My Beauty Routine 2016

I thought I'd make a compile post of all the products that are currently in rotation in my skin care routine. It will be fun to see if after a year I'll have more bottles, less bottles or just different bottles! Currently, I have quite a lot of bottles... XD

1. Cleansing Crew

• eye-makeup remover: Lumene waterproof makeup
• only in the evening if I have worn make-up
• OK remover even for water-proof mascara, but I think I could upgrade to something better once the bottle runs out, which won't take long now
• oil cleanser: L'Oréal Sublime Glow Cleansing Oil
• only in the evening if I have worn make-up
• I've been pretty satisfied with this, although I don't use a lot of make-up so I don't know how well this would work with a heavier contouring or something
• daily scrub: L'Oréal Sublime Glow Radiance Revealing Scrub
• which I don't use daily, only like every other day, usually in the evening
• I don't have any strong feelings about this product, but the smell is nice and the micro beads at least feel like they are doing some scrubbing... still, I don't feel like this belongs in the same group as my peeling products
• water-based cleanser: L'Oréal Sublime Fresh Purifying Gel Wash
• I use it daily in the evening, but I think I should start using it in the mornings too, to properly clean off any residue from my night creams
• smells pepperminty and fresh, foams nicely and seems to do the job

I'm mostly satisfied with the lot, although I will probably change labels for some once the bottles run out. I will not choose a scrub with micro beads again, I bought this just before reading how the beads affect the ecosystem :( The rest is mostly dependent on what is currently available and if any are on sale :D This is my most local lot! And if I don't get some very amazing epiphany about Korean basic cleansers, I'll probably stick to these kinds of market products.

2. Peeling Pack

• Skinfood Brown Sugar Mask
• used once a week/two weeks, depending on the feel
• spreads on nicely when spread on wet skin or when mixed with water (I don't really recommend using the product alone, always mix some water into it), I can really feel the sugar chrystals doing the work, smells - well, duh! - of sugar :D
• Holika Holika Smooth Egg Peeling Gel
• used once a week/two weeks, depending on the feel
• should be spread on clean, but dry face
• I can see how it gathers up dead skin cells and it leaves the skin very smooth
• smells nice

I use the sugar mask on my pampering nights, before using a sheet mask. Once massaged on, the mask should be left on for about 10mins before washing off. The chemical peel of the Smooth Egg is quicker, so I use that if I want to do a scrub in the morning or before going out, so that it makes a nice base for a smooth make-up.

Pretty satisfied with both so far although I might try Skinfood's strawberry or honey variant of the black sugar mask once I need a refill.

3. Final Cleaning

• cleansing foam: A'PIEU Rilakkuma Mud Fresh Cleansing Foam
• used daily in the evenings to wash away any residue from the other cleaning producs
• will last forever! I only have to use a pearl the size of my pinky finger nail and the foam will easily cover my whole face and neck
• the smell is a bit chemical, leaves a tight feel to skin (squaky clean feel), I'll try to find a replacement

I really, really want to get my hands on a cleansing foam that doesn't leave that tight feel. I read that products with a more gel consistency are more gentle, so I'm on the look-out for one. I would have wanted to get one from Etude House's Every Month series, but they are sold out everywhere ;__;

4. Toner

• Skinfood Peach Sake toner
• used twice a day
• pore-tightening promise
• smells really nice, feels refreshing
• Nivea Shine Control Toner
• used when I'm out of sake :D

I'm really pleased with the Peach Sake toner, so I have another one on the way (this bottle is empty now :( ). As a back-up, I have this market-bought Nivea toner.

5. Essence

• Missha The First Treatment Essence
• used twice a day
• feels like water, slightly refreshing

I haven't really gotten any strong feelings about the Missha product. I think I might try a bit more gel-like essence next. The pore-tightening essence sample I had from Etude House Wonder Pore series seemed very nice.

6. Serum Squad

• Skinfood Peach Sake serum
• used in the mornings
• smells peachy!
• Skinfood Watery Berry serum
• used in the evenings
• smells of sour berries, absorbs quickly

I'm quite pleased with these two, Peach Sake for pore tightening and Watery Berry for hydration. The Innisfree Green Teaserum I've had samples of seems really, really nice too but I just always get so iffy when I see the price. Although by no means it isn't even the priciest out there!

7. Sheet Mask

• random product
• used once a week if I have a sheet in stock

I've used a few different sheet masks and I tend to buy them on a whim. I should focus on calming, hydrating and cleansing effects though. I haven't yet found The One, so I'll keep on trying new ones until something really clicks.

8. Moisturiser Medley

• eye cream: Mizon Snail Repair Eye Cream
• used twice a day
• doesn't really have any smell, spreads on nicely with patting, absorbs quickly
• day cream: Garnier Moisture Soft
• used in the morning if I don't have anything special planned and I won't be going outside, or am going outside, but will be wearing my sunproofed CC cream
• sometimes I use this in the evening under my night cream, if  I want extra moisture, usually only during weekends for extra pampering :D
• feels very light, absorbs quickly
• day cream: Lumene Bright Now Vitamin C
• used in the morning if I'm going somewhere but won't be wearing that much make-up
• feels heavier, but absorbs quite nicely
• smells like cloudberries, very fresh
• night cream: L300 Intensive Moisture
• used every evening
• heavy, but not too heavy

I really like my cloudberry Lumene cream and since I luckily have an inside supplier, I won't be switching brands until Lumene discontinues this. For night cream, the L300 is a nice one for the price (under 4€!) but I'm already looking for something with a more calming effect, since sometimes my skin feels a bit tingly after all the scrubbing and rubbing.

For an eye cream, the Mizon seems very nice. I would want something to counter my dark circles though and I might either get the Skinfood Salmon cream for that or a Tonymoly Panda product, we'll see...