Something unexpected happened to my skin these past months. For the first time, I no longer felt the urge to constantly correct it. No sudden breakouts, no persistent redness, no feeling of imbalance. My skin was not perfect, but it felt calm, supported, balanced. And I realised that this, more than perfection, was what I had been searching for all along. I took it as a sign that something, in the way I was taking care of my skin, was finally working. And it made me want to write this article. Today, I am sharing the exact routine I use: the products I have tested, kept, and repurchased over time. Not to promise miracles, but to offer a sound, coherent base if, like me, January feels like the right moment to begin again, more simply, more thoughtfully.
An Ingredient-Led Approach
My relationship with skincare has evolved a great deal over the years. For a long time, I tested, layered, accumulated. I followed recommendations, trends, routines, often without truly understanding what I was applying to my skin. Today, I approach skincare the same way I approach food: by reading ingredient lists carefully, by trying to understand what truly nourishes the skin, what repairs it, what respects it.
I am drawn to intelligent formulas: clear, well-thought-out, rich in truly useful active ingredients. Products that work with the skin over time, without artifice or deceptive cosmetic effects. It is a meticulous, almost studious approach, and yes, it takes time. But it allows me to know exactly why each product deserves its place. Over time, I realised that my ideal routine needed to bring together two complementary dimensions: on one side, highly effective products designed to support the skin barrier, repair, and soothe; on the other, more sensorial, plant-based care that respects the skin’s natural rhythm.
A gentle, patient approach (perhaps a very French one) where the skin is accompanied rather than corrected. Today, my routine is intentionally short. It rests on three simple pillars: soothe, repair, strengthen.
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Evening Routine
Cleansing, Without Aggression
If I have worn makeup or sunscreen, I always begin with a gentle double cleanse. Otherwise, I keep things simple. I start with Purito Seoul From Green Cleansing Oil, a straightforward, silicone-free cleansing oil made from plant oils. It dissolves makeup and SPF effortlessly, without leaving a residue or disturbing the skin.
I follow with Round Lab 1025 Dokdo Cleanser, a creamy, well-balanced cleanser formulated with marine minerals and hydrating agents. It cleans thoroughly yet leaves the skin soft and comfortable, never tight. It is a product I repurchase, which, for me, is always a very good sign. On rushed mornings or evenings when I want to return to basics, I alternate with Etude SoonJung 5.5 Foam Cleanser, a physiological-pH cleanser designed for sensitive skin that respects the skin’s ecosystem.
Treating, Repairing, Supporting
After cleansing, I favour textures that truly work. I often apply Pyunkang Yul Essence in Lotion, a hybrid between a serum and a cream. It delivers hydration, biomimetic lipids, and subtle barrier repair without ever feeling heavy. I use it as an intermediate layer when my skin needs extra support.
Next comes the serum. Most of the time, I reach for Purito Seoul Wonder Releaf Centella Serum (Unscented). With its exceptionally high concentration of centella asiatica in multiple forms, this is not merely a comfort serum, it is a true daily repair treatment, designed to calm inflammation and strengthen the skin over time. On alternate evenings, when my skin feels tired or dull, I use Susanne Kaufmann Nutrient Serum, a serum I deeply love. Formulated with biomimetic sugars and alpine botanical extracts, it provides progressive hydration and leaves the skin visibly smoother, more rested.
Sealing With the Right Cream
In the evening, I alternate between two creams, depending on how my skin feels. The first is Benton Ceramide Cream 10000ppm, a ceramide-rich cream designed to deeply repair the skin barrier. It offers no cosmetic illusion: it does not artificially smooth, it restores. It is a cornerstone of my evening routine. This cream can sometimes be difficult to find. A similar alternative, in terms of ingredients and barrier respect, is Illiyoon Ceramide Ato Concentrate Cream.
The second is Pyunkang Yul Calming Moisture Nourishing Cream, richer and ideal during colder weather or periods of fatigue. Its formulation is exceptionally well balanced: nourishing lipids and butters, ceramides and cholesterol for repair, centella to soothe, and hyaluronic acid to maintain hydration. It is the cream I turn to when my skin feels more fragile.
The Evening Oil
Every evening, I mix a few drops of Vintner’s Daughter Active Botanical Serum into my cream. Despite its richness, it has never caused breakouts for me. It is a remarkably balanced oil: lightweight oils close to the skin’s natural sebum (grapeseed, hazelnut), combined with more reparative oils (avocado, evening primrose, rosehip, tamanu), and a wide range of botanical extracts that work on inflammation and overall skin quality. I also love its scent (very botanical, almost medicinal) a scent I now associate with evening and rest.
Eye Care
In the evening, I use Benton Snail Bee Ultimate Eye Cream, an eye cream that completely changed my perception of this category. Its formula is dense yet intelligent: ferments, peptides, multiple forms of hyaluronic acid, ceramides, and repairing actives such as copper tripeptide. This is not an instant-effect product. It is a treatment that gradually improves the quality of the skin around the eyes, making it more supple, resilient, and less marked. A very small amount is enough.
And Exfoliation?
I used to rely on Biologique Recherche Lotion P50 or P50W once or twice a week. Today, I barely feel the need for it. My skin is stable: no breakouts, no redness, no excess oil. I now use it once every ten to fourteen days, in the evening only, without rubbing. Proof, if any were needed, that well-supported skin often knows how to function perfectly well on its own.
Morning Routine
In the morning, I simplify. Either I rinse my face with water, or I use a gentle cleanser. I then apply the essence-lotion, followed by the centella serum. For my daytime moisturiser, I alternate between two textures. The first is Purito Seoul Wonder Releaf Centella Cream (Unscented), a lightweight, fragrance-free, silicone-free cream rich in centella asiatica. It immediately calms the skin, reduces redness, and works beautifully under sunscreen and makeup. It does not become shiny throughout the day, which is rare enough to be noted.
The second is Mary & May Idebenone Blackberry Intense Cream. It combines powerful antioxidants with biomimetic lipids and acts as a daily shield against oxidative stress, one of the main causes of dullness and premature ageing. What I appreciate most is that it protects without suffocating the skin.
Morning Eye Care
In the morning, I prefer Susanne Kaufmann Eye Rescue Serum, a lightweight eye serum designed to revive rather than correct. It works on microcirculation, de-puffing, and fine hydration. The effect is fresh and natural, without any artificial tightening. I use it on its own, without concealer on top, as its texture can sometimes pill under makeup.
If I had to summarise my approach today, it would be this: choose less, but choose better. And give the skin the time to do what it knows how to do, once we finally give it the right tools.
