Product Empties #7

It has been literally months since I last did an update. I'm not going to apologise because I've been swamped with everything that's been going on in my life. For more frequent updates on what is going on, you can check out all my social media handles (@YiQingggg on Facebook/Instagram/Snapchat/Twitter). I've been beyond stressed so I decided to head back to what relaxes me, which is playing around with beauty items. 

Because I haven't been updating anything here lately, yet I've been still keeping up with my skin care and makeup everyday, I've collected my largest collection of empties to date. So I thought I will kick start my blog with a new product empties post. 

Beauty Stash | Blusher

I am back with yet another beauty stash post and this time, I'm going to be sharing about my blusher collection. I dug around my cheek drawer and was pretty taken aback to find 14 different blushers. Like I am not kidding with you, I found 14 blushers and that does not include all the contour/bronzers or highlighters. One person does not need THIS many blushers but since I do, I might as well do a post about it. 

A disclaimer just before I start, I am by no means proud of the fact that I own 14. I think 14 blushers is excessive and most of them are unopened ones that I opened for the sake of this post. I am not showing off what I have, I am just aware that I am incredibly blessed to be able to own make up. My collection may seem excessive to many and too little to some but I am just here to share so no hate! 

If you're interested to see what I have in my collection as well as see the swatches, please carry on reading.

What's in my Travel Makeup Bag?

I have been doing quite a lot of travelling in the past few months and what better time to do a What's in my Travel Makeup Bag then when I'm actually halfway through my travels? I took this photos whilst I was in my B&B in Snowdonia National Park so this is legitimately what I brought with my when I travelled.

Besides the number of lipsticks I brought (it WAS a bit excessive), I think I pretty much brought what I needed and that was about it. So if you're interested to see what I brought, please carry on reading.

Review | Lancome Blush Subtil Rose

Today's post is going to be a review on my all-time favourite blusher, the Blush Subtil Rose from Lancome in the shade #10. I've been using this blusher for a good, oh I don't know, 4 years maybe? I've gone through 2 of this already and I still love it as much as I did since I used this for the very first time.

Sunday Night Pamper Routine

Some say Sunday is the start of the week and some say it's the end. Whichever the case it is for you, I usually leave Sunday nights as my pamper nights, simply because it's the end of the week for me (my usual off days are on Mondays). 

I keep up a pretty detailed skin care routine every day of the week because I believe in giving my skin the best there is on a daily basis but there are days when even I get lazy to do the full works on my face. But try as I might, I never ever skip my Sunday night routine because it is the one night i really strip my skin bare of all the makeup and gunk that may have accumulated on my face throughout the week and load on all the good stuff.

So let's first start with the pre-cleanse, or better known as the removal of make up. Before piling on all the good stuff onto your face, you have to remove all things that may clog your pores and prevent your skin from fully absorbing all the nutrients and benefits of your subsequent products. Naturally, the first step would be to remove all your make up. 

I typically use Lancome's Bi-Facil to remove all my eye make up, especially the stubborn waterproof mascara that I coat on my eye lashes. I have raved about this eye make up remover so many times before because I truly believe it's the best I've used so far. It removes make up so easily and quickly and it does not sting the eyes at all. The only downside to this is that it is super pricey. 

Next, I'll follow up with a make up remover to remove the products I use on my face. The one I'm current using is Lancome's Galateis Douceur. It is a cleansing milk so what I typically do is to do 2 pumps onto my palms, rub it all over my face to break down all the make up products, and gently wipe everything off with a piece of tissue. While this cleansing milk does do the job of removing most traces of make up, I like to do a double cleanse to make sure I've throughly removed all traces of make up.

