One of my new year's resolution is to take better care of my skin. And one way of doing that is to invest into a skincare routine. For me, I've always preferred skincare products over makeup. As someone who struggled with many skin concerns: acne, clogged pores, dark spots, oily t-zone, just to name a few, I wanted to find ways to address them. Here are the products that I've been using and loving.
My AM Skincare Routine:
I pretty much do the same morning routine everyday. However, if you look in my nighttime routine, well that's a different story.
My PM Skincare Routine:
As you may have noticed, I don't use some of the same products every night. That is because each day is different, the weather might be different each day that may require a detoxifying clay mask or it might be dry outside and might require a sleeping mask. It's also important to me that I interchange products so that my skin doesn't get used to the product. It will make the product more effective. I try to space it out as even as I can.
Want to see if doing this skincare calendar helped improve my skin?
Check out this blog post here.
Products I Used:
Cleanser
Folks, it is so so so so soooooooo important to cleanse your face in the morning when you wake up and before you go to bed. It is the most important step to a skincare routine. Trust me, you'll feel much better when you wash your face. In the morning, I like to cleanse my face with the La Roche-Posay Medicated Gel Cleanser.
At nighttime, I use a different cleanser than in the morning. To prepare my face with products, I use a mild cleanser to clean out all the leftover makeup, dirt, debris, oil on my face! This one is the Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser.
Toner
Your face is like a canvas. But before you can put anything on it you have to make sure it's a clean slate. Toner works the same way: it preps your skin so that it's ready to take in all the products you will be putting on. It also acts as an additional cleanser, helping to remove the dirt, oil, debris you might have missed when you washed your face. The one that I use is Glycolic Acid toner from The Inkey List.
Essence
Essence is one of those skincare products that I’m a bit skeptical about. However, many K-Beauty fans express the importance of using essence, especially if you are oily/combo skin. So I decided to give it a chance. Essence is essentially (haha get it?) is a highly concentrated formula that gives your skin the hydration and brightening effects that it needs. What makes essence stand out is because it usually contains an active ingredient(s) to help with your cell turnover. Over time it should help your skin feel more smoother and brighter. To use, I dispense a couple of drops on my hands and pat it onto my face. The product that I'm using (thank you Elena!) is The Giving Essence from the Then I Met You skincare line.
Serum
Think of serums as skin boosters. They contain small molecules to help penetrate into the skin deeper. There are a variety of serums, each used to specifically target certain skin concerns. The one that I have is the Vitamin C Face Serum: Super Glow by Glossier. I use it by putting 3-4 drops into my fingers and focus on places where I have blemishes and hyperpigmentation, mainly around my cheeks. The Vitamin C is suppose to help with evening out the skin tone and making my skin look brighter and energized.
Exfoliate = Peeling Pads and Facial Razor
To exfoliate means removing the dry and dead skin cells that linger on the surface of your skin. This is one of the most important part in a skincare routine so that all the good products that you will put on your skin will be worth it. There are other great benefits to exfoliating: it unclogs pores, evens skin tone, boosts skin circulation, and much more. I exfoliate my face twice a week. After cleansing my face and patting it dry, I use a facial razor (not pictured) to shave off the dry/dead skin on my face as well as my peach fuzz. Afterwards, I use the G9 Skin Grapefruit Vita Peeling Pad and swipe it all over my face and neck.
Clay Mask
I like using clay masks to help draw out the impurities, pollution, and built up that sets on my skin. Clay masks are good for people who have oily and acne-prone skin (a.k.a. me) because it helps absorb excess oil and controls shine. I use these two products, Origins Retexturizing Mask and the Active Charcoal Mask, interchangeably depending on what my skin needs for the evening.
Sheet Masks
I looooooooove sheet masks! They are packed with nutrition and antioxidants for your skin. There's something about wearing a sheet mask at night that just screams self-care to me. When I visited South Korea with my gal pal, I stocked up on sheet masks. They are so easy to use, you just place the sheet mask on your face, pat so that the serum absorbs into your skin and leave it on for 20-30 minutes.
Eyes
Don't forget eyecare folks! Eye creams are created to help reduce puffiness and dark circles under your eyes. The one that I use is Bubblewrap Eye + Lip Plumping Cream from Glossier. I use one small drop and dab gently under my eyes using my ring fingers.
Hydrating Mist
I like using this product in the morning, it just makes my face feel refreshed and ready for the day. This one is the Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Ultra-Fine Mist. Bonus points for it smelling so yummy.
Moisturize
The seal in all of the good products you put on your skin, moisturizer is the way to go! I aways thought that moisturizer was bad for my oily skin, but in retrospect it actually prevents your face from being too oily! There are many different types: creams, gel, liquid/lotions. Halfway through the month, I finished the Trader Joe's Ultra Hydrating Gel Moisturizer. And for the rest of the month, I'm trying out the Multi-Perfecting Pore Corrector Gel Moisturizer from Algenist. I placed some on the palms on my hands, rub it together and pat it on my face.
Sleeping Mask
Another way to seal in all the products on my skin is using a sleeping mask. They are similar to moisturizers, however are more potent so it's best to only use this product once or twice a week. The one I have is Origins Overnight Hydrating Mask.
Sunscreen
Before you start your day, SPF should be on your face! It protects your skin from the harmful sunrays that if not protected, can cause sunburns, skin damage, dark spots, wrinkles...all not good. Sunscreen is the last step to my morning skincare routine. The one that I've been loving is the Glossier Invisible Shield Daily Sunscreen.
Other Products I Use:
Here are some other skincare products that I use. Some are tools, accessories, and products on my face. Check it out!
Cleansing Balm
If I wore makeup for the day, I clean it off by using a cleansing balm. It has the texture of coconut oil. You use it by scooping a quarter size amount of rubbing it on wet skin, wiping away all the makeup off! This one is the Clean It Zero: Cleansing Balm Revitalizing from Banila Co.
Silicone Face Cleansing Brush
Ooh this helps clean my face! I pump some cleanser onto it and turn it on. The vibration and soft bristles helps break up the oil and dirt on my face. I forgot the brand that I use, but you can find many online!
Lip Sleeping Mask
This product is awesome! I would apply this on my lips after I finished my skincare routine. I love how it leaves my lips moisturized when I wake up in the morning. This one is the Lip Sleeping Mask by Laneige.
Acne Treatment/Spot Corrector
For when I have some breakouts on my face, I love using these two products when I go to bed. After I did my skincare routine, I use a Q-tip to dab some products onto my breakouts. When I wake up in the morning, I see it almost disappear! The two that I use is the Mario Badescu Drying Lotion and the Better Skin Zit No More Acne Treatment.
Face Rollers
When I use a sheet mask, I love using these face rollers to massage my face! Not only does it feel good, but it also helps penetrate the serum deeper into my skin.
I like placing these tools inside my skincare fridge so that I feels cool when I massage my face. I don't recall where where I got these face rollers, but I'm sure you can find them easily in stores and online!
Skincare Mini Fridge
This was the best purchase ever! There's something about cold skincare products that makes it feel so good. I love placing all my products inside. This one is the Caynel Mini Fridge that I ordered online.
Upcoming blog post:
"I did a PM skincare routine for a month and here's what happened..."
Note: I am not sponsored by any of the brands that I mentioned. All the reviews in this blog post are purely based on my opinion alone.