I will also assume that you're kind of unmotivated (think: lazy) to do such an extended skincare routine. Or maybe your not used to long skincare routines. And I want to assume you at least take your make up off because I don't want to live in a reality where people don't do that. The most important things in building a routine is knowing key points, and well, routine.
Remember that "practice makes perfect"; here you go the points I think are the most important when you're trying to start a Korean skincare routine. I will be linking posts of the products mentioned, if it doesn't have a link it's because it hasn't been published yet:

How to create your own Korean skincare routine disclaimer

1.- Don't be an overachiever. A typical Korean skincare routine can go from 5 to way over 10 products. If you just remove your make up be honest with yourself- but just in case I'll be the one honest with you: you're not going to be doing a 15 step skincare routine overnight.

      You can see every step in my previously posted routines:

• Korean night time skincare routine in winter

• Korean morning time skincare routine in winter

2.- Start slowly and make it a habit. It is said that doing something for 21 days will make it a habit. I think that's true but it can also be a lot less time. Set a small goal for the first week, doing 3 easy steps that everyone is very familiar with: cleanser, toner and cream. No, removing makeup is not cleansing your face, you need a separate cleanser for that (and you'll be doing a double cleanse that way! See, you're already halfway a Korean skincare routine). Which leads me to the next point.

How to create your own Korean skincare routine cleansers

3.- Chose your "core" products. I call them core products because they are repeated all days. There are different types of cleansers (foam, gel, foaming), toners (hydrating, astringent) and moisturizers (gel, cream, lotion).

• Cleansers pictured here: 
• Klairs Gentle Black Deep Cleansing Oil
• Klairs Gentle Black Sugar Charcoal Soap
• Kiehl's Oil-Free Cleanser

• Other great products:
• Missha Super Aqua Refreshing Cleansing Foam
• Innisfree Olive Real Cleaning Oil

4.- Stick to doing this for a whole week.  Seriously, morning and night. Just those 3 steps (plus removing your make up if you wear) every day, twice a day. You got it? Perfect.

• Toners pictured here:
• Skinfood Gold Caviar Toner
• Klairs Supple Preparation Toner

• Other great products:
• Rituals Ultra Calming Facial Toner
• Missha Time Revolution Night Repair Turn Over Control Booster
• Skinfood Parsley & Mandarin Toner

How to create your own Korean skincare routine toners and moisturizers

5.- No one is going to do it for you.  Your skin won't become better just because you want. You actually have to move your ass for it. If you go to work early in the morning and don't have much time do your skincare routine while having breakfast; if you feel like you just don't wanna do it at night get your ass off the couch and go to the bathroom with some music, or do it while you watch your fave TV show. If you don't put the effort, you're never going to see results.

• Moisturizers pictured here:
• the Saem See&Saw AC Control Emulsion
• It's Skin Basil Seed Fresh Cream

• Other great products:
• Nature Republic Super Aqua Max Fresh Watery Cream (this is actually my favorite)
• Nature Republic Bee Venom Emulsion

6.- Detect your main concern. Refer to the first point. If you haven't been doing a skincare routine don't try to cover all areas at once. Which ones are your concerns? Dehydration? Acne? Acne marks? Hyperpigmentation? List them. No, seriously, do it. And now select the one you think it's the most important one.

How to create your own korean skincare routine My main concern is my skin post-acne. I have that covered with Naruko's am+pm A40 pore minimizing complex (on the right in this picture)

7.- Chose an essence or ampoule. After deciding your main skincare concern, choose an essence or an ampoule to combat it. If it's dehydration, a product that's moisturizing etc, you get me.

• Pictured here:
• Skinfood Perfect Black Sugar First Serum
• Cosrx Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence
• Naruko Tea Tree Shine Control & Blemish Clear Serum (this one is also an active since it has Salicylic Acid, a BHA).

• Other great products:
• the Saem Power Amopule Hydra

8.- Introduce the new product for a week. Wether your want to use it only at nights or twice a day is up to you, but use this new product every single day. It will only add a couple of minutes to your already skincare habit.

