Night moves
If I had all the time in the world, I would 1) watch that last episode of Game of Thrones over and over again until the ending changes; 2) change my bag every time I go out instead of just cramming everything into the giant one that I carry every day; and 3) actually try out and maybe even practice the multiple-step Korean beauty regimen that everyone from Elle to Buzzfeed has been raving about.
Almost every new beauty product, including American and European brands, takes into consideration the needs of Asian skin, some even tailoring them to our needs to the point of leveraging on our collective insecurities as a region — our small eyes, round faces, predisposition to oiliness and enlarged pores, and inherent nerdiness comes with the territory. All these, nerdy tendencies included, I think are best demonstrated in the way East Asians approach skincare.
Often dismissed as superficial, the Korean beauty routine is expensive, time-consuming, and maybe unnecessary. It’s the military precision and discipline that I wish I could adopt. Their faith in the process — considering the fact that beauty products hardly ever deliver results overnight, no matter what they promise — is at once baffling and admirable. To someone who thinks having to wipe her eyes with makeup remover before cleansing is a chore, religiously observing a regimen with more them three steps is out of the question and a luxury I cannot afford.
But for argument’s sake, let’s say it’s not a luxury. Let’s say we need it. Let’s pretend for one weekend that we do have all the time in the world to slather on products the way they do on commercials, with languid circular motions and a delicate touch. It takes about as much as time as catching up on social media before bed, and maybe you’ll like it.
1 Remove the day’s makeup.
Lightly wipe off with nourishing cleansing towelettes. Apply light pressure, especially on the lid and around the eye area. Herb Day Cleansing Tissue, available at The Face Shop.
2 Slick it up.
To remove any remaining gunk on your face without irritating your skin, cleanse again with a calming cleansing oil. Bobbi Brown’s Soothing Cleansing Oil cleanses without leaving skin feeling tight or try and it doubles as a gentle, non-waterproof makeup remover. Pump a generous amount of oil into dry hands and and smooth over your face. Splash warm water on skin and massage away impurities. Available at Rustan’s.
3 Cleanse — again!
For a time, I was too obsessed with scrubs and it actually did more harm than good for my acne-prone skin. Double-cleansing is a process that my dermatologist recommended to satisfy my scrubbing urges and help clear my skin. It’s when you rinse off cleansing oil with a foam cleanser. The process, which is actually more associated with Japanese skincare practices, rinses off both oil-based substances (sebum and makeup) and water-based substances (dead skin cells, bacteria and perspiration). Dermalogica Clear Start Breakout Clearing Foaming Wash is meant for breakout-prone skin and comes individually or as part of the Dermalogica Clear Start set, available at Rustan’s.
4 Two to three times weekly
You will still need to exfoliate to boost cell turnover. You can do this with a scrub or an exfoliating serum. Dermalogica Clean Start Ready, Set, Scrub is a favorite because it’s a two-in-one product — a mask and scrub. You apply it on your face and leave it on for five to seven minutes, then scrub it off.
5 Apply toner. The process removes any gunk left behind, including cleanser debris, and restores the skin’s natural pH balance. Toning is associated with harsh astringents that irritate skin, but there are actually a lot of alcohol-free options available. A favorite is Kiehl’s Calendula Toner for normal to oily skin. At first you might miss the sting a little, but you’ll come to love it for its vegetably scent.
6 Pat on some
Essence, a new important part of a good skincare regimen. An essence is nourished with skin-activating nutrients that penetrate rapidly to renew and rebalance skin. Estée Lauder Micro Essence Skin Activating Treatment Lotion is an essence-in-lotion, a rich liquid that hydrates and also preps skin for the rest of the regimen.
7 Treat skin.
For the first signs of aging, Sisley Youth is a hydrating and energizing serum that protects the skin and the visible effects of natural aging. Pea extract, soy peptide extract and adenosine keep cells intact and prevent skin from sagging. Pump a generous amount onto your hand. Rub palms together and pat from the center of your face going outward. Sisley is available at Rustan’s.
8 Massage face with a product that drains excess fluid like Clarins Shaping Facial Lift Total V Contouring Serum. It has three key actions: anti-fat, anti-fluid and anti-sugar. When used continuously, it slims the face, refines the cheeks and lifts the jawline. Available in July at Rustan’s.
9 Tap on some eye cream above the line of your eyelid and under the eyes. Eye cream travels while we sleep — it slips and slides and finds its way to your fine lines and crow’s feet where it needs to be in the first place. Benefit’s It’s Potent! Eye Cream is a joy to pat on because of its cushy texture, and it also brightens and fades dark circles.
10 After all that, moisturize.
Rub a dollop of moisturizer between your palms and pat all over skin. Chanel Hydra Beauty Nutrition is a nourishing and protective cream with a rich texture that melts right away and seals everything in. Chanel is available at Rustan’s.
11 Don’t forget your lips.
Slather on Chanel Hydra Beauty Nutrition Nourishing Lip Care all over lips.
