M&C Journal
by Stella (Co-Founder of Mangosteen & Cream)
Morning Skincare Routine Before Make Up
I used to think the morning skincare routine basically is the makeup. Wrong! How you take care of your skin in the morning is as important as your night skincare routine. Putting more focus and spending a bit more time on your skincare rather than makeup will not go unnoticed. After testing many different products and following my personalized skincare regimen steps over the years, I found that applying similar steps in the morning yields amazing results.
Step 1 - Wash with Water
Use water to wash your face. The natural power of water is an excellent way to remove the few impurities that settle during the night and keeps skin hydrated and plumped too. Avoid using soap, as it tends to remove moisture from your skin. For me, cleansing my face with only water does the job, but you may use a very mild cleanser if you feel the need.
Step 2 - Toner
Applying toner in the morning is a good practice also to balance the skin's pH levels and to help absorb the next products you apply. In addition, the toner will prevent your skin from becoming dry and dehydrated during the day.
Step 3 – Essence, Serums & Ampoule
I continue to use essence and serum in the morning as these products comprise of concentrated active ingredients to target specific skin concerns like wrinkles & anti-aging, dark spots, and dehydration. Both are instrumental in absorbing moisturizers and keeping your skin hydrated at all times.
Step 4: Moisturizing Eye Cream
Most tend to forget about taking care of the skin around the eyes. The skin is the thinnest in that area as there are no sebaceous glands to produce natural oils. Most often, I would wake up in the morning with either puffiness around the eyes or having dark circles. Apply a light eye cream across both the brow and socket bone moving from the inner to outer corner of the eye to keep those fragile areas hydrated and protected all day long.
Step 5: Moisturizers and Sunscreen with SPF
Koreans religiously incorporate use of moisturizing sunscreen products with moisturizers in their skin care routine. You can select a soothing sunscreen with a good SPF moisturizer that is either water-based or gel-based depending on your skin type. Apply smoothly in a light layer across the skin for long lasting all-day hydration. You can also use a BB cream or cushion compact that includes SPF as you start applying your makeup.