One beauty trend that is becoming a craze online is the GLASS SKIN effect. But what exactly does it mean by having glass skin?
Glass skin means your skin is so clear, luminescent, and glowing that your pores are almost invisible! This became popular with the rise of Korean beauty trends. Just try to use Google to search for photos of Korean superstars and you’ll see what I mean!
Can it be achieved using makeup alone?
Although I am a fan of makeup to enhance beauty and boost confidence, I am also a great believer of skin care. After all, when you have a beautiful base for your makeup products, the effect will be so much better.
DISCLAIMER!!!
This Glass Skin skin care routine is NOT AN INSTANT, QUICK FIX solution so please don’t expect to wake up the next day having Glass Skin! This is a gradual, maintenance routine that will improve your skin over time and prevent it from looking tired, dry and aging.
This also needs MAJOR commitment. It is a 10- step routine, morning AND night. However, you do not need to perform all 10 steps every single day as two of the steps should only be performed twice a week. But yes, that still leaves you with 8 steps morning and night.
It may seem really long but really, if you time it, the 8 steps will only take you around 10 min max, less for some people. So that’s really just a short time to invest on your personal skin care! I suggest playing your favorite song to occupy your brain so you don’t get bored!
So, one major problem is – what products can you use? Do you need to buy Korean skin care products? Is it expensive? Well, let me help you out by giving you the 10 – step skin care by recommending products you can buy from UAE, and available here.
WHAT: 10-Step Glass Skin Beauty Routine
WHEN: 2X DAILY Morning and Night – 8 Steps will take around 10 minutes & 2X A WEEK – 10 Steps will take around 25-30 minutes
STEP 1: OIL CLEANSING
A lot of YouTube Videos and articles online suggest using commercial oil cleansers, but really, you can actually use the oils in your kitchen! Which exactly? Before you put on the frying oil on your face, you need a good quality oil that is non-comedogenic which means it should NOT clog your pores!
Method:
- DAILY Morning and Night
- Place a small amount of oil on your palm and massage on your face for a couple of minutes
- Soak a soft wash cloth or microfiber cloth in warm water and slowly wipe the oil from your face. Do this twice until the oil is removed.
- TIP: Microfiber cloth for skin care can be expensive but it is actually the same cloth you see in the CAR section of the Department store! You can purchase a set for AED 20 at Carrefour or you can get these at SOUQ as well for as low at 4- 6 dirhams!
Where to buy:
Good choices widely available in UAE are Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Castor Oil, Almond Oil, Argan Oil and Sunflower Oil. You can buy this in Carrefour or in any pharmacy or supermarket. Make sure you are buying a PURE oil not just something that is mixed.
Don’t use essential oils – do not apply directly on skin as this should ALWAYS be diluted with a base oil and applying undiluted is dangerous! Also AVOID Coconut oil as it can clog your pores!
STEP 2: FOAM CLEANSING
After the oil cleansing, time to cleanse again! This time, use the cleanser you normally use daily which your skin is used to.
Method:
- DAILY Morning and Night
- Place a small amount on your palm and lather to create a foam and gently massage on your face for a couple of minutes
- Rinse with warm water or with the wash cloth.
Where to buy:
Some people use face wash or even organic soaps, totally depends on you. For a more affordable option, try using Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser available at Souq for AED 41, 118 ml because it great for daily use morning and night.
I personally use Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cleanser, AED 105 available at Kiehl’s website.
Try to avoid the exfoliating cleansers with small beads because the skin should NOT be exfoliated every day.
STEP 3: EXFOLIATE
You should only be exfoliating your face twice a week. Do not over exfoliate because that will dry up your skin and make it super flaky!
Method:
- 2X a Week Only, Recommended at Night (1 time every 3 days)
- Place a small amount on your palm and gently massage on your face for a couple of minutes
- Rinse with warm water or with the wash cloth.
Where to buy:
You can use any exfoliator like NIVEA which is around AED 17 or DOVE at AED 25 from Carrefour or other supermarkets. Of course, if you prefer you can use an expensive one as well.
I personally use the Bioderma White Moussant Cleanser Scrub, AED 68.
STEP 4: TONER
A lot of people think that toner is used to cleanse the face. Although some toners can do that, the main benefit of the toner is to restore your skin’s pH balance.
Method:
- DAILY, Morning and Night
- Place a small amount on a cotton pad and apply on your face. You can also put it on a spray bottle and spray it on your face.
Where to buy:
You can use any toner from any supermarket or pharmacy, but if possible, look for one that is Alcohol-free like this one which also has rosewater – Thayer’s Alcohol-Free Rose Petal Witch Hazel Toner for AED 36 at Souq.
I personally use Clinique 2 Clarifying Lotion AED 115 at Sephora.
