Ok, I've been bad at keeping this updated, but I did a lot of traveling in April & May, that my skincare routine kind of went out of whack. So...here's some updates to significant changes in my skin:
Now, for my skincare routine as of April-May 2017, with reviews. I'm constantly trying out new products, so this will change every month. Bolded items are tried & tested holy grail items I strongly recommend, the rest are items I'm meh about or still testing out. New items are in red.
AM:
PM:
Every other day at night:
During breakouts:
- 2 Week Trip to Korea early May: This ironically made me breakout, because I decided to survive on samples and have a whole new skincare routine. I guess the months of great skin make me forget how fragile and acne prone my skin actually is. Plus this included a sudden change in weather and diet.
- Running out of my supplements: My digestive system isn't the best thanks Sjögren's, so I need to take probiotics, magnesium, HCl and digestive enzymes supplements. I messed up and ran out of one after the other during these few months, and getting replacements take me a week or two since I need someone to bring them over from Singapore. My skin broke out so much.
- Anaemia struck: I bleached out badly so none of my foundations match. I ended up going bare faced most days and when I do wear makeup, I only use concealer on spots. This may have helped clear the breakout faster.
So yeah, my skincare routine had to change to one that combats acne. Oh, and I had to go to the dermatologist to get a shot for the intense cystic acne that popped along my jawline. They're so bad, I'm still dealing with the post-inflamation hyperpigmentation.
April-May 2017 Skincare Routine
Now, for my skincare routine as of April-May 2017, with reviews. I'm constantly trying out new products, so this will change every month. Bolded items are tried & tested holy grail items I strongly recommend, the rest are items I'm meh about or still testing out. New items are in red.
AM:
- Mermete's Boryeong Mud Cleanser: like Glam Glow's mud cleanser, I love it, but it's too expensive, looking for a dupe
- Wipe down with CosRX's Natural BHA Skin Returning A-Sol: This is amazing. It really helped me fight my new breakouts.
- Sulwhasoo First Activating Serum: my skin got really good since I used this, because it really does help your skin absorb everything better. When I ran out of this, I find my serums and moisturizers swimming around in my face and refusing to get absorbed.
- It's Skin Power 10 Formula VC Effector: no one can tell me the percentage of Vitamin C in contains, so I'm not happy about it. It doesn't seem as strong as my previous Vitamin C serums, but there's no noticeable adverse effects yet, so I'm going to just use it until I run out.
- Vitacreme B12's Vita Blanc: I notice this really helped fade some of my hyperpigmentation. It's not a magic formula that'll make them disappear completely, but the fading is noticeable enough that this is worth using.
- Hada Labo serum Anti-Aging version: this has retinoids to combat breakouts too!
- Sulwhasoo ginseng eye cream: this is magic. The sunken holes under my eyes started disappearing
- Wojin Effect's Baby Glow Cream: I'm still torn on this. On one hand it feels very thick and sticky going on, but it doesn't feel greasy at all. My face looks so juicy and glowy after using this, BUT it also has this white cast that takes forever to rub out. I can't recommend this to someone with a darker skin tone at all. Does an amazing job moisturizing me, so I'll be using it until I finish it. Probably won't repurchase it if I can find a better daytime moisturizer.
- Anessa's suncreen: I like it, and just like Biore's Perfect Face Milk, it doesn't leave me greasy and feels amazing going on. It doesn't leave the powdery texture that Biore does, so it's not that great of a makeup primer, but I way prefer this sunscreen's scent. But for the price, Biore's perfect face Milk is more worth it.
PM:
- L'Oreal Micellar Water makeup remover: I moved on to water based makeup removers since oil-based ones were breaking me out. I've tried Garnier's & Bioderma's too, but L'Oreal's is the best since it wipes off my makeup as well as Garnier, but doesn't sting my eyes as much
- Marmete's Boryeong Mud Cleanser
- Wipe down with CosRX's Natural BHA Skin Returning A-Sol
- Sulwhasoo First Activating Serum
- It's Skin Power 10 Formula VC Effector
- Hada Labo serum Anti-Aging version
- Sulwhasoo's Time Treasure Renovating Eye Serum: I think at this point of my life, 2 eye creams are an overkill so I don't see much of a difference. This makes it easier for me to give myself eye massages though, so I use it. Don't think I'll repurchase given the price.
- Sulwhasoo ginseng eye cream
- Vitacreme B12: this is for moisturization. It may be good, but I think my skincare is already so intense, it didn't make much of a difference.
- Etude House's Age Defense Firming Cream: (used only for 1 week) feels so heavy and greasy on my skin, and takes forever to rub in. I suspect this was making my breakout worse, so I nixed it.
- Etude House collagen sleeping pack: get this. Everyone I recommended it to got glowing, plump cheeks. May not make a difference if you're early 20s and younger, but in your late 20s, it's the difference between late 20s and early 20s
Every other day at night:
- Sheet masks: I'm a fan of anything by Leader's Brand, except the masks that come in stiff hard paper that just falls off my face, and anything with ginseng or snail. My Beauty Diary is my favourite budget face masks, and the brands I most frequently buy are Etude House, Innisfree & The Face Shop just because they're easy to access in Singapore. Also just discovered Holika Holika's Black Snail Black Snail Hydro-Gel Repair Mask and it's AMAZING. My skin gets so glowy and plump the next day.
- Etude House's lip patch: the only thing that hydrates my lips...Sjögren's means my lips are often split and bleeding, but at $5/piece, I don't use it that often
- Glam Glow mud mask: clears my breakouts so well. On my husband who takes terrible care of his skin, this makes a HUGE difference. His face ends up so clean and bright afterwards!
- Cure Natural Aqua Gel: I used to have a lot of whiteheads and this helped reduce them significantly. Huge fan. I used it daily when I was clearing up my skin, but now it's every other day.
- Origani's God's Nectar Manuka Honey Gentle Peel: this is not gentle at all. I'll end up with balls of dead skin that's lifted off, but still stuck to my skin. You can either leave them there and have your cheeks feel grainy, or scrub it off with a towel and end up with red, irritated skin. I stopped using it on my face, and used it on my legs instead. Does wonders for clearing out my ingrown hair!
During breakouts:
- Cosrx one step pimple clear pad: I just discovered this and it's magic. Brings stubborn acne to head so fast, and if you're patient, helps them disappear. I'm bad and I pop.
- Nexcare acne cover patches: sucks all the gunk out after you pop. I love it.