My Nighttime Skincare Routine

I try to keep my skincare routine down to about 5-10 mins at night, because honestly I don't think I would commit to much more than that at the expense of sleep. Here are the products I've been using lately. Keep in mind that I have dry skin and usually wear only light makeup (including nonwaterproof mascara). I'm probably also not as thorough as many of the other bloggers out there in terms of cleansing, but so far this has been working well.

I have only four steps in my routine: 1) Cleanse, 2) Eye cream, 3) Face Treatment Cream, and 4) Moisturize. I will rotate out products in these four steps, especially the face treatment as I run low on things, but generally I stick closely to this regime. I'll also be away from home for much of the summer, so here are the products I will pretty much be using for the next three months:

Caudalie Instant Foaming Cleanser: I got this on a whim, and am surprised at how much I've been using it. I love that it foams, because it makes it feel so much faster and easier to just give it a quick pump and immediately slather it on the face. I will say that this is not great at removing makeup, and on days when I do wear more makeup I have to resort to a cleansing balm instead. However, for light summer days, this is good, and also generally effective at getting my mascara off.

Clinique Repairwear Laser Focus Eye Cream: I like this the best of the eye creams I've tried. It's rich but easy to rub in, and it also doesn't cause millia unlike many other creams I've tried. I just wish it were more moisturizing.

Sulwhasoo Timetreasure Renovating Cream: I got this as a sample, and so far I like it. It has a nice herbal scent, and I think I do notice a slight difference in my skin texture and general glow after a few uses. But it's not quite enough to justify the $400 full-size price tag - yikes!

Kiehl's Powerful Wrinkle Reducing Cream: This was also a sample, and I use it on days when I don't use the Sulwhasoo. I like the smell and the light texture, but after continual use I'm not sure it's all that effective, as I haven't noticed any significant changes to my lines. But it is pleasant to use.

Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream: This has been my nighttime moisturizer for quite some time now (reviewed here), and I find I keep going back to this. It's just so easy to use and really is very effective at keeping my dry skin hydrated. But it contains parabens, so I'm going to need to find a replacement after I finish it up.


In terms of how I use these products, I always make sure to gently pat them in and avoid rubbing, which causes premature wrinkles. I also try to be gentle when cleansing. I see so many girls tugging harshly at their faces while cleansing, and it makes me wonder if by being so thorough they're doing more harm than good. Thus, my philosophy is to stay as minimal and delicate as possible with my skin. I won't kill my face to try to get every last scrap of makeup off, but I will do as much as I can. It's a balancing act.

Health Tip: Protect your gums by not using hard toothbrushes

This is a combination beauty and health tip, but recently I've been experiencing some gum pain, and my (much older) doctor told me that one of her greatest regrets is that for over 40 years she used a very hard-bristle toothbrush and essentially put undue pressure on her gums every time she brushed her teeth. This later led to receding gum lines. Scary stuff, and just goes to show that you shouldn't ever blindly listen to dentists' recommendations! Her recommendation is to go with soft bristle brushes, and to use the sensitive setting on electric toothbrushes to avoid destroying the gums.

I wanted to expand that a little further by touching upon my own experience with a deep-cleaning, which was both unnecessary and in retrospect far more damaging than beneficial. My dentist scared me with the idea of things growing under my gum line, so I proceeded to go forth with a deep cleaning. That certainly led to receding gum lines, especially in my rightmost front tooth. The gum line, especially behind the tooth, is noticeably deeper now, and occasionally causes discomfort.

Please note that as a disclosure I am not a dental expert, and I'm sure some people have benefited from deep-cleaning procedures. But if I could go back, I wish someone would have shared this with me and let me understand the full risks, especially as I'm young and honestly it's done more harm than good.

Beauty Tip: Avoiding wrinkles from ill-fitting sunglasses and rubbing your eyes

There's two beauty mistakes I've recently discovered myself to be guilty of, and it's time to change those ASAP. The first is wearing sunglasses that don't fit on my nose and consequently end up being supporting by my cheeks. Turns out this can lead to wrinkles (which makes sense because of the downward pressure by said sunglasses). It's a pity, because my Tiffany's prescription sunglasses (top pair in picture above) are very much of this sort, which means I've literally been doing harm for years (yikes!)

I have a very low nose and relatively high cheekbones, so it's difficult to avoid, but after much searching I think I finally found a pair that fit without nudging against my face (from Urban Outfitters, the pair below). I unfortunately don't find them as flattering on, but for $24 they'll do well as a substitute in the meantime.

Of course, please note that despite the risk of cheek-resting, you should definitely keep wearing those sunglasses, because they still shield your eyes from UV damage and help you avoid constant squinting (which can lead to other wrinkles).

The second rule is to stop rubbing those eyes! Lately I've found myself doing that almost constantly through the day. Much of it is out of paranoia that there's stuff in my eye and other times it's to itch them. This has to stop. It's not only unhygenic, but the tugging of the skin as you rub is exactly the recipe for wrinkles.

Hope this was informative and helps some of you to make a change like me earlier rather than later!

Beauty Tip: Wait 30 mins Before Brushing Teeth After Eating

I wanted to share some of the beauty tips I've come across that may be popularly applicable. The first is a bit unusual, but helpful to anyone looking to maintain their smile.

Taiwan celebrity Ariel Lin has mentioned in interviews that she never brushes immediately after a meal, and will instead floss. Turns out this is pretty smart, because after we eat or drink, the acid from the food will remain in the mouth and temporarily soften our teeth. If we brush immediately after, we'll essentially be scratching away at our enamel, causing additional harm and abrasion. Instead, we should wait about 30 minutes, by which time saliva will have restored the pH balance in our mouth. Alternatively, you can floss and use mouth wash.

I personally wish I'd known this sooner (ahem, guilty of midnight snacks followed by immediate brushing). If interested, you can read more here,