I have a track record of becoming obsessed with various things that are not food while I’m preparing for a competition. Grey’s Anatomy, finding the perfect vintage home decor at antique shops, researching John Does and high profile crimes like the Casey Anthony case, drinking sparkling water…the list goes on.
Typical competition prep coping strategy: Jello, hoodie, and Grey’s
This time, I’ve become obsessed with Asian skincare. Why Asian skincare, you ask? Well, Asian skincare is different than Western skincare in that it emphasizes a multi-step routine that includes layering lots of natural, skin-loving ingredients. It’s about moisturizing, treating, and protecting. The best part? Asian skincare products, despite their high-quality formulations, are generally quite affordable!
My Skin History
But *record scratch* let’s backtrack for a moment. Since high school, I’ve had problems with my skin. At that time, I was using Retin-A Micro (tretinoin) for my hormonal acne. I actually can’t recall at all how bad my acne was or how well the Retin-A worked, but I’m pretty sure I used it nightly for a few years.
Me in high school. Tbh I’m really pissed because my skin looks perfect here and I wasn’t wearing any foundation?????
The next skin remedy I tried was after college. I ordered Proactiv and used it for a while before I realized that the part of it that worked was just the 2.5% benzoyl peroxide (BP) gel. So I unsubscribed from the auto-delivery service and would just re-up on my BP gel via eBay when I needed it.
After probably five years of using BP daily, I got sick of accidentally bleaching my clothes by touching them with my face, so I stopped using it. Turns out, though, it really was working because my acne came back. It wasn’t terrible…until I moved to the South from the Midwest. The change in climate and all the stress f*ed me up, man.
The Turning Point
As an avid Redditor, I knew there must be a subreddit out there that could help me with my skin woes, and I found it in /r/SkincareAddiction, where I first heard about the teledermatology service called Curology (aff.link) – formerly known as Pocketderm. It costs $20 per month for unlimited consultations with a board-certified dermatologist and a customized acne prescription shipped every three months or whenever you need a refill. So yeah, I was ALL. OVER. THAT.
My Curology prescription has improved the overall texture of my skin and helped to keep breakouts at bay, but I’m still struggling with clogged pores. I started to wonder what I was doing wrong, so I read more and more from /r/SkincareAddiction, and happened upon a link to /r/AsianBeauty, a subreddit devoted to sharing information about Asian Beauty (AB) products.
Since starting to follow Skincare Addiction and AsianBeauty, I’ve learned so much!
- I paid attention to my skin’s reaction to various products and figured out I have some allergies/sensitivities, like to chemical sunscreens and fatty alcohols.
- I can get rid of clogged pores with a beta hydroxy acid (BHA) like salicylic acid.
- I don’t have oily skin, I have dehydrated skin that’s overcompensating by producing too much oil, which means…
- …my moisture barrier is compromised and I need to heal it.
- I need to wear sunscreen daily to prevent sun damage.
- The pH of products (especially cleansers) is crucial – between about 4 and 6 is closest to our skin’s natural pH. (link)
- People put snail slime on their faces for fun?!
Thanks to inspiration from this very comprehensive post from AB blogger, podcaster, and Redditor /u/SnowWhiteandthePear, I’ve put together a skincare spreadsheet to keep me meet my skincare goals: demolish acne, hydrate, and improve tone. My spreadsheet keeps track of my AM and PM skincare routines, the products I have tried and their results, and products I would like to try someday.
Screenshot of tab one of three from my skincare spreadsheet. Click here to view the full spreadsheet!
Right now my routine is a hybrid of AB and non-AB products and I think that’s just fine. So far, I’ve tried just a couple of AB products:
Holy Snails Shark Sauce is a custom serum with brightening, dark-spot-fading, and hydrating ingredients created by AB enthusiast Chel, from the blog Holy Snails. I guess it’s not technically AB, but it is definitely AB-inspired. Despite the name, it does not contain actual shark. I’ve been using this twice daily for a couple of weeks before my moisturizing step and have noticed an improvement in my skin’s hydration and a reduction in my hyperpigmentation from old acne scars. Buy it here!
Hada Labo Skin Plumping Gel Cream is a very hydrating gel moisturizer that includes hyaluronic acid to plump up the skin. I began by using it only at night but I like it so much that I’ve started using it in the morning as well. Unlike pretty much all other moisturizers I’ve tried, IT DOESN’T BREAK ME OUT!!!! I bought mine in-store at Walgreens believe it or not, but you can find it on Amazon for $5 cheaper.
To Be Continued…
I look forward to trying out lots more AB products, and I’ll be sure to share my opinions on them here on the blog! Coming soon: an unboxing and review of the Shara Shara box from Memebox, chock-full of skincare products from the popular brand Shara Shara.