My next step is to use a cleanser (which is the second step in double cleansing). My current facial cleanser is Mamonde's Super Moist Foam. Just squeeze a little bit of the cleanser on the palm of your hand, add water and it lathers up pretty well. While I do not rely on facial cleansers to remove make up, I have done a test on the abilities of this cleanser to remove make up. It didn't remove eye make up totally but it did a good job in cleansing away face and lip make up so when I'm done with cleansing, I'm pretty sure I've gotten rid of all traces of make up on my face. (Review: HERE)

After cleansing, I like to use a physical exfoliator to scrub away any dead skin cells on my face. This not only helps promote skin cell renewal but it also helps with deep cleansing my pores. A long time favourite of mine is definitely St Ives's Apricot Scrub, specifically the one that is for blemish control. I like to do this scrub 2-3 times a week after I wash my face with a cleanser. I feel that this minimises the possibility of spots appearing. Clean pores means less chance of clogged pores which leads to lesser spots. Just squeeze some out on to your finger tips and rub it onto your face. Make sure your face is damp and avoid your eye area! Be sure to rub gently so as not to injure your skin.

Once I'm done with all the cleansing, I like to do a purifying wash off mask before I even start with the rest of my skin care. I can hear everyone going "What?! Yet another step?!" Well yes, I do like to make sure my face is squeaky clean before I pamper my face with all the good stuff. My favourite wash off mask of the moment definitely has to be Skin Food's Egg White Pore Mask. It purifies my skin really well without drying it out at all. I apply this onto dry skin, leave for about 10-15 minutes then rinse off. (Review: HERE)

Toners are an essential part of our skin care routine. They are the first step in helping to replenish moisture back into our skin that may have been lost during the cleansing process. Toners also help to soften and prepare the skin for the rest of the products that will be added on subsequently. I'm currently taking a break from my favourite Boots Botanics All Bright Cleansing Toner and I'm giving Mamonde's Rose Water Toner a shot. So far I'm liking it a lot! Just squeeze out some of the toner onto a cotton pad and sweep it all over your face, avoiding the eye area of course. (Review: HERE)

I like to do my eye creams immediately after my toner but I know many people like to leave it to the last step so it really is up to you. There is no right or wrong way of doing this. Eye creams are essential for hydrating the delicate eye area. Even if you do not have fine lines around your eyes, proper hydration is the first line of defence against aging so be sure to invest in a good eye cream to keep the area around your eyes hydrated! I'm still using my trusty Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment. I scoop a little of this on my ring fingers, rub them together to warm up the product, then dab it gently around my eye area. This cream definitely does the trick in keeping my eyes happily moisturised. (Review: HERE)

After eye cream, I move on to essence. Whilst most people use essence and serums interchangeably, I typically view essences as the more liquid version of a serum. I've used IOPE's Bio Essence Intensive Conditioning for quite a while (although I didn't feature it in my 10 step skin care regime because I didn't start using this until after I did up that post) and I've really been liking it. Applying this literally feels like applying water onto my face. It does what it says it does, which is to improve the condition of my face. After adding this into my skin care regime, I notice my face becoming smoother (lesser of those little pesky bumps are formed on the face), my complexion becoming brighter and clearer, lesser spots tend to form during that time of the month, my face becomes a lot lesser oily than before, and the redness on my face as a whole seems to have lessen. What I do is to pour a bit of this onto the palm of my hand, rub my palms together and then pat this all over my face. Alternatively you can choose to soak a cotton pad with the lotion and sweep it all over your face (the same way you would do with a toner), avoiding the eye area. (Review: HERE)

Now it's time to talk about serums. I love serums. They're like a concentrated shot of goodness to the face, and you get to choose what goodness you want on your face. On most days I just stick to my trusty Innisfree Green Tea Seed Serum. I've raved about this serum so many times before so I believe I do not need to do so here. I pump one pump onto my palm, rub my palms together, then pat it all over my face, avoiding my eye area.

This is pretty new to my skin care regime. Since I thought I would give my skin a break from my favourite Boots toner, I thought I would give the serum from the same range a shot. I got the Boots Botanics Radiance Concentrate Serum All Bright when I was in BKK and so far I'm really liking it. I'll probably do up a full review on this after I try this for a longer period of time (I've only been using it for 4 days or so). I drop 3-4 drops on my palm, rub my palms together, then pat it all over my face, avoiding my eye area.

After I'm done with my serums, I like to do a sheet mask to energise my skin. I really love doing sheet masks because not only do they inject much needed moisture into my skin, they also come with all sorts of skin benefits depending on what flavour they are. Also, it is so calming to just lie down with a cooling mask on my face and a book in my hand (or whatever phone game I'm addicted to at the moment) for a good 15-20 minutes. It helps me relax after a long day at work or being out with my friends/boyfriend. My sheet masks of the moment have been from Etude House's I Need You range. You can click HERE for my mask haul (with short write ups on each mask and the link for the full review of the individual masks if they are up).

