This isn’t going to be some crazy extensive, 12-step K-beauty morning skincare routine. Your girl is not a morning person and I refuse to wait up even earlier in the morning because my morning skincare routine takes a ridiculous amount of time! I do, however, go for ingredients that work well with each other and truly work- at least for my specific skin type. High impact is the name of the game here.
Morning Skincare Routine Products:
I did make a blog post of my morning skincare routine a few years back which you can find here. Some of the items mentioned, I still use today! I’m quite loyal. When I like a product, I will repurchase time and time again.
Starting off strong is my tried and true Origins Checks and Balances Foaming Face Wash. I have been using this religiously for over five years now. If I am being honest, I did cheat and tried both Olehenriksen Truth Juice and the Tatcha Rice Polish, but I always go back to my tried and true. I just want something light, gentle, and foaming. Nothing more, nothing less. My skin feels very clean after using, like a prepared canvas. I always apply it using this Foreo dupe I purchased on Amazon, also five years ago. The ROI on this bad boy is crazy.
After that, we go into my favorite skincare brand of all time: Olehenriksen. Look, I have used everything from drugstore (L’Oréal, Garnier…) to high end (La Mer, ZO, Dior…) and my skin always reacts best to this brand. Not all products are equal, for example their face wash couldn’t beat Origins, but generally speaking, I absolutely love them.
Next up, we have a product I have been using for a bit under a year now, the Truth Barrier Booster Orange Ferment Essence. Not the most appealing name, but I love how this product feels on the skin and how quickly it absorbs. You don’t want residue in your morning skincare routine, leave those heavy products for your evening routine (coming soon!).
Once that dries in a minute or so, I go in with a product that I will not be repurchasing. This is the ZO Skin Health Illuminating AOX Serum. To be completely transparent, I received this product as a gift at an event I attended in Geneva. I also received some other products as a sample size, including one that claimed to be a Botox alternative from Skinceuticals. I used up all samples and the serum is about empty. Truthfully, I see absolutely zero difference in my skin. For 150CHF+ a bottle for each, I’ll pass. I just purchased Olehenriksen’s Peach Glaze Glow and I cannot wait to try it out.
My morning skincare routine continues with two OG’s: the Olehenriksen Banana Bright Instant Glow Moisturizer and the Eye Crème. They hydrate, leave me with a natural glow, and visibly brighten my skin. What’s there to complain about? It also leaves me with a solid base for my tinted moisturizer to cling on to as I go into my Everyday Makeup Routine.
In the past, I did use the overpriced La Mer Undereye Cream and I’ll be honest: I saw results. My under eye area was brighter, more moisturized and it felt great on the skin. I stopped purchasing it because I cannot justify spending over 200+ CHF on a tiny bottle of product. That money can be better invested elsewhere in my opinion. It’s good, but it’s not life changing. I’ve also gone a half a year without an under eye cream to see if it really made a difference or not. I can say that my under eyes were darker and a bit more “dry” looking. This is why I chose to repurchase the Olehenriksen version.
I have started experimenting with gua sha and at home lymphatic massages. I am quite new to this and not consistent yet, so I will refrain from giving any advice. However, I have noticed that the gua sha certainly feels lovely and helps with product absorption. In terms of slimming benefits, I can’t say I have seen a difference. As for lymphatic drainage, I see more of a difference when I do my stomach than my face/chest. It is not a part of my official morning skincare routine yet, but it may very well be in the near future.
Morning Skincare Routine: Final Thoughts & Tips:
When I said I have a simple, no BS morning skincare routine, I wasn’t kidding. The products above are all I use all day, every day. It takes me a good five minutes to apply everything and, as mentioned above, my skin thanks me for it. It’s glowing and healthy. A huge reason as to why I refuse to wear foundation is due to my skincare routine. I don’t want to cover up this natural glow that I have! On non-work days, I tend to skip my tinted moisturizer and rock bare skin… With mascara and brows done, of course.
Nobody’s skin is perfect and I still get blemishes, but I can usually find the source (stress, poor food choice, hormones…) which has nothing to do with my skincare. And even there, I don’t get many blemishes anymore in general.
My biggest tips to finding the perfect morning skincare routine for you is:
- Stay within your budget. Skincare gets expensive fast. You don’t need to buy what ‘x’ influencer uses. It was probably a gifted item, sponsored post, and they may not even use it themselves anyways. They have dermatologists for their skincare, guys. It’s not that overpriced bottle of under eye cream.
- What works for me may not work for you. Identify what your skin type is and then research the best products and ingredients for your own skin. Keep in mind that it takes months of using a product to see results.
- Don’t forget your neck! Always apply your serums and moisturizers there, too. Sometimes, I’ll even bring my serums down to my chest and do a mini gua sha session or lymphatic massage.
I truly hope you were able to be inspired to have a no-fuss morning skincare routine. Nobody has time for an excessive routine. Skincare should never be skipped, but it shouldn’t be a massive time commitment, either. Especially when the bulk of your products should be used at night.
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Stay Chaotic,
Tess
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