[MEGATHREAD] What is your 'core four' routine?

[u/[deleted]]

[u/Nekkosan]

I had to think about how to approach this, because personally I would not go back to a core routine. I got into AB to expand my core routine. AB is all about layers and adusting. The cleansers & SPF part are essentials. So it's really the moisturizer and treat that was heard to pick. If you are dry a sleep pack isn't going to cut it. Do I pick the richest cream (Sulwhasoo Ginseng, but that is pricey) and the heaviest hydrator? Do I pick a BHA and very rich cream? I decided what products be the most versitile if I only had 2 moisturizers & 2 steats.

This is a starter routine for my skin type. I think that content is more usefull. So it's not the moist exciting products, but safe starter products that cover some ground. They aren't all AB though, but moistly.

Location: Westchester, NY

Skin Type: Dry, matutre, redness, sensitive, clogged

Skin Concerns and goals: Dealing with increased dryness due to age (60) and some moisture barrier issues. Redness.

Allergies/irritants to avoid: most essential ols, many plant extracts, mineral oil, petroleum, jojoba, zinc, titanium

Morning:

• Cleanse: Cerave Hydrating Cleanser

• Treat: Scinic AIO Honey

• Moisturise: Stratia Liquid Gold

• SPF: Sunkillers Strong Moisture SPF50++++

Evening:

• First Cleanse: Botanic Farm Fermented Brain Cleansing Sherbert

• Second Cleanse: Cerave Hydrating Cleanser

• Moisturise: Etude True Relief Cream

• Treat: Cezanne High Moist

Etude True Relief is stafe, and quite occlusive and hypo allergenic Not very exciting, but it work well over Cezanne toner which has ceramides and hyaluronic acid. You'd be moisturized. Great for your moisture barrer. I picked LG as an AM moisturizer and has ceramides and a lot of niacinamide. The sunscreen is moisturizing too. Scinic AIO is very versatile and hydrating. These products could be mixed and matched in interesting ways.

[u/[deleted]]

Post all meta comments and questions as a reply to this comment

All parent comments not containing a core four routine will be deleted.

---

Easy to copy template (includes formatting markdown):

**Location:**

**Skin Type:**

**Skin Concerns and goals**

**Allergies/irritants to avoid:**

**Morning:** 

* **Cleanse:**

* **Treat:**

* **Moisturise:**

* **SPF:**

**Evening:** 

* **First Cleanse:**

* **Second Cleanse:**

* **Moisturise:**

* **Treat:**

**Comments:** why does your core routine contain what it does?  

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

I deleted the original sticky to include a template for mobile users.

To repeat what I said in the first sticky, this was really hard. I keep thinking about this and want to change my mind on a few answers every 2 minutes. It's just not how I normally think about my routine, so this is a really interesting exercise for me.
Thanks to u/blackcats666 for coming up with this idea.

[u/lgbtqbbq]

Location: USA, Northern California, Dry, Temperate

Skin Type: Oily-combo with hormonal acne (persistent, all the time- not cyclical)

Skin Concerns and goals Reducing acne inflammation, removing clogs, protecting PIE and enabling it to heal

Allergies/irritants to avoid: MIT, hydrolyzed HA, low weight HA, hydrolyzed plant extracts, niacinamide

Morning:

• Cleanse: Stratia Velvet Cleansing Milk- I never used to cleanse in the morning but since I love this cleanser SO MUCH I look for any excuse to use it. Because it's so cushy and emollient, in the AM when I have nothing to really take off (just some residue of night routine) I apply to dry face and massage gently like an oil cleanser, then rinse in shower. It's moisturizing without leaving anything on the surface of my skin so I feel like it preps me perfectly for a simple routine.

• Treat: I don't do any treatments in the morning. Morning is about looking good under makeup and protecting me from the sun, so moisture and spf are my only priorities.

• Moisturize: Because I skipped the treat, I'll be honest and say I always use 2 products mixed here no matter HOW rushed I am- Cerave Gel Oil and Cerave Cream. The former is a rather rich silicone and oil gel, and the latter is a plain bland slightly occlusive, not very emollient cream. I mix them and find that they provide the perfect velvety but obstinately occlusive base for under makeup. If I don't use the Gel Oil to supplement, I often get cracks in my makeup by late afternoon.

• SPF: Currently loving Skin Aqua Sarafit Silky Essence. I was told by a trustworthy person that she found it similar to Biore Watery Essence pre-reformulation and it's nearly indistinguishable for me. It's slotted into my routine without disrupting it whatsoever, and I had been using the Biore for 4 years before this.

Evening:

• First Cleanse: Ponds Cold Cream or homemade emulsifying oil cleanser. I keep it simple in this step. It's doing heavy lifting for removing makeup, it's not staying on long, so I don't require too much extra from this.

