In which I drop my winter skincare routine 💁🏻♀️
Please don’t eat anything from this week’s newsletter.
Hello and welcome back to Five Things I Ate! This week, we have a special edition that’s all focused on (non-edible) skincare. Regular food content will resume next week. Check out past posts here, and please follow my Instagram @fivethingsiate.
100% Plant-Derived-Squalane from The Ordinary
Available online, in stores, and at Sephora and Ulta.
Do you ever have this experience where someone* asks you a (seemingly) innocuous question about a topic you are actually deeply nerdy about and you wonder if you should whip out all the spreadsheets and Reddit forums but instead you just reply very casually with a Normal Sounding Recommendation? This is how I feel about skincare and my Casual Answer, when someone asks about what to do with their skin, is Squalane oil. Squalane oil is not actually what I use for my skincare routine, which is complex merely because I enjoy complexity. I have tried every single facial oil out there (Marula, argan, rosehip, jojoba) and all of them claim to be miracle workers and every single one of them breaks me out, except for squalane. Squalane is incredibly simple and affordable, and works wonders for the cold weather. It will remove the rough patches on your skin. In fact, I could replace my entire skincare routine with squalane oil and I would probably be just as well off, but then I’d lose the precious little time I have in a day to think about taking care of myself.
*Kudos to my friend Lylla!!
Hyalouronic Acid Moisture Toner from It’s SKIN
Available on Amazon, H-Mart (sometimes), and my favorite beauty shop of all time, oo35mm.
In my second recommendation, we shall open the trapdoor to the world that is Korean skincare. Although legend has it that there are 10 steps to a proper K-beauty routine, IMO five steps (serum, toner, lotion, cream, sunscreen) is more than enough. In fact, less is more when it comes to sensitive skin, and if it doesn’t spark joy to spend money on tiny glass bottles, just stick with a moisturizer or squalane oil (above) and a thick layer of sunscreen. That being said, I started introducing toner into my regime last year, and I really enjoy this extra step. It is important to note that when I say “toner,” I mean Asian beauty toner and absolutely NOT Western skincare toner (like witch hazel), which I would not be caught dead using.* K-beauty toner is also sometimes confusingly called “skin,” and to make matters even more convoluted, is derived from the J-beauty “lotion.” Toners often claim to do many things, but for me, it’s a thin, easily absorbed hydrating and calming liquid that sets my skin off on a good start. I adore the hyaluronic acid toner from It’s SKIN, and at $16 for a pretty big bottle, it’s a small investment for the feeling of luxury every morning.
*Again, if it works for you and your skin, which is unique, then go for it -- it’s just way too damaging for me.
Green tea series from Innisfree
Available online.
We have now reached the Galaxy Brain part of this newsletter, where I will recommend a pre-made skincare system for those of us who simply need to be told what to do on the daily. There are a lot of very effective and affordable K-beauty brands out there, but I really enjoy the green tea series from Innisfree. They’re currently doing a holiday promo, so you can get three products for $40. The green tea serum has now become something of a cult product, and you can even buy it at Sephora. However, IMO it is pretty overpriced at $27 for a smallish bottle, even if it is very nice. The green tea series smells nice, and is very affordable. It might not have fancy actives in it, or luxurious textures, but I’ve recommended it to several friends before who struggled with acne and sensitive skin, with good results. (Other skincare systems I like, that are very affordable to boot: The It’s SKIN Hyaluronic Acid series I mentioned above
Caudalie moisturizing cream mask at an airport in Rome so I will never find this again
Caudulie is marketed as a high-end “cool girl” French pharmacy brand in the US, but to my surprise, it’s actually a budget brand in Europe (at least it was, three years ago). I never buy their products at Sephora because they’re a bit pricey for me, but they’re honestly probably worth the price. As for me, I’ll clutch onto my half-empty bottle of Caudalie moisturizing cream mask I bought in a pharmacy in Italy, in the last vacation I took before the End of Times (and ever since). “Mask” is a bit of a meaningless term (as you’ll find many skincare terms are), because it can mean everything from a thick moisturizer to a glycolic peel. This mask from Caudalie is a calming and occlusive overnight moisturizer and I absolutely love it. I don’t know what magic goes on inside the tube but whenever my skin’s having a flare-up (for me, that usually means burning or irritation) I just slather it on and go to sleep and wake up with soft, glowing skin. Did I just recommend you a product I don’t know where to purchase in the US? Yes. But the internet is at your fingertips, my friend.
Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery 50 g Sunscreen SPF 50 + / PA ++++
Available at Sunrise Mart and online.
I could write a whole other newsletter that’s solely about sunscreens, but because our time is limited and somehow I feel that’s a little less appealing than food content, I’ll just cut to the chase and recommend you the Greatest Sunscreen of All Time, Biore UV Aqua Rich. There is a long, long debate about the use of physical vs. chemical sunscreens, which I don’t have enough time to cover today, as well as the regulations on sunscreens in the US vs. Asia (and Europe). If you stick to physical, try Australian Gold. Otherwise, this is the *only* chemical-based sunscreen I’ve ever come across that has yet to cause my face to burn and sting (fingers crossed) and it has an amazing texture. It feels so light and watery I wasn’t sure that it worked, but I wore it to the beach in August and didn’t freckle at all. I like it so much I bought a pack of three and keep one at my work desk and another in my backpack at all times.
Have a ✨glowing✨ and ✨dewy✨ weekend,
Soph
P..S. Please consider a paid subscription to support my writing so I can continue to share it. Regular food content will resume next week.