My Skin Care Routine

Let's Talk Skin Care! Growing up I had sensitive and acne prone skin, so when choosing which products to use, I must be extra careful. My skin is also often a combination of dryness and oiliness. After discovering the Korean skin care regiment, my skin has been noticeably clearer and brighter. However, I understand that using numerous different products may be too time consuming and tedious. As a university student myself, time is extremely precious, however, I am so accustomed to my skincare routine that skipping even one step can throw off the rest of my day. 

So if you are curious about starting your own skin care routine, these are my holy grails that I highly recommend! Currently, I am using a mixture of American and Korean brands, however, you are more than welcome to switch any of these products that are more suitable for your skin type.

*You do not have to use some of these products everyday

1. DOUBLE CLEANSING:

In the morning, I use the Cosrx Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser which is a 2-in-1 facial cleanser that helps exfoliate and balances the pH levels in your skin. I like using this cleanser because it penetrates deep into the skin to remove dead skin cells and improves skin texture.

At night, it is extremely important to thoroughly cleanse your face after a long day from all the nasty sweat and gunk in the air (especially if you wear makeup). Foremost, you should start with an oil-based cleanser and then move into a water-based to completely remove any impurities like makeup, sunscreen, dirt, and sweat. I use the Deep Pore Cleanser from Origins and then the Soy Face Cleanser from Fresh. I know, three different cleansers can be excessive, but SOOO worth it!

2. TONERS:

Okay, so after you thoroughly washed your face it is time whip out the almighty toner to rejuvenate and hydrate your skin that will keep skin protected and smooth. These next three products are probably the most important in my routine, as they are the foundation to perfect skin. First, I use the Keihl's Calendula Herbal Extract Alcohol Free Toner because I am in love with the floral scent and the fact that it doesn't dry out my skin. I like to transfer some into a small spray bottle, spraying the product right onto my face and then using my hands to pat the product into my skin. Oftentimes, people with acne tend to use toners with a lot of astringents (chemicals & alcohol) in hopes of getting rid of oils and other impurities, however this can be very harmful to the skin's ability to repair itself. Instead, I like to use natural toners that hydrates the skin instead of leaving it dry af. Secondly, I go in with the SON&PARK Beauty Water which gives my skin an extra boost to make it soft and dewy. Thirdly, since aloe vera has numerous anti-aging and healing properties, I use the Aloe Vera Soothing Gel from Nature Republic as one of my moisturizers before applying an essence and serum. As a child, my mom would cut aloe vera roots from my grandparents front yard, and apply the sticky serum onto my face, but this product from Nature Republic gives you all the benefit of aloe vera without the hassle. 

3. ESSENCES:

This plays as the heart of my skin care regimen, as the ingredients in most essences

help hydrate, brighten, even out skin tone, firm skin, and reduce the visibility of wrinkles. For this step, I have two different essence for day and night usage, however, you are more than welcome to only use one essence. In the morning, I use the Galactomyces 95 Whitening Power Essence from Cosrx, which doesn't actually "whiten" your face, but renews the skin, making it more youthful and vibrant. At night, I use the Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence which contains different ingredients that are made to stimulate the formation of collagen and elastin, repair damaged skin, and restore hydration. I like that these essences are not tacky, and leaves the skin polished for the next step.

4. FACE MASKS:

For face masks, I alternate between two different types, one to remove impurities and one

repair damaged skin. Once a week, I will use Origins' Clear Improvement™ Active Charcoal Mask, which is formulated to flush out environmental toxins, dirt and debris that can clog pores and causes skin to look dull. Bamboo charcoal has the ability to remove excess oils that lead to blackheads and dissolves the impurities deep in your skin that forms acne.

*Pit: When using the charcoal clay mask, this would be the step after using cleanser!

On other days (at least twice a week), before I catch up on some reading or television series, I would use Korean sheet masks as a way to relax and pamper myself. Sheet masks are a great source of antioxidant and vitamin for your skin and helps lock in the nutrients before it evaporates from the epidermis. To be honest, I don't really have any recommendations on sheet masks, because I believe that they are all great. They are mostly all inexpensive (unless you are bougie & buy one made from gold) and easy to use; just put it on your face and lay down for 15-30 minutes. Personally, I enjoy using sheet masks that are made from gel (hydrogel), since they are more hydrating and provides a colder touch to the face.

*Pit: In the summer, keep sheet masks in the refrigerator to make them more refreshing from the scalding heat.

5. SERUMS, AMPOULES, AND BOOSTERS:

These products are generally used to for the same range of purpose and are a valuable step

after applying your toner or essence. Before incorporating serum into my skincare routine, I always felt like something was missing, since my skin looked a little lackluster and dull. However, serum becomes more important as you age, since it helps target problems areas such as brown spots and fine lines. There are hundreds of serums on the market that tackles different things, and you should also do some research before purchasing the product. For instance, if you are using a product that contains retinol and increases your sun sensitivity, you should only use the product at night to avoid UV rays. For me, I use the Mega-Mushroom Relief & Resilience Advanced Face Serum from Origins, as an AM & PM serum after applying my essence or because it is a thicker cream, after using a sheet mask. I recommend this product because of the many beneficial properties of Reishi Mushrooms, such as strengthening the skin's barrier and building resilience to give healthier looking skin. 

6. MOISTURIZERS:

Living in California or anywhere with particularly dry weather, having a dependable moisturizer is a MUST! Moisturizing is important because it keeps your skin healthy and prevents your skin from becoming itchy, flaky, or irritated. Without the extra hydration from moisturizing, your skin does not have the strength to battle daily environmental exposures that can cause fissures in the outer layer of your epidermis. To simply rephrase it; without moisturizing, your skin does not have the nutrients to become resilience against the natural pollutant in the air. In the morning, I like to use the Oil Eliminator' 24-Hour Anti-Shine Moisturizer from Kiehl's since it has a lighter consistency that gives a more matte finish and minimizes the exposure to excess oil, sweat, and pollution. At night, I like to use a thicker moisturizer such as the Cosrx PHA Moisture Renewal Power Cream or even the Innisfree Jeju Orchid Enriched Cream, which is still my favorite eye cream in the market. Most times, people think that an eye cream only has one purpose, however, during the winter, I like to use a thicker moisturizer to keep my skin hydrated overnight. 

7. SLEEPING PACK:

This is probably one of the easiest steps on this list because it only requires your attention once a week and all you need to do is apply and go to sleep. A sleeping pack is just another fancy term for moisturizing but contains more hydrating and nourishing ingredients than most daytime moisturizers. During my time abroad in Seoul, I purchased the Innisfree Jeju Orchid Sleeping Mask, and have fallen in love with this product ever since. This product has many beneficial properties including the ability to take cares of fine line and finesse elasticity of the skin. While some people do not like products that are too fragrance, however, I absolutely love the floral smell of this sleeping pack, since it gives a very relaxing sensation after application. 

8. SUNSCREEN:

Finally, the last and most important step in this routine! While sunscreen does not have any magical properties to improve the skin, it does have the ability to minimize the damage and deterioration from UV rays. Even on a lazy day when you don't apply the first 7 steps, you should always apply facial sunscreen before heading out. For sunscreen, I use the Cosrx Aloe Soothing Sun Cream, because I love the natural fragrance and slightly thick consistency of the cream. In the past, when I used oil-based sunscreen, I felt that my face became too oily throughout the day, however with this product it leaves a more dewy but matte finish in the end. 

Thank you so much reading! If you have any questions please let me know in the comment section below.