Our skin is one of our body's largest organ. It serves as our body's coat and it protects us from heat and cold. Regardless of the skin tone, we should protect our skin through proper skin care routine.

I personally give importance to proper skin care to maintain my skin's youth and glow. This is very essential for me as it gives me the confidence to face anything in life.

"The best cosmetic is a great looking skin"

If you focus on having a good skin care, then you won't be needing a lot of make up.

I will be sharing about the most important steps that I do everyday to keep my skin healthy. I actually do a 6 to 10-step Korean inspired skincare routine everyday. This might sound tedious but this really requires patience and effort. After all, this would be a good investment especially as you age.

Step 1: Oil Cleansing

This is applied to dry face to remove stubborn make up and dirt. This is recommended for those who are using make up such as foundation, mascara, eyeliner and lipstick daily.

I don't usually do this step because I don't always wear heavy make ups except on special occasions. I'm using a drugstore brand which costs around P100 only.

Step 2: Facial Foam Cleansing

This is intended to remove any impurities left in your skin such as oils, sweat and dirt. Foaming cleanser is applied on wet face and then rinsed after. Following this step after the step 1 is called the double cleansing.

I am using a foaming cleanser with soft bristles to ensure that my face is deeply cleansed. After massaging my face with the foam using the bristles of the brush, my face feels so soft, light and smooth.

Step 3: Exfoliation

Also known as scrubbing, this process unclog the pores and removes dead skin cells which causes dullness of skin. It is recommended to exfoliate only once or twice a week.

I prefer using the gentle exfoliating method which is the peeling gel. It works like a regular scrub except that it is a gel type and it doesn't have the beads. This should be applied to clean and dry face. Massage the gel onto the skin in gentle circular motion until you see the dead skin cells falling off your face and then rinse out. My personal favorite brand is the oatmeal peeling gel from Calmia. After using this, my face really brightens and it feels even smoother.

Step 4: Toner

After cleansing your face, you need to hydrate it to save the skin from drying. Toner gives a surge of moisture to the skin and it also prepares the skin so that it would better absorb the following skincare regime.

I prefer using toners with zero alcohol content in it. This rice ceramide toner from The Face shop has a thick and rich consistency and is easily absorbed by the skin. Soak it in a cotton pad or place directly on your hand and pat it dry on your face.

Step 5: Essence

Essence is often neglected not knowing that it plays the most important role in skin care regime. This is considered the heart of Korean skin care. This is quite similar to serums and ampoules but it has a water like consistency. Essence hydrates skin deeply from within. It goes deep into the layers and it controls the turnover of the skin making it firmer, less oily, clearer and glowing.

I use the First treatment essence intensive moist from Missha. This is a best seller not just in Korea but also worldwide. Just get an adequate amount of this and gently dab it on your face until fully absorbed before proceeding with the next step.

Step 6: Serum or Ampoules

This is a powerful and concentrated formula which targets your skin's needs. There are different varieties of serums which are intended for different skin concerns such as dullness, redness, pimple marks, dark spots and so on. There are whitening serums, tomato serum, vitamin C serums and a lot more. Some serums come in a gel type consistency while some are watery.

So far, I was able to try only two serums. The tomato serum from Philippine distributor and the the other one is the whitening serum from It's Skin Power 10 Formulas. Both works well on me and I use it depending on my skin's needs.

Step 7: Masks

This is the soul of Korean skin care. This works to further nourish the skin. Similar to serum, this also targets skin concerns. This can be used once or twice a week or even daily. Leave it on your face for about 20-30 mins to achieve maximum result.

I use masks for only once or twice a week as this could be a bit pricey. After using the mask, my face feels so refreshed. I even use the remaining serum on the pack and apply it on my body.

Step 8: Eye Cream

The skin under our eyes are the thinnest and so it is prone to damage. Applying an eye cream helps to reduce dark circles under the eye and also reduce the puffiness.

Right now, I don't have anything that I use for my under eye though I'm still searching for a brand that is effective yet wouldn't hurt my wallet.

Step 9: Moisturize

You might be surprised that you still need to moisturize after everything you've done. This is to lock the treatments that you've applied to your face and to achieve a supple and glowing skin. Moisturizers come in different types: gel, lotion, cream. Use anything that works for your skin type.

I personally use an Aloe vera gel as my moisturizer. During the day when it feels so hot, I use an aloe vera mist or spray. My face used to be so dry and oily mostly on the T-zone area but since I've tried this out, my skin turns out good.

On days when I feel like my skin needs extra boost of nourishment, I use a sleeping pack which I got from Etude House instead of an aloe vera gel.

Step 10: Sunblock

This is the most important part especially when going out in the sun. Our skin needs protection from the harmful UV rays which can cause dullness and darkness in the skin and even premature aging. Sunscreen comes in various type such as lotion, cream and gel.

There are a lot of drug store brands in the market. You just have to find what will suit your skin.

After reading the 10-steps above, you probably know by now that you do not need to do all these steps everyday. Washing your face, hydrating, applying serums, moisturizing and wearing sunscreen during the day is basically what you need to do on the average. Don't get me wrong, I still get pimples sometimes due to hormones but it does not stay on my face for so long.

Above all this, the most important is to take a lot of WATER to keep our skin hydrated. I am guilty of this, as I always lack short in water but I'm trying hard to drink as many as I can in a day.

Also, all of the products that I am using are very safe for the skin and mostly comes close to being natural. This skin care routine might be a little extensive for some but your skin will thank you later after following these steps religiously.

This is my no makeup face. Believe it or not, I had a breakout before due to hormonal imbalance but with the help of this routine, I gained back my confidence.

Let me know your thoughts in the comment section below. 😊 Thanks for reading! ❤

All photos are mine