Hello and welcome.
I created this page to help you to navigate through the blog and finally establish your perfect skin care routine.
It can be easy to get lost and confused in a pile of information, tips and products.
This page is meant to guide you through a havoc of all my blog posts and hopefully provide you with step by step instruction on how to outline a perfect skin care routine starting from the very beginning.
I would like to mention that I am a big fan of Korean 10 step routine and base my own routine on that system.
So, let’s start.
Once you know you skin type, read how to take care of it.
Skin care routine for Oily Skin
Skin care routine for Dry Skin
Skin care routine for Sensitive Skin
Skin care routine for Combination Skin
Also, sign up from a FREE Ebook that will help you start with you skin care routine. You also get a FREE Worksheet that will help you to track you products (Look on the right site of the page)
Before buying any skin care product, please, learn how to read and understand ingredients.
Many products contain alcohols. While some alcohols are “bad” and do dry your skin, there are also some “good” alcohols that will actually moisturize your skin.
Good and Bad Alcohols in Cosmetic Products
Another ingredient that people avoid is parabens. I have a good post about parabens and whether you should be avoiding them.
There are also revolutionary ingredients in skin care that will protect and restore your skin.
Probiotics and Prebiotics in Skin Care – Are they good for you?
You also need to be very careful and not to damage protective lipid skin barrier. This barrier is vital in skin and over all body health.
What Is The Skin Barrier and Why You Should Care About It
1. Skin cleansing
Once you know your skin type and have general idea on the care and appropriate products, then you can start working on cleansing your skin.
8 Steps to Do a Facial Clean Up At Home
How to Clean Your Face Using Double-Cleansing Method
6 Major Reasons You Should Be Using Cleansing Oil
NEOGEN Real Fresh Cleansing Stick Green Tea – Review
DIY Facial Wash Vs Homemade Face Cleanser
2. Exfoliator
You need to exfoliate your skin 1 or 2 times a week. With exfoliation you remove the top layer of dead skin cells that make your skin look dull. A pile of dead cells also contributes to skin dryness, irritation and redness and acne formation.
However, stay away from harsh scrubs or if you chose to use one, least do not vigorously scrub your skin, including clogged pores on the nose. By harsh scrubbing we do the following to the face:
- We disturb pH balance of our skin which is extremely important of skin health.
- We destroy protective lipid layer of the skin. As the name says, this layer keeps our skin moisturized and prevents hydration from escaping. It also protects our skin from infections and other damages.
So the last thing we to is to damage our skin.
My personal choice is clays and I find that they do and excellent job.
12 Easy Steps To Have a Spa-Like Facial At Home
How to Do Facial At Home With Homemade Natural Products
Amazing Benefits of Pink Clay Mask for Flawless Skin
Clay is one of the best exfoliators for the skin, considering you are using it the right way.
Coffee Jelly Mask by Innisfree
The coffee-jelly mask is very good, however, I do no recommend using it on the face. At least do not vigorously scrub your skin, including clogged pores on the nose. By harsh scrubbing we do the following to the face:
- We disturb pH balance of our skin which is extremely important of skin health.
- We destroy protective lipid layer of the skin. As the name says, this layer keeps our skin moisturized and prevents hydration from escaping. It also protects our skin from infections and other damages.
So the last thing we to is to damage our skin.
What causes blackheads and how to treat them
Dead skin cells is one of the major contributor to blackheads formation. If you exfoliate your skin, then you will minimize blackheads.
3. Washable face masks
This is not a part of your classical Korean skin care routine. However, we are not trying to imitate someone’s routine; we are simply trying to build our own. So, washable masks come in handy.
I am pointing out that at this step you are applying a face masks that you will need to wash off in about 10-20 minutes. There are also sheet masks that we will talk about later in the routine (you do not wash off a sheet mask).
Washable masks are amazing for many different reasons: they further clean and exfoliate skin. They also supply skin with an extensive amount of nutrients, hydrating, anti-aging and moisturizing ingredients that will make your skin glowing.
You do not have to apply these type of masks daily, once or twice a week is usually enough.
What Are Face Masks, Types, Benefits And Which One Is The Best For You
3 Homemade Facial Masks for Beautiful Skin
10 Simple DIY Face Masks for Healthy, Glowing Skin
9 DIY Face Masks for Teenagers
4. Toner
Toner goes right after you clean and exfoliate your face. Toners re-balance skin pH and restore lost moisture.
4 Reasons You Should Be Using A Facial Toner
7 Recipes of Homemade Face Toners for Glowing Skin
5. Apply essence or/and serum and ampoule
This step ideally should be divided into 2 steps, because you have to use essence daily in the morning and at night. Whereas application of either serum and/or ampoule is an extra optional step, when you would like to give your skin an extra care and booster.
