If you're well versed in K-beauty terminology, perhaps you've come across the seven skin method. It practically exploded in popularity after its inception, and for good reason: The simple method results in dewy, luminous skin, in a way that makes people stop and wonder: Did she just wake up like that? It only makes sense why the technique holds its own among K-beauty mainstays like glass skin and the beloved BB cream. 

Note: This seven skin method works, and it's oh-so-easy to add to your skincare routine. Here's exactly how to do this method for skin that looks plush and pillowy.

What is the seven skin method?

The seven skin method refers to the toning step in your routine. Toners are commonly referred to as "skins" in Korea, so essentially it's all in the name: During the seven skin method, you're patting a hydrating toner or essence into your skin—you guessed it—seven times. But while the name suggests seven layers, Alicia Yoon, celebrity esthetician and founder of Peach & Lily, explains that number is quite arbitrary. "It's not really a hard-and-fast rule," she tells mbg. "You can apply it seven times, you can apply it five times, or you can even apply 20 layers." 

No matter how many layers you choose, the kicker here is hydration: a difficult feat, it turns out, as our skin is exposed to so many daily aggressors that can easily suck the moisture from our skin. "You're essentially giving yourself a mini hydrafacial," says Yoon. And if a hydrating toner or essence is already part of your routine (as it should be, she remarks), it's not so difficult to incorporate the seven skin method into your nightly lineup—you're really just paying more attention to the toning step.

Who should do it?

According to Yoon, all skin types can benefit from a hydration boost. Perhaps dry skin is the most obvious: Dry, dehydrated skin is practically screaming for moisture. As for oily skin, we know that when your skin gets dry, it can actually respond with more oil production—so your uptick in oiliness may very well be a response to dryness. Acne-prone skin can also benefit from an intensive focus on hydration, as it can calm inflammation associated with breakouts; plus, hydrating toners and essences are typically noncomedogenic, says Yoon. There's really no downside to adding some extra hydration, and the benefits soar. 

How to do it. 

"You can do it in a couple of different ways," says Yoon. You can either do it right there at your sink, as you go through your typical nighttime routine. Or you can follow Yoon's route: She brings her essence to the couch, turns on the TV, and pats it on in layers for the duration of a 20- to 40-minute show. It's slow and meditative, in a way: "I don't even really count," she says. "Maybe I'll go through like 20 layers." 

Of course, you don't have to apply 20 layers to reap the benefits of the seven skin method (even five layers can enhance your glow). But there's a benefit to giving yourself this intense "hydrafacial" every once in a while: "Your skin just feels so plumped up with hydration afterward," Yoon adds. 

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