A few years before researching skincare, I have seen this sentence in a post from the blogger mailovesbeauty reviewing the magazine “No natural beauty is a natural occurrence” written by Tang Thanh Ha. Agreeing with both of them and many other beauty bloggers that I had yet to see, I began to believe that when starting skincare or any other pursuit, we need to be firm on the mindset that “investing in beauty is a lifetime pursuit”. Good skin does not naturally occur, despite what advertisers will show you with their magical skin transformation videos. Good skin doesn’t just come from using moisturizer, facial cleansers but also from diet and exercise. Beauty is ultimately subjective, and comes in countless shapes and forms, but you will always be beautiful when you’re healthy and always love yourself by staying active and having balanced meals…. I wish I had the chance to read that magazine myself (which was unfortunately a limited edition).
In this article, I will talk about things that maybe you’ve heard of but haven’t had the chance to do. The first articles on beauty and health will be for those who just started looking into skincare and I hope that the #beauty_starter_kit hashtag will bring you basic knowledge or tips on skincare that I have experienced so that you can efficiently use it! I will include references at the end of the article for further information.
1. Turn your skincare routine into a habit.
When starting skincare, many of you may feel like giving up when you have to go an extra mile of a routine after you brush your teeth and get ready for bed. All those rigid steps may discourage you from maintaining a habit.
When I just started out with implementing skincare into my life, I had issues with the words “skincare routine”. Making and maintaining an entirely new routine feels like a hassle, but with willpower comes repetition. It is why I classify skincare as a habit, because it shouldn’t be something that consumes your thoughts for the entire day. In fact, it should occur to you instinctively as something to do when the hour comes, just like brushing your teeth twice a day.
I’m also a believer in the magic of “starting small”. To understand more of this logic, you should try the book of “Tiny Habits” by B.J.Fogg/ The things he mentions in the book is mainly “big behavior changes require a level of motivation that often can’t be sustained”. In this book, the author emphasizes starting with even the teensy tiny habits that can be easily achieved, so long as you gradually crank up the level of effort as you progress. This is how you get into the habit of skincare.
2. There are two types of holy water: water and salt water.
Anyone will be familiar with the fact that 80% of your body is made up of water, but most don’t know that it also makes up 64% of your skin. The body needs water to do numerous functions such as replenish dry skin that’s been out in the sun, and smoothen skin out… In short, water is very important for the body and we need to drink enough of it. The question remains: “Is 2.5 litres of water necessary for my daily hydration needs?”
The answer is surprisingly no. When I had my COVID-19 vaccine, the doctor asked me the exact same question. I didn’t hesitate to answer 2.5 litres. The doctor shook their head and gave me a personalized amount after measuring my height and weight.
This question seems simple but there is no one answer that fits all. Your water needs should be based on your personal height and weight and also daily exercise amount. If you are uncertain then you can always go consult a doctor. There is also a “Hydration Calculator” to calculate your current water intake on a daily basis. It will only take 3 minutes.
The second skin savior is salt water. I find that to be the holiest of a skincare product of all time. When I first got acne, I used salt water as my toner (which is used after a facial cleanser). Salt water is suitable for all skin types, but especially acne skin. I consider acne skin as open wounds; salt water can suck the bacteria out of your skin and clear the dirty blemishes or blackheads on your face. Washing your face with salt water daily will help you reduce acne and have a smooth skin.
Sharing a bit about myself, when I first entered skincare, I only used cleanser and salt water and then moisturized. At that time, I was new to skincare, so I only started with three simple products with safe ingredients, usually for sensitive skin. Even in the future, when I use inappropriate products that irritate my skin, I will only wash my face with salt water (before that I can remove makeup if I apply sunscreen when going out). Salt water not only has the ability to miraculously restore the skin, but the price is also super cheap! More than enough reason to become holy water right?
3. Acne is your friend!
I used to pick at my zits any chance I got. This is very harmful to the surface of our skin because squeezing with our hands just makes the skin dark, makes acne more difficult to treat and can even cause bacterial infection.
And I believe this is a familiar saying that you must have heard many times but still need to repeat it: If you have a need, go to reputable facilities to remove acne in a methodical and safe way!
In addition to squeezing acne, I believe there are many other ways to reduce acne such as needle rolling.. I think before doing anything with your face and following a regimen, you should research carefully. When I was a student back then, I couldn't afford to have skin treatments outside the spa, so I just tried to keep my skin clean. Understanding that squeezing a pimple is worth many days of dark spots, so I dare not touch anything. Miraculously, my skin is also healthier and also significantly reduced acne.
So there are two things I want you to remember: having acne is normal and it doesn’t last your entire life. No matter how carefully I take care of my skin, my skin will have its ups and downs. Every time you're about to deal with a nasty pimple, remember the consequences I mentioned above.
4. Nobody understands your skin more than you do!
You should take the time to find out what your skin type is, before buying a certain skin care product. Each skin type will have its own problems that need to be solved, listen and understand what you need to be able to buy the right product. I will leave here a link to a skin quiz to help people better understand their skin and define the purpose of a skincare routine.
The Sokoglam website can also schedule a consultation on what kind of skincare to use, you can see more at this link.
Once you know the needs of your skin, you should learn more tips and some ingredients to easily take care of your skin. You can easily look up ingredients for skin lightening and acne reduction online, but I personally would love to read books because the content is written in a more condensed way. There are two books that I read and quite like: The Best Skin of Your Life Starts Here by Paula Begoun (Founder of my favorite skincare brand - Paula Choice) and The Little Book of Skin Care: Korean Beauty Secrets for Healthy, Glowing Skin by Charlotte Cho (Founder of SokoGlam, Korean retail brand in the US). In the following articles, I will share more details about these two bedside books when learning about this skincare.
5. Always understand that cosmetics or skincare products are very PERSONAL
At the end of today's post, I will give a brief message. There are many different types of skincare on the market. It is very normal for one person to be suitable for another, even if the product is for someone with the same skin type. Always believe that there will be a product you will definitely consider the love of your life and you will buy it again and again. The road to find the right product will also be bumpy and thorny and sometimes expensive.. To reduce costs, I think you can buy a travel size to try that product before deciding to buy the full sized product.
Final words
Today's post ends here. See you in the next post and I hope my experience will give you the first steps to take better care of your skin. If you have any beauty concerns, please let us know!
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