Skincare Routine: Early 2017

I never really had acne when I was a teenager gone through puberty. My face was really oily but it stayed smooth. I only really used facial wash back then.

But everything changed when the fire nation attacked.

I can’t remember now when I exactly started breaking out but I think it was around when I was 19 or 20. The acne was mainly concentrated on my cheek area at first. I tried so many drugstore products and even went to a dermatologist who gave me antibiotics and products which dried my face out. I wasn’t aware of the online skincare community then, so without the help of /r/AsianBeauty and /r/beautytalkph, I bought products that were not kind to the skin and I shot my moisture barrier to shit. My acne worsened and I lost hope, living with painful breakouts and a constantly red face.

However, by late last year, I subscribed to /r/beautytalkph and got to talk with other people who I shared skin types and skin concerns with. Most importantly, they were from the same country, which meant recommendations were mostly easily accessible or even locally produced. Between November last year and today, my routine has been mostly unchanged save for the addition of sheet masks, and it had been the best few months for my skin.

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/BS6Eh0uhSpz/?taken-by=calacatia

Note: Sorry if I don’t have proper product photos for these, I don’t have a proper setup for pretty product shots, my house is poorly lit in the late afternoon/early evening, I have a day job, etc etc generic excuse. I’ll include links, though. They’re not affiliate links, I’m not that important.

Morning Routine

This one’s pretty simple. I rinse my face thoroughly with just water for I found that using a cleanser in the morning dries me out.

• Pat on almost a teaspoon’s amount of Human Nature Hydrating Face Toner
• Massage in one pump of Nature Republic 92% Aloe Vera Soothing Gel
• Pat on a thin layer/one pump of Human Nature Day Moisturizer
• Pat on the proper amount of Biore UV Aqua Rich Water Gel

Nighttime Routine

• Cleanse off sunscreen and any makeup with a pump of Muji Cleansing Oil
• Emulsify and rinse off the oil with water
• Double cleanse with Human Nature Hydrating Creamy Wash
• Pat on almost a teaspoon’s amount of Human Nature Hydrating Face Toner
• Put on a new sheet mask (my current favorite line is the Cosima Jeju Farm sheet masks in Green Tea, Aloe, and Snail that I get from Beauty In Seoul)
  • If there’s extra essence from the sheet mask, I usually save that for the following night and drop in a compressed mask pellets from Daiso
• Massage in one pump of Nature Republic 92% Aloe Vera Soothing Gel
• Pat on a thin layer/one pump of Human Nature Day Moisturizer
• Pat on a thin layer/one pump of Human Nature Night Moisturizer
• Seal everything with a thin layer of Vaseline Petroleum Jelly

That’s it! It’s not as extensive as most asian skincare bloggers’ routines, but it’s working for me. I’m looking on adding a few new products, though, to address my main concerns now that my acne is subsiding. After asking around the forums and reading reviews, I’ve decided on the following products:

For redness and general texture

• CosRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence – this has unbelievable hype in the AB community and I can’t wait for my order to arrive
• CosRX BHA Blackhead Power Liquid

For additional hydration

• Muji Toning Water High Moisture

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I love seeing other’s skincare routines so if you’re reading this, comment down below and share yours. 🐱