On the areas where I have spots, or scars from spots, I apply a thin layer of Nature Republic's Soothing & Moisture Aloe Vera Soothing Gel. I'm a huge fan of aloe vera and all the amazing benefits it has. If you're prone to getting spots, you should know how amazing aloe vera is at soothing those angry and painful red spots as well as helping with the healing process. On areas when my skin is peeling, I also like to dab a bit of aloe vera gel and by the next morning, all the peeling stops. It's amazing and this aloe vera gel is so crazily affordable.

Last but not least, I top everything off with a moisturiser. My current favourite is Mamonde's Floral Hydro Cream. I love everything about this cream. Not only does it smells amazing, it is incredibly hydrating even though it is really light weight. There's honestly nothing not to love (unless you're a tub hater). (Review: HERE)

Last, but not least, I top everything up with a sleeping pack. I'm currently using Laneige Water Sleeping Pack_EX. I've been using this for years as the last step in my skin care routine and it just seals all the amazing goodness into my skin. I always wake up with smoother skin the next day whenever I use this.

And this concludes my Sunday Night Pamper Routine :> I hope this has been helpful to all those who are looking for pamper routines to well pamper your skin. 

10 Step Skincare Regime

I've been meaning to do up another beauty related post for quite a while but I just couldn't seem to find the time (and motivation) to do so. Tonight though, while I have a sheet mask on my face, I thought I would finally sit down and do up my 10 Step Skincare Regime.

In today's day and age, it's really hard to find time to do elaborate skincare regimes. I mean who really wants to sit down for a good half an hour massaging various products into their faces? Ain't no body got the time for that. However, I really feel that if you were to take a look at the steps in this skincare regime, you'll realise that you're probably already doing most of these steps.

Not all of these steps are relevant for you (especially if you do not put on makeup) and not all these products may work for you, but I'm just sharing my skincare regime today.

1. Make Up Removal

Removing of make up effectively is essential if you want your skin to stay blemish-free. After all, the top cause of blemishes is clogged pores which come about if you do not remove make up properly.

Most of us love putting on make up, I mean, who doesn't want to look pretty right? However, we also tend to get lazy at the end of the day, and removing make up is definitely a hassle. I do not know any one who actually enjoys scrubbing all the make up off their faces. But this is a very important step because improper removal of make up can lead to clogged pores which of course, end up in pimples.

What I usually do is to first soak a cotton pad with Innisfree's Apple Juicy Lip&Eye Remover and press it firmly on my eyes for maybe 10-15 seconds before gently moving the cotton pad off my eyes. This lip and eye remover does a pretty good job of removing all my eye make up, even waterproof mascara and it smells really good to boot.

Next, I will use a face make up remover to remove my base make up. The one I'm currently using is Lancome's Galateis Douceur which is a cleansing milk. I'll dispense the product on my hands before gently rubbing it into my skin, slowly breaking down the make up on my face before using a tissue to wipe the cleansing milk off my face.

Honestly, I don't think this is the best face make up remover and I'm just using it because I haven't finished my bottle yet haha. I bought quite a few face make up removers when I was in Korea so definitely stay tuned to my reviews on those when I finally finish this bottle!

2. Cleanse

The next step is to cleanse your face. Washing your face with a cleanser equates to doing a double cleanse which I feel is important to remove any residue of your make up and any traces of your make up remover. Also, if you use oil-based make up removers, this will remove the oily or greasy feeling you may still feel even after washing your face with water.

Be mindful to use gentle, circular motions to really massage the cleanser on your face and avoid rubbing too hard because this may injure your skin and cause it to lose its elasticity in the long run. It is also best to first use warm water to open up your pores to allow the cleanser to deep cleanse your skin and to rinse off the cleanser with cold water to close your pores and tighten them.

I alternate between two facial cleansers simply because I feel that they suit different purposes. In the day, I find myself reaching for Simple's Kind To Skin Moisturising Facial Wash because it is good for sensitive skin and it is light on my face. I feel that I don't need a heavy-duty facial cleanser in the mornings.

