Skin Care

Do you have any skin care routines?

I'm trying a basic one for the first time. I don't have any active skin issues, but figured it couldn't hurt.

I did have a scare for the first time last year over something on my back. Turns out it was a cyst which was promptly removed by a dermatologist, and they stitched me up. I was given some products after the removal to finish the treatment, and I was totally unfamiliar with everything. Shows my limited knowledge of skincare, I guess.

I used to! Used to be addicted to Korean skincare. It was originally inspired by Sharla's skincare routine video sometine in 2020, and since then I've tried lots of stuff - moisturizers, snail mucin masks, honey masks, mugwort masks, vitamin C serums, toners, occlusives, and others. I used to layer like 3-4 things on my face per night sometimes. Eventually (around August 2021) I developed mild perioral dermatitis which I am still dealing with today (may be permanent at this point) and suspect it's from overuse of skincare. :( Doctor told me to stop using anything on my face and I've for the most part followed that since January, except sunscreen when I can't cover my face with my SPF50 Australian wide-brim sun hat and face mask, and extremely gentle/very sensitive face wash to remove it. Otherwise 95% of the time I'm only ever washing my face with water and putting nothing on afterwards. Probably better this way since my skin seems sensitive to things and I don't want to risk making it worse in the long run...only downside are all the products sitting in my storage that will never get used and ended up being a waste of money.

I use soap.

I used to have a system with exfoliants and masks and rejuvenating creams and moisturizers and vitamin tinctures and "that sample of something i can't identify what it is but it came with my last Sephora purchase so slap it on!" nightly routine. But, idk, covid made all that somewhat irrelevant. Not going out at much plus wearing a mask in public just sorta made skin care not a major priority for me? On top of that, I have stupid sensitive skin and vitiligo around my eyelids and temples. So I've had a few pretty bad reactions to different chemicals and artificial fragrances, and the juice just ain't worth the squeeze.

Nowadays I just have a gentle facial cleanser. In the winter I might do a little more if my skin gets really dry, but I don't make a routine of it. And if I feel particularly grungy lol, I do have a really nice cleansing exfoliant which I follow with the moisturizer that comes with it, again on a case-by-case basis. Really just using a simple, unscented, sensitive skin, bar soap and lukewarm water gets the job done just as well as my old, chemical heavy, and expensive routine did,

Overall, I enjoy not caring so much, haha. Same goes with make-up too, though I do still enjoy the artistry of that.

I can't afford a proper skincare routine else I'd probably be a skincare junky haha. For me it's just Clinique mild facial cleaner + Kiehl's calendula alcohol-free toner + Sukin facial moisturiser, maybe two layers if I'm wearing makeup or if my skin is dry. Also beeswax lip balm. I do this twice a day, morning and night. Once I hit puberty I developed problematic skin, but it resolved at around 17 and now my skin is quite nice overall (if I sleep lol), and with this brand of products, I very rarely get any breakouts or rosacea acting up. Took a while to figure out my rosacea, ironically, is triggered by blush products!

Sheep said:

Otherwise 95% of the time I'm only ever washing my face with water and putting nothing on afterwards.

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Fairy said:

Nowadays I just have a gentle facial cleanser. In the winter I might do a little more if my skin gets really dry, but I don't make a routine of it.

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Not even moisturiser? :o This surprises me a lot because I've always been told by professionals that moisturising is essential for keeping your skin youthful, hydrated and protecting it from environmental damage. Especially in Australia haha. I could not survive a day without my moisturiser so I get pretty envious when others don't suffer dry skin/any problems without it!

@Janna have you tried Sukin facial moisturiser? Very easy to get in Aus and cheap as well. My skin is also super sensitive and this is the only thing so far that consistently works for me, it's very light and absorbs quickly but you can also layer it, and it makes sunscreen/make-up way more bearable. It does have a bit of a clay smell at first, but it fades.

Hyzenthlay said:

Not even moisturiser? :o This surprises me a lot because I've always been told by professionals that moisturising is essential for keeping your skin youthful, hydrated and protecting it from environmental damage. Especially in Australia haha. I could not survive a day without my moisturiser so I get pretty envious when others don't suffer dry skin/any problems without it!

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Oh I do have and will use a moisturizer! I just use it-as needed and don't pack my pores with any of the stuff I was on the daily before, haha. If anything, it's more the weather that'll decide if I use a moisturizer, since that seems to be what has the greatest impact on my skin (besides, ya know, hormones and stress lol).

I need moisturizer in the winter, but otherwise I just use a nice body wash. :)

Nope. I just use body wash and call it a day. I can't be bothered to do an entire skincare routine. Too much effort.

Just shower gel and that's it =p
Any more is a waste of time and money to me.

Most I've ever used is cleanser + moisturiser, I haven't researched into other products that much. I stopped using it for a while as I was always fortunate that my skin is relatively clear.

But I just ordered some skincare the other day in terms of trying a new Korean brand cleanser + moisturiser and I even bought one of those headbands people use to keep their hair out of their face when doing their skincare routine. I am also the worst at wearing sunscreen which I know is not good. So I tried to order a light, non-greasy sunscreen that hopefully I'll use consistently!

So now I get to enjoy skincare again and wear a Pompompurin headband whilst doing it I guess. :D

im gonna flex on everyone with my kickass genetics and general disregard for makeup and tell u that my skincare routine is to use clean hands and warm water to wash my face in the shower, then the lightest layer of scentless body lotion (primarily in the winter). sometimes i take the tiniest amount of soap and then rinse most of it off my hands before i wash my face, especially if i've used sunscreen the day before. skin that is not my face gets bar soap and occasional lotion and sunscreen. my lips get whatever chapstick i have on hand- usually burt's bees original, tho i like to find something with SPF in during the summer.

my skin is always clear and not oily or dry. this has worked for me my whole life

The only make up I wear is under eye concealer. You can likely guess why.