Difference Between Essence, Serum and Ampoule
When considering essence or serum for your skin, pay attention to an amazing ingredient called Galactomyces Ferment. It hydrates and heals your skin making it look very bright and youthful.
What is Galactomyces ferment and What it does to your skin?
During summer time you can also use face mists that can act as essences. Face mists refresh your skin during hot temperatures and deliver hydrating and nourishing ingredients to your skin.
PURITO Galacto Niacin 97 Power Essence – Review
Hydrating Face Mists – all you need to know about them
Hope Girl Honey Bee All Day Fixing Mist – review
6. Specific targeted skin treatment
You do not have to do it step on a daily bases or you can simply skip it all together.
I included it because I often use specific acne treatment for both my teenager and myself.
As we all know, almost no teenager is spared acne and pimples.
Unfortunately not all people are done with acne once they pass their teens. I still get a zit here and there. However, I have an amazing, honestly – miracle product that I’ve been using for 2 years now and will be using for another 102 lol.
7. Sheet Masks
Sheet masks or any masks are the fun part. You do not have to do sheet masks every single skin care routine.
You can skin step where you apply essence if you are using a sheet mask, because sheet mask is soaked in essence. Once you apply a sheet mask and remove it after 10-20 min, do not wash your face. Rather, pat all the ingredients into your skin and continue with the routine (apply either serum and/or ampoule or you can proceed to moisturizer).
There are the masks that I personally used and wrote reviews about them. To be honest, I am a bit behind on reviews on my blog, that is why I encourage you to check my Instagram page at @skincharms
Banobagi Vita Genic Hydrating Jelly Mask
Dr. Jart Rubber Mask Firming Lover
Dr. Jart Rubber Mask – Hydration Lover
Jayjun Okra Green Mask – Review
JayJun Anti-Dust Whitening Mask – Review
JAYJUN Anti-Dust Therapy Mask – Review
SNP 36.5 Active Seal Masks – Reviews
SNP Bird’s Nest Aqua Ampoule Mask
Etude House 3 Minutes Care In Morning Mask – Review
Time Revolution Artemisia Jelly Sheet Mask – Review
8. Eye Cream
Skin around eyes is different then the rest of the face. So, it requires special, more gentle products.
Start with this post to learn, why skin under eyes reveals our aging, health status and lifestyle before any other symptoms appear.
3 most important steps for the best under eye skin care
Under eye bags and dark circles do not look very appealing, but also can alarm us about some health issues. Read this post to learn why we have these annoying issues as well as what to do about them.
What causes dark circles under your eyes and how to get rid of them
Eye patches are great for under eye skin care. I am using them daily and sometimes twice a day if I see that my skin needs extra hydration.
What are Under Eye Patches and How They Work
Review of under eye patches.
Berrisom Placenta Firming Hydro Gel Eye patches – Review
I have many more reviews on my Instagram page. Join me at @skincharms
9. Moisturizer and/or Night cream and/or Sleeping pack
Moisturizers and Creams
How to Custom Make Moisturizer at Home
7 Effective Homemade Moisturizers For Healthy Skin
Understanding Body Butters and Their Benefits for The Skin
Overnight Sleeping Pack
Overnight sleeping mask is usually applied either instead of night cream, or as an addition to it. It all depends on your skin needs and issues.
Overnight sleeping mask or Night cream: what to use?
HOLIKA HOLIKA Wine Therapy Sleeping Mask Review | Red and White Wine
Sleeping mask: Elizavecca Green Piggy Collagen Jella Pack
TONYMOLY Golden Mushroom Sleeping Mask – Review
10. Neck Care
Many blogs and gurus omit this step, however, it is one of the most important steps in skin care routine.
Likewise skin around eyes, neck skin lacks oily glands, meaning that neck skin receives less moisture and skin becomes easily dry and dehydrated.
Also there are many other reasons why neck skin ages faster then skin face and adds extra years to our age.
I wrote an extensive post about neck and its care.
What causes neck skin and muscles to age and sag so quickly, loose elasticity and tone?
Vella Neck Patch Prestige Wrinkle Killer – neck care patch review
This is a quick overview of blog posts that will guide you through information about skin care, help you to find your own skin care routine and transform your skin to the one you’ve always wanted.
There are many posts as well, that explore natural ingredients like honey, mugwort, aloe vera, calendula, charcoal and so on. You can learn how to make your own skin care products starting with cleansers and finishing with masks.
Follow Homemade Skin Care category to explore.
There are also posts on how to take care of your hair, avoid split ends and restore hair health with homemade toners and masks. Follow Hair Care category.
And, of course, Self-Care tips are always necessary when we are devoting our valuable time to ourselves. Self-Care category.
Stay beautiful!!!