The Ultimate Skincare Guide

In-Depth Advice for Creating an Awesome Skincare Routine

PART I: My Personal Skincare Story

AKA the 10-step routine is a lie

For most of my life, I put little effort into my skin, and thought of it mainly as a minor annoyance, or something that needed to be covered up. I didn’t have a skincare guide to help me get started. In middle school, I started getting mild acne. I believe my mom bought me a face wash and some Stridex pads, which I used occasionally, hoping to clear up my skin. It didn’t help much. So I turned to makeup, and determined to hide my spots, resigning myself to putting up with their agitating existence. I never really considered using other skincare. I didn’t moisturize, at least not regularly. And I began wearing foundation daily, even though I didn’t have a proper makeup remover.

This persisted up until college, when I finally decided to start moisturizing on a regular basis. And I finally got some makeup removing wipes. By the end of college, I was actually moisturizing every day (with Pond’s cold cream). I still had mild acne, but it was easily concealed with my makeup and I was feeling alright about my skin.

Then, about a week after graduation, I moved to Shanghai, and my skin got a lot worse. I don’t know what it was, maybe the water, maybe the pollution, maybe the food, or the stress. It was probably a combination of factors, but whatever it was, I was not happy about it. So, there I was, living alone in China. I had just started my first job and I finally had some money of my own and a fair amount of free time. I decided it was time to start investing in skincare. Also, living in China, I was constantly surrounded by advertisements and products from Korea and Japan. And thus, I began spiraling down the rabbit hole of Asian skincare.

At first, I was intrigued by the concept of the “10-Step Korean Skincare Routine.” It sounded magical. And I’d seen Korean girls with beautiful skin, so it must work?? I started off with a couple of products, and then a few more; I was determined to master all 10 steps. I thought I was seeing some positive changes in my skin. But pretty soon, I had way more than 10 products, and my skin was no longer improving. In fact, it was starting to burn when I applied my skincare, and I had no idea why.

Like many, I started off too quickly. I was too eager when trying new products and ended up damaging my skin’s protective moisture barrier. In many ways, I was very fortunate that I didn’t have an even worse reaction. Lucky for me, it turns out my skin tolerates most ingredients very well. But when I started using multiple active ingredients each day (AHAs and BHAs), no wonder my face was starting to burn.

After this occurred, I began doing more online research on skincare, ingredients, and specific products. Instead of reading every article on “The Wonders of the Korean Skincare Routine,” I started looking for more legitimate sources of information. After a little more trial and error and going to a dermatologist, I finally got my skin to a better state. (You can read more and see pictures here.) It’s still not perfect, but it’s progress, and I’m more satisfied with my skin than I’ve ever been. This year, when I started a new job, I stopped wearing makeup to work. I was uncomfortable for a bit, but now it just feels so freeing.

Nevertheless, it took me over two years to get to this point. And I often think if I had been better informed at the beginning of my journey, it may have gone a lot more smoothly. That’s why I decided to create this extensive skincare guide. To all the skincare beginners out there, or to anyone who may have fallen into marketing tactics such as the “10 Step Korean Beauty Routine,” I hope this guide can offer you some basic knowledge that may help you achieve your skin goals. (Btw I have nothing against Korean beauty, I actually really love it, I just think it’s easy to dive in too deep and too fast.)

PART II: What’s your skin type?

AKA Oily, Dry or Combo?

And of course, the first step toward accomplishing your skin goals is identifying what those goals are. To begin, it’s a good idea to know what your skin type is. Most people describe their skin in one of three ways: dry, oily, or combination (oily in places and dry in others). It’s more common for younger people, especially teenagers, to have oily skin. While, as we age, our skin tends to get drier. It’s also quite common for people with combination skin to have an oily t-zone (a t-shape on the forehead and nose), and a dry u-zone (the u-shape of the chin and cheeks).

You can probably identify your skin type on your own. However, if you want to get it identified more formally, there are some places that can test it for you with a small machine-thingy. I got mine done once at Kiehl’s (for free), though I’m not certain if that’s a thing they normally do or how accurate it is. Personally, I was identified as a combination type, although my skin has since changed to be more on the dry side since I started using Tretinoin (a retinoid) which really dries out my skin. Knowing your skin type will help to inform your product choices since many products are directed toward specific skin types.

