*I am not using the exact items in the picture for my current skincare routine, it’s just for illustration.
我相信我地好多人屋企都有好多唔同類型既護膚品，但係其實對我黎講，邊款產品先係每晚真真正正必要？市面上亦都有唔同產品亦都有唔同廣告日日夜夜去不斷燃燒我地，如果你覺得好混亂或者覺得無從入手，不如我今日分享一下我既睇法。
(English: I believe many of us have quite a lot of different skincare products at home. However, which ones are really necessary? There are so many product release every season and there are so many advertisement to tempt us everyday, if you feel confused or don’t know where to start, maybe this blog post will help somewhat.)
Step 1 洗面產品：如果你有化妝，當然落妝產品都必要，不過我地今講最basic既產品，所以我由洗面開始。 洗面產品一定要有，亦都一定要好啱你，洗面產品最緊要係洗得乾淨唔好乾，其他咩明亮抗老什麼什麼功能都係其次。 如果你有油，朝早想用洗面產品感覺清爽少少既話，可以，不過你枝洗面產品一定唔可以洗到你塊面拉拉緊（個d叫乾啦），如果洗乾你既話，你只會出更多既油。 而乾性皮膚，我覺得盡量用無泡既產品洗面，無泡一般都會溫和少少，朝早用清水洗面基本上都可以啦。夜晚先用洗面產品啦。 嘗試唔好太追求洗完好鬼乾淨既感覺，通常你有呢d感覺，都係因為枝野都係令到你乾。 第一步產品選擇得好，先可以慳之後護膚既時間。如果唔係，根本你一直洗面既同時亦都一直中和緊你之後搽護膚品既功效。
(English: Step 1 Face Cleansers: If you wear makeup, of course you will need makeup removers, but today we talk about the absolute basics, so I start with face cleansers. You have to have one and it has to suit you – simple. Great cleansers will clean well without drying your skin out, this is the key, and whether they have anti-aging capabilities or brightening functions, these extras are just bonus points. If your skin somewhat has oil and you want to use a face cleanser in the morning (not only at night) to give you that “light” feeling, yes go ahead, but make absolute sure that your cleanser doesn’t dry you out (when your face feel squeaky clean and has that “pulling” feeling). If it dries you out, your skin will just end up releasing more oil to protect itself. If you have dry skin, please try your best to avoid any foaming face cleansers, usually the non-foaming ones are a bit more gentle. In the morning, simply use water to clean your face. Reserve your face cleansers for night time. And please do not chase after the feeling of squeaky clean, it does more harm than good to dry skin. If you pick well for your step 1, you will save time on the following steps. Otherwise, you will just keep neutralising the wonders of the following products.)
Step 2 爽膚Toners：我只會用一d我覺得個功能好明顯既toner，否則我就覺得可有可無。揀toner既時候盡量唔好再揀有清潔力或者有酒精成份既。 其實你都洗咗面啦，有幾dirty又要再用toner再清潔，過度清潔令皮膚更加乾，有時就係點解就算搽好多野，感覺都仲係乾。我揀toner，多數都同保濕有關，皮膚飲多d水唔怕呀！有時朝早用完清水洗面，皮膚較乾既話，我會用保濕toner抹面，因貪佢夠輕身唔會太潤令我d化妝品唔貼面。有時仲可以用保濕toner敷比較乾既位置，所以我覺得保濕toner係有好方便好實用既存在價值。
(English: Step 2 Toner: I only use toners with amazing results, otherwise I will just skip. When you choose your toners, try to stay away from those with further cleansing function or alcohol. Remember, you wash your face already with a cleanser, how dirty can it be that you will need another step of further cleansing? Over cleansing your skin will result in over drying as well. That’s probably why that you feel like you have applied so many skincare products but somehow your skin still feels dry. When I pick toner, the hydrating ones are almost always my first choice. Why? Because there will never be “too much hydrating” in my books. Sometimes in the morning, I would clean my face with water, then maybe my skin that day is a bit drier than usual, I would use hydrating toner to wipe my face to give that hydration boost. It’s light and it won’t affect the makeup that I put on after. Oh, hydrating toners can be used as face mask to hydrate the very dry areas too. That’s why hydrating toners always have a special place in my heart.)
