Skincare Routine! [AM]

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Heyya I'm baaaack. My poor blog has been collecting dust so I figured that I should at least keep this place alive. I've posted this same photo on my Instagram but I thought I should do a full post because I just thought that mayyyyybe this could help some people.

So I'm pretty into this skincare thing. You may or may not know that I struggled with acne and pimples since I was a teenager. It started out small but it escalated into those pesky little cluster of pimples that just refuses to go away. To top it off, I have zero idea of what a good skincare routine is at that point. I tried a lot of different products of different brands with variable results. But lo and behold, on my 22nd year of being alive, I discovered Skincare Addiction and Asian Beauty on Reddit. They pretty much single-handedly help me to figure out how to handle my skin. I never actually posted a thing there because basically all of my questions has been asked and answered hahah. Anyway, back to my own routine:


AM Routine (top row)

• Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser

So anyway, the one constant thing that I had been using for years since my sister recommended it to me when I was still a high-schooler is this baby. Mild, gentle, non-irritating; basically my skin's best friend. Here's the thing, your cleanser is supposed to clean your face from impurities and that is it. It does not stay long enough on your skin to be absorbed like cream and whatnots. And a good cleanser should not leave your skin feeling tight, that's probably a sign that it's stripping away your moisture - a lesson I learnt the hard way.

Oh it can also be a makeup remover if you run out of one.

• Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream

This is pretty recent but I have to say I like it since it doesn't break me out. The popular belief that I keep hearing is that if you have an oily skin, you do not need moisturizer. Well guess what, that is not true. You should be wearing a moisturizer no matter what kind of skin type you have. Wearing these actually helps me curbs my breakouts. See, if your face is dry, the oil would build up and the oil would then clog your pore which in time, turns into a pimple. Lesson here? Wear a moisturizer. Find one that suits you best and stick with it.

• Clinique's Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel (DDMG) for combination/oily

The Cetaphil's cream may be a bit rich for some people (I pair the cream with my sunscreen that mattifies so I've no problem with it), but fret not, DDMG is the magic potion you're seeking. This gel is so great I was confused whether I've put it on or not the first time I used it. It's super light, you don't even feel it on your skin and definitely not oily. You know how moisturizer almost always feels a bit sticky and dewy and you hate it because you have an oily face and it just makes your face looks worse than it already is, well, this one makes you wonder if you've even put on your moisturizer - and mattifies too! I rarely wear this because I always wear a sunscreen that's mattifying so the combo of this and the sunscreen can cause a bit of dryness (I've a combination of oily-dry skin now) so this only goes on when I am meeting people, if I'm just running errands or at home, Cetaphil is my get-go moisturizer.

• Biore UV Perfect Face Milk SPF50+ PA++++

This is the most perfect sunscreen I've ever found yet (someone said Shisheido is great but I've no budget for that yet). One, it's affordable - for a small bottle it last for a long time. Two, it has a powdery finish and not sticky - perfect for oily skin. And three, I need a good sunscreen because I'm using a AHA/BHA peel and retinol products in the PM. I'm not the most familiar with sunscreen but from what I know is the higher the number and the PA level, the better it is. And this product have a powdery finish, instant mattification! What more can a girl who don't feel the need of wearing foundation everyday would want?

EXTRA

• Biore UV Perfect Spray

This is a really new addition and I don't wear it on my face. It's pretty new here I think because I've never noticed it before (or maybe it's just be being ignorant, correct me if I'm wrong eheh). Basically a spray-on sunscreen but it's pretty great because it doesn't have that sticky feeling to it at all. I'm not sure about the water resistance properties though because I've threw away the packaging and the instructions on the bottles are all in Japanese.

Now, the subs on Reddit that I've mentioned also have a handy guide on how to build your own routine to suit your need so I highly recommend you to surf their forum. Keep in mind that what may works on others may not work on you so don't be frustrated if what works for me doesn't work for you. Thing is, we are all different entities with different lifestyle and skin. You can try people's recommendation, but it does not mean that just because you have the same skin type and trouble with the other person, it will 100% have the same effect on you.

PM Routine will be posted tomorrow!