Skincare Part 2

Assalamualaikum & hello XD

So the post is going to expose how do I buy my skincare - I know, benda ni obvious and some people don't care pun. Takpe la nak share lol. This post has no sponsors or advertisements, simply my review. (It's super lengthy too).

As I'm living in between countries - one with the summery weather while another one is a four-season country, I'm alternating summer skincare & winter skincare. 

Before I go to buy my skincare products online, I checked the rankings by Koreans for products on these two apps - Glowpick & Hwahae. Both of the apps are in Korean (sadly) so I keep a note of the translation in my phone when I'm using it. After selecting the options, you can rank or select your price range to get the suitable products.

 

Then, I'll check the ingredients of the products in Cosdna, to make sure it's safe and suitable to be used.

My skincare routine in Malaysia used to consist - cleanser only. Then, I added toner, simply because that brand has one. Then I used a product - I think semua orang guna pencuci muka ni sebab memang target marketnya kulit berjerawat. Bila fikir balik, memang aku selalu tukar pencuci muka sebab selalu sangat kulit muka aku sakit towards the end of using the products or jerawat aku semakin teruk.

almost every skincare ni semua ingredientnya kuat, so aku kena selalu tukar bila kulit aku start mengelupas.

ni pulak skincare yang aku guna time KMB to pre-departure to UK

Time KMB to pre-departure UK - kulit aku memang fluctuate sesuka hati. Tapi cuma Safi Balqis tu yang aku bawak ke UK sebab ada both cleanser and toner.

Bila dah kat UK, banyak lagi skincare products yang aku baru discover. Soap & Glory, misalnya. Aku tak pernah tahu ada product ni lol dah tu jual kat Boots je, while brand The Body Shop ni tak daya nak beli kat Malaysia, sebab mahal sangat. Routine skincare cuma ada cleanser & moisturizer sebab kulit dah start kering and super sensitive.

I would say, masa ni tak incorporate any types of routine pun. Just fikir nak cleanse skin until one day, aku tengok video pasal Korean skincare routine. So I did researches and figured out, mungkin boleh cuba Korean skincare routine. Ada satu artikel tu cakap, Western products memang lil bit harsh kat kulit orang Asia sebab component tak sama, better la pakai something yang suits Asian skin. I’ve come down to few rules and I think most of us can find these by now on the Internet. Banyak dah skincare experts yang aktif sekarang, either both for Korean routine or Western routine. Contohnya, kak Iman, kak Pah, kak Lily and kak Maisarah (Twitter-based). 

My morning routine: facial cleanser, toner, moisturiser, sunscreen
My night routine: oil cleanser, facial cleanser, toner, serum/ampoule, moisturiser.
Demotivated version (malas days): day-cleanser, sunscreen. night-cleanser, moisturiser.
Winter skincare - use moisturiser of a thicker consistency, a gel-like type to a cream type.
Summer skincare - day-time, use gel-like type moisturiser. night, use cream type.

  

OIL/BALM CLEANSER

FOAM CLEANSER

I did my double-cleansing every two days. I always find oil cleansers that are suitable for combination skin or sensitive skin. As I cleanse my face twice a day, I use only a small amount of foam cleanser, around a chick-pea sized dot? This is due to avoid irritation, redness, and dryness from the foam produced. With oil cleanser, I go with 2-3 pumps but only one scoop with balm cleanser. Etude House Soon Jung cleanser is for sensitive skin but I cannot use the cleanser - kulit sis mengelupas especially kat pipi and tepi mulut. Senka's Perfect Whip pulak, I have tiny bumps on my forehead, while Nature Republic's Aloe Vera Foam Cleanser pun cause my skin to be very dry. On certain days, I have to apply creamy moisturiser on the whole face. Currently using Benton Honest Cleansing Foam (right one) - okay la sikit.

TONER

I go with the non-alcohol toners. I tried Body Shop’s Aloe Vera Calming Toner but I found the toner is irritating for my skin, I got redness & my skin went itchy when I used it. So I bought Vitamin E Hydrating Toner after few questions to my senior who used these Vit E line - it's very itchy and the scent wasn't that nice. I stopped using it too and changed my toner to Secret Key’s Milk Brightening Toner - the scent is lil' bit milky but it's very nice and I don't feel anything pain on my skin! Both of the toners from Body Shop have alcohol in the ingredients - it's calming for some people but they don't work on my skin.

And why do I use a toner? Extra-cleansing and to calm down my skin.

SERUM

I used Drops of Youth once, I didn’t see anything new to my skin. Did not want to continue because it is pricey. Used Ciracle’s Pore Tightening and tbh I always forget to use serum in my routine. Jangan tiru perangai ni ye anak-anak! Selalunya, serum is the treatment for your main concern, you nak treat masalah apa on your skin.

MOISTURISER

In Malaysia, I use gel-like moisturisers at night or after double-cleanse only. I never stick to one brand only because I noticed my skin condition did not improve or worsened. I used different moisturisers on different areas on my face. My nose and cheeks go well with gel-like moisturisers, while other parts need to use cream-type moisturisers. I bought oil-free and sensitive skin moisturisers only.

currently alternating both of these

SUNSCREEN

I avoid sunscreens with fragrances and use sunscreens for sensitive-prone skin in the UK. In Malaysia, I used sunscreens for oily skin and no-sebum powder. dear Klairs Mid-day Blue Sunscreen tu mahal la bagi bajet aku sebenarnya and dia ada white (actually blue) cast on your skin. Memang nampak cerah bila pakai sunscreen tu, tapi kalau tak letak lipbalm or any colour to your lips - you gonna look very pale. While Cosrx punya, scent dia kuat sikit but less oily than Skinfood punya.

The right way to use your skincare products is to use them according to their consistency in increasing order. Setakat ni, my routine belum solid sebab I got malas days... that’s why I don’t use any active ingredients yet on my skin. But I’m planning to use Vit C to reduce scars and pigmentation, tapi entah bila nak mulanya. Let's aim for a clear and healthy skin!

My Holy Grail:
Balm cleanser - Banila Co Clean it ZERO (Sensitive)
Oil cleanser - The Face Shop Rice Water Bright Light Cleansing Oil
Cleanser - still searching lol
Toner - Secret Key Milk Brightening Toner (the only toner without alcohol in the line)
Moisturiser - Benton Aloe Vera ft. Cosrx Honey Ceramide
Sunscreen - Skinfood Aloe Watery Sun Gel

Okay annyeong ciao goodbye!