My Skip-Care Regimen
Here, you can find the products I used for my skip-care routine experiment. I sourced these products myself through looking at Korean skincare reviews online and came up with this routine that can hopefully achieve similar results as my previous 10-step skincare routine.
*Disclaimer* These products were curated by me, for me, so they might not work for everyone. My skin type is oily skin, dehydrated skin, acne-prone skin and I have large pores around my nose and cheek area.
*Also, unfortunately, not sponsored*
1. COSRX good morning cleanser
It is a mildly acidic cleanser that works softly to remove dirt and make skin supple and clear. I’ve been using this cleanser for more than a year now, and have repurchased this multiple times. I really like this cleanser as it isn’t harsh on my skin, and doesn’t leave my skin feeling parched after washing! This is the reason why I included this cleanser in my Skip-Care routine.
It has a gel-like texture (duh) and I only need a pea-sized amount for my entire face. I lather it up with my wet hands and spread it all over my face in circular motions. It foams easily with just a bit of water and a little goes a long way as well. After cleansing my face using my hands, I will usually go in with my Foreo Luna (a face cleansing device) to help reach areas that my hand can’t for a deeper cleanse. After that, I simply wash it off with water and my face feels clean but without being stripped off of moisture!
Where to purchase: I usually buy mine off of Shopee, either through the official COSRX shop or other sellers. I bought mine at around $10.43 inclusive of shipping. A rule of thumb is to always look at the reviews! It will inform you of whether the seller is reliable, how long the delivery takes and whether the product works for others.
2. SOMEBYMI miracle toner
As the name suggests, this toner has taken South Korea by storm, and thousands have seen miraculous skin-clearing benefits just by using this toner alone. It removes dead skin cells, shrinks pores and removes blackheads (a MUST for me), exfoliates the skin, and has ingredients that prevent acne. What’s special about it is that it claims to help achieve clear skin in just 30 days of using, and contains 10000 ppm tea tree extract (much more than normal toners that are similar) as the active ingredient.
I read online that several people have experienced purging when using this toner, so I would exercise caution when using this toner, perhaps it would be good to alternate this toner with a previously used toner to ease your skin to this toner.
***Purging refers to the process where the toxins in the skin are brought up to the surface and hence causes an outbreak of pimples, but they will subside after the toxins have slowly been removed by the product (in this case the SOMEBYMI toner)
This toner has a water-like consistency and smells a little herbally. I simply shake a few drops onto my palm, press both palms together then pat it on my entire face.
This toner feels nice and absorbs quickly into the skin, and doesn’t leave it feeling sticky or anything. My face doesn’t feel particularly moisturised though, compared to other toners that I’ve used before. Then again, this toner is supposed to help clear blackheads and exfoliate the skin, so hopefully, I will be able to see results soon!
Where to purchase: I bought this during a sale at $13.99 (inclusive of shipping) from the official SOMEBYMI store on Qoo10.sg. Remember to look out for any sales or coupons on the home page! There are also other authorised sellers on Qoo10 selling this toner as it’s so popular.
3. DR CEURACLE vita propolis ampoule
This product is highly raved about by many K-beauty junkies, claiming that it helps to plump and revitalise skin.
According to the official Dr. Ceuracle website, the Vita Propolis Ampoule is
a multi-tasking glow-creating ampoule formulated with propolis extract and royal jelly extract nourishes the skin, while vitamin tree brightens up the dull skin tone, leaving it revitalized, radiant, and supple.
Its key ingredients:
- Propolis Extract — Immediately revitalizes and nourishes the dull and tired skin.
- Royal Jelly Extract — Helps protect skin from free radicals and make skin plump.
- Niacinamide (Vitamin B3) — Improve enlarged pores, uneven skin tone, fine lines and wrinkles, dullness, and a weakened surface, apparently good for acne skin
- Centella Asiatica extract — Helps to soothe and repair damaged and sensitive skin, also consists of witch hazel (Hamamelis Virginiana Extract) which helps to prevent oiliness
According to one website, the formulation breakdown is 50% Propolis extract (wow!), 26% Centella Asiatica and Witch Hazel, 10% Vitamin derivatives and 10% Sea Buckthorn extract (rich in vitamins), which means that this product consists of a whopping 96% of beneficial ingredients for our skin! Rejoice!
The Propolis Ampoule comes in a pretty yellow honey colour, and the product is dispensed using a small dropper, sort of like a pipette from a chemistry lab. I drop a few drops of product directly onto my face and spread it around gently in upward motions. It spreads easily and absorbs easily as well.
One of the drawbacks is that the ampoule comes in a really, really, really small bottle, containing only 15ml of product. For such a small bottle, this product is really pricey. The original price of this was $21, which means it costs more than $1 per ml, comparable to other high-end brands like Sulwhasoo! With such a heavy price tag, I’m definitely expecting a lot from this product.
Where to purchase: I purchased both the Vita Propolis ampoule and the Beta-Glucan serum from the Cocomo store on Qoo10.sg, but you can find them on Shopee or Lazada as well. The original price of the ampoule was about $21, but I had a cart coupon that deducted $10 off my entire purchase, which brings the cost down to about $16.
4. iUNIK beta gluten power moisture serum
What’s special about this product is that it has 98% beta-glucan, which are polysaccharides (multiple sugars, starch, cellulose bonded together) found in yeast, bacteria, fungi, seaweed, and grains like oats. You can ingest them in food or you can apply them to your skin. Beta-glucan is also an ingredient marketed in milk powder for babies!
This product had many reviews of people claiming that the ingredient boosted their hydration levels and skin barrier function, along with decreasing the look of wrinkles, redness, and irritation. Beta-glucans are also 20% more effective at retaining water than hyaluronic acid, which is a popular skincare ingredient. It also has anti-aging properties; I guess it’s not too early to start on wrinkle prevention :)
This product surprised me by how viscous and sticky it was, I think its texture can be compared to a snail’s slime… It spreads pretty easily, though, but requires some time before it gets absorbed into the skin. I apply this directly onto my skin via the dropper, and slowly work it into my skin in circular motions as well.
Where to purchase: This costs about $23 before my cart coupon on Qoo10 via Cocomo, and I paid $18 for this product in the end.
5. Huxley Goodnight Sleep Mask
Huxley’s Goodnight Sleeping Mask is my go-to sleeping mask as it smells heavenly and applies like a dream. It has a gel texture that glides smoothly on your skin, and its multi-action formula locks moisture, calms down irritated skin, reinstates the skin with all the nourishment that it needs.
Huxley is famous for its signature ingredient — prickly pear seed oil — obtained from pink cacti in the Sahara Desert, which has moisturising and antioxidant effects. Antioxidants protect our skin against pollutants in the air, which can be especially useful if the haze comes back!
It also has collagen-restoring agents Hyaluronic Acid and Centella Asiatic Extract.
This product comes in a squeezy tube which I really appreciate! It makes dispensing the product much easier and is more hygienic compared to tubs, where you have to dig your fingers in to scoop up the product which introduces germs into the tub each time. A little goes a long way as well, as a thin layer is enough to make your skin feel nourished and moisturised.
Where to purchase: This was purchased off of Cocomo from Shopee, and priced at about $23 with free shipping.
And that’s all for my Skip-Care regimen guys! It’s pretty short compared to many other skincare routines, but because it’s part of my Skip-Care routine, this will be all the products that I need! You can read about my experience with Skip-Care here, and feel free to leave a comment on what you think! :)
See also: Boyfriend Tries Out Skincare Routine