Skin plumping. I love this idea. I have never heard of this brand. I am interested in trying. it.
Not heard of these products before but I caught the Korean beauty routine last year and been using their products ever since and boy are the awesome. The ones I am using have Ginseng in them and my skin just loves it
I have never heard of these products before. They sound amazing!
Oh wow…my mother would love you for your Spreadsheet commitment. This was an interesting post, and who hasn’t tried Proactiv before…lol. I had the worst forehead acne in high school, which forced me to wear a bang (which made it worse), and I finally outgrew it by the time I hit college.
I’ve heard so many great things about these products!!! Love your spread sheet! ; )
I never heard of “shark sauce”. It sounds intriguing. Thanks for sharing.
I would love to give this a try. Always looking for new beauty products
I am a skincare fanatic and I haven’t heard of any of these products! I need to check them out.
I am looking forward to seeing your reviews of more AB products. I am interested in that plumping cream!
LOL, I thought I was a perfectionist until I saw this gal’s skincare spreadsheet. Her article was entertaining and very informative, thanks.
These products sound amazing! I’d love to try them. Thanks for sharing :]
Blessings,
Edye
My sister is crazy about her skin care. I really need a better skin care routine.
Like others, I have always had skin problems. It’s annoying and embarrassing. I would love to check this product out! Thanks for sharing!
I have such sensitive skin and many things break me out. I love being able to read reviews like yours so I know if I could even try something.
I have never tried these products before. Thank you for the review!
I have always had skin issues and fight to find that perfect product.I love the idea of this spreadsheet!
I would love to try some of these products! I have been dealing with skin problems all my life!
That spreadsheet is super impressive – I just shared this with my beauty addict friends. They are constantly trying to keep track of what they’re trying but never had a good system in place!
These sound like excellent products! I’d love to give some of these a try on my skin!
That’s a very detailed skin care routine. The products sound great!
You definitely look so great in your school days, like I did! With age I guess I got in to lot of skin issues as I have a sensitive one to deal with. The Hada Labo cream sounds like a wonderful gel moisturizer providing some great results as well.
Being 51 my skin does what it wants. Some days oily and some days dry. Maybe these products could help.
I do not have problems with acne for the most part (I still get breakouts now and then). My concerns have to do with aging and lines and dark spots. I’m turning forty in a week and want to continue looking young. Thank you for the information. Definitely going to look into it.
I’ve always had oily skin but it changed after having kids to combination skin. It’s great to learn new ways to take care of my skin, especially as I get older.
Ahhhhh this product line sounds pretty fab! I’m a total
Skin care product junkie, literally! If I see something new I just have to have it, so I will have to check this line out 🙂
Goodness, look that photo! Perfect skin much? I have never tried or looked into Asian beauty much but I would love to learn more and try more products. I am really interested in the cute products and names, too!
I love the product name and packaging. I don’t really use or have a skin care regime like I should.
This is really educational post. I did not know so much. I don’t do much more than apply lots of sunscreen in the summer!
Wow, you appear very analytical!
I like your thoroughness and will pass the info on to my sister.
These products look like something I would be interested in myself, the names are a little silly though.
I just love the glow of your skin. So jealous. I definitely want to try this and see if it would work on my type of skin
I’ve recently begun reading up on Asian beauty – just trying out a Cosrx BHA for now, but hopefully will be adding more soon. The shark sauce sounds great!
These products sound like something I would love to try as well. Thanks for sharing.
Now I feel like I want to try them too. For years, my skin care routine has only been washing my face with a facial wash and then putting on moisturizer.
Wow. Your high school skin is amazing. The glow is off the charts. I love that you have a skincare spreadsheet now. That’s dedication to beauty right there. I’ll have to look into the Shark Sauce.
Your skin does look flawless and you have not aged! You look great and this looks awesome. I might need to check this out because my skin is losing its mind
I’ve never seen or heard it, but its cool and I’d like to try it.
Shark sauce? That’s very interesting. I don’t think I have seen this in the store. Your skin looks amazing.
I’ve never heard of this product but it looks like it works good on you. I like your hair. I always want to have a hair like that around shoulder level.
Never heard of this product but by looking at your pictures looks like it works amazingly! I would love to try this!
I am fortunate because I have good skin and don’t have to pay attention to it at all. It is great that you found things that work and make you happy!
That spreadsheet is awesome! What a great way to take control of your skin. I really want to try the Shark Sauce! I think that would be great for my skin.
I never heard about this product but I’m sure this is a good skin care products.
It sounds like you got to the root of the challenges you have for your skin. I was laughing about you ditching the ProActiv subscription and purchasing just the active ingredient. Smart! 🙂
I’ve tried this brand a while ago and really love the quality! I love asian skincare
I have never heard of producing too much oil due to dehydrated skin – something I will be looking into for sure, thanks for sharing your experience.
