Affordable Korean/Japanese Morning Skincare Routine | 2020

         In the mornings, my skin tends to be puffy and dehydrated so I look for easy products that combat those, while sitting nicely under makeup. The products I use are mostly Asian skincare, because I find that Korean and Japanese products work very well for my skin. I do switch products every so often to see what else provides different results, but this is what I've been using ever since the start of 2020.

Cleansing 

        Since early highschool I've never used cleanser in the morning, I just rinse with water. I started out of sheer laziness but turns out that it's a good option for those with dryer skin to prevent over-stripping.


Toning and Cream

        My current daytime duo is the Innisfree Blueberry Rebalancing Skin and Cream. Picked these up in Korea last summer since they were simple and super inexpensive, and I've been loving them for a while now. The skin is especially amazing, I'll apply it with my hands and it makes my skin so plump and hydrated. When my skin is especially dry, I'll apply 2-3 layers of it and sometimes I feel like I don't even need the cream. 

        The cream is good, hydrating but not heavy. Notanything life changing and I mainly keep using it to go with the skin, but I have been enjoying mixing it with my Vitamin C serum.  


Innisfree Blueberry Rebalancing Skin (18 CAD) and Cream (15 CAD - Yesstyle)
(terms "toner" and "skin" are used in the same sense in Asian skincare)



Vitamin C 

       Vitamin C will protect you from free radical damage (basically skin cell DNA damage caused by external stressors) and should boost collagen production which will make your skin healthier as a whole. This is my first vitamin C serum and I looked for something with good reviews that was a smaller size so that I could more easily use it up without worrying about oxidation. This affordable serum from Rohto has been a good starter serum for me, I find that after extended use my skin has gotten brighter. The serum is thin and slightly oily, so I prefer to mix 3-5 drops of it with my cream to cut down on time and boost the cream. 


Rohto Mentholatum Melano CC Vitamin Essence (21 CAD - Yesstyle)


Sunscreen 

        If you're not in the habit of applying sunscreen every morning, rain or shine, I am here to tell you to begin now! SPF everyday will keep your skin protected and young, and I think a big factor is finding a sunscreen that you love to apply which you WILL be able to find in Korean or Japanese sunscreens.             
        I've been using the MISSHA All Around Safe Block Aqua Sun Gel SPF 50+ for about 3-4 years now and I love it because it's hydrating but dries to a skin finish that isn't greasy, grainy, or drying. This is a chemical sunscreen, which could be irritating to certain skin types, although I haven't had any problems with it for years so I continue to use it. 


MISSHA All Around Safe Block Aqua Sun Gel SPF 50+ PA++++ (14 CAD - Yesstyle)


        And that's the end of my basic day-time skincare routine. I would sometimes apply any eye cream that I have or troubleshoot some depuffing depending on the day, but this is my day-to-day routine. 

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