[Routine Update] October 2025

 

 

Hey is anyone else depressed about the state of...everything? I've had to be more protective of my heart and attention just to keep myself going day-to-day. When people ask me how it's going, I just shrug. It's kind of heartening to see most people around me understand it though.

What's Changed

I imagine my mood change is the root problem for a big portion of the below.

Sun. So much sun. 

More sun than I would like, probably. But being out does help my mood. I have worn my Asian-auntie face shield out before, but the teen in me really couldn't help rolling her eyes at who I've become, so I stopped.

I like freckles, I really do. I know it sounds like I'm just coping, but I've always hoped my eventual sunspots would come in like cute freckles. Alas, there are some large ones that just really aren't cute. BUT I am getting some cute ones on the bridge of my nose. I probably have a year or two before I'll seriously consider fraxel...I should probably start saving up now tbh. 

So in addition to being a bit more tan than I was, my barrier has also become a bit more weakened.

Diet

It's bad. I've been ingesting way more comfort-sugar than I should. High blood sugar causes a lot of health issues in general, but as we're specifically talking skin here, I don't have serious skin issues relating to high blood sugar (yet? knocks on wood). Though I also can't completely ignore that it's possible some of my increased dryness could be related to that.

I've also not upped my water-intake by much, despite getting more sun. Which you would think I would just easily fix being dehydrated by drinking more water. And yet, I can't even get motivated to even do that. Although this one I still partially blame on how unsatisfactory the water is here. 

Any of us too into skincare can probably agree we're a bit vain and I used to joke about how vain I was. I could frankly use some of that vanity back, at least for my own health's sake, jfc.

Aging

ANOTHER year older! What is time even. I can say the changes I noted last year were really only evident to me-looking-at-the-mirror-too-closely. I think it's evident to the world now,

• Fat/collagen loss around the eyes = appearance of dark circles and undereye line deepening. Still going on. My uneven eyelids are still not even, which is annoying.  
• Fat/collagen loss in the mid-face region = my pores appear larger. Pulling my skin doesn't make the pores disappear anymore. FUN. Nasolabial lines are even more slightly prominent.
• 11 lines. This one is still (luckily) not so evident to others yet. Close up though, I can see it doesn't go away with skincare now.
• Sunspots have been mentioned. I think they're cute when they're higher up on the cheeks and bridge of nose, and smaller. But I have three too-big-to-be-cute ones and some a little lower on the face than I'd like which are my main focus.
• Bone movement is even more prominent.
• Drier. Dry like the desert dry. I used a sample of the FAB cream...I know even a few years ago I would have been appalled by how thick it was. I was completely fine with it. MY HANDS ARE DRY TOO! Augh. 

Routine

Skin profile: NW25, anti/well-aging, dehydrated dry

Season & Type of Climate: fall, coastal desert

1st Cleanser: [WNRP] EXAGE Softening Cleansing Cream / [WRP] SEKKISEI Treatment Cleansing Oil / [WRP] BRTC Anti-pollution & Full Makeup Cleansing Oil 

2nd Cleanser (as needed): [HG] Biore the Face Foaming Facial Wash High Moist

AM Exfoliator: [HG] Cure Natural Aqua Gel (~every other day) 

Lotion: [WRP] EXAGE Activation Moisture Milk III 

1st Toner: [WRP] Albion Flora Drip (PM only) 

Hydrating Toner: [WNRP] NACIFIC Fresh Herb Origin Toner

Fullerene: [WRP] KISO Care Moisture Serum RS (AM only) 

Serum: [MRP] Lancôme Advanced Génifique (PM only)

2nd Serum: [WNRP] Anessa Nigh Sun Care Serum (PM only)

Light Moisturizer: [HG] Stratia Lipid Gold

Cream (as needed): [WRP] Stratia Interface Peptide Cream

Sheet Mask: [HG] JM Solution Water Luminous SOS Ringer Mask Black.