Once you know your skin type, you’re ready to start looking at skin concerns!

After you have identified your skin type and found a basic 3-step routine, you may want to begin thinking about your skin’s other needs. Do you have any concerns that you want to address through your skincare? For many, acne is the major concern that they are hoping to address. That was definitely a big one for me. Wrinkles, dark spots and other signs of aging is also a major concern for some.

Identifying your most important skin concerns will also be a key factor in determining which ingredients to look for, especially as you become more experienced and start using more advanced products. Below, I have included a list of some of the most common skin issues. To start off, it’s a good idea to pick one or two issues that you want to tackle first. For me, acne and hyperpigmentation were my first priorities. I also have some redness/mild Rosacea, but that is something I can prioritize in the future.

Examples of Skin Concerns: Sensitivity, Rosacea, Acne (whiteheads, blackheads, CC’s, cystic), Hyperpigmentation (PIH, PIE), Dark Spots, Wrinkles, Dullness, Dehydration

PART IV: Environmental and Other Factors

AKA Weather, Stress, Pollution and More!

Some other things that may come into consideration when you start to build your skincare routine are other factors, outside of skincare, that could affect the state of your skin. For example, the climate you live in! Someone with acne and oily skin who lives in a dry cold climate might have a much different routine than someone with the same skin type who lives in a hot and humid climate. In general, if you live in a colder, drier climate, your skin may need richer products for more hydrating and moisturizing. Whereas if you live in a hot, humid climate, you may prefer to use fewer, lighter products. Personally, my skincare routine changes slightly from season to season, and I tend to reach for lighter products in the summer and heavier ones in the winter.

Besides the climate, some other factors that can affect your skin include: heat/air conditioning, pollution, stress, water quality, water intake diet, exercise, and sleep

I don’t want to make things too complicated, but just keep in mind that skincare and genetics are not the only things that can influence the state of your skin. Lifestyle and your environment can also be very important. Sometimes good skincare can help improve your skin in spite of these factors, but skincare is not a replacement for taking good care of yourself in other ways and it will not treat the root causes of these problems!

Once you know your top concerns, and have an idea of your environmental/lifestyle factors, it’s time for the fun part – ingredients! At least, it’s fun for me. I love researching specific ingredients to understand how they help with certain skin issues. I highly encourage you to do your own research, but for now I have some suggestions of some common great ingredients to look out for.

PART V: Ingredients for Skin Concerns

AKA the Fun Part

This is by no means a complete list of skincare ingredients. There are way too many for me to list. I am just listing a few that are the most well-researched, most popular, or my personal favorite skincare ingredients, as well as their common uses.

Beginner-Friendly Ingredients: Niacinamide, Glycerin, Green Tea, Ceramides, Hyaluronic Acid, Centella Asiatica (Cica), Honey, Tea Tree, Rosehip Oil, Squalane Oil, Sulfur, Zinc, Galactomyces or Saccharomyces Ferments, Etc.

Advanced Ingredients: (See Part VIII for More Info) AHAs, BHAs, Retinoids, Azelaic Acid, Vitamin C, Benzoyl Peroxide, Etc.

Dehydration: hyaluronic acid, glycerin, ceramides, honey, squalane oil

Dehydrated skin needs both ingredients to draw water into the skin (humectants), like hyaluronic acid and glycerin, and ingredients to keep the water there (occlusives), such as Squalane, which prevent Trans-epidermal Water Loss (TEWL).

Sensitive Skin: cica, green tea, hyaluronic acid, honey, ceramides

Sensitive skin can benefit from gentle, soothing ingredients, such as those listed above. It’s also a good idea to look for products with short, simple ingredient lists. And if you know you are sensitive to fragrances, or specific ingredients be sure to read ingredient lists thoroughly to avoid them

Rosacea: azelaic acid, green tea, cica, ceramides

Skin with rosacea is similar to sensitive skin and also benefits from gentle, soothing ingredients. Also, ingredients such as green tea can have a cooling effect that’s nice for when the skin gets heated. And azelaic acid (which is now over the counter in the US!) is probably the best active ingredient for Rosacea.

