How to get that korean glass skin

There’s a glow about Ana Amigo-Antonio. Aside from the inner beauty and radiance that come from a happy state of being, her skin has that unmistakable smoothness, tautness and dewiness that makes you want to lean a little closer and ask the question: What are you using? The answer is Riman, the luxury Korean skincare brand that has brought its beauty ritual to Rustan’s Makati through a pop-up running until Sept. 6. And in Ana’s case, getting the skin she has now began with something she initially found rather daunting: a seven-step skincare routine. 

Ana’s conversion to Riman was unexpected. In 2025, she went through a difficult period with her skin. A health condition and subsequent treatments left her with flare-ups and marks. She consulted different dermatologists, but the problem persisted. Then she got hold of Riman beauty products. Her first reaction was probably what many women would think which is “Do I really have to do all seven steps?”

“But within three days of using it, my skin was so soft. I couldn’t stop touching it,” she recalls. “After a week, people started noticing.” Ana herself saw that her skin looked tighter, taut and more lifted, while friends began commenting that it looked as if she had no pores. The results intrigued her enough to start researching Riman and its ingredients. What had initially seemed like too many steps became a ritual she began looking forward to. She is not the only Riman convert. Tessa Prieto, a brand ambassador for Riman, has been using the products for six months. “Riman has been part of my skincare routine for the last six months and you can see the fantastic results,” she says. 

Ritual, after all, is at the heart of Korean skincare. Riman’s philosophy combines centuries-old Korean self-care traditions with skincare innovation, with an emphasis on hydration, radiance and caring for the skin barrier.

At the recent Riman event at Rustan’s, that ritual moved from the vanity table to the beauty counter. Despite the rain outside, women gathered to discover and, more importantly, actually try the products. Hosted by Rica Lopez de Jesus and moderated by Ana, the afternoon became a hands-on skincare session as guests were guided through the Riman regimen.

Seven steps and more

The famous multi-step Korean skincare routine can seem intimidating. We live in an age when everything is supposed to be quicker and easier, so the prospect of putting several products on your face before you can go to bed, or get out the door, may sound like another item on an already long to-do list. But there is a certain logic to the Riman ritual. Each layer has a purpose, and once you understand the progression, it feels less like counting steps and more like simply taking care of your skin.

Ana shared information on the steps. “It starts with Cleansing Oil, massaged onto a dry face. When water is added, the oil emulsifies, helping remove sebum, blackheads, whiteheads and impurities from the pores. Then comes the Cleansing Powder, which turns into foam with water for a second cleanse. There is something satisfying about this double cleanse: first melt everything away, then wash the remnants of the day off your face. Clean skin is then given back its moisture. The Oil Mist is shaken and lightly sprayed over the face to help lock in hydration, followed by the Calming Balance Gel to add another layer of moisture.” 

The Calming Balance Gel is one of the more indulgent products in the collection. It contains Damask rose water, 24K gold and eight-layer hyaluronic acid. The tiny gold flakes melt as the gel is massaged into the skin. There is something deliciously decadent about rubbing 24K gold onto your face, although beneath the glamour, the purpose is quite practical which is to soothe and hydrate the skin. 

Then comes the most distinctive part of the ritual which is the Booster, Serum, Booster step. Riman calls this moisture-layering technique “Boo-Se-Boo.” A light layer of Dermatology Booster prepares the skin, the Dermatology Serum follows, and then the Booster is applied once more over the serum before everything is sealed with Dermatology Cream. Think of it as a skincare sandwich for your complexion. 

Behind this seemingly simple layering is some rather serious skincare formulation. The Dermatology products feature ingredients including Giant BYoungPool, Lava BYoungPool Water, amino acids and Inecellsome. Giant BYoungPool is derived from Centella asiatica, or cica, an ingredient already familiar to devotees of Korean skincare. The focus of the Dermatology line is hydration, moisture balance and a firmer, more radiant-looking complexion. 

For daytime, the ritual can continue with Sun Gel for UV protection and BB Cream as the final step to even out the complexion. So while Ana refers to the seven-step routine that initially seemed daunting to her, Riman can actually become seven steps and more, depending on the products you use and whether it is morning or evening. 

Science in your skincare

Riman also has its Radiansome 100 Microfluidizer collection, a toner, essence and cream focused on moisturization, radiance and the appearance of firmer, more even-looking skin.

This is where K-beauty begins to sound a little like science class. Riman uses Microfluidizer Technology, an ultra-fine processing technique that reduces formulation components to a uniform microscopic size. It is combined with Flexible Liposome Technology and a four-step microfluidizer process. The technical terminology may be overwhelming but the beauty objective is much easier to understand: formulas designed to feel light and smooth on the skin while delivering moisture and supporting a radiant complexion. The Radiansome ritual itself is simple. Apply toner, followed by essence, and finally cream.

And perhaps that is what makes the Riman approach interesting. Beneath all the science, proprietary ingredients and very Korean devotion to layering is an old-fashioned idea that women have always understood, which is taking care of your skin takes time. We have become so obsessed with shortcuts, multitasking and instant gratification that even our beauty routines are expected to hurry up. Riman asks you to do the opposite. Cleanse. Layer. Massage. Wait. Repeat. Seven steps, or even a few more, no longer seem quite so excessive when the process itself becomes part of the pleasure.

Perhaps that explains why Ana, who initially thought seven steps were too many, now looks forward to them. When you begin seeing the skin you want looking back at you in the mirror, seven steps suddenly doesn’t seem like work at all. And judging from the glow on the women at Rustan’s that afternoon, there may be something to be said for slowing down and giving our skin a little more attention.

Catch the Riman pop-up at Rustan’s Department Store Makati until Sept. 6.