Candace's haul of products to keep her skin nice and hydratedHi, my name's Candace. *firm but gentle handshake*. Although I've been writing for for three years, this is my first blog post. Let's get right to it.
I'm a student at the University of Washington, which means that I live in Seattle for most of the year. Seattle has its moments, but for the most part, it's usually pretty cold, kinda dreary and rainy. If you've seen any of the movies, I guess you could say the weather's pretty similar (it's a horrible analogy, I know, let's roll with it).
Long story short, the weather's very different from Hong Kong's (hot and humid), so I've had to switch up my skincare routine a little.
I like to think my skincare routine is simple - I cleanse, tone, moisturise when I wake up and before I go to sleep. Nothing too out of the ordinary, but I do have a soft spot for Korean and Japanese products.
FYI, I have combination skin (oily in the T-zone), and I've learnt to change my products up depending on where I am. When I'm in Hong Kong, I tend to go for clarifying/oil-controlling products and a light moisturiser. The opposite goes for Seattle, where I desperately try to keep every drop of moisture in my skin.
Cleanser
I rotate between Etude House's Every Month Cleansing Foam in Red Wine and Hada Labo's Hyaluronic Acid Cleansing Foam*.
The Hada Labo cleanser is a chemical exfoliant, and while it doesn't dry out or irritate my skin, I prefer to use a heavier cleanser in the evening.
Toner
I don't use a typical "Western" toner (y'know, the ones that contain alcohol and require a cotton pad for application), unless I have breakouts. Hada Labo's Hyaluronic Acid toner* is what I'm using at the moment which I like more than Etude House's Collagen toner. I pat a few drops into my skin after washing it, and it just makes my skin feel so much better.
My parents are converts as well. My dad's a fan too, and went out to purchase his own bottle!
Moisturiser
I currently have three moisturisers on rotation. I prefer to use the Body Shop's Vitamin E Aqua Boost Sorbet* as a daytime moisturiser (it's light, and works well under makeup), Juke's Mink Velvet Lotion* when I need a little extra moisture, and Shara Shara's fairy's Vital Beam Cream* at night (it's thick and it takes a while for it to be absorbed into the skin).
Makeup Remover
To remove my makeup, I like to double-cleanse - I find that it removes every trace of makeup. I start out with a small pump my Hada Labo Cleansing Oil*, massage it around my face and very gently around my eyes. It makes me look like an oil slick/panda, but it WORKS. I then rinse it off with water, and go in with my cleanser.
I wear makeup almost every day, and I’ve made it a habit never to sleep with makeup on (naps don’t count though :P). Although I don’t wear or own a foundation, I do wear CC cream every day to even out my skintone and prevent damage from the sun.
If I’m just wearing mascara and have my brows filled in, I like to use a oil cleanser. A few drops of my Maybelline makeup remover on a cotton pad does the trick.
Lip balm
If you know me, you know that I have at least three to five lip products hanging out in every bag I use. I'm a lipstick junkie, and that means I've tried almost every lip balm under the sun. I always apply a thick layer of balm before going to bed. It doesn't matter if it's plain ol' Vaseline or Chapstick... but I've recently found my holy grail lip balm and I don't think I can ever go back.
Behold, Hada Labo’s Super Hyaluronic Acid Lip Moisturizer*. It glides on like a dream, isn’t sticky, but leaves a subtle, healthy sheen on your lips. Oh, and it’s fragrance, mineral oil, alcohol and colorant free. I love it. 10/10 would recommend.
TLDR: Cleanse, tone, moisturize. Always remove makeup before bed.
What does your skincare routine look like? Tweet me @candacekwan or tag me on Instagram @candacesk. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions/comments/suggestions. :)
This blog post is not sponsored, all opinions are my own. All products were purchased with my own money, unless otherwise stated (products sent to Young Post for review are marked with an asterisk).