Korean Skincare Routine #3 | Ally

It hasn't been that long since my previous post...so a pat on my back for being a little more consistent. I've been really enjoying posting about skincare because personally I love it so much I feel like I would make a very informative sales assistant in the future....(fingers-crossed) This is the 3rd post in this whole skincare routine so if you missed the previous two posts, no worries :

Click Here for the first post.

Click Here for the second post.

---Let's do this!---

You may not be very familiar with essences if you’re just starting out with your skincare routine. An essence is usually very lightweight and absorbs into your skin almost instantly. The texture is more of a watery emulsion and is a follow up step after toning. This to add an extra layer of hydration before the next step that is a serum. Essences and serums typically serve the same purpose in any skincare routine but from what I have learned after watching tons and I mean tons…..of Korean women sharing their skincare routine, I’ve learned that the more layers, the better. So I find adding essences and serums in your routine to be an added benefit for your skin. Besides, having glowing skin is like the main goal here.

As I mentioned above, serums and essences are generally the same thing but there is a slight difference. Serums contain key ingredients in its formula to address specific issues your skin may have. There is a wide range of serums in the market that focus on certain issues such as dark spots, aging skin or brightening and to fix uneven toned skin.

Serums have more of an oil consistency if I may say. However, serums are getting more lightweight and it can be pretty confusing to differentiate between serums and essences.

P.S I’m not gonna go too deep into this but there is another product and it is called…..an ampoule. It also belongs in the essence-serum family. Ampoules are serums with even higher concentrations than serums.

Long story short: Essence < Serum < Ampoule

I’m pretty sure everyone knows what a facial mask is and what masks do. There are an infinite number of facial masks out there, which serve different purposes. From brightening to tightening to hydration to anti-aging to………the list goes on and on. There’s definitely a mask to help with your skin problems. Whether it be acne or dark spots to even masks made out of snail slime to help with restoration of hydration to your skin. (Sounds gross but you’d never know until you try it for yourself) Masks are an extra addition to your skincare if you would love to pamper your skin. It may be a little more time consuming than other products because you would usually leave the facial masks on for a good 10-20 minutes but at the end of the day, it’ll leave you with healthy, glowing skin.

- Sheet masks

Sheet masks are everywhere!!! Whenever you enter a cosmetic shop, I’m pretty sure you’ll see an aisle of sheet masks. Sheet masks are amazingly affordable and can be disposed off after using. They are very easy to use and also it gives you an excuse to lie in your bed with a cooling sheet mask on your face doing nothing but relaxing for a good few minutes.

Sheet masks are typically packed individually which makes it convenient and most importantly hygienic. The most common type of sheet masks are those made of “cotton” and also gel like jelly? (I don’t know how to explain it but it basically feels and look like a thin layer of jelly that you spread across your face. Don’t eat it :P)

The best thing about sheet masks is that you don’t have to wash it off after. After leaving the mask on for a good 15 minutes maybe…remove the mask from your face and dispose it and all you have to do is pat in the extra essence on your skin. Your skin will feel so much more hydrated and it’ll be beaming. Usually the benefits of the sheet masks will be indicated on the packaging so choose one that best suits your skin.

- Peel-off masks

Peel-off masks do share the same benefits as any other masks but some do exfoliate the skin. The most common type of peel-off masks are made of cream or gel that hardens after a period of time and can be “peeled” off. As they dry, you can feel that you’re skin is getting tighter. (Like when you use egg-whites on your skin as a mask and you’d feel you’re face tightening)

- Wash-off masks

There isn’t much to say about wash-off masks because the name says it all. Basically, you spread the gel/cream onto your face and after waiting for a few minutes, you wash it off… Easy right!

- Clay/Mud masks

Clay and mud masks are amazing for drawing out all the excess sebum and dirt from the deep layers of your skin and bring them to the surface. It also helps in reducing blackheads and whiteheads and also detoxifies the skin. It isn’t unusual for your skin to start acting up after using clay/mud masks. Act up as in pimples start to pop up because what clay/mud masks do is penetrate into the skin and bring the dirt to the surface. So I don’t recommend using clay or mud masks the day before an important event. Also don’t use clay and mud masks on a daily basis as it can dry out your skin.

Follow your heart,

Ally

***** Coming Soon *****