My Skincare Routine: The Beginning vs. Today

When I started using K-/J-Beauty almost a decade ago, I didn’t know much about ingredients, my skin’s needs, or my skin type. I chose products based on their popularity or a nice description from the manufacturer… Not exactly the best criteria for choosing skincare products.
So I opted for very light serums and essences; I also didn't use any cream, and when I did, it was only a light gel cream.
Since my skin was on the oily side back then, it never crossed my mind that it might be dehydrated and that the oils were trying to compensate for the lack of moisture. Instead, I neglected my skin’s protective barrier and relied on lightweight products, which ended up drying out my skin.

It doesn't mean that the products from back then were/are bad; they just weren't really suited to my skin's needs.

In 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic first started, my skin got worse, and I began researching gentle and soothing skincare products.
That's how I discovered a Korean YouTuber who has a similar skin type and was still a host on WishtrendTV at the time.
That sparked my interest in K-Beauty all over again.
I've learned a whole lot and was finally able to pinpoint my skin type: sensitive, dehydrated combination skin with a damaged skin barrier.
This realization suddenly changed everything I had thought about my skincare routine up to that point.
Plenty of moisture and gentle ingredients, such as Centella asiatica, propolis, mugwort, and guaiazulene, became the staple of my skincare routine, and within a month I saw real results. My skin looked and felt better, and breakouts became much less frequent.
There was still one issue left unresolved, which turned into a long-term project—or perhaps more of a mindset: the skin protection barrier.

Many of the products shown in the previous image are still popular and high-quality products today.
To this day, the Klairs Midnight Blue Calming Cream is a must-have in our home. My husband uses it as an aftershave, and I like to use it when my skin has been overexposed to the sun.
I’M FROM toners (Mugwort and Rice) are a regular part of my routine whenever I just need something that simply works.
The ByWishtrend serum has been by far my favorite propolis serum, and I'll definitely buy it again at the next opportunity.

These days, my entire skincare routine revolves around well-aging and protecting my skin barrier.
Although the products in the photo below are currently part of my routine (or were until recently), they mainly represent the ingredients and formulations I like to use.
It's all about the blend of ceramides, cholesterol, and fatty acids; peptides; retinal; ginseng; Centella asiatica; a mild formulation with a pH level matching that of the skin; and prevention—no BHAs or AHAs.

I no longer have a strict routine; instead, I base my daily routine on how my skin feels. Does it need more moisture, or does it need to be soothed?

Each routine includes at least one product to protect the skin barrier (a blend of ceramides, cholesterol, and fatty acids) and one for healthy aging (ginseng, retinal, niacinamide, vitamin C, peptides). Everything else is optional, and I never force myself to follow a full routine—as long as I’ve used those two components, nothing else is a must.

Over time, I've learned that gentle skincare that doesn't produce immediate results isn't a bad thing. It helps you take care of your skin in the long run.