The Two-Second Trick to Figuring Out a Korean Skin-Care Routine

When you think of Korean skin care, do those ten steps of skin-illuminating goodness come to mind? It all sounds so glam in theory—or on Insta—but where do you even start?

Actually, there's a hack for figuring that out. At our recent Herbal Beauty Hour with Sulwhasoo, a luxe Korean skin-care brand devoted to creating products that feel like absolute magic on your face, the team shared a secret: Whichever product is thinnest in consistency is what you apply first.

Take a look at your haul. Is one way thicker than the rest?  Is one watery? Start with the lightest—say Sulwhasoo’s Concentrated Ginseng Renewing Water—and work your way up to thicker creams. That way, your skin is best equipped to absorb all of the glow-inducing goodness.

In addition to clarifying your skin care regimen in a total of two seconds, we also heard from herbalist Rachelle Robinett about the healing properties of ginseng and what it does for your overall health. Spoiler: It's touting for helping to boost energy, fighting inflammation, and improving your sex drive (who knew?).

Scroll down to experience the rest of the Ginseng-filled herbal happy hour—and why you should delve into Korean skin care.

We gathered beauty lovers to The Assemblage's high-vibe space in New York City's NoMad 'hood for an evening filled with candles, plush cushions, and skin care everywhere.

As readers arrived, they were handed a sweet-but-tangy ginseng elixir to sip on to boost the tranquil mood.

Herbalist (and super-trendy human) Rachelle Robinett spoke about the history and health properties of ginseng, which has been used as a natural remedy for centuries.

Well+Good senior beauty editor Ali Finney talked with Robinett about how to incorporate the herb into your life beyond your skin-care regimen. Pro tip: Hunt it down in local markets or order it online, and then brew it in tea for an at-home elixir.

Attendees took part in a drip test, testing out products on their hand to see the proper order they should apply. (To reiterate: Lightest consistency to thickest.)

Then guests hit the face mask bar. Everyone was invited to take off their makeup and slap on a sheet mask—and then take a selfie, of course!

One of the coolest activations of the evening was the acupressure ear seeds station from Yinova, which are tiny beads you insert in your ear that target a pressure point to promote balance throughout your body.

To really bring the serene feeling of the night full circle, guests made DIY smudge sticks and crystal wands to take home for total energy-clearing magic. That's right, we got crafty and took home some Zen. 

In partnership with Sulwhasoo

Top Photo: Stocksy/Kate + Joe