My Skincare Routine and 3 Essentials for Flawless Skin

2018 was the year that I officially nailed my “Skincare Routine”.

My skincare concerns have always been in these three areas:

1. Reducing the Hyperpigmentation
2. Making my Dark circles less noticeable
3. To have a bright glowy complexion

To top it off, my skin is really sensitive so I always appreciate the products that are good for my sensitive skin but actually does the job.

Does that sound like you?

Skincare to me is taking care of myself. I believe, no matter how much makeup you wear, if your base is not flawless, it is not going to give you the result that you want at the end of the day. Therefore, I like to invest in good quality products.

I follow the Korean Skincare routine with the exception of one or two steps in it. If you are not aware of the Korean skincare routine, it is a 10 step routine for flawless skin.

The Korean skincare routine is a technique of applying your skincare in different layers, step after step. This routine has truly given me the best results.

Before you read all about my skincare routine and the product recommendations, I would suggest you read this post :” how to build an effective basic skincare routine” , it talks all about the basics of skincare that everyone should know. If you are someone who always struggles with where to start, that post will be really helpful for you.

Anyways, let’s dive straight into the products and show you what I reach for…

Here is a quick reference checklist if you do not want to go over the details of each product:

✔Cleansing Balm – for the days I wear Makeup

✔Face Wash

✔Exfoliator

✔Toner

✔Serum

✔Moisturiser/SPF

✔Eye cream

✔Face Oil

For the exact products, see the links below under the description of each item.

My three essentials for Flawless Skin that addresses my skin care concerns: (more detail below on why I use these products)

1. A serum that works for Chemical Exfoliation
2. Vitamin C Serum
3. An SPF with UVA/UVB

Oh more thing, my morning skincare routine is similar to my evening skincare routine with a few product differences.

All products are mentioned in the sequence I layer them:

1. Cleansing Balm/Oil:

For the days when I am wearing makeup especially foundation, I first cleanse my skin with this Clinique take the day off makeup removing balm. This is so creamy and gentle. Removes all my makeup, even the mascara, and eyeliner. I never skip this, because the face wash I use is pretty gentle and will not remove my makeup as this does. I love this product and once you try it you will too!.

Bonus- it’s not an oil, so it is easy to travel with.

2. Face Wash:

Purity by philosophy is my favorite face wash. I have been using it for years now. Back in 2015, I got hormonal rashes and reactions on my skin, and this was the only facewash I used at that time. It is very gentle and won’t strip your skin. It will not remove your makeup, but that is why I like to remove my makeup first.

I have also listed some other drugstore options which I love and used before I switched to Purity.

3. Exfoliator:

I use a daily exfoliator. By exfoliator, I do not mean St. Ives. That is very harsh on your skin. What I use is a daily gentle exfoliator. This helps me to get rid of all the dead skin cells and helps to improve my skin texture.

The one I use is by Dermalogica.

A great drugstore option is this Aveeno daily exfoliator.

4. Toner:

I use to believe toners are unnecessary. In the past, toner was deemed unnecessary, too astringent, and incredibly drying, all of which are definitely not conducive to a radiant and healthy complexion. These days, toners do just the opposite.

These days, toners are so nourishing. They are alcohol-free and actually contain good ingredients.  Depending on the toner, it also can contain acids, glycerin, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatories.

I love this one from Glossier. Also, my favorite is the rose water mist or organic aloe vera gel if you do not want to splurge on a toner.

5. Serums:

Serums are the most essential part of any skincare routine if you ask me. If you can only splurge on one thing- do it by investing in a good serum. It has completely changed my skincare game.

Serum is a skincare product you can apply to your skin after cleansing but before moisturizing. Serum is made up of smaller molecules that can penetrate deeply into the skin and deliver a very high concentration of active ingredients. This makes them a great tool for targeting specific skincare concerns, like hyperpigmentation.

Based on your skincare needs, you can look into different types of serums available on the market. The ones I use are for hydration, brightening (targeting my hyperpigmentation) and for skin firmness.

One serum that has completely changed my skin is from Drunk elephant. I know there is a lot of hype around this product. The hype is Real !!! It has glycolic acid in it, so it chemically exfoliates your skin.

This is different from a physical exfoliator, that I mentioned above because, a chemical exfoliator like this one will penetrate deeper into the layers of your skin and will brighten your skin from its deepest layer. I use this twice a week at night.

The other serum I use every day is also from Drunk Elephant and it is the Vitamin C serum. I use this in the morning. I love Vitamin C because it helps with my skin’s texture and hyperpigmentation. It gives my skin a glow.

The most important thing to remember when using a Vitamin C serum or any targeted serum, in that case, is to to use a sunscreen daily. More on that below.

6. Moisturiser/ SPF:

There is not much to say about moisturizers but the one I use is from Aveeno. It’s affordable, gentle and it’s hydrating.

SPF– I use SPF every single day! Even if it’s cloudy and raining, its a must for me and it should be a must for you too.

I feel like a common myth with SPF is – “if it’s raining, you do not need an SPF”. Wrong! The truth is, the UV rays will damage your skin even on a cloudy day.

I love both of these – first aid beauty as well as the SkinCeuticals SPF

7. Eye cream :

I cannot even keep a track of the number of eye creams I have tried over the years. This one is what I love the most. It does not irritate my eyes and has drastically improved my dark circles.

8. Face Oil:

I use a face oil at the end and below are the ones I love the most. For me, a face oil locks everything in place and provides extra hydration and suppleness.

Once a week:

I apply masks 4 times a week and each mask is for a different purpose. Here are my favorite masks.

Before any special Occasion:

One mask, I use before any special occasion is this Drunk elephant face mask. It gives my skin an instant glow! As if, I just got a facial. It’s expensive but so worth it.

Once every two months:

I go for a facial every two months. I usually ask my esthetician for a regular cleanup including extractions, as well as for a deep hydration and brightening treatment.

This might sound a lot to you right now, but flawless skin takes effort. That’s just the reality of it. You cannot expect great results without any effort unless you are blessed with great skin. In that case, you are lucky!

What are some of your favorite skincare products? Have you used any of the products I mentioned above?