Dear, Klairs complete routine for sensitive skin: gentle K-beauty from cleanse to seal

Why Dear, Klairs built a brand around sensitive skin

Dear, Klairs launched with the explicit mission of formulating for skin that reacted to almost everything — skin that Korean beauty editors described as "trouble skin" in the early years of the brand. The Supple Preparation Toner, the Rich Moist Soothing Cream and the Midnight Blue Calming Cream became cult products because they delivered results on the exact skin type that most K-beauty actives excluded: reactive, redness-prone, fragrance-sensitive skin that responded to standard toners with stinging, to ceramide creams with milia, and to standard serums with inflammation. Every product in the Klairs line is developed under the constraint that sensitive skin must tolerate it daily.

Step one: the Gentle Black Deep Cleansing Oil

Dear, Klairs Gentle Black Deep Cleansing Oil 150ml is the first step of any evening routine that included SPF or makeup. Its black colour comes from activated charcoal, which provides mild additional pore-drawing action while the plant oil base (squalane, sunflower, jojoba) dissolves water-resistant sunscreen and makeup. The key differentiator for sensitive skin is its emulsification: on contact with a small amount of water, it turns milky and washes off completely without residue. Many cleansing oils leave a subtle oily film that interferes with subsequent product absorption; this one rinses fully, leaving the skin clean and comfortable rather than stripped or coated.

Step two: the Supple Preparation Unscented Toner

After cleansing, the Supple Preparation Unscented Toner 180ml provides a fragrance-free hydration reset before serums and treatment products. For sensitive skin, this step is not optional — cleansing, even with a gentle oil, temporarily disrupts the skin's surface hydration balance, and the toner restores the moisture base needed for serums to absorb and for the skin to tolerate active ingredients. Pressing the toner in with palms rather than cotton avoids the mechanical friction that aggravates reactive skin.

Steps three and four: serum and calming cream

The Rich Moist Soothing Serum follows the toner, providing concentrated hyaluronic acid and ceramide actives on the newly prepped surface. Applied by pressing rather than spreading, it absorbs without disturbing the toner layer. The Midnight Blue Calming Cream seals the routine on evenings when any redness or reactivity is present. On calm evenings, the Rich Moist Soothing Cream can be substituted for the Midnight Blue — it provides more deep hydration than the calming cream but less specific anti-inflammatory action. Having both and choosing based on the day's skin state is the most responsive approach to sensitive skin management.

Morning routine adaptation for sensitive skin

Morning for sensitive skin with Klairs products: after a water-only or minimal cleanser rinse, the Supple Preparation Toner is the first step (morning cleansing is often unnecessary for sensitive skin that cleanses thoroughly in the evening). The Rich Moist Soothing Serum follows for hydration depth. SPF50+ — a fragrance-free formula like the ISNTREE Hyaluronic Sun Gel or the SKIN1004 Sun Serum — finishes the routine. The morning Klairs routine takes under three minutes and provides the hydration base, barrier support and UV protection that sensitive skin requires daily regardless of what the evening routine adds.