When it comes to skincare, there’s no such thing as one-size-fits-all (for those who thought that way, sorry to shatter your heart). Our bodies are all made differently – partly lifestyle, partly environment, mostly genetics – and skin is our body’s largest organ. Did you know that?!
As our bodies are made differently, we all have different skin types. There are those with sensitive skin, acne-prone skin, combination skin, oily skin, mature skin and normal skin. What these mean I’ll get into eventually in my other posts. But, what’s most important is understanding your skin type and curating a skincare routine that is effective for you. Beauty is a saturated market and the amount of information and news can be overwhelming, and as a matter of fact, the amount of products available can put you off. Take the Korean ten-step skincare routine: don’t get me wrong, Koreans have amazing glassy, glossy and glowing skin, but is it really necessary to use ten products every morning and evening to achieve that? Maybe, but more often than not, no. Let’s go back to basics and craft a routine with the non-negotiables. (*Disclosure: Because I have sensitive skin, a lot of the products I recommend are generally safe for all skin types. I’m not a dermatologist, so do consult your doctor before use.)
First things first, we all need a cleanser, and I swear by double-cleansing. I use a cleansing oil or cleansing balm to thoroughly clean off makeup, dirt, pollution and residue from a day’s outing. You can also use a basic makeup remover but I feel they might not be enough to get rid of the nitty-gritty grime for a clean slate. Post-cleansing balm or oil, I follow up with a regular gel-type or water-soluble face wash that caters to my skin needs. If I’m breaking out, I reach for an acne-specific face wash. But if my skin is smooth sailing, I reach for something mild and gentle.
After cleansing, I lock in my skin’s moisture and hydration levels with a serum. Introducing, hyaluronic acid serums. Hyaluronic acid is perfect for all skin types, and fun fact, it’s already in our eyes, skin and joints to retain moisture and keep our tissues and joints lubricated. You may have heard about hyaluronic acid coming from a rooster’s comb, but fear not, there are ethical and plant-based ways of sourcing this ingredient nowadays.
Next up, I use either a Vitamin C serum in the morning to brighten up my complexion or a Vitamin C-based moisturiser. Vitamin C has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties to prevent skin from free radical damage, evens skin tone and stimulates collagen production. At night, instead of Vitamin C, I go straight for a moisturiser that packs in an extra punch of moisture and repairs my skin overnight. I opt for ones that have peptides and/or ceramides, and anti-ageing ingredients like bakuchiol, a gentler alternative to retinol.
Eye cream is also a non-negotiable. I tend to opt for eye creams infused with caffeine because caffeine can reduce the appearance of puffy eyes and dark circles, even if it’s a temporary pick-me-up. There are also soothing eye creams that come with a metal applicator to promote blood circulation and depuff the under-eyes.
Last but not least, only in the mornings, sunscreen! Protecting my skin from damaging UV rays is important to me, as does ageing gracefully, so I never leave the house until I slather on a generous dollop of sunscreen. I’ve been through heaps of sunscreen products, some that are thick and leave a white overcast and some that feel fine texture-wise but after a few minutes leave my skin feeling suffocated. I finally found ones that work for me, light with a barely-there effect, and now absolutely love without having to worry about breakouts occurring!
