I’ve Never Had Botox or Fillers, and I Get Mis-Aged for Looking 10 Years Younger Than I Actually Am

I was traveling a few weeks ago and having a wonderful time—and the wonderful time felt even better because I was getting stopped and complimented on my skin so much. (Talk about a mood booster.) The chit chats always led to a “Did you just graduate?” or “What are you doing post graduation?” It was perplexing, but when I said I’d been graduated for over 10 years now, they quickly asked my age. They all thought I was in my early 20s. I even had a few teenagers stand in shock when I told them I could have been their moms.

While good genes are definitely a contributing factor to healthy, clear skin, your daily routine and consistency is—in my opinion—equally as important. I’ve battled through severe contact dermatitis, which I recovered from by using a simple skincare routine. And have managed to get past the horrid adult acne of my actual early 20s on my own, too. Keeping your skin hydrated, not over-exfoliating to potentially damage your skin barrier, and protecting your skin from UV radiation (aka the sun) are especially important. And I have a favorite type of product for every step of your routine.

13 Editor-Loved Beauty Products

• Dieux Deliverance 3-in-1 Serum, $69; dieuxskin.com. 
• Radiant Renewal 2-in-1 Skincare Mini, $89; amazon.com.
• House of Dohwa Rice Bran Powder Wash, $27; amazon.com.
• Mediheal Madecassoside Repair Serum, $17; amazon.com.
• Lilis Instant Peel, $92; modaoperandi.com.
• Dr. Groot Scalp Revitalizing Solution Treatment, $26 with coupon (was $30); amazon.com. 
• Marin Skincare Lip Treatment, $20; marinskincare.com.
• Isntree Ultra-Low Molecular Hyaluronic Acid Toner, $19; amazon.com.
• Dr. Althea Barrier Cream, $27; amazon.com.
• Omnilux Contour Face Mask, $395; omniluxled.com.
• Medik8 Liquid Peptides Advanced MP, $92; dermstore.com. 
• Round Lab Camellia Deep Collagen Firming Sun Serum, $23; global.oliveyoung.com
• Brooklinen Mulberry Silk Pillowcase, $59; brooklinen.com

Dieux Deliverance 3-in-1 Serum

I have been an absolute loyalist to this serum since it first launched—I even have it set up on subscription delivery. You won’t ever catch me without it, even when I’m traveling. The formula is created by the same chemist who was a formulator at Skinceuticals. And while I love Skinceuticals, the price range is usually triple the price of the serum. Dieux Deliverance helps my skin calm down when it’s feeling irritated and deeply hydrates (without feeling heavy on my skin). In the beginning, I didn’t think it didn’t do that much, but when I stopped using it, I immediately noticed a difference in my skin. 

Radiant Renewal 2-in-1 Skincare Mini

I had the worst bout of adult acne in my early 20s, and now I only occasionally get a pimple. (Perhaps, thanks to my routine!) But from time to time, I’ll get a few stubborn under-the-skin cystic pimples—the ones that are hard and painful. This mini red light therapy device has helped me alleviate that inflammation quite a bit. I’ve noticed acne dies down much faster, and the scarring (I even get marks if I leave a pimple alone) is not as dark. It’s great to travel with, too; it’s so tiny that it fits right in my makeup pouch. 

House of Dohwa Rice Bran Powder Wash

This rice bran powder wash is another one of my favorites. I was gifted it by the brand but loved it so much I have purchased more as backup and as gifts. It’s a powder formula that is activated by water, and the light granular texture is perfect for gentle exfoliation. In my younger years, I was over-exfoliating my skin and often found myself damaging my skin barrier. (Think: Skin so sensitive that it hurts to even wash it.) This, however, hasn’t ever left my skin feeling that way—and I use it daily. It’s another favorite to travel with because there’s zero chance of liquid oozing out of the bottle. 

Mediheal Madecassoside Repair Serum

Madecassoside is one of my favorite skincare ingredients. It calms and nourishes skin. (Can you tell, there’s a theme?) Made in South Korea, this small-but-mighty bottle of serum is one I rotate into my routine for the days I feel like I need a bit of extra help calming down my skin. If I am having a good skin day, though, I’ll use it as a spot serum on pimples. I particularly love the texture of this serum; it’s super lightweight but still hydrating—nothing heavy that would ruin your later steps or even makeup. 

Lilis Instant Peel

This body peel is the one. As a Korean-American, I grew up going to Korean spas with my mom and spending a lot of time scrubbing my body to get rid of dead skin cells. I still think the scrubbing ritual and regular use of sunscreen is the secret combo to why so many Koreans look far younger than their actual age. The Lilis Instant Peel is a gentle but very effective formula that pretty much melts away your dead skin cells—and you don’t need a scrubbing cloth/mit like the Korean spas. I use this two to three times a week all over my body (and on my neck), and it never irritates my skin—only leaves me with the softest skin.

