I will start by saying that I am extremely lazy and despise meticulous skincare routines that will take more than an hour before you can go to bed. Don’t get me wrong, I also went through a phase when I became obsessed with beauty channels on YouTube and I tried to copy how they take care of their skin.
Remember the once-viral Soko Glam’s 10-step Korean skincare routine? Been there, done that! And I swear, it was not for me. I felt that it was an overkill! Too many steps and too many products.
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step 7! hit the heart if you know what is this! #10stepkoreanskincare #korean #annyeong
As I get older and busier, I realised that I have to figure out a habit that is sustainable for me. Something that fits my skin type, my schedule and my budget!
First thing I did was to learn about your skin. We have different skin types and what may work for me, may not work for you. I have oily skin and was prone to acne and breakouts during my teen years. I figured that in order for my routine to be sustainable, it should fall under three criteria:
Fast – My whole night routine takes only 20 minutes! That includes taking a shower and brushing and flossing my teeth. This way, I can still do it whether when I’m travelling or when I’m really exhausted.
Natural and environment-friendly (as much as possible) – I cannot totally cut off artificial ingredients, but I try to lessen them in areas that I can.
Budget-friendly – Skincare routine shouldn’t be expensive. Drug store dupes and natural products are the best!
I feel like I’m following rules of three here because my cheap and lazy skincare routine only involves three important steps – cleansing, toning, and moisturise every day. However, I do additional steps during weekends or when I’m travelling.
CLEANSE
I turn to Japanese products when it comes to cleansing. Skincare is a big chunk of Japan’s cosmetics industry. Companies put more emphasis on skincare rather than make-up as Japanese women are the most passionate about skincare. My all-time favourites are the Senka and Biore facial wash. These facial washes are light and extremely foamy. When I use these products, I, sometimes, no longer have to use a toner afterwards. Here’s a video about Japanese’s quest for perfect skin:
TONE
I learned that when your toner stings, it may be a sign of chemical burn. Most toners in the market hurt my skin. Now, I use an all-natural toner – a mix of apple cider vinegar and distilled water. I put 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in 200ml of water then add a few drops of my favourite essential oil to counter the smell. Aside from toning your face, apple cider vinegar has anti-bacterial properties. Plus, it is incredibly cheap!
MOISTURISE
Moisturising is a crucial step to keep your skin plump and young-looking. Before I apply my moisturiser, I dab spots of eye cream. A step I adopted since I turned 30.
I am really picky when it comes to moisturisers and lotions. For me, the smell and the feeling on the skin after application also matter when choosing my moisturiser. Tubs of aloe vera are cheap and I decant the product in smaller tubs as I use it. We are all aware of the benefits of aloe vera such as:
- Helps soothe sunburn.
- Helps to moisturize the skin.
- Boosts healing of wounds.
- Fights skin aging.
- Reduces infection and acne.
- Lightens blemishes on the face.
In Part 2, I’ll share the additional steps that I do during weekends and when I’m travelling.
*This post is not sponsored by any of the mentioned products.