At night, my current favourite facial cleanser is Mamonde's Super Moist Foam. I feel that it is super hydrating and it doesn't leave my skin feeling tight at all although it does its job at removing all traces of make up.

3. Exfoliate

Exfoliating your skin with a good, well, exfoliator is important to remove all dead skin cells from your face, dirt from your pores, and promote skin cell renewal. Dead skin cells tend to stay on our skin's surface, which hinders all the good stuff from your skin care products from being properly absorbed into the deeper layers of your skin.

I usually exfoliate my skin twice to thrice a week, depending on how my skin feels. That being said, if you have sensitive skin, it is probably best to only exfoliate your skin once a week to avoid putting too much stress on your skin.

I've tried a few exfoliators but I always find myself going back to St. Ives Apricot Scrub because it's not only really affordable but it does leave my skin feeling brighter and baby-butt-smooth without feeling raw or tender.

Make sure your skin is damp before gently rubbing this onto your skin in circular motions. Be careful not to use this on the skin around your eyes as this may damage the thin layer of skin and cause premature aging.

4. Clarifying Masks

I have noticed that this step does not seem to be featured in most skin care regimes however I think it definitely is a pretty important step! Everyone knows that clay masks do wonders for the skin. They soak up all traces of dirt and grease and some even help to tighten pores in the process.

My current clay mask is from Innisfree and it is their Super Volcanic Pore Clay Mask. I religiously slap this baby on my face at least once a week to suck up all the impurities from my face. Just apply it on your face and wait for about 10 minutes before rinsing it off in circular motions with warm water and you'll definitely see your skin condition improve over time!

Another good clay mask option would be the Mask of Magnaminty from Lush. I love how it feels super minty and refreshing on your face and due to the particles in the mask, it exfoliates at the same time. Thus, if you use the mask of magnaminty, you can easily skip the previous step. (You can read my full review of this mask HERE.)

5. Tone

Toning is such an important step because it not only prepares your face for all the skin care products to come, it also helps to remove any residue leftover from your facial cleanser. Toners have an array of skin care benefits depending on the brand and the type. Some help to brighten the skin, restore the PH on your skin, tighten pores, hydrate your skin, cleanse your pores....

Just soak a cotton pad with your toner of choice and sweep the cotton pad all over your face and neck. Don't be alarmed to see traces of make up on the cotton pad! This may happen more often than not.

I typically alternate between two toners, once again, one for the day and the other for the night.

For the day, I use the Cleansing Toner All Bright from Boots' Botanics range. My mum brought this back for me when she last went to the UK but I believe Boots is now available in certain Watsons/Guardian stores in Singapore. I'm not sure if they brought their Botanics range over though.

This toner has definitely helped to brighten my skin and keep it from looking dull which is why I love to use this during the day before my make up for clearer and brighter looking skin.

At night, I prefer to use Etude House's Wonder Pore Freshner. This toner is known to help deep cleanse pores, tighten pores, control sebum production, minimize appearance of pores and to help hydrate the skin. All good stuff which I want for my skin. (You can read my full review of this toner HERE.)

6. Serums

Serums are essentially liquids with high concentrations of goodness. Think of all the good stuff in your moisturizer, just more concentrated. This step is considered the most important step for many people because serums tend to be lighter in consistency which means that it gets absorbed faster and easier into the skin as compared to moisturisers. Also, because it is less oily/greasy than moisturisers it is ideal for people with oily skin.

You may choose to only use one serum or to layer a few. The rule of thumb is to use the most watery product first before proceeding to the thicker ones so that your skin is able to absorb all the products effectively.

Typically, I dispense the serum onto my hand, rub my hands together, and then pat my hands all over my face. The heat from my hands helps to break down the active ingredients from the serum and allows my face to absorb the product better.

I use two serums on my face. The first being Innisfree's Green Tea Seed Serum. This little baby is packed full of moisture and anti-oxidants which protects your face from premature aging. It is also really lightweight and does not leave your skin feeling greasy at all.