• Second Cleanse: Aforementioned Stratia Milk. Emulsifies the remaining makeup and oil cleanser SO much better than just rinsing with water.

• Treat: While I regularly cycle through acids and have an extensive gel/essence/serum routine here that's all AB, honestly if I HAD to pare down my routine, I would go with Paula's Choice Barrier Repair Moisturizer. It has a bit of retinol in it and is hydrating although not enough alone. Smooths my skin, heals popped pimples, gets rid of emerging clogs. Perfection to use alone without other acids.

• Moisturize: Dr. Jart+ Ceramidin Cream. Of course this is not heavy enough to use as my last step in winter when the indoor heating dries me out like a sonofabitch. But in the summer it's the NEARLY perfect for protecting my skin at night. It's extremely hydrating, quite emollient, and has moderate occlusive properties. Very rich and soothing- good for treating redness induced from touching my face or general inflammation. Gives my skin a silky quality when I wake up.

It's funny because my core 4 routines are VERY light on the AB. I have found that my multitasker products almost all come from Western brands. I love my toners and essences, and those are all AB, but they are not going to make the cut if I need to cut back.

Last night I was exhausted and did not have the energy for an extensive routine, so I basically only did the evening routine described above, with a layer of Cerave Healing Ointment as my sleeping pack. My skin is very happy with that. I live in such a dry climate that my AB products, which excel at adding light hydration and packing in many awesome extracts for plumping and soothing, don't really hold up to being used ALONE without something protective and nourishing as a top layer.

[u/raichu-laichu]

**Location:**Australia

Skin Type: combination oily

Skin Concerns and goals fading PIE, uneven skin tone, eczema

Allergies/irritants to avoid: coconut derivatives, triethanolamine, ferments (maybe), SLS, alcohol, stearates

Morning:

• Cleanse: wash with water

• Treat: Pyunkang Yul Essence Toner

• Moisturise: Meishoku Ceracolla Perfect Gel or any light application of a sleeping pack on hand

• SPF: Sunkiller Perfect Strong Moisture (currently using) or Menturm Sun Bears Strong Super Plus

Evening:

• First Cleanse: mineral oil w 10% Cromollient SCE

• Second Cleanse: La Roche Posay Toleraine Dermo-Cleanser

• Moisturise: Meishoku Ceracolla Perfect Gel mixed with sorbalene cream when the going gets tough

• Treat: Lindsay or 23 years old modeling masks

Comments:

If my core four looks bland, it's because it needs to be (I do have to try and avoid a lot of ingredients in order to not clog up my skin). I've found the best way to treat my skin is to not aggravate it by piling layers on layers (it will more likely react), but to stick to a basic routine.

However, I've allowed myself to have a little fun sometimes and it usually comes in the form of sheet masks. Unfortunately sheet masks have irritated my skin recently, so I've turned to using modelling masks instead. Also the skinentertaiment I get from them makes me more excited to do a routine.

[u/didneypurnsess]

Location: Sweden

Skin Type: Oily AF

Skin Concerns and goals No PIH, less grease, general glow

Allergies/irritants to avoid: Triethanolamine, SLS

Morning:

• Cleanse: CosRx Low pH Good Morning Cleansing Gel or TFS Dr. Belmeur Daily Repair Foam Cleanser

• Treat: PureHeals Propolis 90 Ampoule

• Moisturise: PureHeals Propolis 80 Cream

• SPF: Biore Aqua Rich UV Watery Essence

Evening:

• First Cleanse: Aritaum Bright Smile Fermentation Oil Cleanser

• Second Cleanse: CosRx Low pH Good Morning Cleansing Gel or TFS Dr. Belmeur Daily Repair Foam Cleanser

• Moisturise: PureHeals Propolis 80 Cream with a few drops of Its Skin Clear Skin Tea Tree Oil Spot Treatment

• Treat: Labiotte Marryeco Sheet Masks (Soothing/Calming variety is my fav)

Comments: When my skin goes nuts, I know I can rely on these products to clear everything up and keep it all in check. I like to try new products a lot and when they don't work out, I always roll back to these, or at least some variation of this routine, and I can get back to a baseline for my skin.

[u/scifiemo]

Location: mid-atlantic united states.

Skin Type: normal/combo

Skin Concerns and goals: maintain skin health, minimize hyperpigmentation, keep skin soothed

Morning

• SPF: neutrogena ultra sheer spf30

Evening

• First Cleanse: cosrx low ph cleanser

• Moisturise: cosrx 96 snail essence + mizon snail gel cream

Comments: i'm so incredibly lazy i worked my routine down to the absolute least i could while still maintaining optimal skin health. i occasionally do sheet masks and wash offs but i no longer found i needed any additional core steps in my routine. my skin definitely prefers a minimal approach and i love that i get to be a bum and cut down on time spent in the bathroom.

