My Daily Skin Care Routine - 2/10/14

So this is my first post in a while... I've been extremely busy with college, work, extracurricular activities, etc. For those of you who are still reading this blog, thanks so much for all of your support! All your comments have been inspiring and really push me to get my work done to actually get to my blogging... haha. I have also decided to refine the blog a bit to cater to both you guys and my tastes -- please let me know if you like the changes or not!

Over the couple of inactive months, I have received many requests about posting about my daily skincare routine. I have a separate weekly routine, but I put more emphasis on my daily routine. First of all, I want to describe my skin type in great detail so that those of you who do not have my skin type are aware.

I used to have really bad acne since I was in 5th grade (yeah, that was a while ago). Only recently, in the last two years, has my acne started to die down. Now, I only get minor breakouts around that time of the month. I have been seeing the dermatologist for about six years now and my dermatologists have been fairly consistent in my acne treatments. Most of them have said that my acne was mostly caused by blackheads.

I have tried many topical creams (by prescription and over-the-counter), doxycycline (an antibiotic taken orally), Sephora products, Chinese traditional medicine, and a lot of other random shit. Over the years, I've found that Epiduo, a topical cream available by prescription) and doxycycline worked the best in combination for me, but it's super important to understand that every one is different. What worked for me may not work for you!

So where is my skincare routine now? I am now in that phase of my life when I am trying to heal my skin from any past acne scarring. My primary focus right now is NOT acne, but a combination of preventing occasional breakouts, controlling oil and sebum production, and healing acne scars. I have oily/combination skin, as most Asians do, and where I come from the winter is very drying for my skin. My current skincare routine is catered to oily/combination skin for the dry winter season. I am including my moisturizer from the summer as well just in case some of you guys live in a warmer, more humid place than I do (lucky you guys...). The only difference is the moisturizer I use. On a side note, I can do full reviews on any/all of these skincare products (eventually... lol) if you guys want :)

1) Ole Henriksen African Red Tea Foaming Cleanser - $30.00 for 7 oz. at Sephora

This cleanser is literally the best ever. I have tried an obscene number of cleansers, and depending on the season, they have been mostly mediocre or too drying (especially in the winter). This is the only cleanser that does not dry me out but also does what a cleanser is meant to do. It is also effective in removing make-up -- just make sure you gently massage the cleanser in an outwards circular motion. A plus of this cleanser is that it is made without parabens, sulfates, and phthlates, so it is gentle on the skin.

The cleanser features African red tea, which contains lots of antioxidants that destroys free radicals to preserve skin's youthful texture. Tea is also known to soothe and calm the skin. Borage seed oil is a multi-faceted ingredient that moisturizes skin with a natural compound called gamma linolenic acid (a fatty acid, whose non-polar chemical structure will be absorbed nicely by skin), refines skin with its astringent properties, and calms skin with its anti-inflammatory properties. Citrus extracts (such as grapefruit, orange, and tangerine) are natural astringents and helps brighten the skin with Vitamin C found in abundance in citrus fruits. Vitamin C also improves collagen production to help restore your skin's natural elasticity.

2) Lush Tea Tree Water Toner - $9.95 for 100ml / $21.95 for 250ml at Lush stores

I LOVE this toner so much! It is alcohol-free, which makes it more gentle on your skin than most other alcohol-based toners. This toner is really good for winter AND summer because it soothes redness and fights pimples without over-drying your skin. I would be cautious if you're someone with dry or sensitive skin, as the tea tree may be a bit too drying for dry skin and may be a bit strong for sensitive skin. But for people with oily/combination/acne-blemish skin, I would HIGHLY recommend!

It contains tea tree water, which is well-known for its acne-fighting/blemish-erasing powers due to its antibacterial qualities. The grapefruit water contains a lot of Vitamin C, which brightens your complexion and promotes collagen production, which is essential for youthful skin. Due to grapefruit's fruit acidity, this ingredient also has antibacterial properties, and is good for controlling oil production. Juniper berry water is a natural antibacterial agent, which fights acne-causing bacteria, and is perfect for oily and acne-prone skin.

3) IOPE Bio Essence Intensive Conditioning - $45.20 for 84ml at Amazon (from What Women Want)

If I could pick three skincare products I could not live without, it would probably be this one, my Ole Henriksen cleanser, and my seasonal moisturizer. This thing has literally been transformative for my skin -- it has diminished acne scarring, it has really changed my skin texture, and it has made my skin softer and smoother than before. The change is truly tangible and amazing. After even the first use, I felt like my skin's texture improved substantially. I recommend this product for everyone and anyone. It is gentle and won't cause problems for people with sensitive skin (although I would still do a skin test first), and is good for people with any skin types. It is a bit pricey, but trust me when I say it's worth every last drop!