9.- Add more products. You probably haven't noticed yet any improvement in your skin but you've done something very important- force yourself to follow a routine. Now the fun part of following a korean skincare routine begins! Add a couple of things, like an eye cream and a exfoliator for example.

• Pictured here:
• Klairs Gentle Black Sugar Facial Polish Scrub
• Benton Fermentation Eye Cream

• Other great products:
• Skinfood Strawberry Black Sugar Mask Wash Off 
• Skinfood Black Raspberry Eye Cream
• Innisfree Eco Science Eye Cream

How to create your own korean skincare routine scrub

10.- Incorporate actives and/or acids. AHA? BHA? Never heard of those, or heard but don't know what they are? Here is a quick and good article that covers the basis. Retinol can also be a good addition, Paula's Choice have a very good in depth article about it. But wait! Don't star yet. To add these actives into your routine, even if you chose just one (honestly, chose just one before going crazy with them), you have to plan their application days because you have to go slow with this if you don't want to damage your skin.

• Pictured here:
• Naruko Tea Tree Shine Control & Blemish Clear Serum (active ingredient is Salicylic Acid, a BHA).
• Naruko am+pm A40 pore minimizing complex (retinol).

• Other great products:
• Neostrata Gel Forte 15% AHA.

11.- Use a weekly planner. No, I'm not kidding. When I started doing long routines I needed to keep track on when to use which product. You're only going to need it for the first month or so, then you're just going to know when to use each each product. Hang it (or stick it using blue-tack) in a visible wall, your room or bathroom. It doesn't have to be a fancy one, you can eve use a white piece of paper and write the days of the week at the top. This is what my skincare-planner looked back in the day:

How to create your own korean skincare routine planner

Remember that you have to be cautious os active ingredients, so use them for the first week 2-3 times a week and keep increasing the quantity and days you apply it weekly. Always give time for your skin to adapt.

How to create your own korean skincare routine clay masks + sleeping pack

• Clay maks pictured:
• Green clay masks from a herbalist
• Dr.Jart+ Clay Mask to Foaming Cleanser Trio
• Nature Republic Honey & Herb Sleeping Pack

• Other great products:
• The Body Shop Seaweed Ionic Clay Mask
• Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleasning Masque
• L'Oreal Pure Clay Masks

12.- Masking! Wether it is sheet masking or using clay masks, masking is my favorite step of my skincare routines. I used to only sheet mask once a week (because I didn't have access to sheet masks that weren't overpriced) and apply clay masks twice a week (Sunday green clay, Tuesday white clay). I now sheet mask almost everyday and use clay masks up to thrice a week because I use the fantastic Dr.Jart+ Clay to foam trio. Sheet masking specially is very interesting and it's exciting trying new ones and seeing if your skin likes it or not.

How to create your own korean skincare routine sheet masks

I keep the sheet mask I want to use in a displayed pouch (this one was a free gift at the Skinfood store), I keep the rest a the drawer.

• Masks pictured:
• Innisfree It's Real Squeeze masks
• Aeria Skin masks
• Naruko masks
• Leaders Insolution Superfood Masks

• Other great products:
• Klairs Rich Moist Soothing Masks
• Medi-Peel M.D.P. Aqua Ultra Deep Ampoule Black Mask

13.- Display it. You're more likely to do something if you see it constantly. If you have it in a drawer and you're not used to it, chances are you're not going to do your skincare routine. It doesn't have to be anything fancy, it can be in the bathroom counter or in shelves. I personally put it in cute open boxes in the past.

Don't forget to keep your hands and lips moisturized as well! Pictured here: Rituals Lips Service moisturizing lip balm

14.- That's it.  Really. By the time you've used your first sheet mask and fall in love with it you'll have been doing this "Korean skincare routine" for almost 21 days, and thus, it will be a habit.

How to create your own Korean skincare routine

It doesn't have to stop here of course. My morning and skincare routine are so different that the only product they share is the eye cream, I also use sleeping packs 4 days out of 7 of the week (the one pictured is the Nature Republic Honey & Herb )... But the basics are there. With trial and error you'll discover what products your skin prefers, and that's one of the things that I like the most about following this lengthy routines.

And, as I said at the beginning, don't hesitate to share your trips and tricks, maybe someone finds them useful!

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