What do the beauty trends of Korean glass skin, Japanese mochi skin and Hailey Bieber’s glazed doughnut skin have in common? They are all proponents of making our skin look healthy and glowing. As such, looking good without any makeup on, aka the naked face, is the holy grail.
Yes, that might seem daunting, but if celebs like Rebecca Lim and Zoe Tay can go makeup-free, so can you. Start with the basics of eating a healthy diet, drinking plenty of water and getting enough sleep.
The next thing you need is the right skincare routine and some self-confidence. The key is to be consistent. Stick to your routine day and night, and soon you’ll be confident enough to step outdoors with a naked face!
Ahead are our essential beauty steps and some recommended skincare and makeup products you’ll need. Whether you’re after something effective but affordable, or want to treat yourself to a splurge-worthy luxury product, there’s something for every budget.
Your day should start with cleansing. In the morning, a gentle face cleanser is sufficient to get rid of any excess sebum and dirt accumulated during sleep.
At night, we recommend double cleansing to remove all traces of sunscreen and makeup. Start with an oil or balm cleanser to melt them off before using a face cleanser to thoroughly wash off all of the day’s pollutants.
We recommend:
1. Hada Labo Super Hyaluronic Acid Hydrating Cleansing Oil
$18.40 $21.10 13% off
2. Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm
$63.99 $69.03 7% off
3. Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser
$28.20
4. Sulwhasoo Gentle Cleansing Foam
$52
After cleansing, use a toner or an essence to prep your skin for the subsequent skincare steps. These can help balance the skin’s pH and allow you another opportunity to include more hydration and active skincare ingredients into your routine.
We recommend:
1. Klairs Supple Preparation Facial Toner
$25.06
2. I’m From Rice Toner
$27.90 $46.44 40% off
Exfoliating dull, dead skin cells to reveal the healthy skin underneath can be done in two ways: physically or chemically. Physical scrubs give you immediate gratification while chemical exfoliants such as alpha and beta hydroxy acids can penetrate deeper to also stimulate collagen production (glycolic acid) and clean out pores (salicylic acid). Regardless of the chosen method, go slow and build your tolerance to prevent irritation and sensitivity.
We recommend:
1. CosRx AHA/BHA Clarifying Treatment Toner
$14.90 $19.65 24% off
2. Cure Aqua Gel, 250ml
$29.90
3. Paula’s Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliator
$46.80 at Amazon, $52 at Paula’s Choice
4. Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant
$103
Serums are highly-concentrated cocktails of active skincare ingredients formulated to help you achieve your skincare goals faster. Depending on your needs, you have a plethora of options, including hydrating hyaluronic acid, brightening vitamin C and anti-ageing all-rounder retinol.
We recommend:
Olay Regenerist Retinol 24 Night Serum Fragrance-Free
$28.93 $32.90 12% off
2. La Roche-Posay Pure C10 Vitamin C Serum
$59.90
3. Dr. Wu Hydrating Serum
$99.90
4. Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Synchronised Multi-Recovery Complex Serum, 75 ml
$249
Once the majority of your skincare has been applied, it is time to seal it all in with a layer of face moisturiser. Choose one that gives you a balanced blend of humectants, occlusives and emollients. Further up the ante by looking for ones containing helpful skincare actives.
We recommend:
1. Aveeno Calm + Restore Oat Gel Facial Moisturiser
$28.12 $34.76 19% off
2. CeraVe PM Facial Moisturising Lotion
from $28
3. First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream
$53
4. Ole Henriksen Strength Trainer Peptide Boost Moisturiser, 50ml
$74
Facial devices range from humble jade rollers to high-tech LED face masks that can bolster your beauty routine. Jade and ice rollers, for example, can help to depuff and sculpt the face in the mornings, while light therapy devices can help combat acne-causing bacteria and encourage collagen production. And then there are cleansing brushes to help you get a better, deeper cleanse without stripping your skin raw.
We recommend:
1. Arroyner 2 in 1 Jade Roller and Gua Sha Set
$13.41
2. Project E Beauty Ice Roller Cold Therapy
$24.99
3. Foreo Luna 3 Facial Cleansing Brush
$251.30 $359 30% off
Want a surefire way to combat signs of ageing? Then you’ll need sunscreen to shield your face from the damaging ultraviolet rays from the sun. These days, we’re loving chemical sunscreens that don’t leave a white cast regardless of your skin colour and tone.
We recommend:
1. Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun: Rice + Probiotics SPF50+ PA++++
$13 $15.11 14% off
2. Bioré UV Aqua Rich Watery Gel SPF50
$17.15 $18.90 9% off
3. Shiseido Global Suncare The Perfect Protector SPF 50+/PA+++
$68
4. Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen Broad Spectrum Sunscreen SPF 40 PA+++, 50ml
$69
Need a little help covering blemishes? A tinted moisturiser or concealer can go a long way to even out the complexion and make you feel more confident while rocking that no-makeup makeup look. Finally, use a tinted lip balm to liven up your face with a wash of colour while giving your lips some TLC.
We recommend:
1. Wet n Wild Bare Focus Tinted Hydrator
from $7.91
2. bareMinerals Complexion Rescue Tinted Hydrating Gel Cream SPF 30
From $29
3. Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Light Capturing Self-Setting Concealer
$50
4. Honest Beauty Tinted Lip Balm
from $12.79
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