The Koo Preparation
Included
- Polishing Cleanser | Anti-Toxin Facial Cleanser — 100 mL / 3.4 fl oz
- Hyaluronic Hydration Myst — 60 mL / 2 fl oz
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Where every patient's protocol begins.
Before correction, preparation.
Set the canvas. Then begin.
Preparation is not a step. It is the foundation. Tissue that has been properly cleansed and hydrated responds differently to every active that follows. This is the regimen I start every patient on.
Dr. Michele Koo, MD FACS · Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon
What preparation does
Lifts surface residue without disrupting the skin's natural lipid barrier
Binds hyaluronic moisture into the upper dermis before active treatment
Sets the stratum corneum to receive serums, retinol, and prescription regimens
Engineered for normal-to-combination skin entering a clinical-grade regimen
Clinical-grade preparation — not surface care.
The two-step beginning
Polishing Cleanser
A refined exfoliating cleanse designed to smooth texture without stripping the skin.
Hyaluronic Hydration Myst
A mineral-rich hydration mist designed to refresh, replenish, and soften the look of skin.
The surgical perspective
Tissue responds to preparation. What I see under magnification — how cleansing and hydration prime the skin for everything that follows — is the foundation of every regimen I build.
How to use
Morning and evening, in this order:
1. Polishing Cleanser. Apply to damp skin. Massage 60 seconds. Press, do not scrub.
2. Hyaluronic Hydration Myst. Spray to dampen the skin. Do not wipe — allow to absorb.
3. Proceed with your active regimen — Anti-Oxidant Vitamin Serum, retinol, or your prescribed treatment.
What I prepare in the practice, you prepare at home.
Created for
Skin entering a foundational daily regimen — normal to combination, preparing the surface to receive active treatment.
Ingredients
Polishing Cleanser · Anti-Toxin Facial Cleanser
Glycolic Acid and Lactic Acid for gentle alpha-hydroxy exfoliation, Pumice for mechanical polish, Sodium Cocoyl Apple Amino Acids, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Extract, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil.
Hyaluronic Hydration Myst
Sodium Hyaluronate for upper-dermal moisture binding, Actinidia Chinensis (Kiwi) Fruit Water, Malachite Extract, Zinc Gluconate, Copper Gluconate, Eucalyptus Leaf Extract, and a multi-amino acid complex (Glycine, Proline, Serine, Valine, Histidine, Alanine, Threonine, Arginine).
Full ingredient list
Polishing Cleanser · Anti-Toxin Facial Cleanser
Purified Water, Sodium Lauroamphoacetate, Glycerin, Cetyl Alcohol, Sodium Cocoyl Apple Amino Acids, Dimethicone PEG-7 Phosphate, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, PEG-40 Almond Glycerides, Butylene Glycol, Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Eucalyptus Leaf Extract, Betaine, Xylitylglucoside, Pumice, Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Extract, Glycolic Acid, Anhydroxylitol, Mentha Arvensis Leaf Extract, Lactic Acid, Xylitol, Disodium EDTA, Mentha Viridis (Spearmint) Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Triethyl Citrate, Ethylhexylglycerin.
Hyaluronic Hydration Myst
Purified Water, Actinidia Chinensis Fruit Water, Glycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Malachite Extract, Hydrolyzed Verbascum Thapsus Flower, Zinc Gluconate, Glycine, Phenylalanine, Serine, Proline, Valine, Xylitol, Histidine, Copper Gluconate, Isoleucine, Arginine, Alanine, Aspartic Acid, Threonine, Magnesium Aspartate, Anhydroxylitol, Sodium PCA, Sodium Lactate, Xylitylglucoside, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Eucalyptus Leaf Extract, PCA, Mentha Arvensis Leaf Extract, Potassium Sorbate, Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Extract, Sodium Benzoate, Mentha Viridis (Spearmint) Extract, Citric Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Triethyl Citrate, Polysorbate 20, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hydroxide.
Questions
Why does skin need “preparation” before active treatments?
Skin needs preparation because every active treatment — a retinoid, vitamin C, or prescription — must pass through the stratum corneum, the skin's outermost barrier. When that surface carries residue or sits under-hydrated, it absorbs unevenly and tolerates actives less well. The Koo Preparation cleanses without stripping and restores hydration to the upper layers, so what follows reaches skin that's ready to receive it. It's the step I complete on every patient before any treatment.
Is The Koo Preparation a complete routine, or does it go with other products?
It's the foundation, not the whole regimen. The Polishing Cleanser and Hyaluronic Hydration Myst are designed to come first, morning and evening, and to be followed by your active treatment — a vitamin C serum, a retinoid, or a prescription. On their own they keep skin clean, calm, and hydrated; their real purpose is to make every active that follows work on better-prepared skin.
Can I use it on sensitive or post-procedure skin?
Yes — this is the pairing I reach for with post-treatment skin. The Polishing Cleanser exfoliates gently without stripping the skin's natural lipid barrier, and the Hyaluronic Hydration Myst replenishes moisture without harsh or fragrance-heavy ingredients. If you've had a recent procedure, follow your physician's specific aftercare timeline first, then this is a low-irritation way to resume cleansing and hydrating.
How is the Polishing Cleanser different from an ordinary face wash?
The Polishing Cleanser differs from an ordinary face wash in what it leaves behind: it lifts surface residue and smooths texture while keeping the skin's lipid barrier intact. Most cleansers either strip the skin to feel “clean” or leave a dulling residue. This is a refined exfoliating cleanse — the goal isn't a tight, squeaky finish but skin that feels comfortable and ready for the next step.
How soon will I see a difference?
Most people notice skin feels smoother and more hydrated within the first few uses of The Koo Preparation — that's texture and moisture, not a dramatic transformation. Preparation works quietly. Its deeper value is cumulative: by keeping the barrier intact and skin well-hydrated, it helps the active treatments that follow perform more consistently over the weeks and months you use them.
Answered by Dr. Michele Koo, MD FACS — Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon
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Dr. Michele Koo, MD FACS · Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon