Ultimate Guide: Skin Care for Dry Skin

I really, really like to whine about my dry skin but the truth is, I feel like I've just had bad skin care routines. I used to think that facial cleansers and moisturizers are enough. This is what I used to use every night:

L-R (top): Sephora waterproof eye makeup remover, Aqua mineral soap, Aqua face creme L-R (bottom): Clean and Clear benzoyl peroxide 10%, Talika Lipocils Expert eyelash enhancer

LUCKILY, subscription boxes came into my life, HALLELOOO! As I got more subscription boxes, I got more and more complicated products; emulsions, balancers, fresheners, serums, etc. I started wanting to just try and review everything but when I noticed that my skin was improving, I did a little wikipedia research to back up my hunch.

Here's how I've simplified it, in the order I best feel like they should be used:

1. Cleanser - Best used with a sponge or a brush to exfoliate. If you have problems with oil accumulating in your pores, it's better to use those accessories.
2. Toner - Minimizes the appearance of pores and cleanses the skin. People often think they don't need it but guyssss it's super important! Our skin is naturally a little acidic, and soap is basic, right? So whenever you wash your face, you actually neutralize your skin. This change in pH results in  dryness, acne, hyper-pigmentation and other skin conditions. Toner speeds up the recovery process by removing soap residue and restoring the pH balance of your face. Otherwise, it takes about a day for your skin to go back to its normal pH. By then, you would have washed your face again, thus feeding this vicious cycle. There are 3 kinds of toner:
1. Freshener - Least amount of alcohol (0-10%,) best for dry and sensitive skin
2. Tonic - Contains 10-20% alcohol, best for combination skin
3. Astringent - Contains 20-60% alcohol, best for oily skin. In using astringent, don't skip out on moisturizers because its extreme drying effect could cause an overcompensation and worsen oily skin.
3. Serum - Has the same function as moisturizer, but the particles are smaller. This allows it to go deeper into the pores. Moisturizer on top will seal the serum and "cure" dry skin.
4. Moisturizer/Emulsion/Cream/Gel - Anything oil-based is good for dry skin. People with oily skin should use water-based products to avoid clogging of pores. 
5. Spot treatments (optional)- Usually, I go with eye creams, lip balms, acne medication and other random products last.

I'm going in between samples right now to test which one works best on my skin. I'm just super happy that after learning about the importance of toner and serum, my skin has improved drastically! I guess now it's all just a matter of finding a brand that I'll settle with :P Here's my current nightly ritual:

Shiseido Extra Gentle Cleansing Foam from my November BDJ box

Celeteque DermoScience+ Restorative Ultra-Lifting Concentrated Serum from my first Sample Room purchase

Skin Food Gold Caviar Emulsion and Toner from my December GlamourBox

I still use the makeup remover, haha. But now I'm using a combination of leftover Shiseido cleanser from my Benefiance review, Celeteque from my Sample Room purchase and Skin Food emulsion and toner from my GlamourBox to complete the four basics I've mentioned. I'm really pleased with my skin right now. Even if I've switched from the Shiseido toner to the Skin Food toner, it's remained really smooth and hydrated. And that's how you cure dry skin ;) Took me about a year to figure it out, but it's so simple! ARG!

Next post is my much-anticipated Talika Lipocils Expert eyelash enhancer review!