreen prioritizes soothing and hydrating the skin while providing robust sun protection. Infused with heartleaf extract, it aims to calm irritation and deliver moisture, creating a comfortable barrier against UV rays.
make p:rem Soothing Pink Tone Up Sun Cream (SPF50+/PA++++)
This product offers sun protection with the added benefit of a subtle pink tint for a brighter complexion. It works to even out skin tone while shielding from harmful UV rays, providing a natural, radiant finish.
ROUND LAB Birch Moisture Sun Cream (SPF50+/PA++++)
Emphasizing hydration, this sunscreen utilizes birch sap to deliver moisture alongside sun protection. It’s designed to keep skin supple and hydrated, creating a protective shield without feeling heavy.
D’Alba Waterfull Sun Cream (SPF50+/PA++++)
This sunscreen focuses on a lightweight, refreshing feel, providing high SPF protection. Its water-based formulation aims to absorb quickly, leaving the skin feeling hydrated and protected without any greasy residue.
Torriden DIVE IN Mild Sun Cream (SPF50+/PA++++)
Prioritizing gentle protection for sensitive skin, this sun cream offers strong UV defense in a mild formulation. It’s designed to minimize irritation while providing effective sun protection, ensuring comfort and safety.
Wrap-up
When choosing the best skincare for sensitive skin, there’s a lot to take into consideration. Hopefully this article helped to make your decision process easier. Let us know your top picks in the comments below, and be sure share this post on social media.
Disclaimers:
- This article does not contain any affiliate links or sponsored products.
- Products selected based on data from various leading Korean beauty ecommerce sites’ sales rankings and customer reviews.
- All content written here is for information purposes only and should not be considered as medical advice. If needed, please consult a skincare professional for specific guidance or diagnoses.
- For sensitive skin, it is recommended that you test new products on a small area of the skin before applying it to your entire face.