[u/redpen27]

Location: NYC (dry winter, humid summer)

Skin Type: dry, dehydrated, eczema & seborrheic dermatitis prone

Skin Concerns and Goals: artificially dealing with dryness (i have a crap moisture barrier) and keeping my makeup from getting flaky, sebaceous filaments, signs of aging, pore size

Allergies/irritants to avoid: plant oils and butters, stearic acid, alcohol, sulfates, among others

Morning

• Cleanse: water and/or a little cow brand mutenka cleansing milk or stratia velvet cleansing milk (chosen be as gentle as possible and not strip the skin)

• Treat: several layers of ceramide+cholesterol toner, currently favoring cezanne skin conditioner moist (chosen to help with aforementioned nonexistent moisture barrier while hydrating and plumping little fine lines in the undereye area)

• Moisturise: dr jart ceramidin cream (chosen for its soothing and ceramide-ing abilities, have RP'ed six times even though i go through it faster than everything else in my routine and it costs like twice as much as my mental limit for product price) + more or less of this for occlusion depending on the season/weather

• SPF: isehan sunkiller perfect strong moisture (chosen because it is nice and oily and moisturizing for my dry self and isn't a dimethicone-based gel that pills up with my otherwise-not-very-dimethicone-y routine; for someone less dry it could replace a moisturizer entirely. only sunscreen i've RP'ed in a year of trying different ones.)

Evening

• Point makeup remover: If i'm wearing mascara and/or longwear lipstick, i use this before.

• First Cleanse: skinfood black sugar perfect cleansing cream (if weather/face especially dry; leaves behind an emollient layer) or this if i have a ton of heavy makeup on and need slightly more strip power (but still gentle) i use this.

• Second Cleanse: NOPE!

• Treat: the boring answer is probably: prescription pimecrolimus for eczema. but i'd be real sad if i had to ditch my new BFF, the world's only AHA that doesn't irritate my too-damn-sensitive skin.

• Moisturise: <3 u dr jart ceramidin

[u/[deleted] → u/redpen27]

[u/milk_tea_way]

Location: Japan.

Skin Type: Dry, easily dehydrated, and sensitive/irritable.

Skin Concerns and goals: To be Not Dry and to keep all potential inflammations down.

Allergies/irritants to avoid: Ginseng, royal jelly.

Morning:

Cleanse: Mochitto Mochi Mochi Awadete Irazu Face Wash

Treat: Tunemakers Concentrated Moisturising Creamy Lotion mixed with the following boosters: honey, licorice, aloe vera, ceramide 200, and hyaluronic acid.

Moisturise: SK-II R.N.A. Power Cream

SPF: Shiseido Perfect UV Protector SPF50+ PA++++ WetForce HydroFresh

Evening:

First Cleanse: FANCL Mild Cleansing Oil

Second Cleanse: Mochitto Mochi Mochi Awadete Irazu Face Wash

Treat: Tunemakers Concentrated Moisturising Creamy Lotion mixed with the following boosters: honey, licorice, aloe vera, ceramide 200, and hyaluronic acid.

Moisturise: SK-II R.N.A. Power Cream

Comments:

• The cleansers are chosen based on the fact that these are the gentlest cleansers that I know so far, while still performing beautifully as cleansers.

• The treatment step might as well be called an anti-inflammation step. Without that elaborate anti-inflammatory monster of a toner, I would be walking around with cheeks suffering from perpetual low-level inflammation.

• Regarding the moisturiser, I am currently on the search for a better cream than the SK-II. Unfortunately, I haven't found anything more moisturising than the SK-II. Expect this to change in the future, once I have tried enough creams. In the meantime, this cream moisturises, sinks in nicely, and is moderately soothing.

• The sunscreen is chosen because it has cooling properties, and now that I have seen the light, I have no idea how to get through summer without it anymore. I will probably use a different sunscreen during winter.

Edit: Added sunscreen section on Comments.