Dr. Groot Scalp Revitalizing Solution Miracle in Shower Treatment

Your scalp is, in fact, skin. A few summers ago, I suddenly started getting dandruff and had the worst scalp irritation of my life—really. I’d never experienced it before. I tried a bunch of oils, serums, and even dandruff shampoos, but nothing was as effective as this Dr. Groot treatment. I use it in combination with the shampoo that’s part of the same line—but this treatment is my must-have. And it’s so easy to use; after shampooing my hair, I direct the nozzle onto my roots all over my head, let it sit for a few seconds, and massage it into my scalp. It becomes a creamy-like texture that feels like a light conditioner. And once I’m done with massaging, I just rinse it out. After a few weeks, dandruff was under control (yes, really), and a few months later, flakes are a very rare occurrence. For the ultimate clean and scalp alleviation, I also use this Dupi Microbiome Mist. 

Marin Skincare Lip Treatment

Lipsticks I may not know, lip balms, however, I know. This Marin Lip Treatment has been a favorite of mine since it launched—and it still is. The formula’s star ingredients are marine glycoproteins that help repair the skin barrier. As in, your chapped lips will finally feel moisturized and healthy. Not only is the formula fantastic, but the silicone tip feels like it’s hugging your lips as you apply. If you’re a lip gloss type of person, the treatment also leaves you with a very glossy sheen. Most days, I’ll apply a watery tinted lip stain, then just use this over it for shine. 

Isntree Ultra-Low Molecular Hyaluronic Acid Toner

Toners, in my humble opinion, are the most underrated step of a skincare routine. I have multiple that I use depending on what my skin is feeling like, but this Isntree Hyaluronic Acid Toner is one I use every day. It feels lighter than water, and the low molecular formulation means the product gets absorbed deeper into my skin. Despite being on the oilier side, the “inside” of my skin used to always feel tight and dry—this helped with that immediately. I especially love that it’s a very large bottle, so the $19 purchase should last you several months.

Dr. Althea Barrier Cream

Again, a healthy skin barrier is what I’m most focused on. That will naturally help your skin look better—and glow. This Dr. Althea Barrier Cream is a K-beauty favorite—it is actually popular in South Korea and rightfully so. Despite being a thick formula, when you apply and work it into your skin, it doesn’t feel heavy at all. It’s hydrating, and as I mentioned before, is good enough to ensure that skin feels moisturized both inside and out. It works great under makeup, too! 

Omnilux Contour Face Mask

While I don’t frequently get facials, I’ll occasionally make an appointment when I’m traveling to Seoul. And always, always, always, aestheticians will use a red light during and post treatment. It’s used to help reduce inflammation (great for the few laser treatments I’ve had done), help boost collagen production, and reduce fine lines and wrinkles—all keys to looking your best. Earlier in the article, I recommended the small red light device for target areas and pimples, but this face mask is the one for when you want for your full face. It has 132 medical-grade LEDs, and the mask itself is flexible to fit the shape of your face. Each session is 10 minutes long, and the mask will automatically shut off when it’s done. Plus, this is FDA cleared. 

Medik8 Liquid Peptides Advanced MP

When it comes to skincare, this Medki8 is definitely one of the priciest products I own. But, I have noticed results with consistent use. My skin feels and looks plumper when I use this serum, especially the areas around my eyes. I don’t have any deep wrinkles, and the only wrinkles I have right now is mostly this one area under my eye—there’s this one stubborn wrinkle line that always leaves my makeup creasing. But this helps plump up that area, and a plumper under-eye area automatically livens up your face! 

Round Lab Camellia Deep Collagen Firming Sun Serum

If you don’t use any skincare at all, please at least use sunscreen. It’s probably the most important step of any skincare routine, as it’ll prevent skin damage and help reduce your risk of skin cancer. I’d say 90 percent of my sunscreen options are Korea-made products—they rarely have a white cast and the texture is superior to a lot of other brands made elsewhere. I purchased this Round Lab one on my most recent trip to Seoul, and the texture is absolutely amazing. It’s between the viscosity of a toner and serum, so it glides onto your skin beautifully without leaving any white cast. There’s no sticky residue left behind, and it doesn’t take long to absorb into your skin; meaning, it’s fantastic under makeup. 

Brooklinen Mulberry Silk Pillowcase

I’m a side sleeper, so my face will always be on a pillow. Dermatologists say that the “smooth, soft material, silk minimizes friction on the skin, which means less tugging and pulling, and less abrasive forces on the skin.” The silk fabric also absorbs less oil and moisture, so your pillows stay cleaner. And, with cleaner fabric, this should help with less breakouts. (You should also frequently wash and change out your pillowcases in general.) Brooklinen is one of my favorite bedding brands for the quality of their linens. I wake up with fewer pillow creases on my face—and my mom in her 60s also agrees. I have this in several colors (they also make great gifts), and do find myself sleeping better—especially in the summer as a hot sleeper.