After years of skin care, some of my thoughts on skin care

I've been diligently caring for my skin for almost 10 years, making many mistakes along the way, using many products, and reading what many experts say. Now, reflecting on my experience, I've summarized some key takeaways:

1. For face washing, as long as it cleanses without irritation, that's fine. Functional features and price don't matter, since you'll rinse it off anyway. Therefore, I've never believed in claims of whitening, anti-aging, etc. Because I need to remove makeup, I always use foaming cleansers. There are amino acid cleansers, non-amino acid cleansers, and even soaps; I haven't noticed a significant difference. I also use a facial cleanser in the mornings during the summer.CleanserIn other seasons, plain water is fine, but the towel should be soft and clean; this is very important.

2. Makeup Removal: Because I use sunscreen, I usually remove my makeup at night now. I use a very oily cleansing cream, like many...South KoreabrandI use a cleansing cream that's cheap, comes in a large bottle, and removes makeup effectively. I also use a lot of cleansing oils; I avoid expensive ones since they're consumables. FANCL's is good, DHC's is a bit worse, and I also tried AVON's cleansing oil, but it didn't emulsify well, so I threw it away. Now I'm using a DIY cleansing oil from a seller; it's refreshing, emulsifies easily, and removes sunscreen well—I've used two bottles already. I've also tried cleansing milk and toner, but I didn't really like them. They didn't work on stubborn Japanese sunscreens, so I've gone back to using oils. In short, you must cleanse your face twice after removing makeup; a clean face will prevent breakouts.

3. Water: Some people think this is unnecessary, but for me, it's essential, especially after applying face cream. Without water, my skin always feels dry. If I follow with lotion or...EssenceIt depends on the individual; you can skip it. I usually use cotton pads so the water can be applied quickly. If the water is quite viscous, patting it on with your hands is also fine.

4. Lotion and Cream: Having used some Korean and Japanese products, I really dislike the tedious process of applying lotion and then cream. I prefer using only one. If I had to choose just one, I'd rather use a cream, because ultimately, creams have much better nutritional content than lotions. In my opinion, lotions are too watery. Unless you have very oily skin, stick with a cream. Besides, a good cream usually has multiple benefits, often including whitening, etc.MoisturizingBoth anti-aging and other benefits are evident.
I rarely use whitening face creams. I usually buy moisturizing or all-in-one creams because the price difference between moisturizing and whitening products within the same product line is quite significant. However, I always feel that relying on face creams for whitening is unreliable, so I might as well save some money.
Many face creams are divided into day and night creams, and I think the active ingredients are probably similar; it's purely a matter of choice.cosmeticThe company is just using this as a gimmick to get people to buy more. I don't like it; I prefer products that don't have a specific formula, where applying sunscreen during the day is enough. Actually, the difference between them is really, really small.
Why are Japanese lotions, especially those from Kose, always so oily? I can't stand it.

5. Serums: I'm a serum addict, so I always have several bottles at home—whitening, moisturizing, anti-aging—basically, that's about all the effects. I usually…MatchingFor example, you can use a whitening serum or anti-aging serum with a moisturizing cream, or a moisturizing serum with an anti-aging lotion. Also, I generally don't use two serums together because I feel the ingredients are quite concentrated, especially whitening and anti-aging serums, as it's not safe. I have thin skin with redness, so I'd rather be careful.

6.eye creamStill exploring, the only feeling is that...EffectThere are very few eye creams available; as long as they moisturize, that's enough. Don't expect anything else.

7. Face Masks: Actually, I don't really like face masks because I'm lazy and frugal. I've used many face masks, including some expensive ones, but in the end, I always end up throwing them away. The only face masks I've found effective are moisturizing masks and cleansing clay masks. I've never seen any whitening or wrinkle-reducing effects from them, or they only have immediate effects, especially sheet masks; basically, the only benefit I've seen is moisturizing. What does this mean? It means that face masks cannot fundamentally improve your...skinSince that's the case, why buy such expensive ones? Besides, the price of expensive face masks is almost enough to buy face cream or serum, yet the effects aren't as good. Why waste my money? So, after some back and forth, I gave up. I'll use exfoliating masks instead of cleansing masks, and I can use moisturizing masks as usual.make upWater, or use face cream,essential oilsI came here for a massage, and the effect was very good.
That being said, I'm now really interested in Fresh's brown sugar mask, and I might actually buy it this winter.

8. Sunscreen: I wear sunscreen almost year-round, I have no choice in Shenzhen. SPF 15-20 is enough in winter, and SPF 25-30 in summer. I don't blindly believe in high SPF sunscreens because physical sunscreens tend to be greasy, and chemical sunscreens can easily cause allergies. Japanese sunscreens are relatively refreshing, and they felt good at first, but the common problem with liquid-based sunscreens is that they're drying and can make my skin feel rough. Also, you absolutely have to remove them with makeup remover. Furthermore, I've always had doubts about whether Japanese and Korean sunscreens can truly protect against UVA rays.Europe and AmericaSunscreens are often oily and greasy, and don't feel good to use, making it really hard to choose. This year I bought a Swiss sunscreen, hoping it will be effective.
As the old saying goes, no matter how good the sunscreen is, it's better to stay indoors as much as possible. When you do go out, use an umbrella, wear a hat, and wear long-sleeved clothing; that's the best sun protection. So, those going to Yunnan...travelYes, it really doesn't matter. The weather is quite cool, so it's easy to protect yourself from the sun.

Every medicine has its side effects, and similarly, excessive use of cosmetics isn't necessarily a good thing. However, not using them at all is impossible. Therefore, I've decided to simplify my skincare routine. From now on, I'll only use cleanser, toner, serum, eye cream, and face cream. Toner and serum can be omitted if necessary. During the day, adding a suitable sunscreen will be sufficient. Anything extra...timeGo to sleep, use the extra money to go to the gym.
Haha, I hope I can do it.