I was a desperate teenage skincare addict.
I used to squeeze in any serum, treatment or ingredient that sounded good—all in an effort to “fix” my skin and whatever it had going on. I (or my mum, more like) spent an embarrassing amount of cash on anything that promised me the skin of a cherub. There wasn’t a ‘Top 10’ facial spot I hadn’t visited, nor a miracle face soap I hadn’t bought into. Yet, reactive was how I’d describe the state of my skin after all of that—more prone to painful bumps, waxy, inflamed and tender to the touch. Somewhere between the layers of elixirs and lotions, skincare went from being a form of self-care to an arduous chore.
I became fluent in the language of acids (lactic, azelaic, glycolic), the dos & don’ts of mixing these skincare ingredients, and subsequently ran out of space in my endless drawers to store my many many bottles of stinging substances. I couldn’t bear looking at myself in the mirror, I wanted to burn the skin of my face and erase it all for a renewed layer. I caked my face with concealers and foundation. I made a habit of avoiding eye contact with anyone and everyone.
Today, in the now, sunlight bounces off the smoothness of my skin. I get requests for my personal regime, whilst subsequently praised on how my skin glows. It’s a before-and-after transformation so stark that it’s impossible not to derive a stab of pleasure from the eliciting gasps every time I show a picture of what I looked like in 2015.
So here’s what changed my skin and ultimately, my life.
The triple-cleansing method
You read that right: I triple-cleanse my face every evening. I start with a healthy sweeping of micellar water across my skin, then massage my face with an oil-based cleanser and finish with a hydrating wash to get rid of any last traces of makeup, dirt and impurities. Oh, and do not (seriously, do not ever) rush your cleansing. It’s so easy for gunk to build up and clog pores, so I make sure to take my time breaking up and loosening the congestion. This leaves my skin clean and ready to absorb skin care products.
Less is more with skincare
I used to squeeze in any serum, treatment or ingredient that sounded good—all in an effort to “fix” my skin and whatever it had going on. But I recognised I was doing more harm than good to my skin and the overexposure to multiple skincare products was severely compromising my skin’s barrier. Today I use only the basics, allowing my skin time and space to regenerate and heal with just three things: a toner, a serum and a moisturiser.
Stop looking into the mirror
The more you scrutinise your skin, the more critical you will be over even the tiniest flaw. The angry bumps and uneven texture on my skin would jump out at me and give me the impression that it’s the only thing that people could see when they looked at me. Stepping away from the mirror allowed me to see myself as a whole. I stopped having those urges to pop pimples because I just couldn’t see them, and I also stopped picking at my face because, again, I didn’t see what spots I could scratch.
Invest in what’s worth
Sleeping on a silk pillowcase has changed my life. I used to wake up every morning with bumpy, creased, irritated skin, even as I was changing my pillowcases every few days. But sleeping on silk? The fabric is soft and breathable, and less likely to absorb or retain my skin’s natural oils and skincare formulas. Now I awake from my slumber knowing even my pillowcase worked overtime to repair my skin.