My next serum of choice is Innisfree's Eco Science White C Pore Double Serum. If you love citrusy scents, this is a definite must buy for you because it smells amazing! This serum is also pretty lightweight (though it is thicker than the Green Tea Seed Serum) and has a velvety finish when applied on the face.

This little baby has both benefits of brightening the skin and tightening pores which is the best two-in-one product that suit my skin care concerns at the moment. I'm all for the Korean bright skin look, and I want to minimize the appearance of my pores and this serum definitely does both! It has also helped to control sebum production and I find my T-Zone to be a lot less oily than before but it does not leave my cheeks feeling dry at all.

7. Sheet Masks

I believe I've said this many times before but sheet masks are a must for me! I apply make up for long hours every day and I work in an aircon environment which leaves my skin feeling dehydrated at the end of the day. Sheet masks definitely add a boost of moisture back to my skin and also plays a part in my unwinding at the end of the day.

Sheet masks are amazing because unlike creams or serums which evaporates after a while, sheet masks force your skin to absorb the nutrients and moisture better since you're leaving them on for a good 10-20 minutes. The effects of sheet masks are also immediate. After removing the sheet mask, you can see your face looking slightly more plump and brighter thanks to all the moisture the mask injects into your skin.

I don't do sheet masks every day, I alternative days, because I think it will be too heavy for my skin but I know of people who do sheet masks every single day. I wouldn't say sheet masks are a must for every day use but try to do it at least twice a week?

What I like to do is to place the sheet mask on my face before either watching YouTube videos or catch up on Running Man. After 10-20 minutes, I'll peel the sheet mask off and pat the remaining product into my skin.

I bought back a whole bunch of masks from Korea (you can read about my mask haul HERE) and my current favourites are from Innisfree and The Face Shop. I think any of the sheet masks from these two brands are pretty decent however my favourites are definitely the Rice, LemonLime and Royal Jelly ones from Innisfree.

8. Eye Cream

The thin, fragile skin around your eyes is the first area to show signs of aging and if this isn't an important reason to show care to the area around your eyes, I don't know what is. 

Many people I know tend to skip this step because they don't feel that it is important since they don't show signs of aging just yet. However, the skin around our eyes lack glands which produce sebum to keep the area hydrated. Also, the skin around the eyes is under the strain of 22 muscles in perpetual motion and 10,000 blinks per day. This probably makes the skin around our eyes the most stressed part of our face and this is why this area typically is the first to show signs of premature aging.

Do note that not all facial products are suitable for the eye area because of how thin and fragile the skin there is. It is best to use an eye cream or a face cream which specifies that it is gentle enough to be used around the eye area.

I love how Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado is really hydrating and isn't greasy at all! Although it has a thick consistency, it does not cause my eye make up to cake even if I apply it before my make up. It also does not cause oil seeds to form around my eyes.

9. Moisturisers

A moisturiser is essentially a product used to lock in all the goodness from earlier steps into your skin by forming a barrier between your skin and the external environment. Moisturisers also, typically, hydrate your skin.

Moisturisers come in many forms, from light gel-like textures to heavy creams, and it is best to choose one which suits your skin type. If you have oily skin, a gel moisturiser would be best for your skin because it will hydrate your skin without leaving it feeling too greasy. If you have dry skin, than a thicker cream would be better suited to hydrate your skin.

Always remember, just because your skin is oily does not mean that your skin is sufficiently hydrated and that you can skip this step. You skin may produce excess sebum because it is dry and thus produces more sebum to coat your skin in an attempt to lock your skin's moisture in.

My current obsession is from Laneige and it is their famed Water Bank Gel Cream_EX. This moisturiser is pretty light weight and it absorbs really well into my skin without leaving it feeling greasy.

10. Sleeping Masks

Really? Yet another step? Well yes, my dears, the road to beauty is a long one, but it is definitely worth the investment both in time and money.

Sleeping masks are essentially masks which you apply on your face and leave on overnight instead of peeling it off (as you would to a sheet mask) or washing it off (as you would for clay masks). In the morning, just wash it off and you are good to go!

Because I sleep in an air conditioned room (can you really sleep without air con in Singapore's crazy humid weather?) I aim to pack my face with as much moisturising goodness as I can before I sleep to prevent my skin from being dehydrated and this step is important for me waking up to plumped and hydrated skin.

