Our New Year’s Resolution is to have skin that glows as bright as our future.
All cheesiness aside, I’ve always noticed how at the end of finals my face shows how much I’ve been struggling. It’s dry, dull and acne ridden due to days of neglecting it.
This year we plan on trying out the Asian Skincare routine to keep it glowing. Lately, Asian Skincare has been a growing trend, you can find popular Korean Brand in stores such as Urban Outfitters and Sephora.
A lot of people feel intimidated and confused by all the steps. So let’s break it down.
The Basic Steps
Sunscreen
Emulsifying oil cleanser
Foaming, milk, gel, powder, or soaping cleanser
Chemical exfoliator(s) and/or toner
Essence, serums and ampoules
Emulsion
Lotion
Cream
Facial oils
You don’t necessarily have to do each step. It’s completely customizable, that’s the beauty of it!
Sunscreen: This is the most vital component of the Asian Skincare routine, it protects your skin from dark spots, aging and even cancer. As Southern Californians who are blessed with clear skies and sunshine, this is especially important. Western Sunscreens ( think:Banana Boat) leave your skin super greasy, and are heavy leaving a strong white cast. Asian sunscreens have a greater selection of sunscreens that are both affordable and light enough to wear all day.
Cult Favorite:
The “Double Cleanse”
Have you ever felt the agony of having washed your face with a strong cleanser, only to hve your face break out days later. Well, there’s a reason for that and your cleanser is too blame. Mnay western cleansers are too harsh for your skin, while they strip your face of dirt, hey also remove the natrual sebum(oil) . This causes your body to go into sebum overdrive, producing oils that end up blocking your pores and creating acne.
The “double cleanse” solves this problem by using an oil cleanser, to break down the sunscreen and makeup of the day. And then it uses a gentler cleanser with PH restoring additives to keep your face hydrated and away from sebum over-drive.
Cult Favorite:
Toners: There’s really no Western Equivalent. The closest thing would be astringent which dries up oily skin. Toner, preps your skin by bringing back to a good PH balance and hydration. Your routine can end here if you’d like. But let’s face it, by this point you’re hooked.
Cult Favorites:
Essences, serums, and ampoules: Now it’s time for the really fun stuff! Essences, serums and ampoules are what really allow you to customize your routine for your specific skincare goals. There are ingredients that you won’t generally find in your typical drugstore, like starfish or snail mucus. Here are some popular ingredients and their functions:
Vitamin C: Brightens, fades sunspots and age spots, repairs sun damage, increases collagen production over time.
Niacinimide: Brightens, fades sunspots and age spots, strengthens skin’s moisture barrier
Snail secretion filtrate/snail mucin/snail goo: Alleviates redness, treats pimples, speeds healing, repairs sun damage, evens skin tone.
Cult Favorites:
Moisturizing: The final step of the day will be moisturizing your skin for maximum hydration. You could choose from emulsions ( thin liquid lotions) to creams, sleeping pack and even facial oils. Like essences, serums and ampoules, all these options can have different purposes for different skin problems, some are better for oily-skin types while others can help reduce dark spots.
Cult Favorites:
Treat yourself ( and your skin ) too some much needed TLC this year! Remember that the sian skincare routine is highly customizable, and it’s so fun to lose yourself in researching what you need.