#007: My definitive winter skincare routine

And why less is, in fact, not more! (IMO)

I don’t consider myself a skincare influencer, but I often feel like I should make it a strong vertical of mine. I’m obsessed with my skin. I’m most flattered when people compliment my skin. I feel my best when I’m doing my nightly routine to make myself look like a glazed donut. Back when blogs used to be a thing (RIP), I used to make a post every few months or so with a detailed account of what I’ve been using and what makes each product so good and worth sharing. I want to bring that back now that this newsletter serves as some form of my blog’s reincarnation.

I want to preface what I’m about to say with a little disclaimer that I feel extremely fortunate to have access to so many incredible skincare brands and products on a daily basis. Since the start of the pandemic, I’ve stopped posting PR giftings and unboxings for several reasons. For one, the mass consumption and waste produced by PR/brand gifting has real, tangible effects on the environment and also public perception on how and why we shop for things. I don’t ever want to come off as someone who promotes needing a million and ten things, because that’s not normal! I also no longer post the unboxings in order to maintain integrity over the products I promote and the brands I align myself with. So what I was going to say is that I get gifted a shit ton of products. A lot of the times, I do get to choose if I want the gifting or not. And on luckier instances, I get to choose down to the specific products I want to be gifted. And on many other occasions, I’m on an automatic mailing list and just get sent things without any sort of notice. The culmination of all this has led me to create a method to the madness of testing out multiple products at once and trust that my method of mass trial and error works.

A lot of people say you need to test out products for a substantial amount of time to really get to know how it works on your skin. While that holds some truth, I also do think you can tell right off the bat if you’re going to like a product or not. How does it smell? What’s the texture like? What are the first ingredients in the ingredients list? Does the packaging and application make sense? How does it feel immediately on your skin? After 30 minutes? After an hour? A day? I’m usually able to glean what needs to be gleaned from each product in a few days. And I have some favorites! And I’m going to share them alllll with you.

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Current internet rhetoric around skin is weird. It’s like, we’re constantly told to accept ourselves, love ourselves, embrace who we inherently are without letting societal standards get in the way of feeling our best. Yet, there is also this weird public outcry for perfect skin that we haven’t really seen before recent years. Two years into the pandemic has only furthered our obsession with self-care, but I often feel like the rhetoric can ring antithetical to self acceptance. And it’s a little confusing to me because the lusting after perfect skin isn’t new to me. I grew up with it in Korea and it’s been deeply engrained in me. Of course it is perfectly OK to have acne, fine lines, hyperpigmentation, dry skin, what have you. But if we’re being told that it’s ok to bare our acne-ridden skin on social media, can we not just admit out loud that actually, there’s a lot of things that can be done to achieve the skin that we want? And it’s not a bad thing to want that?

Facials once in a while are important too :)

Maybe it’s because I grew up in Korea where we are told that where there is a will (to beauty), there is a way. There is always a way to getting the skin you want. And it should not be embarrassing, shameful nor anti-feminist to say, “Actually, I don’t want bad skin and I’m gonna do whatever it take to have the skin I want.” I micro dosed on accutane (can I even say that?) when I was 16 (I experienced a bout of horrible hormonal cystic acne) and I think it changed my life for the better. Like, 10 mg/day kind of thing. It’s handed out like candy in Korea. What I’m trying to get at here is that there have been so many tremendous advancements in skincare technology with some really clever and passionate people behind them to disrupt an entire industry that has been historically elusive and for the privileged! Even the rise of instagram and skincare influencers has democratized good skin for all! I say we embrace all that this industry has evolved into. Skincare is a ritual that should be practiced every single day. It means constantly switching up your routine as seasons change, as we age, as we move through the world picking up new knowledge and experiences to guide our decisions. Just think of it as an integration into your daily life.

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I am not a minimalist when it comes to skincare. Years and years of obsessing over my skin has led me to believe that layering products work. Using many products work. Each step serves a unique but critical purpose. Winter skincare routines are my favorite because you get to use so many products. Layering products is the name of the game, and pretty much the main rule for locking in moisture. I don’t always do 10 steps. I actually think ten steps is a bit excessive when you factor in time and consistency. Some steps are more important than others and I’ve widdled my routine down to 6-7ish steps. I made a cute little graphic on Adobe Creative Cloud Express, which was so fun to use and I hope to do more of these! I'm also going to include alternative products I equally love that I switch in and out of my routine depending on my mood.

1. Oil cleanser. I like to think that a double cleanse is the most imperative part of any skincare routine. Any steps after cleansing are rendered useless if your skin is not properly cleansed of makeup, dirt, sweat, excess oil, city grime… An oil cleanser ensures a deep clean into every pore and the physical act of massaging your face with an oil is so therapeutic and calming. It really sets the tone for what else is to come in the routine. I am currently using Babor’s HY-OL, which is maybe one of the most glorious textures of a cleansing oil I’ve ever encountered. Babor is a German brand with a cult following and you’ve probably never heard of them before. Or maybe you have! The key ingredient in this cleanser is Quillaia and it smells divine. It’s meant to be used in conjunction with their second step cleanser, which I’ll talk about below! Another cleansing oil I love is the Eve Lom one, which I use with the dainty muslin cloth that comes with the product. It’s a tried and true cleanser and loved by so many for a reason. For a no-fuss, unscented one, the Tatcha Cleansing Oil is also a staple in the circuit.

