Korean Skin Care for Beginners: Toner Pads, Serums and Overnight Masks Explained

This guide to Korean skin care for beginners explains what toner pads, serums, eye patches and overnight masks actually are, and where each one sits in a routine. It covers ten products from Anua, medicube, The Ordinary, EQQUALBERRY, celimax, MEDITHERAPY and BIODANCE. To be plain about the method: this guide is based on published specifications and listing details, not hands-on testing. Benefits are reported the way each brand describes them, results vary by person, and nothing here is medical advice.

Quick picks

• Foam cleanser: Anua Heartleaf Quercetinol Pore Deep Cleansing Foam.
• Exfoliating toner pads: medicube Zero Pore Pad 2.0 Toner Pads.
• Niacinamide serum: The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% Serum.
• Peptide and ceramide serum: EQQUALBERRY NAD+ Peptide Boosting Serum.
• PDRN serum: medicube PDRN Pink Peptide Serum.
• Retinal serum with a stated strength: celimax The Vita A Retinal Shot Tightening Booster.
• Retinal serum for face and body: MEDITHERAPY Retinal Skin Booster Face and Body Serum.
• Under eye patches: BIODANCE Collagen Peptide Hydrogel Eye Patches.
• Peel-off overnight mask: medicube Collagen Overnight Wrapping Mask.
• Overnight hydrogel sheet mask: BIODANCE Bio-Collagen Real Deep Mask.

To see the wider range, browse all beauty and skin care.

Comparison at a glance

Korean skin care for beginners: the basic order of steps

As general guidance, a routine comes down to four jobs, and every product in this guide fits into one of them.

1. Cleanse: wash the face morning and evening.
2. Treat: toner pads, serums, eye patches and masks go here, thinner products before thicker ones.
3. Moisturize: a plain moisturizer goes over serums.
4. Sunscreen in the morning: the last step of the day routine.

Start with a cleanser, a moisturizer and sunscreen, then add one treatment product at a time.

Cleanser: Anua Heartleaf Quercetinol foam

The Anua Heartleaf Quercetinol Pore Deep Cleansing Foam is a foaming face wash in a 5.07 fl oz tube. The brand recommends it for oily and combination skin and describes a fine, dense lather with a non-stripping finish. Heartleaf is the signature ingredient, quercetinol is described as a component extracted from heartleaf, and hyaluronic acid is also named.

The brand says it washes away base makeup. The listing mentions gentle exfoliating care without naming the ingredient, so read the full ingredient list.

Toner pads: medicube Zero Pore Pad 2.0

Toner pads arrive already soaked in toner, so the step is a quick swipe after cleansing. The medicube Zero Pore Pad 2.0 Toner Pads are the exfoliating kind: the listing names white willow bark, which the brand describes as a natural BHA source, and citric acid as the AHA. The brand positions them for people concerned about oily skin and rough texture.

Each pad has an embossed side and a smooth side. The brand says to swipe with the embossed side, follow with the smooth side, then pat in what remains. The details we have do not state acid percentages, the number of pads or how often to use them, so check the listing. Lavender is also listed.

Niacinamide serum: The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%

The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% Serum is a thin, water-based niacinamide serum built around two ingredients at stated concentrations: 10% niacinamide, a form of vitamin B3, and 1% zinc PCA. The brand positions it for oily and blemish-prone skin and directs a few drops on the face morning and evening.

The brand itself advises a patch test and says not to apply it to broken skin. A 10% concentration is on the higher side, and some people notice flushing or stinging at that level. The bottle size is not in the details we have, so check the listing.

Hydrating peptide serums: EQQUALBERRY and medicube PDRN

The EQQUALBERRY NAD+ Peptide Boosting Serum comes in a 30 ml (1.01 oz) bottle. The listing names NAD+, a complex of 14 peptides, five ceramides (NP, AP, AS, NS and EOP), vegan collagen and pomegranate extract. The brand markets it for firmness and hydration and describes the texture as lightweight, fast-absorbing and non-sticky.

The medicube PDRN Pink Peptide Serum is named for PDRN, which the title describes as salmon DNA, and peptides. The brand positions it as a daily hydrating serum with a non-greasy finish. Because the PDRN is salmon-derived, the serum is not vegan, and anyone with a fish allergy should ask a doctor first. The bottle size, the specific peptides and full directions are not in the details we have, so check the listing.

Retinal serum options: celimax and MEDITHERAPY

Retinal is a member of the vitamin A family, alongside the better-known retinol.

The celimax The Vita A Retinal Shot Tightening Booster states its strength: 0.1% retinal, with the peptide complex Matrixyl 3000, in a 0.51 fl oz bottle. The brand positions it for people concerned with fine lines and uneven texture. Its directions are specific: night use only, with sunscreen the following day. Beginners are told to apply a small amount every other night for the first two weeks and to cut back if irritation appears. The brand also says to avoid the eye area.