My favourite sleeping mask has got to be Laneige's Water Sleeping Pack_EX. I've been using it for more than 2 years and I still love how my skin feels the next morning.

If you feel that using a sleeping mask after your moisturiser is a tad too much, what you can do is to skip your moisturiser at night and apply the sleeping mask directly. Or alternatively, you can skip this step altogether and just stick with your moisturiser.

And this, concludes my 10 step skincare regime.

This may be a tad too much for you to take in, especially if you're new to the whole idea of using skin care products. If this is the case, it would be best for you to start with the 3 basic steps of Cleansing, Toning, and Moisturising first before adding other steps into your regime.

Always remember that it is best to not overwhelm your skin by starting all these steps at one go. Instead, slowly introduce one step and one product into your skincare regime at a time and allow your skin to get used to that particular product before adding another one. This also allows you to troubleshoot which product is unsuitable for your skin should your skin start acting up.

I hope this post helps in explaining what each step essentially is and what each type of product featured in each step helps to do to your skin!

(All photos in this post were taken from google.)

Face Make Up Collection

So... I am pretty aware that I only have one face and that there's only so many products I can pile on my face at one time. But when you're in the land of all things beauty (read: Korea), it's really too hard to resist the temptation not to shop.

BB Cushions have been all the rage in Korea (and in Singapore as well) and I found it so hard not to buy just one more which results in... Too Much. And since I went to Korea twice, it means, Way Too Much. Sobs.

As usual, I haven't actually tried most of the face make up I got yet (as you can tell from the fact that most of them are still in their boxes. But let's talk about the ones I have tried.

My holy grail foundation used to be Lancome's Teint Miracle before I swapped it over to the Mat Miracle because I found TM's coverage a little too light for my liking. Also, the bottle of TM I had was in a shade that was too dark for my face.

The new long wear miracle: Mat Miracle 24H. A unique combination of 4 patented Aura ™ and Eternal Soft Fix Complex™ technology, for satin luminous finish and all day wear. All-day sebum resistant and shine control. All-day heat and humidity proof. All-day no transfer.

Lancome's Mat Miracle has been my go-too foundation for quite a while before I actually swapped over to Innisfree's Eco Natural Green Tea BB Cream (picture below) because I wanted something that made my face appear brighter which MM did not do.

Although I do not believe foundations when they claim to last up to 24 hours simply because who wants foundation on their skin for 24h, it is pretty long lasting and although it starts to fade off maybe after 8 hours or so, there is still a slight coverage on my face.

Also, my T-Zone tends to get slightly shiny around the 8h mark as well.

It does not dry my face or caused any break outs which is good in my books.

The coverage definitely isn't too heavy but neither is it too light. I usually like my foundations to have a medium coverage which is what the MM offers.

Recently, I also swapped my daily foundation to Revlon's ColorStay simply because I was itching to give it a try after hearing so many good reviews online about it and I must say I am pretty impressed with it considering that Revlon's a drugstore brand.

Long-wearing coverage with Time Release Technology and a lightweight formula that won’t cake, fade, or rub off. Specifically made for combination or oily skin to control oil absorption and shine. Your look stays flawless throughout the day.

Once again, the Revlon CS is a medium to full coverage foundation which definitely hides most of the redness on my face although I do have to cover up my blemishes with some concealer on days when I really want my skin to look more flawless.

It does not cake and does not dry out my skin as well.

The staying power of this foundation is about the same as Lancome's MM which means that my make up generally does last me for the full day but starts to fade at about the 8th hour mark.

What I absolutely do not like about this foundation is that it does not come with a pump. Like what's up with that? Right now when my bottle is still relatively full, it doesn't take a lot of effort to get the foundation to come out but I predict that when my bottle starts getting empty, it's going to take a while to tip the liquid out. Also, I cannot exactly control the amount of liquid that comes out from the bottle so it is quite a hassle to deal with that.

But the formula is pretty awesome which is why I got it anyway even though I knew the CS did not come with a pump.

I have loved my Innisfree Eco Natural Green Tea BB Cream for a pretty long time and you can read my more detailed review HERE.