This stuff is made with some really cool advanced technology: it is made with bio incubation to retain antioxidant enzymes. These antioxidant enzymes promote skin growth and renewal, transforming dull, rough skin into gorgeous, glowing skin. It soothes inflamed skin and acne. It also works to revitalize skin back to its original state, helping to reverse the effects of sun damage, aging, and other damage. It is responsible for my skin transformation. I think this stuff is a miracle-maker, and it has worked amazingly for me.

4) Skinfood Peach Sake Pore Serum - $8.37 for 45ml at Amazon (from A-Poly)

This AMAZING SMELLING serum (smells like wonderfully fresh cut peaches in the summer!) is wonderful. It claims to shrink pores and control oil and sebum production, although I think its pore shrinkage abilities is meh. However, you do have to understand that for a product of this affordable price, its well worth its money. Besides, even many expensive skincare products may not shrink pores (because the mechanism is simply a lot more difficult in reality). Its oil and sebum production is a lot better than I had expected though! I feel that my skin's matteness is extended by an hour or two. I am almost done using my bottle, and I will be updating this post with my new pore refining/oil controlling serum (when it comes in the mail two weeks from now... hopefully!). This is my daytime serum -- I use a different serum at night (see below).

This heavenly-smelling serum contains peach extract, which is full of Vitamin C to brighten skin tone and shrink pores, and sake, which contains a fermentation by-product called kojic acid to act as an antibacterial and skin lightening agent. I'd actually recommend using a pore pack or any other face masks that helps clear pores (see my review on Origins Active Charcoal Mask!) weekly to maximize the effects of this product. You can't shrink pores without first clearing them of debris first!

5) Naruko Tea Tree Blemish Clear Serum - $23.19 for 50 mL at eBay (from beauty-booth)

A lovely friend of mine brought back some Naruko skincare samples from her trip to Taiwan, and boy was I impressed. I had never heard of the brand before and I'm glad to have tried it out. This serum is wonderful and really keeps my breakouts under control. You can also use this as a spot treatment, although I prefer to use it all over my face because it also helps control oil production. This is a good daytime serum (because it helps mattify your face), but I use it all over my face at night. I only use it as a spot treatment in the day -- this is only my preference, but you can put this on whenever. This is also advertised as a pore minimizer, but I think its breakout treatment is its primary effect.

Being a serum, this baby packs a concentrated punch! Saw palmetto has anti-inflammatory qualities and helps to control excess oil production. Hyacinth bean seed extract contains a high concentration of Vitamin C, which helps brighten skin and increase collagen production. Tea tree oil is very well known for being an anti-inflammatory and antibacterial ingredient. Snow fungus extract contains agents that improve blood circulation in such a way to keep the skin youthful, helping to prevent loss in elasticity and loss in hydration. It also helps to reduce inflammation by increasing proper blood flow. Vitamin B3 helps to reduce inflammation and balances oil production.

5) The Face Shop Chia Seed Sebum Control Moisture Cream - $18.57 for 50 mL. at Amazon (from A-Poly)

This moisturizer is heavily endorsed by my K-idol, Bae Suzy, and is awesome for the hot and humid summer season. I use it religiously in the summer and early autumn (because where I live the summer extends usually into September) every morning (at night I use the product after this one...), and it really does help control oil production. It is free of parabens, benzophenone, artificial coloring, sulfates, mineral oil (an industrial ingredient found in a lot of moisturizers these days...), animal products, and thiethanolamine.

It's oil-free and actually does NOT contain any water! Instead, it contains chia seed sap and organic chia seed extract, which contains antioxidants and anti-inflammatory qualities to soothe pimples. It also deeply moisturizes the skin with its high concentration of omega-3 fatty acids (non-polar chemical structure is well affiliated with skin cells, so it is nicely absorbed by your skin!). Chia seed also contains lots of Vitamin B3 and zinc. Vitamin B3 is responsible for soothing the skin with its anti-inflammatory properties and zinc helps to control oil production. Think of this as a multi-purpose lightweight gel moisturizer.

6) Tony Moly Redappletox Honey Cream - $11.44 for 80 mL at Amazon (from h2 Dream)

I will admit that I bought this one on a whim because of how ADORABLE the container is. But turns out it works so nicely as my summer/fall nighttime moisturizer. Personally, I think it is a bit heavy to use as a morning moisturizer in the summer because I have oily skin, but if you have dry skin or even normal skin, then this may work well for you. The consistency is like a gel rather than a cream, and it is absorbed very nicely. Did I also mention it smells like ambrosia? It reminds of the fall, when apples are just starting to ripe and give off that apple-y smell.

