My Updated Morning Skin Care Routine

Hello my friendsssss. It has been a long time since I updated this space because I sort of fell out of love with blogging. It takes a lot of effort to craft out words when you're not the best at describing things but since this is a space which I've had for like 12 years at this point (I went back to check the date on the very first post I uploaded) I've decided to make an effort in doing sporadic updates. I do like to look back upon this space to see what I've done, what I've loved, and just the thousands of memories housed in this treasure trove. If any one reads this, you're welcome to take a peek into my thoughts but I thought I would kick start this year with an update to my current morning skin care routine. If you would like to see what I'm using, then please carry on reading~

In order to explain why I'm using these products, I thought I would do an update to my skin. I have combination/normal skin, with an oily t-zone (forehead and nose area)  and a dry/normal u-zone (cheeks and chin area). While my skin isn't really sensitive to products, my skin is sensitive to external stressors so like if the weather changes or I travel, my skin tends to break out or being really dry and peel. I also suffer from hormonal acne since I was 19 and I had a really bad break out just last month so boy was I on the hunt for products to help calm my skin down.

I chanced upon the brand Some By Mi when it was reviewed by some of the YouTubers I followed. This range of products is supposed to give you baby soft skin in just 30 days. While I don't buy into the marketing tactic, after all I've suffered from acne for more than 8 years already and almost NOTHING works, I was intrigued nonetheless so I decided to get both the toner and serum from the range to try.

The AHA BHA PHA 30 Days Miracle Toner (what a mouthful!) is supposed to work as an effective exfoliator to leave the skin cleanser and more radiant than before. While I don't see the miracle that this toner is supposed to have on my skin, I do really enjoy dousing a cotton pad with it and sweeping it all over my skin, avoiding the eye area of course. It's very light, non-sticky, doesn't leave a film on my skin and smells delightfully of peppermint. It contains 2% niacinamide and tea tree which are good for acne-prone skin. I don't see a magnificent difference in my skin after using this for a couple of weeks but I would say it works great as a day toner because it isn't heavy on my skin at all.

Korean brands were big on minimising unnecessary ingredients last year and so many of them were coming out with products that only had key ingredients in the list. Innisfree is one of my all time favourite brands and when they came out with The Minimum range I knew I had to give them a try.

This is actually the first product I've tried from the range and I like it, but I don't love it. I like how it comes in a spray bottle and that it's very travel friendly (it only comes with 45ml of product but I'm not mad at it). It has only 6 ingredients, SIX(!!!), and there's no fragrance in it at all which makes it great for people with sensitive skin. I do feel that compared to the Some By Mi toner, it leaves the slightest bit of film on the skin but that's if I'm being realllllly picky. It's just an all round great basic toner for people who don't want anything fancy.

Coupled with the toner, I've also been loving Some By Mi's AHA BHA PHA 30 Days Miracle Serum. It contains 14.5% Centella Asiatica which is another stellar ingredient for treating acne. Do take note to shake the bottle well before use to mix the oil and serum together. I used it for a week before realising that there were 2 separate layers in the serum so don't make the same mistake I did! This serum is supposed to actively soothe and calm irritated and damages skin, diminish the appearance of blemishes, remove dead skin cells and shrinks the size of pores.

First of all, I LOVE THE SCENT.  If you know me, you'll know I love all things citrus and this has the a slight citrusy scent which isn't overpowering. Because of the oil in the serum, it does leave a slight film on the skin so skip this if you're not into oils. I don't mind it that much because I do find that it does help in calming down my red and irritated skin. If I'm wearing makeup, I just try to apply less of the serum although I don't find it messing with my makeup, I just feel paranoid that it may.

I don't usually use lotions or moisturisers in the day time because I find that they feel heavy on my skin, especially after all the other toners and serums I've applied beforehand. I usually just apply a serum, follow up with my sun block and I'm good to go. But there are some days when I feel like my skin just needs an extra boost of moisture or when I'm running late and I have time to apply only one skin care product before my makeup. On those days, I've been loving the Oil-Free Ultra-Moisturisng Lotion (with Birch Sap) from COSRX.

It is very light on the skin, very moisturising, and doesn't feel oily or sticky afterwards. It leaves my skin feel soft and smooth and has little to no fragrance, at least none that I can detect with my nose. Remember how in the past most moisturisers and lotions had to be thick in consistency if not they don't feel moisturising enough? Well this lotion definitely changes the game. I love it.

I can never do without an eye cream. Being in my late 20s (wait what, where has the time gone?!) I'm starting to realise that anti-ageing is a very real journey I have to embark on. In the past, anti-ageing was a cute notion that people talk about but I didn't find applicable to me, now I gravitate towards anything that promotes it. I know I've talked about it a million times but the skin around our eyes is very much thinner than the skin on other parts of the face, that's why we tend to develop fine lines around our eyes before any where else. One way to prevent, or at least delay, lines from forming is to ensure our skin is properly moisturised and I find that the Orchid Eye Cream from Innisfree is great at doing just that.

It has a light floral scent, is rich and moisturising but not oily, and feels great on the eyes. It doesn't cause my eye makeup to crease or anything so it's great for the day time as well as the night time. I have been blessed with pretty good skin around the eyes so I don't have bad dark eye circles or eye bags but that may also be attributed to this eye cream.

The last step, and one of the most essential steps to any morning skin care routine is sunblock. UV rays are one of the biggest contributions to skin damage and premature ageing so sun block is important to help protect the skin. I've been on the hunt for a good sunblock, one that doesn't leave that white cast on the skin, doesn't feel heavy and isn't oily. It is surprisingly hard to find one that fits all those criteria.

The current one I'm using is the Sunprise Must Daily sunblock from Etude House. It doesn't leave a white cast on the skin but it does feel slightly heavy and leaves a sheen on my skin. The fragrance is also a bit too strong for my liking. If you have oily skin, you may not like this but people with dry skin who wants a dewy base may like this.

And this wraps up my morning skin care routine. I'm planning to do an updated night time skin care routine soon if you're interested in that then do check this space over the next couple of days!