I tried the ‘7 Skin Method’

“and my neigbors had a lot of fun.“

Last night, I decided, was the perfect time to treat myself and to finally try out the Korean ‘7 Skin Method’. In Korean beauty jargon, the word ‘skin’ refers to toner, making this essentially a ‘7 Toner Method’, which involves intensely moisturizing the skin with 7 consecutive layers of the same toner, without weighing it down. Sounds like an ‘all you can drink’ evening at the local pub, without the hangover the next day. Hallelujah!

It’s recommended you use an alcohol-free, moisturizing toner; I personally like the Organic Flowers Toner Original (vegan) from Whamisa. A PR gift from the company, who probably wanted to send flowers by way of saying, “you live in Berlin? My condolences! Here, have some extra moisture.” While it does contain a small amount of alcohol, it is nevertheless quite rich and, in my opinion, far better than most of the aggressive toners recommended time and again for the treatment of acne. I’d stay away from these in general. The Korean brand instead relies on the power of fermentation and its list of ingredients reads like a tour through your local botanical garden. Another big plus: Aloe Vera is used as the base instead of distilled water, considerably increasing the toner’s moisturizing power.

And so begins my 7-step baptism to get me that little bit closer to K-Beauty heaven:

Step 1
Rub a few drops of toner between the palms of your hands and gently press onto the face. During step one, I grab my toothbrush and, harnessing the power of 8000 rotations per minute, remove the last remains of blueberry chocolate cheesecake before noticing that, after just a few seconds, my skin has already slurped up the first layer of toner like an after-work Martini.

Step 2
While rinsing out my mouth, I apply the second layer and notice my skin seems to be taking this ‘all you can drink’ thing pretty seriously.

Step 3
Upon reaching layer 3, I notice the bathroom curtains are open, and I wonder whether the neighbours are laughing at my broken record routine, having just witnessed the exact same ritual for a third time. Surprisingly, my skin suddenly feels much softer than after the first two layers. I write this having just completed layer three, and am already looking forward to the fourth layer, blinds open, because you should always remain a curiosity for the neighbors.

Step 4
The skin’s thirst begins to wane. The fourth layer takes longer to sink in and this extended waiting period brings with it new possibilities for distraction. I could wash that pot, rejected by the bouncer ‘cos the dishwasher was too full, now waiting patiently in the sink for a foam party. I feel very adult now, grab my phone and check instagram.

Step 5
At some stage during my facial baptism, I lost track of how many steps I’d completed and found myself unsure of whether I was currently at step 5 or 6. I then decided that this didn’t matter all that much, considering how soft my skin had already become, which also felt a bit rebellious and instantly made me look 5 years younger. I sit back down at the computer, check my notes and confirm that I do indeed have 2 layers to go.

Step 6
At this point I can hardly save myself from moisture, but I forge on, because my skin is admittedly looking much plumper and more refined. While the sixth layer is sinking in, I check on my baby, who makes dragon sounds, yet again confirming my suspicions that I am indeed the true ‘Mother of Dragons’.

Step 7
The seventh layer sinks in and my skin is now really soft. I finish off my labor of layers with a few drops of oil serum and once again reach for my toothbrush, for no better reason other than the neighbours could see me eating leftover pasta in the bathroom between steps 5 and 6.

Update:the following day my skin was visibly plumper and smoother. So much so, in fact, I was practically radiating. Will I continue? Of course – in the name of science and of the neighbors on the other side of the road.

Update²: And here’s the reason why I turned my ‘7 Skin Method’ into a 3 Skin one.

Photo: Powder Paper