(Re)build your Skincare Routine: Essence & Mist

Summer is nearing its end, and the hot days slowly turn colder. September also marks the back to school season, which you can use as a reminder to think about updating your skincare routine! The (Re)build your Skincare Routine journey is all about guiding you through the steps of creating a customized skincare routine that’s one with the seasons and your skin. Each month we will highlight what products you can either add or swap in your current routine, making it more winter-proof with every upcoming month. 

By taking this journey step by step you will be able to flawlessly transition your skincare routine from summer to fall and fall to winter without compromising on your skin’s health.

Do I need an Essence or Face Mist?

During September the summer still lingers, warm days and cold days alternate one another. Which means it’s the perfect time to start thinking about adding an essence or face mist to your skincare routine. Of course you can always choose to add both! Especially dry and mature skin types can benefit from some extra hydrating care that a mist can provide throughout the day. Do you already have an essence or a mist in your routine? Try to focus on hydrating and barrier-repairing products to create a healthy and strong foundation for the months to come. 

While on the hotter days your summer skincare routine will still suffice, the colder days mean that the air humidity gets lower. Lower humidity leads to moisture being drawn out from our skin more easily. The seasonal shifts can also lead to more inflammation in acne-prone skin, and overall dryness in all skin types. Ingredients like ceramides, hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, and panthenol can prove beneficial in the skincare routine during these months and are easily added in the routine through either a mist or an essence.

Essence & Mist for Every Skin Type

An essence is one of the popular steps that Korean skincare has brought into our lives. Essences are the builders of a strong foundation for a healthy skin. The (usually) watery substances are not necessarily a toner, nor a serum but somewhere in between. Created to be used on a daily basis, an essence will deliver skin repairing and strengthening ingredients to your skin while maintaining a lightweight feel. 

Face mists are unfairly seen as an easily skippable step in the Korean Skincare routine, but can actually act like a gem when it comes to skin hydration. Freshly misted skin helps your skin to lock in moisture when applied right before a serum or cream, plus it adds a boost of hydration.

Here are our recommendations for the best essences and mists to add into your routine based on your skin type. While mists can give your skin that hydrating oomph, the essences all focus on strengthening the skin barrier. All products are curated to keep in mind the needs of each and every unique skin type.

Normal skin

The Neogen Real Ferment Micro Essence makes the perfect choice for normal skin types. Infused with 93% of micro bio fermented complex the essence is a powerhouse for strengthening the skin and delivering that healthy glow which hydrated skin naturally radiates. Add onto that the Klairs Fundamental Ampule Mist and you've just gotten yourself the winning duo for glowy glass skin. The mist delivers moisture deep into the skin and locks it in for the ultimate hydration. The formula is infused with brightening and soothing ingredient extracts like rice, green tea and cucumber to take care of your skin anywhere, anytime.

Sensitive skin

To minimize irritation and relieve any tightness the I'm From Mugwort Essence is our go-to recommendation for sensitive skin types. The minimal ingredient list ensures soft care while minimizing any chances of irritation. Mugwort is a staple ingredient in Korean Skincare because of its anti-inflammatory and soothing benefits. COSRX Centella Water Alcohol Free Toner is a toner in a face mist format but that doesn't mean you cannot reapply it throughout the day! The toner is full of calming ingredients that will rejuvenate the skin. It's especially great to use throughout the day to soothe the skin if it's going through a rough patch and suffering from any flare-ups or inflammation. Bonus: The COSRX Centella Water Alcohol Free Toner is also pregnancy-safe!

Dry skin

When the temperatures start dropping dry skin is one of the first affected by the lower humidity and temperature changes. Building a strong barrier to combat any moisture from evaporating is key when the temperature is constantly swinging on the thermometer. That's where the Mixsoon Bean Essence comes in handy. The multifunctional essence is not only a vegan alternative to the snail mucin essence but has just as many benefits! It is full of vitamins, amino acids, and fermented ingredients to help strengthen your skin and lock in that moisture. Combined with the Sioris Time Is Running Out Mist your skin will feel revived. The mist has a 3-in-1 concentrated formula that works as a toner, serum, and mist in one.

Combination skin

Combination skin types already struggle with dry and oily zones on the skin, which can only be worsened during the fluctuating temperatures in September. Choose products that will balance those moisture levels of the skin, no matter the weather. The Purito Fermented Complex 94 Boosting Essence is a great restoring essence that balances the water and oil in the skin. When combined with the COSRX Balancium Comfort Ceramide Cream Mist your skin will feel hydrated, balanced, and ready to tackle any weather that comes at it. The mist also works amazing throughout the day, especially when we will be nearing the fall and the skin gets drier or tighter. It is infused with 6 different ceramides, to give the skin an immediate boost which makes the hydration levels rise.
 

Oily skin

Just like with combination skin types, finding the right products for an oily skin can be a long journey during seasonal transitions. The days where the weather is warmer can still lead to easier pore clogging and an increase in sebum production while colder days and decreased humidity can actually cause oily skin to become dehydrated. The first thing we want to prevent is a dehydrated oily skin, since the lack of moisture will then lead to our skin overcompensating by creating more oil and thus increasing the sebum production! Skin balancing products are thus key during the transitional months. The Beauty of Joseon Ginseng Essence Water is a skin balancing gem. The niacinamide and Sodium Hyaluronate in the formula balance sebum production while deliver hydration to the skin. A big plus is the extremely lightweight watery texture of the essence which makes it perfect for any day, and any weather since it won't make the skin feel heavier. Who said a mist is not for oily skin types? Definitely not us! The Sioris Falling Into The Rose is perfect for acne-prone skin types. Don't let the formula scare you, while it contains 5% oils it works wonders for soothing and balancing the oil-water levels of oily, acne-prone skin types.

Mature skin

Mature skin is extra prone to dehydration, overall dryness and tightness. The older we get the less oils our skin produces. Thats why products that help lock in moisture are important for these skin types. The Dr.Jart+ Ceramidin™ Cream Mist is perfect to apply right before your serum or cream to help lock in moisture or to reapply throughout the day to prevent moisture from escaping. While the mist is perfect for mainting moisture levels, the Benton Fermentation Essence will act as the building blocks of a strong skin. With ingredients such as adenosine, ceramides and panthenol, in addition to many fermented skin strengtheners, the essence works anti-aging, moisturizing, and nourishing.