Sunscreen: [HG] Anessa Day Serum / [HG] Allie Chrono Beauty Color On Cheek UV (warm orange)

Lip Treatment: [HG] MAC Lipglass Blow, [Discontinued HG] UZU Lip Treatment -2 Sheer Green (lol I still have this)

Spot Treatment: [HG] Avarelle Acne Cover Patch

Supplement: [HG] Fine Japan Collagen Powder

Key: [HG] Holy Grail, [WRP] Would Repurchase, [WNRP] Will Not Repurchase 

Thoughts/Future Moves

Cleaners

I talked about the Albion cleansing cream quite a bit in my Albion review, and I'm coming to the last bit of it. I'll miss the one-step process of it, but I really would like to drop down to at least just one cleansing oil before considering the INFINESSE cleansing cream, which I have a travel-sized sample of. They also recently came out with a cleansing balm which...I think I prefer creams to balms. Unless the balm cleans better? 

I have a full backup of the SEKKISEI so once I finish that, I'll re-evaluate. I do like the idea of having it on hand for my hair, it's just that I don't use it much on my scalp anymore since going short. So why keep it around? Oh drat, I gotta to do a hair update too! sigh 

Actives/Exfoliators

With the amount of sun I get, I've been staying away from actives. I have Sunday Riley's Good Genes on my shelf, but it's really only for my armpits rather than my face. I know, my pits are faaancy.

Toners/Serums

Commercialpoem gushed about the JM Solution Water Luminous S.O.S Ringer Toner, so that's the hydrating toner I'm eyeing to try next. The NACIFIC sadly does nothing for me anymore🥲

Since the Albion review, I've purchased the renewed Flora Drip and I'm about two-thirds of the way through it. It's not as stellar as I was hoping, but it's not bad. Actually, that's how I feel about the Lancôme serum too. It's good enough for my mood now, which is fine. There's going to be a day when I care more again, I know it. It's just not now. 

OH! OH! Followup from the Albion review as well. I do miss the eclafutur d (new version is eclafutur t). I really think I'm going to end up getting it just because my skin could use the help and I just don't want to go on a serum hunt any time soon. I have a small sample of the eclafutur t that I'm only using on days I really need it for now.

The Anessa Night Serum, I really wish it was better. For something that targets after-sun care, it could stand to be a little more hydrating and moisturizing, especially for the body...right? I haven't seen much help in speeding up/preventing untanning. Keep in mind though, my skin seems to be indifferent towards niacinamide. 

I've also tried the tout vert fullerene, finally. I cannot tell the difference of it from the KISO fullerene, so I might just stick with KISO. I like the glass container and dropper of the KISO more than the plastic drip bottle of the tout vert.

Cream/Spot Treatment

I uh...need a heavier cream than the Stratia, now which is insane. I've tried a sample of the INFINESSE one and it's okay, I don't know if I'd spring for it yet. But I'll be back to the Albion Garden store in a few months, I'm sure, so I'll decide then. I just busted open a sample of the Avène Cicalfate+ cream for the picture, so I haven't tried it. I'm slowly going through my many samples from a purchase at Ulta.

YA'LL I need to sing praises about how amazing the EXCIA Brightening Immaculate Serum Z is! Albion Garden gave me two samples of it which I had set aside until one weekend of getting too much sun led to a medium-sized sunspot appearing on my collar bone (seriously, wtf). So I applied the serum sparingly (not in the way they recommend) and stuck Avarelle patches on top to really attack it. The spot went away within a week.

1) it's crazy expensive so I don't think I would get it (yet). 2) It uses Kojic Acid which is not ideal to target on my face spots because of all the sun I'm getting. However, if you're looking for a spot treatment and aren't outdoors as much as I am (and can afford it), I would suggest considering it. It's divided into individual bottles because you're supposed to use a whole tiny bottle a day for 30 days (insane, right?), so it lends itself well to be kept around or taken on a trip as a spot treatment. 

Lip Treatment 

I tried that MAC lip plumper on a whim on a trip to the mall with a friend and was pleasantly suprised by how much I enjoyed it. It smells like a ginger candy, it plumps just a wee without stinging too much, and it moisturizes like an oil. And both the moisturization and plumpness lasts. I'm on my third tube and have purchased them as gifts for family and friends.

Supplements

I just told myself yesterday I need to get back on the FINE Japan Collagen drink train again. So we'll see where I'm at with it next year. 

I tried the Goli gummy that fiddy wrote about in her hair re-growth post. I didn't see much benefit to it, and supplements aren't something I want to be the reason I'm consuming even more sugar. I'm eyeing MegaFood's Women's multivitamin next. 

Here's hoping we'll be in a better mood next year.