2. Gel or cream cleanser. In the winter, it’s probably gonna be a cream cleanser. Something like Image Skincare’s Vital C Cleanser, which has vitamin C in it to brighten your skin while cleansing. Or if you wanna stick with Babor, I recommend doing the complete bi-phase cleansing system, by using their reactivating cleanser, which is water-based, following the oil cleanser. The combination of the two creates a milky emulsion that you just wash off and you’re done with the double cleanse! If you like a foaming one, the Sulwhasoo Gentle Cleansing Foam is super mild and has been in my rotation since I was like 13 and discovered the product from my mom.

3. Toner. I have such a hard time finding a good cleanser. I’ve gone through so many and I think what I am always looking for is one that’ll ultimately bring out all that brown-grey-sometimes-black residue onto a cotton pad after toning. But it can’t strip my skin either. I love Upcircle Beauty’s toner, made from repurposed mandarins and chamomile extract. It’s light, never stripping and feels like a glass of lemon water on a hot day. Micellar water is also good if you really want to be gentle on your skin. Bioderma Sensibio is the holy grail, OG that started it all but also Beauty Water is one of those products that is in every beauty fanatic’s cabinet because of how versatile it is. It has papaya enzyme and witch hazel so it also does active things to your skin while toning! Also good for those with stubborn blackheads like me is Caudalie’s Vinopure Salicylic Acid Toner, which I like to use 3x a week.

4. Chemical exfoliator. I don’t like physical exfoliators because my skin is quite sensitive. I find that chemical exfoliators (the AHAs and the BHAs and the enzymes) work best and are the active ingredients that target skin concerns and get shit done. They are absolutely necessary if you want glowing skin and should always be applied right after toner for optimal absorption and used every single day. I feel like every influencer and their mom creates a skincare line and I’m always initially skeptical of all of them but I’ve been super impressed by U Beauty’s Resurfacing Compound. So much so that it’s one of the few products I request for a refill over and over again. Its key active ingredients are lengthy — antioxidants, vitamin C, vitamin E, peptides, retinol, hyaluronic acid, AHAs — meaning it’s powerful and it works. And instead of having to think about layering different ingredients, it’s just a one and done. Another exfoliator I love is Alpha H’s Power Peel with retinol. It’s not as strong as the name suggests — it’s actually quite hydrating and almost feels like an overnight mask. And a classic that is always in my cabinet is Paula’s Choice Niacinamide. I owe a lot to this product.

5. Hydrating serum. This is kind of like a primer for your final act. It’s meant to lock your serums in and to prep your skin for its final moisturizer. U Beauty’s Super Smart Hydrator is insanely luxurious and truly seals all the previous products from steps 1-4 in your face. In the summer, I can use it as a moisturizer. It’s so good. A more upmarket product is Rétrouve’s Nutrient Serum, packed with my favorite ingredients like niacinamide, ceramide and vitamin C all in one. It kind of smells like seaweed, which is oddly comforting to me but may be polarizing to others. I like to steer clear of things labeled “hyaluronic acid serum” because that’s not enough. Our bodies already naturally produce hyaluronic acid. We need a little more in a skincare product than just that.

6. Face balm, face oil, or a super duper hydrating face cream with oil in it. I can’t stress face oils enough. A lot of people with acne prone or trouble skin freak out when I say this, echoing things like “I’m scared”, “my skin is already so oily”. Dryness produces oil, not moisture! Dryness causes an overproduction in sebum, leading to things like acne and blackheads. Face oils are my best friend and they could be yours too. They keep my skin plump, protect my face from free radicals and literally carry the essential antioxidants and nutrients my skin needs. You can start simple, with single ingredient oil like rosehip oil, which can be found at your local health store or even Amazon. Or if you’re already friends with face oils, you can try Furtuna’s Olive Replenishing Balm or this Korean brand CURE’s Aloe Balm (I’ve gone through two jars already and slather it all over my face, skin and body). The key to using balms and oils is warming the product up in your palms before applying. You need to get it melted, so to speak, for optimal use. If you’re still unconvinced about face oils, I haven’t done my job. BUT, this True Botanicals Extreme Skin Barrier Chebula Cream might as well be an oil. It has oils in it but just delivered in cream form. It’s so yummy and deeply nourishing.

The result of face oils.

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Happy to answer any questions or give alternative product recommendations!!!! I hope you enjoyed this. It was much requested and long overdue. And if you’re asking for my makeup routine next, no you’re not ❤️

<3