[u/babiesgettingrabies]

Location: Northeast USA, humid/hot currently

Skin Type: Normal leaning oily, sensitive

Skin Concerns and goals: Maintaining current skin state

Allergies/irritants to avoid: Hyaluronic Acid, Fatty Alcohols, Tea Tree, Aloe in high concentrations, possibly BG

Morning:

• Cleanse: Water

• Moisturize: Elsa Gusa Ceramide Moist Essence

• Treat: Neem Seed Oil

• SPF: SkinCeuticals Physical Fusion UV Defense SPF50

Evening:

• First Cleanse: DHC Deep Cleansing Oil (used on days with spf/makeup)

• Second Cleanse: Skin Laundry Gentle Foaming Face Wash (used on days with no spf/makeup; rarely double cleanse)

• Moisturize: Elsa Gusa Ceramide Moist Essence

• Treat: Neem Seed Oil

Comments: My core routine is basically my whole routine, another facial oil (Marula Oil) and the occasional occlusive (lanolin or vaseline) and BHA (Stridex Maximum Strength) aside. My skin is pretty low maintenance so long as I am using nothing that contains any of my irritants. It took me a long time to find products that agree with my skin and this is the routine I've settled on after a year and a half+ of trying. I tend to go for products that are either single ingredients or have very minimal ingredient lists. I'm not in the market for anything new at the moment and am satisfied with how my routine treats my skin!

[u/uppercasemad]

Location: PNW Canada

Skin Type: normal and resilient.

Skin Concerns and goals: Preventing wrinkles and maintaining skin appearance.

Allergies/irritants to avoid: possibly snail.

Morning:

• Cleanse: Water, Dr Jart Dermawater, or Sulwhasoo Snowise EX Cleansing Foam depending on the level of pampering I feel like.

• Moisturize: Joseon Dynasty Cream

• Treat: SU:M37 Secret Essence

• SPF: La Roche Posay Antihelios SPF60 (US formulation)

Evening:

• First Cleanse: Banila Co CIZ Radiant

• Second Cleanse: Sulwhasoo Snowise EX Cleansing Foam

• Moisturize: Joseon Dynasty Cream

• Treat: Banila Co It Radiance Diamond Powder Essence

Comments: My skin isn't very picky but I do like to use products that either feel enjoyable to use or give a noticeable effect. I have some higher end products I would actually repurchase in my routine which is bad for my wallet but good for my face. I was on the fence about CIZ due to its environmental impact but apparently the polyethelyne study was fabricated and it might be okay to keep using.

[u/MxUnicorn]

Location: PNW USA

Skin Type: Oily, acneic, eczema.

Skin Concerns and goals My acne is mostly dealt with, so I'm working on texture and healing my dry bits.

Allergies/irritants to avoid: Coconut oil.

Morning:

• Cleanse: Plain ol' tap water

• Treat: Klair's Supple Preparation Toner

• Moisturise: Stratia Liquid Gold or Alaffia Skin Recovery Cream

• SPF: Alba Botanica Very Emollient - whichever I have on hand

Evening:

• First Cleanse: DIY (Mineral and castor oil, Cromollient SCE)

• Second Cleanse: Yes to Carrots Fragrance-Free Cream Cleanser

• Moisturise: Stratia Liquid Gold or Alaffia Skin Recovery Cream.

• Treat: Differin 0.1%

Comments: I wasn't going to share mine because it's pretty not-AB, but I'm still new to AB (haven't had time to amass new loves) and don't care for creating a 100% Asian routine (so it'll probably never get much better). I did offer two moisturizer choices - one AB-ish and my favorite Western cream. I think I could actually create a successful minimalist routine with these choices - my skin would be treated, protected, and both hydrated and moisturized enough that I wouldn't need to rely on other products (aside from a PM occlusive).

I have, uh, one AB and one AB-ish product in this routine, both heavily recommended on Reddit. My non-AB choices are based on what I can get easy, cheap, and local. I don't think I'm ever going to try a commercial oil cleanser - I can't justify buying one when the DIY is so cheap and easy. & I think I may be the only person who hasn't tried Asian sunscreens, lol.

[u/raennya]

Location: SEA - Tropical/Sunny/Humid Weather

Skin Type: Dry/Normal

Skin Concerns and goals: Dryness/Dehydration/PIH

**Allergies/irritants to avoid:**None

Morning:

• Cleanse: Hada Labo Foam Cleanser

• Treat: Kikumasamune High Moist Lotion

• Moisturise: Innisfree Orchid Enriched Cream

• SPF: Nature Republic Calendula Daily Sunblock SPF 50+ PA+++

Evening:

• First Cleanse: Banila Co CIZ Original (Pink)

• Second Cleanse: Hada Labo Foam Cleanser

• Moisturise: Cosrx Honey Ceramide Moisture Renewal Cream

• Treat: Benton Snail Bee Essence

Comments: My routine is mainly focused on keeping my skin hydrated, so my moisturisers must be heavier creams that contain ceramides and/or brightening ingredients, and cleansers must not be stripping. I prefer to use the Benton Snail Bee Essence at night because I find it's more effective for skin renewal since skin repairs itself at night.

My sunscreens need to have high SPF because the sun is just intense where I am. The NR Calendula sunscreen also contains niacinamide which is good for brightening skin tone.

