My Routine
Step 1
Remove makeup! I like to use an oil or cream based remover over a makeup wipe. This gently breaks down the oils and product of the day on your face so you can wash it away easily. My favorite kinds are the ones that lather into a foam once it's wet. Optional: Use an oil-based eye makeup remover if you use waterproof mascara and eyeliner! Remember, always be gentle when dealing with the skin around your eyes!
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Step 2
Double cleanse. Use a water-based foaming face wash to remove the remaining oils, sweat, and makeups from your face for a squeaky clean canvas! Gentle products are recommended so you don't strip your face too much and have dry, tight feeling skin. I don't recommend using products with beads or grits because that can be too harsh for your face. Drugstore face washes are perfect for this step. These are some of my favorites:
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Step 3
Exfoliate! This is up to personal preference, but I find that chemical exfoliators work better than physical ones. This step is important to get rid of rough spots, dead skin, and brighten any dullness! If you have problems with dark marks left from blemishes, I find that this is an essential step.
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Step 4
Toner. This is the step I'm usually lazy with! (I gotta get better...) Using a toner is supposed to balance the PH of your skin after washing your natural oils off. Supposedly, this is an important step to "prime" your skin for hydration but I haven't noticed any crazy difference when I do, or don't, use a toner.
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Step 3
Now it's time for treatments! Treatments are used to specifically target any skin concerns you have: acne, dark spots, fine lines, etc. These products can be anything from serums to acne cream spot treaments. Make sure these dry and absorb into your skin before moving onto the next step to make sure you get maximum efficiency in you products!
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Step 4
Eye cream
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Step 5
Moisturizer
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Extras
Occlusive layer, Sheet masks, etc
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Don't forget your sunscreen during the day!!!
My Thoughts
Dior DreamSkin: I got this from my mom. Like most Asian aunties, my mom is super obsessed with skincare and will gift me stuff all the time. Usually products I wouldn't buy myself, like skincare gadgets or luxury skincare. Generally, I hate luxury skincare. Aaaaand. I hate this product. LOL. I hate that 99% of luxury products are heavily fragranced and rely on gimmicks over results. They usually hurt my eyes and irritate my skin. I don't even know what this is supposed to be used for! Apparently, it can prime, hydrate, blur your skin... I've seen it labelled as a day AND night cream. But it's glittery....and it smells like an entire bottle of perfume was dumped into it. I used it once and won't again. I feel bad but I just really didn't enjoy it. Sorry mom!
The packaging is nice though, Heavy, sturdy, and has a very nice pearl finish. It looks nice on top of my vanity as a decoration...but that's just about all I can recommend it for. PASS.
Lululun Face Sheet Masks: These handy face masks come in the box unwrapped, so you can pull one out as you need them. I typically use these every night for quick hydration after a shower because I tend to take really, really hot ones which we all know is bad for the skin...oops. Anyways these are pretty cheap at about 75 US cents to a dollar a sheet (depending on where/when you buy them), so the box can go anywhere from $25 to $30. I think that's a pretty good deal. These also didn't dry out in the box, which surprised me because of the tissue box-like design. These hydrate well enough and they are pretty thick so they don't slide around your face. The mask itself is decently sized though if you have bigger eyes the eye holes might be a tad too small for you. These also have a light and pleasant green tea scent! YES.