The MEDITHERAPY Retinal Skin Booster Face and Body Serum takes the opposite approach: a large 5.07 fl oz bottle for the face, neck and body. The brand markets it as mild enough for beginners and for day and night use, and suggests applying it after its hyaluronic acid serum and before its squalane moisturizer. That gentleness is the brand’s claim, and the listing does not state the retinal percentage, so its strength cannot be compared with the celimax.

General guidance for both: vitamin A products commonly cause dryness or redness when first introduced, and you should check with a doctor before using retinoids when pregnant or breastfeeding.

Under eye patches: BIODANCE hydrogel patches

Under eye patches are small gel pads placed below the eyes for a short time, then thrown away. The BIODANCE Collagen Peptide Hydrogel Eye Patches come as a 60 count pack, which is 30 pairs. The listing names collagen, peptides, exosomes, caffeine and hyaluronic acid. The brand markets them for puffiness and dryness around the eyes.

The brand describes the patches as irritation-free, which we cannot verify, and the eye area is delicate, so patch test first. The wear time is not in the details we have; check the packaging.

Overnight collagen mask formats: medicube and BIODANCE

The medicube Collagen Overnight Wrapping Mask is a tube product that the brand calls a collagen wrapping film. It forms a layer on the skin, is worn overnight and is peeled off afterwards, with no rinsing step. Collagen extract, ceramide NP and adenosine are named, and the brand positions it for hydration. The tube is stated to hold 2.53 fl oz and, according to the brand, is filled to about 80% of its capacity for transport. The applicator brush mentioned on the listing is not included. The amount to apply is not stated, so follow the packaging.

The BIODANCE Bio-Collagen Real Deep Mask is a hydrogel sheet mask sold as four masks of 34 g (1.19 oz) each. The brand recommends wearing it overnight, or for at least three to four hours, and says the sheet turns transparent as the essence transfers to the skin. The listing names low molecular collagen, oligo-hyaluronic acid, galactomyces ferment filtrate and niacinamide. The brand says it is formulated for sensitive skin; treat that as a brand claim and patch test.

How to choose

• Start from your skin type: the Anua foam and the medicube pads are aimed by their brands at oily and combination skin.
• Count your actives: exfoliating acids, 10% niacinamide and retinal are the active steps here. Introduce one active at a time.
• Look for stated strengths: The Ordinary and celimax publish percentages. Several other listings do not.
• Read the ingredient list: check it if you have allergies, avoid fragrance or avoid animal-derived ingredients.

Common mistakes

• Starting everything at once: if your skin reacts, you will not know which product caused it.
• Skipping the patch test: try a new product on a small area first, especially acids, retinal and anything used near the eyes.
• Layering acids and retinal on the same night: as general advice, beginners are better off using them on different nights.
• Forgetting sunscreen: use sunscreen during the day when using retinoids, retinal or exfoliating acids.
• Reading marketing as a promise: brand trial figures and words such as firming or tightening are positioning, not guaranteed outcomes.
• Expecting cosmetics to solve a lasting problem: ask a dermatologist about persistent skin problems.

Frequently asked questions

What is a simple Korean skin care routine for beginners?

As general guidance: cleanse, apply one treatment product, moisturize, and finish with sunscreen in the morning. Korean skin care for beginners does not need ten steps. Add pads, serums or masks one at a time.

Where do toner pads go in a routine?

After cleansing and before serum. The listing for the medicube pads does not give a frequency, so check the packaging and start with a few times a week.

Can I use a niacinamide serum and a retinal serum together?

celimax itself suggests a moisturizer with niacinamide after its retinal booster. Even so, introduce one active at a time, patch test each, and stop if redness or stinging continues.

How long do I wear an overnight collagen mask?

It depends on the product. BIODANCE recommends overnight or at least three to four hours for its hydrogel mask. medicube describes its wrapping mask as eight hours of care while you sleep.

Can I use a retinal serum while pregnant?

Vitamin A derivatives are generally avoided during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Check with a doctor before using any retinoid.

Bottom line

Korean skin care for beginners works best as a short routine built slowly. The Anua foam covers the cleansing step for oily and combination skin, and a hydrating serum from EQQUALBERRY or medicube is the simplest treatment step to add. The medicube toner pads, The Ordinary niacinamide serum and the two retinal serums are active products, so bring them in one at a time, patch test and wear sunscreen during the day. The BIODANCE eye patches and the two overnight masks are optional extras.

If you remember one thing about Korean skin care for beginners, make it this: read what a product is before what it is marketed to do. Confirm sizes, ingredient lists, directions and the retailer’s return policy on the listing before you order.