Current Skincare Routine

My interest in teaching in Korea has a cascade effect on my life; particularly in the interests I have now.

In wanting to learn more Korean and having a taste of the culture, I began to watch K dramas. Let's just say I fell into the rabbit hole without knowing what I had gotten into. Besides immensely enjoying these shows, I noticed the actors and actresses seem to have perfect skin. Not the Hollywood airbrushed with makeup perfection but a kind of glowing skin that could only come from having a fabulous complexion. 

I looked into Korean skincare . . .  and the rabbit hole got deeper.

I discovered the Korean multi-step skincare regimen and I fell in love.

There are some really great explanations for the Korean multi-step skincare routine that I have found online. 

This author gives some great insight into the background of Korean skincare and suggests several products.

http://intothegloss.com/2014/04/korean-beauty-skincare/

This is a very cute step-by-step diagram of an Asian skin care routine.

http://picoprince.com/post/92276170731

The basic premise of the Korean/Asian skincare routine (I say Korean but it is really practiced all over Asia) is different from Western skincare in that it is all about layering and using products to specifically target problems instead of an all-in-one type of product. Therefore, you can customize an target the specific skincare issues that you have.

As a Westerner, I realized after doing more research that the Asian skincare routine in many ways makes more sense and if we are willing to put more effort into a skin care the better the long term results are for our skin.

My Skin Type:

I have sensitive, combination skin with an oily T-zone and dry cheeks. I believe I also have the beginnings of rosacea which I am trying to stave off. I am also quite fair so I sunburn easily.

Morning Routine:

1. Cleansing Toner - Thayers Unscented Witch Hazel with Aloe Vera 
2. Toner - Secret Key Prestige Snail & EGF Repairing Booster
3. Emulsion - The Face Shop Green Tea Waterfull Emulsion
4. Essence -The Face Shop Pore Minimizer Controlling Essence
5. Cream - Nivea Aqua Effect Mattifying Day Cream SPF 15

I usually just wash my face with water in the morning and then start into my routine. I feel like my cleansing toner does a good enough job removing any leftover residue from my sleep since I wash my face very thoroughly at night.

Amount of time spent: 5-7 minutes.

My evening routine is slightly more complex and varies throughout the week,

Evening Routine:

The first two steps are eliminated if I am not wearing makeup.

1. Eye Makeup Remover - The Face Shop Herb Day Lip and Eye Remover Waterproof
2. Cleansing Balm - Banilo Co. Clean It Zero
3. Cleansing Cream - Nourish Organic Moisturizing Cream Face Cleanser
4. Cleansing Toner - Thayers Unscented Witch Hazel with Aloe Vera 
5. Toner - Secret Key Prestige Snail & EGF Repairing Booster
6. Ampoule - Secret Key Multi Cell Night Repair
7. Sheet Mask - Once a week, out of the assortment of masks I have collected.
8. Emulsion - The Face Shop Green Tea Waterfull Emulsion
9. Eye Cream - Neutrogena Healthy Skin Eye Cream
10. Cream - The Face Shop Arsainte Eco-Therapy Crystal Water Super Gel

A few times a week I will swap out my Super gel for a sleeping pack such as Tony Moly Panda's Dream White Sleeping Pack or The Face Shop Collagen Pomegranate Pack. I will also physically exfoliate my skin in the shower with my Clarisonic Mia a few times a week and once a week I use my Missha Super Aqua D-Tox Peeling Gel for a chemical/physical exfoliating after cleansing my face and before my toners.

Amount of time spent: About 15-20 minutes without the sheet mask. The sheet mask adds about 20 minutes.

I find the evening routine very relaxing and look forward to it as part of my daily routine. It helps me to wind down for the night.

Results:

I have been doing these skin care routines for a couple months now and I have noticed a difference in my skin. It's definitely a lot smoother and my acne is less severe and fades much more quickly. Subsequently, I have also realized how dehydrated my skin was before I began this skincare regimen. As I mentioned above I have combination skin. I thought I only needed a little bit of moisture because my T-zone would get so oily. I realize now that my skin was producing so much oil to compensate for the lack of moisture in the layers of my skin. As I have started to hydrate my skin more my T-zone has become less oily as a result.

I am still in the tweaking phase of my routine and it will probably change as I use up the last of my Western products and replace them with better quality Asian ones. The most important step that I will be adding shortly is a higher SPF and PA rated sunscreen. I realize now that the SPF 15 in my day cream is not going to cut it, so I will be using up the last of it and adding a sunscreen as my last step in the morning.