My (Mostly Korean Beauty) Glass Skin/Cloudless Skin - Skincare Routine
Last updated: 08/02/2020
For reference I have combination skin. I lean more towards oily most warmer days/summer, and more towards dry when I use actives and during the winter. I also have picky, sensitive skin, that seems to get angry with a lot of products. My skin often turns red and irritated. Finally I have aging skin. I’m lucky that I still look young but that is in part to good genes, a healthy lifestyle and my skincare routine. Since I’m in my 30’s, I find happiness in pampering myself to either help maintain or improve the condition of my skin. Prevention = Anti-Aging.
Below is my skincare routine. I hope this gives you some insight of what you might want to do for your own routine. If you would like for me to personally recommend you some products, please feel free to ask! I have also included my hair routine as I also think it’s important to take care of your hair (it’s also as fun and therapeutic for me as pampering my skin). I have long, thick-ish, straight hair with the occasional dry, itchy scalp.
Table of Contents
- Morning Facial Routine- Night Facial Routine
- Hair Routine
* = holy grail
MORNING
Cleanser
ONEOSEVEN Low pH Chaga Cleanser*
Fermented vinegar is a very good, all-rounder type of ingredient (kind of like centella asiatica). It’s very healing and anti-bacterial. The cleanser has a nice jelly kind of texture with little bits of green tea, that lathers into a nice little foam. It does smell like vinegar & green tea which is actually enjoyable if you like herbal/earthy kind of scents. People say you shouldn’t invest too much money into cleansers. However, this cleanser is 1. Not expensive, and 2. I can actually see and feel it gently exfoliating my face everytime I use it. I no longer use AHA or some kind of scrub in my routine. Just this and my Son & Park Beauty Water, have been keeping my sensitive face extra smooth and flake free. I’m very impressed with both this and their Illuminating sheet mask. Other interesting ingredients include: 1,000ppm chaga mushroom extract and 10 Complex (10 different skin brightening plants/flowers).
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Other Recommendations:
Atoclassic Real Tonic Soothing Multi Cleanser, Peach & Lily Power Calm Hydrating Gel Cleanser, and Fresh Soy Face Cleanser.
Facial Mist
Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Ultra-Fine Mist*
This facial mist acts as a hydrating intermission between my cleansing and toning steps. Especially after I take a shower, it takes me awhile to go from cleansing to toning, and in that time my skin starts to dry up (possibly making my skin a bit irritated as well). This provides a “better than just water” light-hydration and the light-weightness is perfect for quickly refreshing your skin.
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Alternatives:
Exfoliating Toner
Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow PHA + BHA Pore Tight Toner*
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Alternatives:
Hydrating & Brightening Serum
Cremorlab O2 Couture Hydra Bounce Ampoule*
I feel like this is the closest thing I will ever get to an oxygen facial. This has Marine Algae Capsule technology and Marine Oxygen Plasma (helps oxygen penetrate further into the skin) as well as 0.1ppm oxygen. This is important because oxygen levels in your face naturally decline with age from worsening blood circulation! Also, my skin has gotten so “transparent” since using this (my skin is already bright but this adds a dimension of luminosity to your skin). Other interesting ingredients include East Asian mountain yam (for fighting collagen loss & reducing skin flakiness), saccharomyces ferment filtrate (hydrating & brightening), centella asiatica extract (anti-bacterial & reduces redness), fig (dark spots & sebum control, also melanin reducing), brown alga/algae (reduce oxidative stress & skin aging), spirulina/blue-green algae (eliminate free radicals & slows down aging of skin cells), plankton (fatty acids & holds moisture), lavender oil (reduces redness & acne scarring), ceramide NP (moisture retention & strengthens skin barrier), orange oil (anti-bacterial), caffeine (anti-aging & brightening), mandarin orange peel oil (reduces acne & scarring), soy isoflavones (melanin & age spot reducing), and litsea cubeba fruit oil (anti-inflammatory & anti-bacterial). Like all Cremorlab products, this also contains their T.E.N. Mineral Water which hydrates and improves skin health.
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Alternatives:
Brightening & Antioxidant Serum
TIAM My Signature Red C Serum*
This scared me at first because I had a bad experience over exfoliating with Tiam’s original vitamin C serum (when they were still OST). However, despite this version having 20% vitamin C, it was a lot more gentle with the addition of vitamin B12 (repairs and promotes growth of healthy skin cells) and glutathione (antioxidant - protects from free radicals). Since I have sensitive skin, I’m still a bit cautious and mix this with another serum designed to soothe irritation and redness. I even sometimes use this twice a day and I still haven’t over exfoliated. I have an extreme fear of over exfoliation. I’ll probably never try any other 20% vitamin C serum except this lovely gem from Tiam. Thank you Tiam for restoring my faith in vitamin C. In terms of results, you can expect the usual effects from vitamin C, though I’ll have to say vitamin C works a lot better with niacinamide. I often use a niacinamide serum after this and I become bright like a diamond.
