From Fear to Joy II: Musings and Winter Skincare by Crème

Here’s how Peaches&Crème started: a woman on her personal skincare journey, conversations with a persistent sister, and the rising international popularity (deserve!) of K-beauty.

Our founder, the boss lady, is an avid skincare enthusiast herself who went through several ups and downs as she started building her personal night and daytime routines. Now that Peaches&Crème is in our third year—and as we’re all in the throes of winter—we think it’s the perfect time to get comfy, sit down with Ms. Crème, and chat about her current skin care.

From Fear to Joy—and beyond!

“I’ve always had acne-prone skin, and growing up with it has not been a good experience… In those many years, I never realised what I really needed: real care and nourishment, and a sense of enjoyment from and while taking care of my skin.

Today, my skin has a healthy look and feel to it. I have clear skin, without feeling oily. I feel great.” – Musings by Crème from her blog about her personal skincare journey.

 

 

Crème's Winter Skincare Routine and K-beauty Faves

Personally, the cold weather this time of the year had me asking how I could keep my skin hydrated and moisturised while preventing oiliness. And believe it or not, I found myself with a simple skincare routine this winter. Calming ingredients, vitamin C, sunscreen, and double cleansing are still my staples and go-to’s.

Here’s my morning routine:

1. I start with a light gel cleanser. What I’m using now is the BOJ Green Plum Refreshing Cleanser. 

 

 

 

2. They say that toners should be a second step in your routine, but I am trying to use my active ingredient—Vitamin C—after cleansing so it can penetrate deeply and be absorbed well by my skin. What I love at the moment: the Hanskin Vitamin C Glow Serum and the COSRX The Vitamin C 23 Serum.

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. My third step varies daily, depending on how much time I have in the morning or how my skin feels. I either apply a toner after and/or another serum or essence as my third step. With my acne-prone skin, I don’t skip the COSRX Blemish Spot Clearing Serum (editor’s note: I also love and use this daily!) in the morning. If I have more time or if my skin feels dry, flaky or rough, I use the Roundlab Mugwort Toner before applying the serum.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4. My last treatment is my new-found favorite: Some By Mi Propolis B5 Glow Barrier Calming Serum. Apart from having my choice ingredient—propolis—for fighting any bacteria, this serum helped my skin to be less oily during the day. Yes, this works and can be used by oily skin! ✨

 

 

 

5. To seal off all the hard work I did in the morning, I use a lightweight moisturiser. You may think that winter calls for heavier moisturisers, but I found out that gel moisturisers will do for me during the day IF it is hydrating enough to prevent dry and oily skin. 

Finally, after a long search, I found my true love for a morning moisturiser (AND it has my favorite ingredient, mugwort, as a bonus!): the RoundLab Mugwort Cream. It is extremely difficult for my skin type to find a moisturiser, so this is a sure keeper.

 

 

 

6. Last but not least and the most important of all: SUNSCREEN. I don’t leave home in the morning without using sunscreen. I am personally not a fan of chemical sunscreens as an acne-prone girl so I always reach for my skin-loving mineral types—until Klairs released their new sunscreen. I use Klairs All-Day Airy Sunscreen now as it’s the first and only chemical sunscreen that my skin loves. It is lightweight (I’m not kidding, it feels as if you’re not wearing sunscreen at all), does not make my skin oily or feeling tight during the day, leaves no white cast, and it doesn’t lead to breakouts! Another new find to keep for a long time.

 

 

 

Some of my fave mineral sunscreens:

• Beplain Non-nano Mild Sunscreen
• SKIN1004 Centella Suncream Plus

 

My evening routine:

 

1. Double cleansing—my golden rule and one I will never break. My current first cleanse faves are the Needly Mild Deep Cleansing Oil, Pyunkang Yul Deep Cleansing Oil, Celimax Jojoba Cleansing Oil, and the Beauty of Joseon Ginseng Oil.

For my second cleanse, I use the Skin1004 Madagascar Centella Ampoule Foam.

Important TIP: Don’t apply your gel or foam cleanser directly to your face. Lather it first on the palm of your hands and let the bubbles clean your face.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. I use a powder enzyme exfoliant for regular but gentle exfoliation 2 - 3 times a week to prevent blackheads and clogged pores. My favorite is the By Wishtrend Green Enzyme Powder Wash.

 

 

 

3. After cleansing, I use the I’m From Mugwort Essence (applying as many layers as my skin needs) to prep my skin for the strong actives to come after and to prevent irritation.

 

 

 

4. During winter, I also focus on brightening my skin. I use ISOI Blemish Care Up Serum. It might be quite pricey—but WOW—my skin is glowing, radiant, and smoother after 2 – 3 weeks of use. 💖 I also apply the COSRX Niacinamide Serum whenever my skin feels like it needs more soothing and hydration.

 

 

 

 

 

5. Having acne-prone oily skin, I use BHA to unclog and purify my pores 1 – 2 times a week. I use the Beplain BHA Peeling Ampoule during my non-retinol days. 

 

 

 

6. I close my treatment step with the SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Ampoule. This is an OG for me to prevent acne and keep my skin radiant. I tried using other centella serums before but this is THE one that my skin loves, and it gives results. It prevents pimples for me—truly a staple.

 

 

 

7. For retinol evenings, I currently use the Mizon 0.3% Retinol Cream. Having tried retinol products before, this is so far the best that I’ve found AND it is incredibly cheap for the retinol content it boasts. It does not irritate my skin and delivers results too. I use retinol primarily to prevent acne amongst other benefits, as it is an all-rounder ingredient. 

 

 

 

8. To close off my evening routine, I always use the IUNIK Propolis Sleeping Mask. This is more affordable compared to other brands but it does the job—really well. You’ll wake up with plump, hydrated, soft skin. Best of all: it is non-clogging. Sometimes, especially during retinol night, I also use a thin layer of Klairs Midnight Blue Calming Cream underneath to calm my skin.

 

 

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

It is always best to build your seasonal, morning, and evening routines around what you need—follow what makes your skin feel better and healthier. Most importantly: have fun, relax, and enjoy your daily #MeTime through skin care, Peaches! 🍑

Stay updated on our current favorites and shop our featured collections HERE. Keep glowing! ✨