The Redappletox contains a lot of wonderful ingredients. Manuka honey, produced in New Zealand, contains a high concentration of methylglyoxol, which gives this special type of honey its extraordinary antibacterial properties (which makes it excellent to use at nighttime especially because bacteria can sometimes accumulate on your pillow and cause breakouts). Royal jelly extract, derived from honeybees, is also an antibacterial agent and helps promote collagen production because of its high concentration of amino acids. Black honey is essentially raw honey and contains the highest concentration of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, helping to preserve skin's youthfulness and soothe the skin. Apple fruit acid, also known as malic acid, is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA), which increases collagen production and preserve skin elasticity. The cool thing about AHA is that it's a moisturizer and also an exfoliant, working to remove dead skin cells to prevent clogged pores, and helping to alleviate the appearance of acne scars.

7) IOPE Moistgen Essential Emulsion - $33.79 for 150 mL at Amazon (from Honest Skin)

Once again, IOPE is freaking awesome. This is my winter day and night moisturizer. I know it's advertised as an emulsion, but I have found that its consistency is more like a lotion. Some emulsions are more watery than this one, but I was between choosing this emulsion and the cream from the same IOPE line. Trust me when I say that this emulsion is all you need in a dry wintery place like mine. This emulsion is SO moisturizing and does not leave you excessively oily either. I do have to say that it takes a little bit longer for it to be absorbed by your skin, but I think that is because of its lotion-like texture (as opposed to a watery emulsion texture). It is wonderful and I have found my perfect winter moisturizer :)

This product highlights the usage of ceramide SLN ingredients, which contains amino groups that attach to fatty acids, acting as highly moisturizing agents for your skin while also helping to balance oil production. I am currently studying the life sciences in college, and from chemistry classes I can say with confidence that your non-polar skin will love the non-polar fatty acids :)

8) Ciracle Red Spot Cream - $16.99 for 30 mL at Wishtrend

A Korean friend of mine recommended this to me, and it has truly done wonders. This is my secret weapon for the occasional breakouts. It is marketed as an herbal spot treatment for acne, but I use it also to soothe skin inflammations where I get breakouts. It is also really good for preventing breakouts. My pimples usually go away after a day or two of applying this cream. It's that wonderful :) The smell is slightly medicinal, which some of you may not like, but it's not strong enough to bother me. Plus, I love the minty green color -- this minty green color actually counteracts against the redness from inflamed skin to reduce its prominence.

This cream truly has a plethora of herbal ingredients, many of which I have personally never heard of... haha. Centella extract is known to heal the skin, which is perfect for anyone with severe acne or damaged skin. Locust tree flower helps to soothe and calm inflammation of the skin. Japanese pagoda tree flower extract improves blood circulation to soothe inflammations. Full of anti-bacterial flavonoids and antioxidants, baikal skullcap root extract has strong anti-inflammatory properties. Tea tree leaf oil is one of the best natural remedies for acne, as it has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties.

9) Innisfree Green Tea Mineral Mist - $6.39 for 50 mL at Amazon (from A-poly)

I am relatively new to Innisfree products, but what drew me in was their extensive usage of natural ingredients. Innisfree products utilize the 6-Free System, which is such a plus: parabens, artificial ingredients, benzophenone, ethanol, animal products, and mineral oil (petroleum). A lot these ingredients are found in cosmetics and skin care products because they are relatively cheap to produce, but most of them are harsh on the skin. The spray is fine, moisturizes so well, and smells wonderfully refreshing -- like green tea with a hint of florals. I use this throughout the day whenever I feel the need to refresh my face (i.e. if I'm feeling slightly oily).

Innisfree advertises their usage of natural ingredients from Jeju Island a lot. There are SO MANY awesome natural ingredients in this one to nourish and freshen up your skin! Some of them include organic green tea extract (contains the antioxidant ECGC, an antiseptic, speeds up new skin growth, and hydrates skin), orchid extract (also an antioxidant that soothes the skin and slows wrinkle growth), cactus extract (also contains antioxidants that help skin retain moisture like cacti), tangerine extract (soothes blemishes and redness), and Jeju volcanic bedrock water (delivers volcanic minerals to nourish and hydrate the skin).


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Still with me? Yeah, this seems like a lot for a daily routine, but it has been so rewarding for me. My skin is on its path to recovery. Truthfully speaking, this routine is actually relatively simple compared to some other people's skincare routine. My mom's routine is focused more on anti-aging, so hers includes less acne-fighting products and more anti-aging products (e.g. an eye cream, an anti-aging serum, etc.). Again, this is simply my daily routine, which does not include my weekly masks, scrubs, etc.... haha the list would be a bit longer... ;)

That said, more so than skincare products, there are other things one can do for perfecting skin. I know it's going to sound cliché, but diet and exercise is truly the key to nice skin, a nice figure, better mood, etc. Drinking lots of water is also absolutely necessary! A weird trick to get me to drink more water is to buy a nice water bottle. I bought a Camelbak water bottle, and as a result, I now drink so much more water simply because I love drinking out of the nozzle. There are a lot of other tricks of the trade I do to help me drink in water -- I can post about this later if anyone wants :)