Acne: retinoids, green tea, cica, ceramides, tea tree, BHA, AHA, BP, honey, zinc, sulfur, rosehip oil

There are tons of ingredients targeted towards skin that suffers from acne. It can be tough to navigate. In general, acne-prone skin also benefits from soothing, healing ingredients. And ingredients like ceramides can help to repair and replenish the skin, especially if you are using any drying acne-fighting ingredients like Benzoyl Peroxide, AHA, or BHA. For many, Benzoyl Peroxide or Salicylic Acid (BHA) is the first thing they try when dealing with acne. These can be very effective. Yet, for many, it is intensely drying and can damage the skin’s moisture barrier. It’s important to use these intensive ingredients in combination with a routine that involves moisturizing and SUNSCREEN, since ingredients like BP and AHA also increase sensitivity to the sun (see more about advanced ingredients in PART VIII).

Hyperpigmentation: AHA, retinoids, azelaic acid, vitamin C, niacinamide, rosehip oil

Those pesky marks leftover after acne goes away are the bane of my existence right now. They just take so long to fade. Really, time, is going to be the best remedy for hyperpigmentation, and avoiding it in the first place by not picking at acne spots (oops). Still, there are some ways to speed up the healing process. AHAs, retinoids, and azelaic acid are all known to be effective for this purpose. However, my preferred ingredients are Vitamin C and Niacinamide, which are both effective and slightly less irritating, at least on my skin (and depending on the concentrations).

Dark Spots: AHA, retinoids, vitamin C, niacinamide, rosehip oil

Dark spots are treated similarly to hyperpigmentation, although it may be difficult or even impossible to completely get rid of them through skincare. Active ingredients, and especially Vitamin C are known to be effective for dark spots. And of course, wear sunscreen to keep them from getting darker or forming in the first place.

Wrinkles: AHA, retinoids, ceramides, niacinamide, ferments

Ah, wrinkles. No skincare will completely erase them. The most effective method for wrinkles, like dark spots, has to be a preventative one. Do your best to live a healthy lifestyle. Moisturize. Wear sunscreen. Drink water. And then, look into more advanced skincare. AHA’s, especially high percentages of glycolic acid, may help. And retinoids are also a good option, especially if you can get a stronger one like Tretinoin (available in the US by a prescription from your dermatologist). However, make sure to proceed with caution. These ingredients increase sun sensitivity and will do more damage than good if you do not wear sunscreen.

Dullness: vitamin C, AHA, retinoids, honey, hyaluronic acid, green tea, niacinamide, ferments, squalane oil,

Dull skin is skin that appears lifeless, not bright or glowy in the slightest. Adding hydrating ingredients such as honey, hyaluronic acid, and green tea is a great place to start. And if you decide your skin still needs more, it may be time to start looking into active ingredients. Regular exfoliation and Vitamin C an do wonders to keep the skin looking brighter and healthier. Though of course, exfoliate with care and make sure not to overdo it.

PART VI: The Basic 3

AKA moisturizer, cleanser, sunscreen

Okay, hopefully you’re still with me up to this point. I apologize if I am making this sound complicated, I just want to include as much essential information in this guide as I can, so just maybe, some people won’t make the same skincare mistakes as me.

If you read the story of my skincare journey in PART I, you’ll be familiar with some of the dangers of starting with too many products at once. You’ll have a hard time telling what is or isn’t working for you. Not to mention the possibility of an allergic reaction. Thus, it’s a good idea to start out with the Basic 3 – moisturizer, cleanser, and sunscreen. If you are starting from scratch, and you’d like to be extra careful, it really is best to start with only one new product at a time. In that case, I would suggest beginning with just a moisturizer, then, after a week or two, you can add a cleanser, and then a week or two later add your sunscreen.