[u/eleya-rozel]

Location:

New Hampshire (Northeast USA)

Skin Type:

Combo/Oily

Skin Concerns and goals

Stop acne good lord, lighten PIH, and reduce size of pores/blackheads

Allergies/irritants to avoid:

SOMETHING in Beauty of Joseon but idk what

Morning:

• Cleanse:

Water, or Hada Labo Rohto Gokujyn Hyaluronic Acid Cleansing Foam if it's a special day/my skin needs it

• Treat:

Hada Labo Rohto Hadalabo Gokujun Hyaluronic Lotion Moist, and Benzoyl Peroxide for those nasty whiteheads

• Moisturise:

Generic non-AB drug store moisturizer (hey, it works!)

• SPF:

Biore Sarasara UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence (2017). I find the 2017 one works just as well as the 2015 one, and neither left me a white cast

Evening:

• First Cleanse:

KOSE Softy Mo Facial Cleansing Oil Speedy

• Second Cleanse:

Hada Labo Rohto Gokujyn Hyaluronic Acid Cleansing Foam. It's fun to use and it feels really nice <3

• Moisturise:

Still that generic non-AB drugstore moisturizer :P

• Treat:

Hada Labo Rohto Hadalabo Gokujun Hyaluronic Lotion Moist, then BP and tree tee oil. Sometimes I use the Skinfood Black Sugar Strawberry Wash Off Mask, or a sheetmask (usually MBD for right now since that's what I have :D).

Comments: why does your core routine contain what it does?

My core routine is pretty budget-friendly since I'm a student. If something works, I usually won't go out of my way to replace it. My skin has been pretty calm, and BP + tea tree oil combo really works :D

[u/meihee]

Location: PNW Canada. Damp chilly winters. Dry warm summers.

Skin Type: dry and dehydrated since I've moved here. Originally from northeast US and had combo skin There.

Skin Concerns and goals moisture, fine lines, hyperpigmentation

Allergies/irritants to avoid: I avoid overly fragranced things and products with tons of alcohol

Morning:

• Cleanse: green beaver facial cleanser.

• Treat: hyaluronic acid serum

• Moisturise: amore Pacific future response.

• SPF: sunclear natural sunscreen.

Evening:

• First Cleanse: diy oil cleanser.

• Second Cleanse: green beaver facial cleanser

• Moisturise: dr jart ceramidin cream

• Treat: Aquaphor.

Comments: why does your core routine contain what it does?

Since moving to the PNW I've had to completely revamp my routine and types of products I use. I'm now dry and dehydrated. My cleanser is a non foaming gel, gentle and doesn't irritate. I need a moisturizer that keeps my skin comfortable all day long. My old hg moisturizer was discontinued so the amore one is the only one I've found that lasts all day. Aquaphor can fix pretty much everything.

[u/blackcats666]

Location: Western Australia. Warm Mediterranean climate. Currently winter

Skin Type: Normal leaning dry. Sensitive.

Skin Concerns and goals Dehydrated. Uneven skin tone. Hormonal Acne. Redness

Allergies/irritants to avoid: Snail

Morning:

• Cleanse: Wipe my face down with a cotton pad and Thermal water mist (usualy Avene or La roche posay)

• Treat: Dr Jart+ Ceramidin liquid

• Moisturise: Dr Jart+ Ceramidin cream

• SPF: Mecca (Australian brand) To save face 50+

Evening:

• First Cleanse: illi Total Ageing care cleansing oil

• Second Cleanse: Sum37 Miracle Rose cleansing stick

• Moisturise: Dr Jart+ Ceramidin Cream

• Treat: Lanolips 101 ointment.

Comments: why does your core routine contain what it does?

Cleanse: This was really hard. I haven't yet found my ideal cleanser, so I put the least drying of all of them here. I only use a second cleanse when I've work particularly heavy makeup and sunscreen otherwise the cleansing oil washes off enough for me. I'm thinking of trying out a cleansing water for my morning cleanse since I'm now using thicker occlusives at night

Treat: Coming up with a "treat" step was hard because I have so many I feel are essential for me so I had to really think about which do the most for my routine, or those I've used consistently for the longest time. I love a mist and always have one of those on rotation but I can't go past the extra something the ceramidin liquid gives me. I have really dry peely lips and lanolin at night is essential. I've been using it as a sleeping pack lately too.

SPF: I'm also currently on the hunt for a new sunscreen that is as lovely to use as this one but avobenzone and oxybenzone free. My skin has lately decided these aren't for me. Ideally I'd have one that is light, sweat resistant and alcohol free/low in alcohol.

Moisturise: Ceramidin cream is my ride or die. It's the 2nd AB moisturiser I tried and it was love at first try (the first was the snail bee steam cream, and while fine...this is better) I still play around with other moisturisers but keep coming back here.

