By the end of my week, this skin care experiment passed the ultimate test: I arrived to work harried, out of breath and feeling haggard (having only slept about five hours the night before). Running even later than usual, I'd dashed out the door without a stitch of makeup. But no sooner had I hurled my near-lifeless body into my chair when one of my coworkers turned to me and remarked, "Your skin is glowing. You look amazing." That could have been a fluke, but a second person quickly agreed, "You really do. Your skin looks SO good!"

(At that point, I said a silent prayer to the gods of Korean skin care.)

I've tried a lot of skin care products during my years as a beauty writer (by latest count, around 1000 in the last year alone) and I can honestly say that this is the best my skin has looked in a long time. You don't have to undertake every step of this time-consuming (and wallet-consuming) routine, but it may be worth introducing a few steps into your regimen. Be it a great double cleansing duo, several layers of hydrating toner, or even some adorable masks, any of the steps alone can make a world of difference.

Image via Imaxtree