Why should you start with just these 3 products? The main idea is to start slow, adding one new product at a time, so you can figure out what does and doesn’t work for your skin. Moisturizing is a great place to start, since almost everyone’s skin can benefit just from adding a proper moisturizer. Cleanser should come after moisturizer, since cleansing has the potential to strip and damage your skin if you are not replenishing it with a moisturizer afterward. And sunscreen comes third. Although I do believe that sunscreen is pretty much the single most important skincare product, it’s a good idea to add it to your routine after you’ve found a good cleanser. Sunscreens, especially waterproof sunscreens, could clog pores and cause breakouts if they are not washed off thoroughly at the end of the day.

But how do you pick out the specific 3 products? You have a ton of choices these days, but according to your skin type, you should be able to narrow it down a little.

Moisturizer: A dryer skin type would likely benefit from a thicker, creamier, moisturizer with more oils higher up on the ingredients list. On the other end, an oilier skin type would probably benefit more from a light, water-based, gel-cream with more hydrating ingredients/humectants and fewer/lighter oils. These lighter moisturizers are also great for most skin types in warm and humid weather. A combination-skin type may want to look for a product that’s in-between these two categories, or you may choose to use two different products, one on your drier areas, and another on your oily areas.

Cleanser: All skin types should look for a gentle, non-stripping, pH balanced cleanser. Although those cleansers that foam up into giant mountains of foam can be immensely satisfying, they are often guilty of damaging our skin and its moisture barrier. Thus, you want to look for a cleanser with a pH of 4.5-6, since the skin’s pH is around 4.7 (making it slightly acidic). Still, you should take your skin type and skin concerns into account when looking for a cleanser. Dryer skin types may want a cleanser that doesn’t foam at all, something like a milk or jelly cleanser. Oily and combination skin types may work well with cleansers that foam up slightly but are still pH balanced.

Sunscreen: Sunscreens can get a little complicated, but they are generally divided up into two categories – chemical and physical sunscreens. Personally, I tend to gravitate towards chemical sunscreens because they often have a more pleasant texture, have less white cast, and are often more moisturizing. On the other hand, certain chemicals in chemical sunscreens do have the potential to irritate sensitive skin. And the better, more advanced chemicals have not been approved for use in the US yet… so you’ll probably need to look to European and Asian sunscreens. Physical sunscreens tend to be a little more drying and often have more of your typical sunscreen texture. Yet, they can be better for those with sensitive, irritated, or acne-prone skin. As I have heard, the best sunscreen is the one that you will actually wear. Most likely, you will have to experiment a little to find the one that you like most and will be able to commit to wearing.

PART VII: Next steps – toner, serums, essences

AKA liquid-y ingredient delivery systems

So, once you have the basic 3 down, how can you start to incorporate more beneficial ingredients into your routine? You can certainly find some of these ingredients in cleansers, moisturizers, and sunscreens. But personally, I get most of the ingredients I’m looking for in my routine through toners, essences and especially serums. These products pretty much all fall into the same category in my mind. They are mainly watery products of varying thicknesses that provide the skin with hydration and/or more concentrated amounts of certain ingredients.

In general, toners are the most watery, then essences are slightly thicker, and then serums are even thicker. However, this is not always the case. Thus, you should follow the rule of applying these products from thinnest to thickest to help with absorption. If you are familiar with the “10-Step Korean Skincare Routine,” you may have heard that there is a specific order that products must be applied in. Toner, then essence, then serum…. this is unnecessary and often arbitrary. Just follow the rule of thinnest to thickest. So if your essence is thinner than your toner, apply the essence first. I find that this makes things a lot simpler.

Also, keep in mind that you do not need to have all three of these products in your routine! I think that most people can benefit from having at least one of theses steps in their routine for added hydration – but if you are happy with just the Basic 3, you can also feel free to stop there. And remember, that every time you add a new product, you should wait 1-2 weeks before adding another.

PART VIII: Advanced skincare AHA, BHA, Retinoids, Vitamin C, etc.

AKA things that could screw up your skin if you’re not careful!

We already touched on some advanced ingredients in PART IV. Actives (AHA, BHA, retinoids, Vitamin C, etc) are what I am referring to as advanced ingredients since they have the potential to seriously mess up your skin if you aren’t careful with them. Thus, I would suggest building up a solid routine first before adding these ingredients to address additional concerns. Although you may already have a decent idea of what each of these ingredients can be used for, I wanted to give you a little more information on these powerful ingredients so you can be well-informed before you introduce them to your skin.