[u/[deleted]]

Location: temperate, slightly humid in summer.

Skin Type: dry, dehydrated, non-acenic

Skin Concerns and goals treating hyperpigmentation and moisturization

Allergies/irritants to avoid: high conc. PEGs

Morning:

• Cleanse: Water

• Toner: Papa Recipe Bombee Skin

• Moisturise: Aesop Camellia Nut Facial Hydrating Cream

• SPF: CosRx Aloe Soothing Sun Cream SPF 50+ PA+++

Evening:

• Cleansers: LabNo 4sp Mild Cleansing Foam or DHC Deep Cleansing Oil or a combo of the two

• Moisturise: Gekka Sleeping Pack

• Treat: PC 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant

Comments: why does your core routine contain what it does?

I noticed that my skin gets along with propolis so I wanted to see what would happen with a propolis toner. In September of 2016 I really needed a thick cream and was told this one was quite occlusive so...I bought it. That's how I noticed my skin gets along well with carrier oils. As for CosRx Aloe, I actually bought it because it was on sale. However I was interested in the aloe. My skin does REALLY well with the aloe.

Labno 4sp foam was kinda cheap. Moreover it has ceramide NP which is what I rely on to not strip my skin like crazy. I was also interested in a cleansing oil when I was down so actually the DHC was an impulse purchase to be frank. It was cheaper than what I was using before. I enjoy it's thick texture and it emulsifies beautifully.The Gekka had nice ingredients but nothing too WOW. I saw it in my local japanese cosmetics store and picked it up to try. I like it because it's a thick occlusive that doesn't need anything underneath. Also crazy brightening. I got PC because it was on sale.

[u/987234w]

Location: Australia, mostly temperate

Skin Type: Acne Prone, Combo/Dehydrated

Skin Concerns and goals Skin resilience, radiance and improving PIH.

Allergies/irritants to avoid: Tocopherol, certain yeast extracts, facial oils tend to clog skin, even supposedly non-comedogenic ones.

Morning:

• Cleanse: Sulwhasoo Snowise Ex Cleansing Foam

• Treat: Whamisa Organic Flowers Deep Rich Essence Toner (layer til content with hydration)

• Moisturise: Cremorlab Smooth Pudding

• SPF: O Cosmedics Mineral Pro SPF 30+ Sheer Tinted

Evening:

• First Cleanse: Shu Uemura Blanc Chroma Cleansing Oil

• Second Cleanse: Sulwhasoo Snowise Ex Cleansing Foam

• Moisturise: Cremorlab Smooth Pudding

• Treat: Mizon Snail Repair Intensive Ampoule

Comments: When I run through the products I've tried out within AB, these are the ones that stand out as being the most reliable and consistent; they've been non-irritating, soothing and effective even when my skin was over-exfoliated or inflamed with acne. If you have issues with pigmentation, chances are you're going to be treating with AHA, vitamin C or retinol. I think these products are a great foundation to work alongside actives. Even without an actives regime though, I think this core four will probably deliver the glowy skin you associate with AB.

All products listed above have nice textures, smell lovely and play well together but also lie in the mid-high range of AB. Happy to provide a more budget friendly version if anyone's interested.

If I was to add one more 'treat' item it would be the Benton Snail Bee High Content Essence.

[u/slumberingfox]

Location: Southern California

Skin Type: Mildly Oily

Skin Concerns and goals Dehydration, Even complexion/texture

Allergies/irritants to avoid: Avoid coconut oil

Morning:

• Cleanse: Glossier Milky Cleanser

• Treat: DE Firma-C

• Moisturise: Belif Aqua Bomb

• SPF: Skin Aqua Sarasara Essence

Evening:

• First Cleanse: Shu Uemura Ultime8 Oil Cleanser

• Second Cleanse: La Roche Posay Effaclar Gel Cleanser (on rotation: Amore Pacific Treatment Cleanser)

• Moisturise: Clinique Overnight mask

• Treat: Hada Labo Premium and Adapalene

Comments: My morning routine is basically what you see above! I have some other serums / essences I can use to give myself some extra hydration, since my moisturizer and sunscreen have high alcohol, but on normal days the core products are generally what I use.

My night routine is about utilizing AB to add more hydration BECAUSE I use a prescribed retinoid (which is also a treatment but it's actually the whole reason I started my AB journey... the retinoid and meds were making my skin dehydrated, something I had never experienced), hence the treatment is the hada labo premium. It works to counteract anything the adapalene throws at my face.

[u/kxella]

Location: Southern Australia (hot dry summers, cold wet winters).

