How To Do The 7 Skin Method: A Step-By-Step Guide To Plush, Cushiony Skin

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

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.

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. 

Whether you apply five to seven layers at the sink, or 20 layers during a movie night, here's how to incorporate the seven skin method into your routine: 

As this method is meant to hydrate your skin, you'll want to choose a hydrating, calming toner (peek our recs down below). You don't want to slather on a stripping astringent here—especially because you're applying it over and over on your skin. That said, take an extra look at the ingredients: "There are a lot of toners out there that are disguised as hydrating, but when you look at the ingredients it can actually be very agitating," says Yoon. Check for the most common players, like alcohol and fragrance—so you don't apply literal layers of perfume on your face. 

After cleansing your face, Yoon suggests shaking out two to three drops of toner at a time, pressing the formula into your skin with your hands. There's technically no hard-and-fast rule for how thin each layer should be; "I just like to do it a little thinner at a time because I know it's all just soaking in and it's not all evaporating out into the air," she says. She compares the process to soaking a dry, brittle sponge: With a steady faucet drizzle, you can watch the sponge really plump up with hydration rather than spraying the nozzle on full blast. 

After you feel your skin is satisfyingly plump and hydrated (again, some days it may be five layers; others, it may be 15), feel free to carry on with your serums, moisturizers, and the like. Sometimes Yoon even chooses to skip the serum, especially after a more intense 30-layer method. "I'll sometimes feel like my skin's OK," she explains. But you surely can follow up with more nourishment if you so choose; antioxidant-rich serums might absorb even better after your skin is so amply hydrated. Nevertheless, always follow up with a moisturizer or oil (you want to lock in all the hydration you just spent ample time patting in, no?). 

Similarly, if you decide to slap on a hydrating sheet mask before bed, your skin might already be plumped up with hydration—no need to add any more layers. But if you'd like to rely on the seven skin method nightly, you totally can: "If you do around 10 layers or less, you can do that every day," Yoon advises. 

Before diving into it, mind these final tips and warnings: 

The seven skin method is such an easy way to give yourself a hydration boost; all it really entails is spending more time on that toning step before sealing in the moisture. Think of hydration as a one-way ticket to plump, bouncy skin that feels plush to the touch—and everyone can benefit from a little extra love, no matter your skin type. Take it from Yoon: "I haven't met a single person where I thought, 'Oh my gosh, your skin is too hydrated.'"