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Balancing & Brightening Serum
Bliss Glow & Hydrate Niacinamide & Hyaluronic Acid Day Serum*
The main ingredient (2nd on the list) is spa grade niacinamide (brightening & balancing). Other interesting ingredients include aloe barbadensis leaf juice (soothing & anti-inflammatory), licorice root (reduces under-eye circles, discoloration & age spots), soybean oil (antioxidant, smooths & moisturizes skin w/ vitamin E and fatty acids), sunflower seed oil (vitamin E & good for acne/redness/irritation), oat kernel oil (rich in lipids & fatty acids), and shea butter (healing & highly moisturizing).
Sensitive Skin Day Cream
Dr. Jart Cicapair Tiger Grass Cream*
Trying the Cicapair Cream couldn’t have come at a better time. I’m fed up with a lot of different products/ingredients, so I’m actually trying to go more soothing with my skincare this year. This cream is not only soothing (cica is a good all-rounder ingredient), but it’s a good hydrating cream for my combination skin, yet keeps me fairly matte and doesn’t add any excess oil. I have tried this on warm days as well, so I’m sure it will wear well into the summer (unless there’s a heatwave). You probably already know how great cica/centella asiatica is, so I won’t talk more about that. While I’m still on the hunt for a good anti-aging cream for night, this is my go-to for during the day.
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Lightly Hydrating & Awakening Eye Product
Peach & Lily Cold Brew Eye Recovery Stick
Interesting ingredients include green tea, acetyl octapeptide-3, kiwi, cucumber, blackberry, blueberry, cranberry fruit, caffeine, Chilean wineberry, goji berry, raspberry, acai palm, strawberry, white mulberry fruit, black currant fruit, Korean blackberry, panthenol, moringa seed, red seaweed, turmeric root, adenosine, European blueberry, niacinamide, pantothenic acid/vitamin B5, ascorbic acid, linolenic acid, and biotin.
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Sunscreen
Huxley Tone Up Cream Stay Sun Safe 50+ PA+++
I really like to use this for my everyday look (when I’m not wearing any kind of makeup). It’s not overly hydrating like most other Korean sunscreens and it doesn’t make me look like a ghost on my ~NC25-NC30 skin.
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Affordable Alternative: Missha All-Around Safe Block Soft Finish Sun Milk
NIGHT
Cleanser
Fresh Soy Face Cleanser*
Interesting ingredients include soybean oil, sunflower seed oil, starflower seed oil (restores moisture & smoothness), aloe barbadensis leaf juice, cucumber fruit extract, damask rose extract & flower water, cornflower extract (anti-inflammatory, diminish fine lines & tone skin around eyes), soybean sterols, panax ginseng root extract, damask rose flower oil, mallow flower extract, and hydrolyzed soy protein.
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Alternatives:
Clarifying/Balancing Toner
Son & Park Beauty Water*
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Hydrating & Firming Serum
AHC Aqualuronic Serum*
In addition to 3 different types of hyaluronic acid (low, medium & high molecular weights), other interesting ingredients include niacinamide, spongeweed/green algae, linnaeus/green algae, wakame, artemisia/mugwort, sea water, adenosine, zinc PCA, shea butter, resurrection plant, ceramide NP, cholesterol, ceramide AS, ceramide NS, ascorbic acid, ceramide AP, Tasmanian blue gum, asiaticocide, asiatic acid, madecassic acid, magnesium PCA, copper tripeptide-1, calcium chloride, potassium hydroxide, sea salt, alanine, magnesium chloride, aspartic acid, ceramide EOP, lysine, leuscine, tyrosine, isoleucine, magensium citrate, glutamic acid, arginine, and taurine.
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Alternatives:
Firming/Softening Serum: Peach & Lily Glass Skin Refining Serum*
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Affordable Alternative: COSRX Two in One Poreless Power Liquid
Night Moisturizer
Laneige Water Bank Moisture Cream*
Interesting ingredients include squalane, quinoa seed extract, glasswort extract, magnesium, manganese, calcium, zinc, meadowfoam seed oil, copper tripeptide-1, ceramide 3, niacinamide, potassium, and sodium.
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Alternatives:
Deeply Hydrating & Anti-Aging Eye Product
Algenist Complete Eye Renewal Balm*
Interesting ingredients include shea butter, wakame, meadowfoam seed oil, algae exopolysaccharides, badderlocks, bamboo leaf/stem, aloe vera leaf juice & powder, green tea, cucumber, caffeine, tetrapeptide-21, dipeptide-2, palmitoyl tetrapeptide-7, palmitoyl oligopeptide, magnesium ascorbyl phosphate, apple cell culture, raspberry leaf, pea, golden samphire, and phospholipids.
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Light & Refreshing Sleeping Mask
Laneige Water Bank Sleeping Mask*
Interesting ingredients include evening primrose root (anti-inflammatory, soothes acne & prevents future breakouts), apricot (removes blemishes & improves skin tone), beta-glucan (skin healing & collagen building), quinoa seed (treats acne & brightens skin), ascorbyl glucoside (water soluble derivative of vitamin C)
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