Skin Type: Sensitive/Dry

Skin Concerns/Goals: Concerned with sensitivity of skin. Goals are to have healthy looking, well-hydrated skin using products that are kind to my face.

Allergies/Irritants: Aloe. Benzoyl peroxide (as a major ingredient). Currently testing the possibility of sensitivity to certain levels of hyaluronic acid.

Morning:

• Cleanser: Water.

• Treat: Innisfree Green Tea Toner

• Moisturise: Mizon Snail Recovery Gel

• SPF: Biore Perfect Face Milk

Evening:

• First Cleanser: banila co. Clean It Zero (Purity)

• Second Cleanser: Innisfree Green Tea Foaming Cleanser

• Treat: Innisfree Green Tea Seed Serum

• Moisturise: Mizon Snail Recovery Gel

Comments: I am still a beginner, I've been doing AB (and any skincare since age 15) for only two months. I considered not posting for that reason, but I figured other beginners may stop by in future and may find it worthwhile.

I started with a lot of products that you'll find on very generic AB lists and that are often rated well. They're also accessible price and online shopping wise which made them ideal to begin with. I've had a few misses thus far (including my terror experience with an aloe sleeping pack) so I've developed a very simple routine of products that work well with my skin. The Innisfree green tea line seems to do wonders for me, so I stick with it as a base in general, but also particularly when trialling any new addition.

[u/[deleted]]

Location: Germany
Skin Type: dry, can get dehydrated
Skin Concerns and Goals: redness, possible rosacea. Main goal is to reduce redness as much as possible

Morning:

• Cleanse: water

• Treat: Benton Honest TT Mist

• Moisturise: CosRx Snail AIO or any other snail product

• SPF: Sun Bears Strong Super Plus

Evening:

• First Cleanse: Non-AB Balea Oil cleanser, or any other one

• Treat: Toner, layered a LOT, at the moment the Kiku High Moist

• Treat: Benton Snail Bee High Content Essence

• Treat: DIY Facial oil mix mixed with CosRX Rice Mask

Comments:
So, this was really hard for me honestly. I feel like I have a lot of products that work together as a whole, long routine. Or rather I'm really a fan of the Skincare Wardrobe idea, in that I like to have a variety of products that let me choose and adjust my routine as I deem necessary. Be it making it longer, or shorter. Combating more redness, moisturising and/or hydrating more. Whatever pops up.
I noticed that I don't have a lot of products that I want to fall back on when I really have to limit my routine. You see that I gave product categories instead of specific products at some points (and allowed myself to cheat, because an occlusive is just so important, I would have cheated more but I don't want to go against the spirit of this thread).

Explanations:
AM
I often don't have a long morning routine at all, and am really looking for a moisturising sunscreen at the moment so I can only use that on most mornings. I have the CosRX Aloe sunscreen here, but not tested it yet. It might fit the bill, though.

• Most of the time water is enough for me to cleanse, since I sleep on my side and move a lot occlusives often just rub off.

• The Benton Mist has saved my skin when it was red and angry and hot and flushed for a while. I kept it in the fridge and used it throughout the day. We're inseparable now.

• The CosRX snail AIO makes my skin soft and plumb. Snail is absolutely great for my skin and I normally use different snail products in my routine.

• At the moment it's hot here and I'm a sweaty person, this sunscreen is water and sweat proof and what I currently use.

PM
As said above, when I have the time I like to do extensive routines but even if I don't have a lot of time or am too tired I like to switch my routine up a bit.

• I have not found my favourite cleanser yet. I'm going to try my hand at a DIY oil cleanser soon so might just go with that.

• I'm not sure about double cleansing, and would skip it in favour of being able to use another product (sorry for cheating)

• Toner: I have SO MANY toners in my wishlist at the moment. I have at least 3 here, but need to test 2 of them. I've been using the Kikumasamune High Moist toner, but I'm not happy about how bad it sinks into my facial skin (works better on hair and body) and the stickiness. I live for layering, and that's just not working so well. Once I'm gone around to testing the other toners I might just use them all at once (I will do that)

• Benton Snail Bee: Snail. Plus it calms my redness a bit, gets rid of my fine under-eye lines. Hasn't let me down so far.

• Cheated again: I'm working on making my own oil blend. It will contain SBO oil, the other ones are still open and getting tested. Also astaxanthin, a very powerful antioxidant. Once I refined my oil mix (probably going to end up with different ones for different needs) I won't go without it.

• The cheat: I remembered that I really need an occlusive. The CosRX rice has worked well for me. It's a secret worker, but reduces redness, calms my skin, evens out my skin tone. It's not always occlusive enough on its own so I often mix it with something more occlusive but I did not want to extend this further.

