A Korean skincare routine for acne-prone skin, step by step

Korean skincare is known for long routines, but I’d keep yours short if your skin breaks out. Three Korean habits help: wash gently, keep your skin hydrated, and add strong products one at a time. When you’re breaking out, it’s tempting to buy everything at once. Start with the three basics below and wait before adding anything else.

Start with three steps

Our Korean skincare routine guide starts from three steps, and they’re the whole core for acne-prone skin too:

• Cleanse morning and night with a gentle wash.
• Moisturize with a light lotion or gel-cream.
• Protect with sunscreen on any day you’ll be outside.

Start with the cleanser, because it’s the step people overdo. The American Academy of Dermatology’s tips for caring for acne during treatment say to wash up to twice a day and after sweating. They also say to use a gentle cleanser and apply it with your fingertips. Washcloths, sponges and scrubbing can irritate the skin, which can lead to more breakouts. Some cleansers contain an exfoliating acid, so check the ingredients. If you use an acne treatment or a leave-on acid, a cleanser without acids is the gentler pick. Our roundup of Korean cleansers for oily skin has more options.

Choose products that won’t clog pores

A pore can clog when oil and dead skin cells build up inside it. Some creams, makeup and hair products add to that. The AAD’s list of habits that can worsen acne says to use only products labeled “non-comedogenic” or “won’t clog pores”. That covers makeup, sunscreen, skincare and hair care. Those products don’t cause breakouts in most people.

The same AAD page has a warning about drying your skin out. Astringents are products that dry oil off the skin. If your skin is oily, it’s tempting to keep using them, or acne treatments, until your face feels tight. The AAD warns against drying your skin out this way. Skin that dries out gets irritated, and the irritation can lead to more acne.

So I’d keep a moisturizer in the routine, and pick a light one. If your skin feels dry, the AAD suggests a moisturizer made for acne-prone skin, applied twice a day after washing. A thin gel-cream adds moisture without heavy oils and butters, which can feel greasy on skin that breaks out. Our pick of Korean moisturizers for oily skin has more light textures. Check each label for “non-comedogenic” as you shop.

Treatment or skincare: know which you’re using

In the US, an acne treatment sold without a prescription is an over-the-counter drug. Federal rules list the acne active ingredients it can use, with a strength range for each. Benzoyl peroxide is allowed at 2.5 to 10 percent. Salicylic acid is allowed at 0.5 to 2 percent. The same rules require these products to say “acne treatment” or “acne medication” on the pack. Their required warnings also say that irritation and dryness are more likely if you use another acne medication at the same time.

A Korean exfoliating toner without that wording is sold as skincare. Putting one on top of an acne treatment adds to the irritation. The AAD’s acne-care tips say to avoid astringents, toners and exfoliants during treatment. Those products can dry your skin and make acne look worse. So if you already use benzoyl peroxide, a salicylic acid treatment or a prescription, leave the exfoliating toner out. Use a gentle cleanser, a moisturizer and sunscreen alongside the treatment instead.

Where a BHA fits

If you aren’t using an acne treatment, I’d allow one leave-on exfoliant. A BHA is a common choice for breakouts. BHA stands for beta hydroxy acid, and salicylic acid is the best-known one. A 2015 research review on salicylic acid peels explains why the acid suits clogged skin. It’s oil-soluble, so it mixes with the oils inside hair follicles, the openings we call pores. The review also lists it as comedolytic, meaning it helps clear clogged pores. That review covers salicylic acid itself, used as a peel. It doesn’t test the COSRX liquid below, or betaine salicylate, the BHA that liquid uses. Our guide to exfoliating acids compares BHA with two other acid types that Korean toners use.

The COSRX liquid in the tile is a common Korean pick. COSRX lists betaine salicylate, a relative of salicylic acid, with niacinamide. COSRX calls it “best for experienced users”. Its directions suggest two to three uses a week, then building up gradually to suit your skin. If you haven’t used an exfoliating acid before, start at two uses a week, the low end of that range. The same directions say to wear sunscreen if you use it during the day. COSRX also says not to use it with other acids, retinol or vitamin C. That includes a cleanser with an acid in it, so pick one without. The page also says to avoid exfoliating acids when pregnant or breastfeeding. That means BHAs and AHAs (alpha hydroxy acids).

Bring in one new product at a time. The AAD says that trying new acne treatments too often can irritate the skin and cause breakouts. COSRX’s own page says sensitive skin may sometimes get irritated by its BHA, and to bring it in gradually. If your skin stings, flakes or turns red, use it less often.

Sunscreen on every day you go out

The AAD’s sunscreen advice is to apply it every day on skin your clothes don’t cover if you’ll be outside, all year round. Its acne tips page says that tanning can worsen acne. It adds that some acne medicines make skin very sensitive to UV rays. Outdoors, it recommends SPF 30 or above, broad spectrum and water resistant. It also says to look for “non-comedogenic” or “won’t clog pores” on the label.

A light gel or fluid texture may feel easier on oily skin than a thick cream. If you’re thinking about a Korean SPF, read our sunscreen guide before you buy one.

Hands off

Try not to pick at spots. The AAD’s list of habits that worsen acne says that popping or squeezing a spot can push what’s inside deeper into the skin. That increases inflammation, which can make the acne more noticeable. The AAD’s acne-care tips add that picking makes acne take longer to clear. It also raises the risk of scars and dark spots. Our guide to fading dark spots covers those marks.

If you pick without thinking, a pimple patch can help. It’s a small sticker that covers a spot, so it’s harder to touch. Our roundup of Korean pimple patches compares three.

Give it time

Expect to wait. For an acne treatment, the AAD advises using it for six to eight weeks before judging it. It says complete clearing generally takes three to four months. Swapping treatments every week can irritate the skin and means starting that wait again.

Some acne needs more than skincare. The AAD says deep or painful acne needs a dermatologist. If breakouts keep coming after you’ve followed its tips for a while, a dermatologist can help too. Some people need prescription treatment, and that’s a normal next step. You can see the reviews and roundups that suit breakout-prone skin on the acne-prone skin page.