Exfoliators

If you are new to acids or sensitive, begin with the medicube Zero Pore Pad Mild. Oily skin with visible pores suits the celimax Ji Woo Gae Heartleaf BHA Peeling Pad. Once your skin is used to acids, the COSRX AHA 7 Whitehead Power Liquid takes on whiteheads and rough texture, and the Ma:nyo Galactomy Enzyme Peeling Gel is the gentle, enzyme-led route.

Once or twice a week covers most skin when you use peeling gels, wash-off masks or stronger acid pads. Do it in the evening, follow with moisturizer and wear sunscreen the next morning. Only the mild daily toners, pads and cleansers made for it belong in an everyday routine, and on those days the other exfoliating steps come out.

Korean routines prefer acids and enzymes, which loosen dead surface cells without scrubbing, and they run through Korean exfoliating pads, toners and cleansers. Peeling gels sit in between: they roll into soft threads that carry loosened cells away, and they are the gentler pick for sensitive faces. Grainy scrubs are the format these routines tend to skip.

Keep them on separate evenings. Both work on the surface, and using them together is the quickest route to a stinging, flaky face. Alternate nights, or exfoliate on the weekend and keep the retinoid to weekdays. If your skin already looks red or feels tight, pause exfoliating for a week and stay with moisturizer and sunscreen.