Step 3 精華素：我又想美白又想抗老最好做埋保濕，久唔時又有暗瘡最好可以搞埋。 正因為呢個世界上唔會有淨係一枝精華素做晒以上所有要求，咁即係話我地屋企隨時都有幾枝精華素做唔同既功課。我覺得有幾枝無問題，但係最緊要既係保濕精華。 你可以搽抗老，可以搽美白，可以搽B3搞暗瘡，不過你屋企一定要有既都係保濕精華，因為如果你搽其他既精華覺得保濕力唔夠既話，咁你就可以加你既保濕精華。 你亦可以敷mask前用保濕精華打底加強你面膜既保濕效果。 如果你啱啱開始護膚，最直接一定無錯既就係用保濕精華喇。 當然啦，隨住年紀既改變，可以會需要明亮或者抗老多d，但係都唔好唔記得保濕。保濕做得好，皮膚無論係邊個年紀都會水潤。
(English: Step 3 Serums/ Essences: I want to brighten, anti-aging and hydrate, oh and I also want my serums to cure my pimples from time to time too. I think we can all agree that there is not 1 single serum/ essence in the world which can make all your wishes come true and that’s why we all have a handful of serums at home. Not a problem, but don’t forget your hydrating serum. Yes you can be into anti-aging, or whitening or using B3 to cure your pimples. But don’t forget to have a hydrating serum at home that you can fall back on. It would come in handy if you feel that your other serums somehow doesn’t hydrate that well, then bam — you can add your hydrating serum into your routine! You can also use hydrating serum before your face mask to boost up the hydrating results. If you are just starting out with your skincare routine, the first one you should start with is definitely hydrating serum. Of course, advancing in age also means that our focus would move onto brightening/ anti-aging more, but let’s not forget to hydrate. You want that glow-y, healthy, bouncy skin at all age? Hydration is always in the background of that.)
Step 4 面霜：我都聽過唔少因為追求清爽既感覺而唔搽面霜，如果係咁其實你既精華素搽咗等於無搽，因為無野去lock住佢地！如果你鍾意清爽，市面上有好多清爽既面霜可以選擇。 你可以揀你要既功效質感，但係千萬唔好唔搽。 如果乾性皮膚，就更加要搽，我又係聽好多人話怕笠所以唔搽，但係所有野都係習慣，如果你真係好乾，而你無搽面霜呢個習慣，咁一定要改，出左乾紋先後悔就太遲喇。
(English: Step 4 Face Cream: I have heard so many times people don’t apply face cream because they don’t like the sticky feeling. Then I am going to break this news to you – if you don’t apply face cream, you are wasting your serums because they got evaporated and there is nothing on the top layer to lock them in. If you don’t like anything sticky, there are so many lightweight moisturisers for you to choose from in the market, you just need to pick a function and a texture that you are comfortable with. BUT do not go without. If you have dry skin, you MUST apply night cream. I am sure for the sake of your skin, you can put this habit into your routine. If you have super dry skin, and you don’t apply night cream usually, it’s time to change.)
基本上，我覺得以上既step如果你日日做唔懶既話已經好夠（當然產品都要啱你丫）。定期再做下唔同類型既面膜去加強下已經好好啦。 我覺得其他step都只係甜品（可有可無）。搞好咗個主餐先再諗甜品丫。皮膚會話你知你俾佢食既野佢like唔like，唔like一定會有反應俾你知道，觀察下自己既皮膚就唔難發現你需要更改咩產品。 記得，basic step裡面揀選適合你既產品，日日都用幾分鐘去完成保養，咁已經係成功既一大步喇。仲有step 5眼部護理，我其他日子再同大家詳談。
Basically, I think the steps above is enough for our day-to-day night time skincare routine (of course the products have to suit your needs and skin as well). Then, an extra face mask from time to time to boost whatever you are after, it’s really good enough. Other steps are more like desserts (optional). Have the right main meal first before thinking about dessert. Actually your skin will communicate with you on a daily basis whether it likes something or not, it surely will respond to whatever that you are using. Take a closer look and I am sure you will know what needs to change in your routine. Remember, pick something that works for you and stick to the basic steps every single day (come on, it only takes a couple minutes), and you are closer to your goal of having fabulous skin. Well, I haven’t forgotten – Step 5 Eye Care Products, since it’s quite another topic, I will chat about this another day.)
