The buzziest diet in South Korea at the moment has nothing to do with cutting back on gluten, sugar, or dairy. In fact, food isn't even involved. Instead, the "Skin-Care Diet" is basically the Anti-10-Step Routine. It forgoes the hallmark of K-beauty by focusing on a streamlined skin-care regimen consisting of just two or three steps.

Over the past six months, several people from both Seoul and New York City have mentioned the K-beauty trend to me, so I felt inclined to do a deep dive on the Skin-Care Diet — even though the thought of any diet makes me cringe.

The Need for a Minimalist Skin-Care Routine

To put it simply, the Skin-Care Diet is all about minimizing the steps in your skin-care routine to decrease irritation. The routine is limited to cleanser, moisturizer, and SPF, and all the products are typically free of any harsh active ingredients.

Reason being? Many believe the Skin-Care Diet is a response to the downfalls of a 10-step routine. "People have been piling on so many different products that they've developed redness, sensitivity, and even worse — contact dermatitis," says Liah Yoo, the New York City-based YouTube star and founder of Korean skin-care brand KraveBeauty, who has become the stateside face of the Skin-Care Diet. Not only does she share her experiences with it on social media, but her sold-out products are also inspired by it. I originally learned about the Skin-Care Diet from one of her followers/K-beauty shelfie extraordinaire, Dev. (On Instagram, he's better known as @sokoskincare.)