AHA – AHAs, including Glycolic Acid, Lactic Acid, and Mandelic Acid, are water-soluble chemical exfoliants that works on the surface layers of the skin. Use of AHAs can result in brighter, smoother, more even-toned skin. It can help with some types of acne, dark spots, and wrinkles. Glycolic Acid has the smallest molecular size and is able to penetrate deepest into the skin, making it the strongest of the AHAs with the highest potential for irritation. It is also the most well-researched AHA and has been shown have anti-aging benefits at high concentrations. Lactic acid has a slightly larger molecular size so it does not penetrate quite as deep into the skin, thus it is slightly gentler. It is also well researched. Mandelic Acid is a less common AHA, it has a larger molecular size and doesn’t penetrate as deeply and is the gentlest AHA. It is not as well researched as Glycolic and Lactic, but is still a great introductory AHA for those who are looking to start off with the gentlest option.

BHA – BHA (Salicyclic Acid) is also a chemical exfoliant and a common acne treatment. Over the counter, it is generally available in concentrations of 1% or 2%. BHA is oil-soluble able to penetrate deeper into the skin than AHA and is often preferred by oily acne-prone skin types or those with clogged pores.

Retinoids – Retinoids, or Vitamin A Derivatives, are the most well-studied anti-aging ingredients. They are known to stimulate collagen production (pro tip – applying collagen topically does not actually stimulate collagen production), reducing the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines. Besides their anti-aging benefits, they are also known to help with acne, dark spots, and skin texture. Retinol is a type of Retinoid that is commonly available in over-the-counter skincare products. It is a relatively weak ingredient in the Retinoid family, however, it still has the ability to cause plenty of irritation if not used carefully. Two well-known stronger retinoids, with even more potential for irritation, are Tretinoin (Retin-A) and Adapalene (Differin).

Vitamin C – Vitamin C is probably one of the best active ingredients for beginners because it can still be somewhat effective in lower, less-irritating concentrations (ideally of at least 10%). L-Ascorbic Acid is the most well-researched form of Vitamin C. It has been found to be most effective at a concentration of 20%, at a pH of 2.0-3.0 and especially in formulations that also include Vitamin E and Ferulic Acid. There are other forms of Vitamin C, Vitamin C derivatives, that are becoming more common in skincare products and seem to be promising. However, they are not as well supported by research, so definitely keep that in mind when looking for a Vitamin C product.

Azelaic Acid – Azelaic Acid is often prescribed by dermatologists to treat Rosacea and can also be useful in treating acne and hyperpigmentation. It is now available over-the counter in lower concentrations, such as 10%, from a few brands. However, it has been shown to be most effective at a concentration of 15%, which is still only available with a prescription. Currently, there aren’t too many AA products available, but hopefully we’ll see more coming out in the future.

There are definitely other active ingredients that I am not covering right now. They are less common and I have not personally tried any others. If you are interested in using any of these ingredients, make sure to do your own research on how to safely incorporate them into your routine!

PART IX: Conclusions

AKA you’re finally done (for now)

I think that just about covers all of the basics! I will most likely be doing a PART II to this skincare guide to cover the more fun and specialized products (lip treatments, masks, acne patches, etc.) as well as some other advanced/up-and-coming ingredients. So stay tuned and be sure to subscribe if you are interested!

I hope this guide can help you get started with building your skincare routine and help you from making the same mistakes as me. Please share this article with anyone you know who might find it useful. And feel free to ask me any questions you have in the comments below.

Also, as a final note, I am not an expert, just a skincare hobbyist. This information comes from my research and my own personal experiences. Once again, please make sure to do your own research as well!

Stay safe and stay moisturized.

xoxo

Disclaimer: This Site contains both non-affiliate and affiliate links, and I may receive an affiliate commission for any purchases made by you on the affiliate website using such links.  Some products marked by (*) were gifted to me for review purposes, but all thoughts are my own honest opinions. I am not an expert, these are just my personal experiences, and what works for me might not work for you.