Last week was an Eid week and I have braced myself for the standard questions from my nosy-but-lovable friends and relatives. You know, those “when will you get married”, “when will you start master study”, and all its possible variation/combination.
One question I did not expect to come up at all is, “What skin care products are you currently using?” It is either my skin condition has become much nicer, or they got a glimpse of my ever-growing stash of skincare products. Oops.
I might be a tad overexcited when this question was being asked. I could not help to express my inner skincare geek and things could get pretty….technical. I could see my cousins were slightly dazed when I explained the different properties of ethyl ascorbic acid and sodium ascorbyl phosphate. Double oops.
Therefore, I prepare this mini(-ish) reviews of everything I currently used! I try to follow this routine consistently but I adjust with what my skin needs (and sometimes I slack off too). However there are some steps that are (almost) mandatory; I get goosebumps just thinking about skipping these steps, haha. I will put (mandatory) for these steps I am obsessive about.
Enjoy!
MORNING ROUTINE
My typical morning routine is actually pretty short. Yes, really. I love my skin care but I love my bed more.
Cleanse (Mandatory)
Cleansing in the morning is just something I automatically do before stepping in the shower. My oily skin + humid, tropical Indonesian climate = layers of yuck that needs to be banished every morning.
Out of all the skincare steps, cleansing is where I tend to scrimp. As much as I like my cleanser to be expensive and luxurious, it is a pity to see those interesting ingredients and exotic extracts go to the drain eventually. I would rather investing on serum/other products that actually stay on my face. Therefore, Hada Labo Shirojyun Ultimate Whitening Face Wash is my go-to face wash. It is affordable, easy to get, leave my skin clean without squeaky sensation. I have been using this since my hell-sent-breakout period, and it just feels…safe to continue using this.
I also have Wardah Lightening Creamy Foam Face Wash because it is even cheaper and easier to get (at least in Indonesia). After being accustomed to Hada Labo’s non-perfumed face wash, Wardah’s scent smells like a jab on my nose, and it is a bit on the drying side. Not my favourite.
Both cleanser are in my to-be-reviewed schedule so stay tune for more in-depth review!
Tone
Ain’t nobody got time for this step in the morning, so I usually skipped it. Sometimes I do reach for a spritz of Mustika Ratu Air Sari Mawar Putih (reviewed here, in Bahasa Indonesia). Mostly because of its scent instead of its skin care benefits.
Serum/Essence/Ampoule (Mandatory)
I love my vitamin C serum. Seriously. I cannot even think of skipping my vitamin C serum. I can see my hyperpigmentation diminishing quickly after regular usage. I am hoping HARD for its anti-aging and anti-oxidant properties as well. Please help me atone for years of neglects and not wearing sunscreen, my dear Vitamin C.
I have not tried the L-ascorbic acid (L-AA) variants due to various reasons, but my skin appears to love ethyl ascorbic acid, sodium ascorbyl phosphate (SAP), and magnesium ascorbyl phosphate (MAP). They do not require very acidic pH to work effectively like L-AA Serum, thus decreasing risk of irritation.
I am currently using Serambi Botani vitamin C + aloe serum. It contains SAP in undisclosed percentage and aloe vera extract for hydrating but non-sticky effect. Having used this regularly every morning for a month, I think I need more time before I can properly review this, but I can say that it is really pleasant to use, even for people with oily skin.
In addition to Vitamin C Serum, sometimes I use COSRX Galactomyces 95 Whitening Essence (reviewed here) if I have more time in the morning (It does not happen often).
Eye Cream
I often forgot about this step, LOL. To be fair, I keep The Body Shop Vitamin E Eyes Cube (reviewed here) in my skincare + makeup pouch for a quick swipe anytime I need it.
Moisturize
Non-existent. Especially if I already put on COSRX Galactomyces 95 Whitening Essence, which provides me sufficient hydration for quite a long time. Veeery rarely I do use Garnier Lightening Serum Cream, but the scent is so UGH NOPE NO FREAKING WAY compared to its benefits, so I kind of let it fossilized in my vanity box.
Sunscreen (MANDATORY)
OMG YES. SUNSCREEN. I AM OBSESSIVE ABOUT IT. Sorry, not sorry,
I use sunscreen during bright and cloudy days, indoor and outdoor. Every morning I use one layer of sunscreen, wait a few minutes until it dries down evenly, and then add another layer. And then I reapply approximately every two hours.
Now you know why I do not wear base make up daily. It makes it hard to reapply my sunscreen. That, and my shitty skill in applying base make up properly, of course.
I have sunscreens for various occasion, and I probably need to write a different post about my sunscreen #squad. For my typical everyday use (commuting to office, working indoor from 9 to 5 near wide-glassed windows, commuting back home), I want my sunscreen to be at least SPF 30, PA+++ or equals. I am not too picky about texture since I usually don’t wear anything on top of it, although pleasant user experience is always a plus. I am okay with physical/inorganic filters, chemical/organic filters, or mixed. Since I reapply (very) often, I want it to be as cheap as possible too.
LOL who am I kidding, I want EVERYTHING to be as cheap as possible.
The product I like the most for daily use is Biore Aqua Rich Watery Essence SPF50+ PA++++. Biore is a cult product and I understand why. It has a light feeling, decent sun protection, non-annoying scent, and dried down quickly. However in where I live, it could be a bit hard to get offline and I sometimes do not have the patience for online orders. Emina Sun Protection SPF30 PA+++ is a cheaper alternative and easier to get. It feels a bit heavier than Biore but it dries down quick too. Fragrance is a bit off-putting but acceptable. (UPDATE August 2017: review for Emina Sun Protection SPF30 PA+++ is up!)
Additionals…
Don’t forget to put SPF on your smooch too! I use Maybelline Baby Lips Lip Balm SPF 20, which I got as a souvenir from Japan. It is a bit heavy and I need to wait a few minutes before applying lipstick, otherwise the lipstick will slide everywhere. One way to overcome this is to wear it before starting/at some point during skincare routine, to let it dry down a bit before putting lipsticks. Too bad I don’t like the sticky feeling on my lips while putting on skincare. If you have suggestion on lip balm/other lip products with SPF that is not too glossy/sticky, let me know!
My evening and weekly routine is coming up in a different post, because apparently the (short) morning routine is getting too long to explain, LOL.
See any interesting products? Do you also use the same products for your routine? I would love to know! Please share below 🙂