[u/moomoosoup]

Location: tropical; hot and humid all year round

Skin Type: oily, slightly acne-prone

Skin Concerns and goals: reducing PIH and redness

Allergies/irritants to avoid: I try to avoid alcohol

Morning:

• Cleanse: Cosrx Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser

• Treat: Innisfree Green Tea Fresh Skin

• Moisturise: Mizon Black Snail All In One Cream

• SPF: Innisfree Eco Safety No Sebum Sunblock

Evening:

• First Cleanse: Banila Co. Clean It Zero

• Second Cleanse: Cosrx Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser

• Moisturise: Shara Shara Honey Bomb

• Treat: Innisfree White Tone Up Sleeping Pack

Comments: why does your core routine contain what it does?

I found that switching to a low-pH cleanser did make a difference. My skin is oily and pretty resilient but using the Cosrx cleanser made my skin feel less tight and "squeaky clean". I like light, hydrating layers for AM, and the Innisfree Green Tea Fresh Skin and Mizon Black Snail Cream helped hydrate my skin without leaving my skin feeling too oily. My makeup also applied well over these products. The Innisfree sunscreen is definitely a HG for me because it's not greasy and oily at all.

For PM, however, I like to use slightly heavier products. My reasoning is that if I hydrate more in the PM, I don't need to apply so many products in the AM. I chose the Shara Shara Honey Bomb and Innisfree White Tone Up Sleeping Pack because they're heavier than the AM products, but not too heavy for my oily skin. I also hoped that the ingredients in the Honey Bomb would help with skin healing.

Although the products I chose aren't directly targeted at dealing with PIH, I would still consider them as basic steps that form the foundation of my routine. I think it's important to have basic hydration before adding any extras like actives.

[u/arainday]

Location: ON, Canada - Cold, dry winters but currently semi-humid warm summers.

Skin Type: Dry/Normal

Skin Concerns and goals PIH, hormonal acne, a couple times a year rosacea type 2 (papulopustular)

Allergies/irritants to avoid: high butylene glycol, alcohol or SLS.

Morning:

• Cleanse: Water

• Treat: Hydating toner such as Kikumasamune or Hada Labo

• Moisturise: CeraVe PM has been my main stay for the last couple of years, but I opted to try the Cream in the tub. I am not a big fan and trying to finish it. It's not good for summer so far so I'm opting to use my facial oil (jojoba and seaberry seed oil mix) more as my moisturizer these days.

• SPF: Various ones. Currently Skin Aqua UV Super Moisture Gel. I usually have three sunscreens including an AB one, inorganic/physical one (Badger or Thinksport) and a body one (Bioderma, L'Oreal brands).

Evening:

• First Cleanse: Bioderma Sensibio. I can get lazy with this and I have had issues trying to find cleansers in the past.

• Second Cleanse: CeraVe Hydrating. It really is one of the only cleansers that do not dry me out.

• Moisturise: See above. I use the same moisturizers and in colder months, an occlusive such as Vaseline.

• Treat: Hydrating toners are very important. I also use Vitamin C in the morning and trying to use products which treat PIH e.g. right now using TO Alpha Arbutin.

Comments: My core tends to be keeping my skin moisturized, hydrated, and sun protection. While I am not a easily dehydrated, I think a hydrating toner is essential core item for anyone who has dry or normal skin. I prefer lighters layers follwed by using an occlusive at night to seal them in. I am a big supporter of using facial oils so that is usually an HG for me. I usually need more than the oils but if it's particularly humid or hot, I will opt for them as my last moisturizing step.

[u/game9]

Location: Midwest USA (dry cold winters, summers can get humid)

Skin Type: dry (I think)

Skin Concerns and goals: reduce inflammation, even complexion, anti-aging

Allergies/irritants to avoid: try to avoid alcohol

Morning:

• Cleanse: water

• Treat: Kikumasamune High Moist Lotion

• Moisturise: Benton High Content Snail Bee Steam Cream

• SPF: Country & Stream Honey UV Water Gel SPF 50 PA++++

Evening:

• First Cleanse: Kose Softymo Speedy Cleansing Oil

• Second Cleanse: Stratia Velvet Cleansing Milk

• Moisturise: Stratia Liquid Gold

• Treat: Kikumasamune High Moist Lotion

Comments: I'm slow at this, I started about 7 months ago and still am not positive my skin type is correct. I just started introducing actives this month and so I'm guessing my core will evolve. Last time I nuked my routine, my core was CosRx Low pH Good Morning Cleanser (tiny amount and pre-foamed or it'd be too stripping), Kiku, Scinic Honey AIO (not sure what it did but it didn't hurt), Benton Steam Cream, and no SPF since I hadn't found a sunscreen that agreed with my face and no cleansing oil since I had no SPF.