I’m Back With a Simplified Routine
I've always been known as a skincare lover, but if you were around during my college years then you know how deep the rabbit hole goes. I am so excited to say that I've returned to my original passion project that began my journey into the beauty industry: blogging!
I'm excited to share my routines, thoughts, and the beauty conversations I have with my online friends. In the meantime, let me share how my skincare routine has changed since we last talked...
In case you missed it, the last time I was active in the skincare community was when Korean Beauty was just starting to make its appearance. There were only a few retailers stocking K-Beauty (and they weren’t Amazon!), there was no Laneige at Sephora, and the online domination of the beauty community was still simmering in the background.
And of course, since my entry into the beauty world was through K-Beauty... I may have had a rather complicated routine...
Since then, I have waxed and waned on how much skincare I was willing to do at the end of a given day. Between COVID lockdowns throwing everything off and personal emotional struggles, there were plenty of days when I skipped skincare altogether.
However, I've managed to settle into a minimalistic (for me) routine that relies on exfoliating actives to get the heavy-duty job done.
Here's what my skincare routine has been looking like lately:
Gentle Cleanser
I don't wear much makeup anymore so now-a-days I skip the double cleanse and stick to a gentle cleanser to remove SPF and impurities. I’ve always been an advocate for gentle cleansers that get the job done without over-stripping the face. I’ve been using and liking the BOYMA Creamy Jelly Cleanser, but I generally keep my cleansers simple. If I’m not using the BOYMA cleanser I’m using the equally gentle Foaming Facial Cleanser for Normal to Oily Skin by CeraVe.
Exfoliating Acids
These are the secret behind showing up to an event with glowing skin despite being inconsistent with my skincare.
I like to use the Glycolic Acid 7% Exfoliating Toner from The Ordinary every other day to help smoothen texture and give my skin a glow.
If I really want to get my skin in order, I’ll use The Ordinary’s AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution (yes the red one) two days prior to an event to help revitalize my skin.
Exfoliating acids are the type of actives you need to be careful with if you don’t want to over-exfoliate your skin. As a buffer, I like to I leave a day or two in between using these products and am very aware of when my skin feels tight or stings. For beginners, try 1-2 times a week to start and build up from there.
Serums/Treatments
This is where the bulk of my previous routine use to live. Between toners, serums, and masks, this part of my routine evolves depending on my skin's needs and if my curiosity led me to buy a new product recently. Generally, I’m looking for extra steps to add hydration to my dry skin, improve texture, and give me a lively glow. I've been enjoying a simplified routine of:
Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG for my under eyes
Cosrx Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence
Cosrx Galactomyces 95 Tone Balancing Essence
I’ve also become a big fan of milky toner products, such as the Paula's Choice EARTH SOURCED Purely Natural Refreshing Toner & Laneige’s Cream Skin Toner & Moisturizer. They’re a great way to lock in moisture and have skin-friendly ingredients, usually in the form of oils and anti-oxidants. Think of them as a supercharged toner that does more than your standard hydrate and calm.
Ceramide Heavy Cream
Creams with barrier-restoring ceramides have always been my favorite, and the CeraVe Moisturizing Cream has been at the top of my list for ages. It's a great formula for locking all the goodness of your routine into the skin and offering your skin barrier protection. Especially during the winter.
Even though the cream is thick, it melts down into the skin nicely and is great for nursing over-exfoliated skin back to health.
Oil at Night
I like to treat my skin to rosehip or camellia oil on top of or mixed into my moisturizer, especially on nights I use an exfoliating acid. I find it helps add an extra boost of moisture to the sensitized skin, and it nourishes the new skin for a healthy glow. Rosehip oil is great for calming down irritation and acne, while camellia oil is great for moisturizing and a next-day glow.
Sunscreen During the Day
Of course, every day is a sunscreen day. I like a very moisturizing chemical-based sunscreen to give me a dewy finish and act as a final layer to make sure my skin doesn’t dry out throughout the day. I've been really liking the Black Girl Sunscreen because it gives a beautiful glassy finish and is moisturizing for my dry skin. Other sunscreens I've been liking:
Biore UV Aqua Rich Sunscreen Water Gel: Not as moisturizing as Black Girl Sunscreen, but feels very smooth and light on the face.
Hydro Boost Water Gel Lotion SPF 50: Slightly more moisturizing than Biore UV sunscreen and gives the skin a healthy sheen.
So that's my current routine! That being said, recent additions suggest that my routine will be growing pretty soon... Especially after my recent trip to a few Korean and Japanese markets where I grabbed some goodies.
Until then, I'm excited to restart my blogging passion project! Next up, I want to share how glycolic acid got me through the phase when I was rarely washing my face... The lockdown skincare blues were serious!