I've been asked many times on my skincare routine from my friends & readers.. I havent been able to give a proper reply as I dont really have a religious routine which I swear by... I'm very very lazy when it comes to skincare, please don't follow my example! I can't advise each of you personally but I'll share some products I'm currently using.
In Singapore, I use whatever my mum uses or whatever I find in the bathroom... though SKII's miracle water is a staple for many years; I use it after washing & that's it! And a sheet mask if I have time. That's the only one I can remember, the rest are a mix from Fancl, Kosé, L'Occitane, Bioré, etc.
Here in France, my main problem is the tap water, it is very hard with calcium deposits & i found my skin becoming dull & flaky. So I turned to the French pharmacies & found great solutions which could be useful for those of you preparing to pursue your studies in Europe.
1. Bioderma Hydrabio makeup remover - use a cotton pad soaked in this to remove makeup easily. No water needed
2. Bioderma Solution Micellaire - A range of cleansing solutions based on yr skin type... Soak cotton pads & clean away. No water needed after. I really love this & have been thru 3 bottles already
3. Water spray - I can't stand not using some form of clean water on my face so I spray my face with this & then pat dry after.
4. Yves Rocher toning lotion- hardly use it but feel extremely guilty not to have some kind of toner lying around
5. Bioderma Pore Refiner - great for keeping skin oil-free during the day; i apply it after moisturizer
6. Naruko moisturizer & tinted sunscreen - bought from Taiwan but works fine for me... really lightweight in texture
7. Any sheet mask is great for giving extra moisture, especially during cold weather.
8. Izu crystal scrub (comes with Vitamin C gel) - Once a week, when I feel my skin is dull & thick, i use this scrub to exfoliate for clear & bright skin.
I feel skincare is very personal... every person's skin is different & even an expert can get it wrong sometimes. What works for your friend who has dry skin like you, may not work for you since everyone's tolerance & genes are different.
My friend only uses body soap & water for her face, rose water after & she has the best skin I've ever seen. I feel embarrassed to say this as a girl, but skincare is not near the top of my priority list at all. At the end of the day, I just do the best I can!