My wife has been having some issues since she had to stop using a product for medical reasons. I’ll see if this is something she is interested in.
It sounds like you have learned a lot. I definitely try to wear sunscreen everyday. It’s so important.
I would love to try Holy Snails Shark Sauce. My skin has been so dry this year. It could use some TLC.
I am a beauty product junkie. I love discovering new things. Thanks for sharing your experience with us!
This product looks really great and effective. I like your skin in this picture.
Your skin looks gorgeous in that picture! I’m impressed how organized you are about all of this!
I’ve never heard of this product or brand before, but it sounds interesting. I’ll have to check it out!
Wow, you are so organized in your quest! 🙂 It’s crazy how much our skin changes at different times in our lives.
First – that photo your skin is amazing (with no foundation I am jealous even if it was high school!). Second – I had no idea a service like this existed. I will definitely tell my oldest son because he has issues with acne and is having a hard time finding something that works for him.
I have skin issues to and am currently looking for something that I can use that will work!
I must really be lucky, I started having breakouts when I was in High School up until my college years. It was terrible! I made sure I washed my face with a good facial cleanser in the morning, during my lunch break, and at night when I get home it seemed to work after that. Ever since then my regimen only consisted of two things, a cleanser and a moisturizer and that’s it.
Holy Snails Shark Sauce is something that I think I need to implement into my skincare routine. I have 2 old blemish scars that really irritate me, and if I could reduce their redness or appearance, I’d be one happy camper!
K-beauty products are really becoming popular among my friends. I like trying out the different facial masks because of the natural ingredients they are made from.
OOOHHHH love finding new beauty products that are affordable! Your spreadsheet is perfect for understanding the differences too. Thank you for sharing.
I love trying out new skin products, and although I’d never think of asian beauty products it really makes me rethink what I am, and am not doing. Your skin looks incredible.
I would have never thought to look into Asian beauty products but can totally understand the benefits. These days I have found my skin to be at its best when I drink plenty of water, eat clean and use all natural skincare items.
My daughter used to get an Asian Beauty Subscription Box that she really liked. She stopped it since she was changing dorms and didn’t want her mail going elsewhere at the time. She never subscribed again though. She used to use Pro-Activ like you said it didn’t work.
Wow, your spreadsheet has my beauty routine put to shame. I need to more organized instead of just hoping my skin will put up with me.
I am always concerned as to the actual ingredients in these products, but if they work for you and you are happy with the results then that is all that matters.
I can’t wait to see how this turns out! I’ll be following along!
I was lucky enough to not struggle too much with acne, but I definitely have my own set of skin issues. I have been seeing lots of Asian beauty products around the blogosphere lately and I was wondering what all the hype was about.
These seem like awesome products. I’d like to try the Hada Labo Skin Plumping Gel Cream which is what I really need.
I seriously love trying out new face creams and such so I will def be looking into these. I have heard of the shark one but not the other!
I want to try the skin plumping gel. That sounds like something I would use for sure. It’s hard to find the perfect beauty routine and takes much trial and error.
I admit I’m not a beauty Queen more like a beauty jester but I am loving the packaging and the sound of this product. The shark sauce really had me smiling. Looking forward to hearing more.
I have had a lot of similar experiences. I have always had bad skin, and I used Proactive for a long time, but I would ruin towels and shirts uggh! I tried a few other things when I got older because I thought I was passed acne…not so. It is still just as bad as when I was in high school. I will have to try some of these products.
So many ruined towels and pillowcases! Hope you find something that works for you 🙂
Oh I love the packaging for the shark sauce! (no sharks!). This post is reminding me of all the things I need to do for myself this spring!
These sound like fantastic products. I like trying out new stuff because I want to find the perfect products that will work on my skin.
This skin care line sounds fantastic! I have extremely dry skin on my face and would love a skin care line for dry/sensitive skin!
I have really dry skin and I am breaking out and I never understood why until I read this! It makes total sense! I will have to check into this product and also see how you do on it also.
I love your skincare spreadsheet. Wow, I wish I was that organized. I especially like the ingredient blacklist.
I look forward to seeing more results. My skin is so sensitive!
I’ve got to try this stuff! I wouldn’t say I have overly sensitive skin, but there have been a few products out there that did NOT agree with my skin. I’ll have to look into this stuff. Better safe than broken out!
Ugh – I’ve had my share of flare ups from my sensitive skin, too!
I spent way too much time out in the sun when I was younger and never gave a thought to my skin. I need to start fixing it before its too late.
Same here. I just started wearing sunscreen daily and I hope it’s not too late!