The Concept of Skincare Layering, Pt. 1 |MEL & MUSE

My current evening skincare rotation. All products listed below with links.

STEP 1: TONE AND RE-BALANCE
Toning is one of my favorite steps to do after cleansing my face. I adore The Body Shop Tea Tree Skin Clearing Toner as I feel like I don't need a lot of product to get the job done and it feels super refreshing. The best bit is that tea tree oil is antiseptic, meaning a preventive measure against unwanted bacteria.

(Quick tip: the quality of your cotton is akin to the quality of an amazing makeup brush and affects how it deposits product to your face as well as absorbs your nasties. Completely not biased, but asian cotton pads are ahh-mazing and usually very affordable. I get mine at my local asian market.)

It's probably best if you try a toner that has a more diluted alcohol content, but if you do opt for one, it's best to re-balance your skin with thermal water. I'll be doing a post soon comparing different brands, but I find myself repurchasing Vichy Thermal Spa Water quite often. Just lightly mist your face and voila!

STEP 2: TREAT SKIN CONCERNS
After STEP 1, your pores are all nice and clean and waiting to eat something up. It's at this point that you want to make sure you address your main concerns and treat them at the base level of your skincare. For me, that would be hyper-pigmentation from post-acne and active inflammation. I find that the Mario Badescu Buffering Lotion works great as a preventive measure for future breakouts when I feel my skin acting up.

STEP 3: SOFTEN SKIN WITH ESSENCE
This may be an unfamiliar step in skincare to most of you as I haven't really found an American version of this, but "essence" is basically a very thin formula chocked full of vitamins and pretty things. I find it to be more of a liquid version of a serum.

My absolute favorite is Laneige Power Essential Skin Refiner Moisture. Absolutely beautiful essence that makes me feel like my skin soaked up all the hydration in the world. You can apply it with a cotton pad, but I like to pour a few drops between the flat planes of my fingers, rub my hands together to briefly warm up the product and prevent spillage, and then use gentle patting application all over the face — even the eyes, lips, and neck! It's quite wet, so make sure to wait a minute for it to dry before continuing. With this alone, your skin will be extremely soft and supple to the touch!

Check out the next post in this series: The Concept of Skincare Layering, Pt. 2