Essentially, this BB cream gives me a super dewy finish which I really love! I've been into the dewy finish ever since I started watching YouTube videos on Korean make up and this BB cream is super moisturizing as well.

In Singapore however, the dewy look usually equates to an oily look so what I like to do is to dust loose powder on my T Zone area and leave my cheeks just as it is. But once again, for a more detailed review, you can read my previous blog post!

The next few BB cushions and CC Creams are all unused ones that I haven't tried before so I can't exactly give a proper review on them but here are the pictures if you're interested!

Will you be interested in more detailed reviews on these products once I start using them? If you are, let me know! x

#1029: Current Skin Care Routine

As asked on my ask.fm, I've decided to do a post regarding my daily skin care regime including of the products I've been using and when I use them.

As some of you may know, I used to have a really bad complexion with break outs all over my cheek and chin area before my period and they last throughout the month. The next break out just adds on to the pimples and acne I already had on my face.

I wouldn't say I'm narcissistic but my complexion was really the bane of my existence for years (had this problem ever since I was 19).

I'm a firm believer that the first step of being beautiful is to have good skin and mine was horrible enough for me to never have the confidence to head out without makeup.

I've always envied girls with perfect clear skin, or at least problems that could be covered up with makeup, giving the illusion of clear skin.

You can try and hide scars with foundation and concealer, but you will never be able to hide the bumps of pimples/acne even with make up, which was my main problem.

After months of deliberation, I finally went to the National Skin Centre for an appointment and got prescribed both oral and topical medicine.

I've changed certain products since my first consultation there but I've been using these products since the second/third consultation and I would say they've been working really well for me.

Despite a bit of clogged pores here and there (like less than 5?), I've been spared of almost all pimples and acne yay.

Only left with the scars which everyone says will fade in time and I'm super happy that everything worked for me.

I just went for a follow-up consultation on Monday and the doctor said I can stop taking oral medication and just continue the topical ones which makes me super happy!

Anyway.... here are the products that I've been using on my face!

Some are prescribed by the doctor, some are from my previous skin care regime, I'll let you know which is which.

#1

So every morning when I wake up, the first step I do is to cleanse my face and this cleanser was prescribed by the doc.

Hygin X Antibacterial Foaming Wash

#2

My next step is to apply toner on my face, avoiding the eye area.
This toner basically helps to remove last traces of makeup/cleanser as well as to brighten up the skin.

Boots Botanics Cleansing Toner

#3

And then, apply eye cream.
This fights dark eye circles, eye bags and fine lines around the eye area.

Genefique Yeux.

#4

After that I use this cream on all my spots, only during the day. (Prescribed by the doc).

Dalacin T Topical Gel

#5

And then I top it all off with moisturizer which was prescribed by my doc but you can buy it at Watsons, Guardian or any supermarket.
I guess this product is pretty moisturizing as it's really thick? I don't really like the smell nor texture though 'cuz I find it too thick.

Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion

#6

My last step of my skin care routine is to apply sunblock because sunblock's really important for protecting our skin against UVA and UVB rays!
I typically go for sunblocks at are SPF50 so that it protects my skin for longer periods of time, especially when I spend really long hours out of home.

Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunblock

#7
So usually when I bathe at night, washing my face is part of that and the cleanser I use at night depends on whether I applied makeup during the day.
It's supposed to be really gentle on the skin.
If I didn't, I use:

Simple Moisturizing Facial Wash

And if I did apply makeup, I use this cleanser 'cuz it helps to remove makeup as well. Double cleansing is important!
ZA Facial Cleansing Foam

#8
Once or twice a week, I'll do a facial scrub as well to remove dead skin cells and to promote skin renewal!
Lancome Exfoliance Clarte

Then I repeat steps #2 and #3.
But instead of using #4, I use this instead which is a cream that helps promote the renewal of skin so it reduces the likelihood of clogged pores and thus pimples.
Stieva-A Cream 0.025%

Then as the last step I will usually apply #5 Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion. Typically when I do a facial scrub, I would prefer to use a sleeping pack instead 'cuz it's more moisturizing and pampers my face ^^
Laneige Water Sleeping Pack

I hope this helps answer the question!