My Skin Care Journal as of September 2018

I have been writing a beauty or a skin care journal which I started last year. I just use a note / journaling app in my phone and write about what I recently purchased, what I think works, and my current skin condition.

Here are the things I learned and realized about writing a beauty or skin care journal:

• I realized I am very lazy to follow a complicated routine. A short, simple skin care routine works for me very well. This is how my current routine looks like with the products I use.

Day Time

Night Time

1.       Water cleanse or cleanse with a low-pH facial wash = Human Heart Nature Nourishing Facial Wash 2.       Toner = Human Heart Nature Nourishing Facial Toner 3.       Moisturizer = COSRX Advanced Snail 92 All In One Cream 4.       Eye cream =  Mizon Snail Repair Eye Cream 5.       Sunscreen = Bioré UV Bright Face Milk SPF50+ PA++++ - If just stay at home, water cleanse is just enough for me and fast on skin care.

1.       Double-cleanse = Biore Cleansing Oil + Human Heart Nature Nourishing Facial Wash 2.       Toner = Human Heart Nature Nourishing Facial Toner 3.       Moisturizer = Cosrx Ultimate Moisturizing Honey Overnight Mask or  The Ordinary 100% Organic Cold-Pressed Rose Hip Seed Oil non-humid days or exfoliation days. 4.       Eye cream = Mizon Snail Repair Eye Cream (skipped when using The Ordinary Rose Hip Seed Oil as moisturizer). 5.  Spot treatment for pimples =  Zenutrients TeaTree Blemish Oil 6. Spot treatment for post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) = Skin Genie Heal All Tamanu Oil Exfoliation: - When I feel bumps on my face, I use COSRX AHA 7 Whitehead Power Liquid after double-cleansing and with a 20-minute wait time. Usually after 2-3 days after COSRX BHA Blackhead Power Liquid. - On a weekend or a night before the workday, I use the Fiddy Snails method with COSRX BHA > The Beauty Bakery Charcoal & Clay Scrub Mask > Biore Cleansing Oil.

• I learned that over time, my skin has shifted from very oily to oily but dehydrated type. The dehydration mode depends on the time of the month, the season or the environment. For example, if it’s Summer or if it’s humid, I cannot stand having something very occlusive in my routine. I may need more moisture in a dry and cold environment, like being in the office.
• I like skin care products that are multi-purpose. I dab the The Ordinary Rose Hip Seed Oil as a lip balm/cream at night. Sometimes, if I exfoliate with COSRX BHA, I moisturize with the The Ordinary Rose Hip Seed Oil and that’s it. 
• It helped me pinpoint on what’s wrong or what’s going on with my skin and what I feel about the products that I’m using.
• It helped me in my skin care purchase decisions. So, it has made me into a very careful buyer. 
• Writing this skin care journal is a keeper! 

Do you have a beauty / skin care journal as well? Please share it! \(^o^)/

My Skin Care Journey So Far

So, I posted a picture few weeks ago in my Instagram (IG) Stories because I can’t help but be amazed on how my skin has become. It has never been that clear and in very good condition in many years!

Originally, my skin was very oily and has experienced a lot of acne. I had a very basic skin (s)care routine before. I just cleanse with a very alkaline facial wash and tone with an alcohol-y astringent. I was also very scared of moisturizers and of the thought of using oil on my oily skin. Sun screen application only happens during Summer or on a beach trip.

Fast-forward today, I learned that the basic of all skin care routine steps are always: cleanse, tone, moisturize. I also learned that there are different types of moisturizers that even oily skin peeps can enjoy. Oil for oily skin does not equate to a frying pan. Applying sun screen is anti-aging. I also learned that listening and empathizing to what your skin really needs is more important than having 10 or 20 skin care steps. “Take a step back and press reset”, just like what Liah Yoo said.

Here is the picture that I posted in my IG stories. 

I just slathered on sun screen,
concealed healing acne spots and set it all with powder.
Of course, kilay is life!

Hopefully next time, I can share my bare face with a better texture. *Crossing fingers* I have skin aging concerns aside from getting post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) from hormonal acne. I may need to incorporate another product for that or tweak something in my life. LOL

How about you, how’s your skin care journey? Please share all about it! \(^o^)/