Have you ever felt like your skin condition just won’t stabilize, even though you’re doing a thorough skincare routine every day?

I used to be the same way; every time I felt my skin was rough or dry, I would try a new serum or add more steps to my routine. I was convinced that if I just added products that were said to be good, my skin would surely respond.

However, no matter how many promising items I incorporated, there was a long period where I didn’t feel the changes I had hoped for.

Through that trial and error, I realized that how you prepare the foundation is just as important as what you apply.

In this article, based on the mistakes I’ve made, I’ve summarized the ‘3 basic habits’ that I found helpful to review in order to stabilize my skin condition. I hope you’ll read this casually as a hint for reviewing your daily skincare and lifestyle habits.

Expecting too much and failing… My experience of being lost in skincare

First, I’ll talk about the mistakes I made in the past with ‘backfiring care.’ I was desperate at the time, but looking back now, I feel like I was putting a significant burden on my skin.

Mistake 1: ‘Adding’ new items every time I had skin trouble

I would get anxious whenever my skin condition worsened even slightly, and I would introduce new serums or masks all at once, thinking, ‘Maybe I’m not moisturizing enough’ or ‘Maybe I’m lacking vitamins.’

However, after layering various ingredients without knowing what my skin was reacting to, my skin actually became more sensitive, and I started to feel a tingling discomfort.

Mistake 2: ‘Over-cleansing’

Driven by the belief that ‘to prevent skin trouble, I just have to get the dirt off thoroughly!’, I would spend time scrubbing with a high-cleansing-power cleanser.

As a result, I ended up washing away the moisture my skin actually needed, and it became normal for my skin to feel tight after washing. I had fallen into a vicious cycle where the dryness caused excessive sebum secretion.

The ‘3 basic habits’ that were really worth reviewing

After these failures, I decided to return my skincare to a simple starting point. The following three are what I feel helped me prepare my skin’s foundation without being too difficult to maintain.

1. Review the pressure of your ‘cleansing care’

When people talk about skincare, they tend to focus on ‘what to apply,’ but the area where I felt the most change was ‘how to wash.’

By changing my mindset from ‘washing thoroughly’ to ‘removing only the dirt without causing stress,’ the calm feeling of my skin after washing has changed completely.

2. Be conscious of the ‘balance’ between moisture and oil

When it came to moisturizing, I used to think it meant ‘just applying plenty of moisturizing cream,’ but the important thing was the balance between moisture and oil.

By storing the necessary moisture in the skin and sealing it with an appropriate amount of oil, I became less concerned about dryness-induced makeup breakdown or feelings of tightness during the day.

3. Incorporate ‘care from the inside’ as well as the outside

Just as important as changing skincare products was reviewing inner care (diet, hydration, and sleep).

No matter how well you apply products from the outside, if your internal body condition is disrupted, your skin’s turnover cycle also tends to become disrupted.

To live comfortably with your own skin

Skin condition changes daily due to various influences such as seasonal changes, lifestyle rhythms, and stress.

When things aren’t going well, instead of ‘rushing to buy this and that,’ I feel that stopping to observe by asking, ‘Has the basic care I’m doing now become sloppy?’ or ‘Am I getting enough nutrition and sleep?’ is ultimately the best shortcut.

You don’t have to change everything at once. Why not try starting with small adjustments, such as lowering the temperature of your face wash today or drinking one extra sip of water?

I hope this serves as a trigger for you to find a form of care that suits your skin at a pace that is comfortable for you.