The first step to any night time skin care routine is cleansing and if you wear makeup like I do, then it is very important to do the double cleanse which is to use an oil cleanser and follow up with a water-based cleanser. I know some people do the double cleanse even when they don't wear makeup but ain't nobody got time for that so I don't.
I like to use an eye makeup remover to remove my eye makeup because I find that oil cleansers get into my eyes when I use them on my eye area and create a film on my eyes which is just gross so I tend to avoid that. For my eyes I'm almost done with the Rose Shake Point Make-up Remover. I just douse a cotton pad with this, press it on my eyes for 10 seconds then wipe the remaining makeup away. It doesn't sting my eyes, removes my eye makeup super easily and smells like bandung (a rose syrup drink). If I remember correctly, it's also pretty affordable!
For my face, I like to use oil cleansers because I think they are the most effective in removing my makeup. Right now, I'm using the Rice Water Bright Cleansing Light Oil from the Face Shop. While oil cleansers aren't the most fuss-free (they are watery so they drip down my arm all the time) compared to balm cleansers, I find they leave less of a residue. I used to use Banila Co's Clean It Zero and while it was super effective in melting my makeup away, I didn't like the thick film it left on my skin. This oil has a slight film so you do have to use a water-based cleanser to wash it away but I always do so anyway, so it doesn't bother me that much.
The water based cleanser of the moment is COSRX's Salicylic Acid Exfoliating Cleanser. It has a slightly herbal scent, foams up easily and doesn't leave my skin feeling stripped. When I first heard of this cleanser I was a bit worried because the words "exfoliating cleanser" gave an impression of a pretty harsh cleanser but this is actually pretty gentle on the skin. I have used this twice a day (both morning and night) before but I didn't want my skin to get overly exfoliated so I tend to only use it at night now.
Side note, when I get bored of cleansers, I do use them to wash my makeup brushes because I don't want to spend money on getting a brush cleaner and I find that most facial cleansers do the job well in removing the makeup from my brushes while leaving the bristles soft and clean. This cleanser, however, doesn't remove the makeup from my brushes well so if you're like me and use cleansers to wash your brushes, then don't use this one.
For exfoliation, I've been using the NEOGEN Bio-Peel Gentle Gauze Peeling pads in lemon. I've just started using these and I don't know if I love them. I find the exfoliating side of the pads a tad too rough on my skin, but that could also be because I'm using too much pressure on the skin. I do like the idea of the pads brightening my skin, but I haven't used them frequently enough to see the effects yet. Do remember to rinse your face after using the pads! I know a lot of people don't do so and just follow up with the rest of their skin care but you're supposed to rinse your face with water after using the pads.
I love incorporating AHAs and BHAs into my routine because they help clear my skin up and exfoliate my skin gently. After all, you can't use physical exfoliators every single day right? This Aloe BHA Skin Toner from Benton is very gentle on the skin, doesn't leave my skin feeling irritated and has aloe vera and snail secretion filtrate that is good for soothing damaged and stressed skin. I like the light texture and I find that it helps prep my skin for the rest of the products. I prefer to pump the product onto my fingers and apply it directly to the skin. You can choose to pump it onto a cotton pad but I find that the product tends to sit on the cotton pad instead of sinking in unless I use my finger to manipulate the product in.
I have heard so many good things about Pyunkang Yul and I wanted to try their products out so badly so I got the Essence Toner and I have a love-hate relationship with this. Initially when I got it, I tried to use it for the 7 skin method (I only do a maximum of 3 layers though) and I hated it for that. It made my skin care and makeup pit up into tiny balls and it was gross. I couldn't figure out why my makeup and skin care wasn't sitting properly on my skin and so I embarked on a elimination process to figure out what was wrong and I found out it was this toner.
The texture is thicker than water, doesn't have a scent and feels very cooling on the skin. It's a great toner for hydration and definitely calms down my skin when it is irritated but I find that less is definitely more with this product. I only do 1 layer of this toner on my skin and the rest of my skin care applies fine after that. It is a great toner for dry to normal skin but people will oily skin may not like this unless you apply a very thin layer.
I've already shared my thoughts on the AHA BHA PHA 30 Days Miracle Serum by Some By Mi HERE so you can click the link to find out more.
When I find that my skin needs a little extra loving, I find myself reaching for Innisfree's Jeju Lava Seawater Intensive Ampoule. This line of products is supposed to be very good for repairing the skin's moisture barrier and is rich in minerals and anti-oxidants due to the jeju lava seawater. I think it is very rich and heavier than I expected. Almost all the reviews I read online said that it was very light but this isn't a lightweight serum at all. If you have oily skin, I would say give this a miss but for people with dry skin, you may like this. I only use this for those days when I want an extra layer of moisture on my skin, and I never use this in the day because it's just feels too heavy. But I do like it and I think it makes my skin a lot softer and plumper after use.
I've always been a fan of snail products so I was pretty excited to give this one a shot. The COSRX Advanced Snail 92 All in one Cream is the latest snail product I've added to my collection and it comes in a huge-ass tub. I don't know how I am every going to finish this one. Despite it's name, I feel that it has more of a gel texture, is pretty lightweight on the skin, doesn't leave a sticky residue on the skin and just feels great. I feel like I'm repeating myself but it definitely leaves my skin feeling smoother, plumper and more hydrated. I always used the same words but that's what I look for in a product so bear with me. I don't use this every single night but when I do, I always wake up with skin that looks brighter and better.
As a spot treatment, I love the Soon Jung 5-Panthensoside Cica Balm. I used to use this all over my problem areas but I find it takes a while to get absorbed into my skin and it actually creates an almost soapy-white texture that I really have to rub in before it disappears. I find that it works better when I apply a layer only on my spots. It has panthenol and madecassoside which both helps to calm and soothe irritated skin which is what my face needs so it's been great. I love it.
The eye cream I use for both my day and night routine is the same so if you want to find out my thoughts on this you can click HERE to read it.
The final step in my skin care routine is lip care and this is essential because I'm currently going through a phase of really dry and tight lips. The Ginger Sugar Overnight Lip Mask from Aritaum has been a life saver. It has a really thick and sticky texture that forms a protective barrier on my lips and stays put overnight so that I wake up to soft and hydrated lips. It doesn't smell of ginger so if you're not a fan of the smell of ginger, all's good.
And with that, I wrap up my night skin care routine. If you're interested in a more in-depth review on any of this products, do let me know~
1 comment:
Thank you for sharing. This is a really informative guide for a skin care routine.
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