MY SKIN care routine took me years to perfect.
I remember being 22 and absolutely clueless about what product goes with what, which product I should put on my face first, and which products to ditch because they aren’t good for sensitive and combination skin.
I was your typical cleanser-moisturizer-lip balm kinda girl, no toner, no eye cream, and no sunblock.
Such evil crime, I know.
Fast forward to being 26 and still without a proper routine, I noticed developing fine lines and dull, uneven skin tone.
It was a wake-up call that had me scouring the interwebs for product reviews, doing research, joining forums, and subscribing to newsletters just to help me come up with a skin care routine that suits me best.
When I found the products that worked, I thought that was it, I finally found my forever(s)!
But no, hitting my 30s was a whole new level of fine lines, unevenness, and dryness.
Our skin doesn’t repair as quickly as it does in our 20s, and feeling a shift with my skin, I made a decision to really take my regimen seriously.
Now at 33, I am happy to report that I finally found my HG products—the ones I cannot go to sleep without, and the ones I always have back-ups of in case they run out.
And because friends don’t let friends have bad skin (we’re all friends, right?), I’ve rounded up my old favorites and new discoveries that every woman or man in their 30s might want to also try and incorporate into their beauty regimen.
SPF. Make it your BFF. I wish. I did it sooner so I wouldn’t have to deal with my problem spot by spot but it’s never too late to start wearing sunscreen now.
Considering consistency and SPF level, I only swear by Bioré Watery Essence with SPF50— lightweight, and easily absorbed by the skin, wearing it feels like nothing.
Plus points too that it doesn’t give me a white cast after application.
Essence. An essence adds another layer of hydration to our skin, and targets problem areas on a cellular level.
Addressing fine lines and dull, uneven skin tone, essences allow better absorption of the next steps/products to follow, maximizing the benefits of your skin care routine.
Treatment lotion. On days when my skin begs for a little more hydration, I skip my toner and reach for my treatment lotion instead.
It gently exfoliates and closes pores and prepares my skin for the rest of my routine.
Lighter and more watery than the essence, and following the thinnest to thickest rule, I apply this after cleansing and before my essence.
What I use: SK-II Facial Treatment Essence and Facial Treatment Clear Lotion.
Having tried their sample sizes and loving the results, I decided to get SK-II’s Pitera Welcome Set which includes the cult-
favorite Facial Treatment Essence.
Knowing that SK-IIis not readily available in the Philippines, I got mine from Best Buy World Philippines (www.ph.bestbuy-world.com).
Serum. A serum is thicker than both facial lotion and essence and is considered as a lightweight moisturizer.
It can penetrate deeper into the skin because their formulation leaves out the much heavier ingredients found in the moisturizers. Looking for the perfect serum can be daunting but one has to remember to only get one that targets your skin concern/s.
That is why I’m using Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair II which I also got from Best Buy World Philippines because I am focusing more on delaying the signs of aging.
Carefully following the 10-step skin care routine, I’ve incorporated these products to complete my regimen.
While this may seem excessive, building an intensive skin care routine and following it religiously will do wonders to your skin. It will definitely change the overall appearance thus making you feel good about you starting a new habit and actually sticking to it.
Trust me, with this much time you spend on skin care, your skin will definitely thank you for it.
