So through the years, many of you have asked me how I take care of my face and how I do my makeup. I usually do it in under 10mins and it’s pretty simple. I might cover it on a later post, but the main thing is to start with good skin. This is what I’m going to talk about today (o^^o). By the way, the pictures are from approximately a year ago. I’ve lost a lot of weight since then, but I like the pics nevertheless.
[my typical breakfast: oat bran, crushed flax seeds, chia seeds and cinnamon, often topped with raisins or dried berries when I want sweet. I consume it with milk, unsweetened coconut milk being the tastiest of all!]
It’s not really about the cosmetics and skin care products you use, it’s mostly about the lifestyle and then everything else. My lifestyle basics include drinking a lot of water (about 2lt per day or more in the summer), avoiding the sun as much as possible, avoiding refined sugar and processed foods and opting for natural sugars or healthier solutions, eating minimal amounts of junk (it’s essential sometimes!), drinking no soda (I consume maybe about 2-3 cans of Cola or other sodas per YEAR), eating lots of fresh vegetables and fruit (I go crazy for salads!). The sun, sugar, junk and lack of water, veggies and fruit all cause premature ageing.
I used to drink lots of alcohol during clubbing in the past, but ever since I became a professional artist, I cut down on clubbing, to the point that I don’t do it anymore (mostly due to lack of free time) and I drink almost no alcohol nowadays, although whiskey and vodka are still precious in my heart 😛 It also goes without saying that I never did and I never will smoke a cigarette or use drugs. I don’t need them, they’re banal and uncool, they stink and they cost a lot (they might even claim your life). I’d rather spend that money to travel the world, which is something that gives more meaning to one’s life, seriously. All the above also cause serious damage to the skin.
[Clarisonic, cleansing, brightening and hydrating, Korean face masks]
Something else…You will never see me going to sleep with my makeup on; not even once! I love makeup, I love putting it on, but what I love the most, is the feeling of having a sparkly clean face! Good cleansing is essential, even more than expensive skincare! So taking off makeup effectively, is a must. I recently bought Clarisonic MiA2, which was pricey, but worth the splurge. I think it should be used sparingly, though, just like any other peeling, otherwise you might end up with wrinkles after years, as the skin will be too tired and vulnerable. Peeling 1-2 per week is essential and either Clarisonic, homemade remedies or ready-made peeling products will do the job. I personally love apricot kernel and olive kernel peeling creams, like the ones from Korres.
Getting on to skin care, it’s fundamental to start with wrinkle prevention from an early age. I started investing in Lancome when 15-16 years old and I don’t regret it. Also, hydration is key and this should start as early as possible! Low-price brands and pharmacy brands do the job. Oil treatments do wonders for the skin, for example, argan oil, coconut oil or balsam oil, which is a panacea for a variety of skin troubles and can be used on various parts of the body. I have mixed/oily skin, so I use oils very sparingly.
[anti-ageing products from Memebox]
I’ll be honest: after I tried Korean skincare, I stopped buying most other brands, including the super expensive and not-so-effective-after-all mainstream luxury brands…I swapped my Max Factor makeup for Korean BB creams (the original and kick-ass stuff, nothing like the western imitations..) because BB has great coverage, plus sunscreen (VERY important!), it’s hydrating, anti-ageing and anti-blemish! I mean, what else could you ask for!?
[snail creams, face masks, cleansers and hair care]
Finally, I started wearing snail creams and fermented essences religiously and I swear, my skin has never looked better, even without makeup (no, I’m not affiliated with any brand). I only realised it when people started telling me how I look much younger compared to years ago. It’s kinda funny, considering Korean beauty products are ridiculously low in price, but unbelievably effective. Plus you can choose from a variety of cruelty-free and harmful chemicals-free brands, which is an added plus.
[one of my fave workout outfits]
Exercise, apart from all the other benefits it brings to your physical and mental health, is like photoshop for the skin. You get a powerful glow after every workout session, it’s insane! I was a Tae-kwon-do athlete in the past, then I stopped exercising and started spending too much time in front of the PC for work, so I gained lots of weight, not because of over-eating, but because of over-sitting… I picked up exercise again about a year ago, though and I saw immediate improvements in my skin.
[post-workout pic, probably from last May]
Finally, I’ll admit my two lethal mistakes, because nobody’s perfect and there’s always room for improvement! STRESS and SLEEP are as fundamental as drinking water. I’m guilty of uncontrollable amounts of stress, for a long time, due to music-related work. I sleep lots of hours, but my skin suffers from my sleeping schedule, which involves going to bed in the early morning (around 5-6 AM) for years. Had these two been properly controlled, my skin would look 100 times better, but oh well. It’s on my urgent TO-DO list.
That’s it, I guess! I hope I didn’t miss anything. I might follow up with a vlog if I find the time :3 Cheers!