STEP 5 AND 6: ESSENCE AND SERUM / TREATMENT
Okay so I am putting these two together because most of you will be confused and may interchange them. A lot of you may ask what is the difference between Essence and Serum. Well, after lots of research, here’s my helpful conclusion:
- An essence is something you use to improve your skin overall. It is used to maintain hydration and add nutrition to your skin.
- A serum on the other hand is used as a treatment to address specific skin problems like age spots, winkles, dark under eyes, acne, etc.
Method:
- DAILY, Morning and Night
- Apply the essence first by putting a few drops on your fingertips and patting into the skin. Let it sit on your skin for a couple of minutes. Try the Caudalie Brightening Essence for AED 168 for 150 ml at Sephora.
- Follow by applying the serum as directed on the product label. I like the Caudalie Beauty Elixir to tighten the pores available for 84 AED for 30 ml at Sephora.
- After the essence and serum, this is also the stage where you place any other skin care treatments you may need. For example, with my dark under eyes and uneven skin tone I used these two products to address these issues. They deliver in UAE.
Where to buy:
WARNING!!! These are a bit more expensive than the rest of the products.
You can purchase essences and serums online at bbcreamgirl or shopbeautykoreadubai OR if you don’t like online shopping you can go to SEPHORA or THE FACE SHOP which is in major malls like Bujuman, Dubai Mall, Al Ghurair, and Ibn Battuta Mall.
Essences are rarer to find so it’s better to find one in the links or stores I mentioned above. Serums are more available and even pharmacies and supermarkets in UAE already have them.
STEP 7: SHEET MASK
This is a step that is also to be done only 2X a week. I recommend doing it on the same day you have exfoliated to give your skin that extra moisture boost.
Method:
- 2X a Week Only, Recommended at Night (1 time every 3 days)
- Place mask on face for 10-15 minutes
- Remove mask and DO NOT WIPE OFF extra moisture, rather, let it sit and get absorbed on your skin.
Where to buy:
Sheet mask are available in Sephora but are little bit pricey at AED 25 per piece. The good news is you can now buy a Korean sheet mask at ETUDE HOUSE in Dubai mall for only AED 10 so that’s really economical and an investment of AED 20 a week is not something that will break your bank.
This is my Sheet Mask 10 Dirham Beauty Hack Review.
STEP 8: EYE CREAM
Ladies! This is very important. Eye cream is essential because the skin in the eye area is sensitive so it’s best to keep it always moisturized to avoid fine lines. Once you hit your mid-20’s, it’s time to start putting on eye cream!
Method:
- DAILY, Morning and Night
- Using your fingertips, apply a small amount on your eye area using a small, patting motion. Do not drag or press hard on your skin.
Where to buy:
There are lots of eye creams available in UAE. Again depending on your budget, you can go affordable using drugstore products like NIVEA (AED 52) or HIMALAYA (AED 32) because after all, it’s better than not putting anything at all!
However, if you need to invest on something in all these list of products, a good eye cream is probably your best investment, together with serums and sunscreen. Eye creams can go as high as AED700 Believe it or not! But something like the Organic Dr. Hauschka Daily Hydrating Eye Cream for AED 143 would be a good choice.
I personally use the Charlotte Tilbury Magic Eye Rescue Cream AED 230 available in Dubai Mall store.
STEP 9: MOISTURIZER
Aha! I’m sure this is something you are familiar with. I bet some of you go straight to moisturizer after toning the face. Sadly, no this is not the 3rd step but the 9th step!
Method:
- DAILY, Morning and Night
- Apply a small amount on palm and apply on face in gentle patting, sweeping motion.
Where to buy:
Again, depending on your budget you can go economical or high end. For budget friendly choice the NIVEA Soft Moisturizing Cream for AED 11.30 can be bought from Carrefour or many local grocery stores.
If you want to use a moisturizer that celebrities use like maybe Priyanka Chopra, check out Crème De La Mer for a whopping AED 693 for a 30 ml jar at Sephora. To put it in perspective, that’s around 60 bottles of Nivea Soft!
I personally use Charlote Tilbury Magic Cream, AED 400 at Dubai Mall store.
STEP 10: SUN PROTECTION / SLEEPING MASK
Whew! This is the last step of the skin care routine! In the morning always protect your face with sun block and at night put a sleeping mask.
Sleeping masks are different from night creams because they have more active ingredients that will continue nourishing your skin overnight. They are also referred to as sleeping packs. You don’t remove it like the sheet mask, rather you apply It like a night cream on your face and leave it overnight.
Method:
- DAILY, Morning and Night
- In the morning put sun protection, while at night put a sleeping mask
- For sunscreen, the amount of sunscreen to use for your face must be same size as a 1 Dirham coin! Apply on face in patting, small sweeping motion.
- For sleeping mask, use as per package directions as there are different types and consistencies.
Where to buy:
Sun Creams:
For sun creams, go with SPF 30-50. With the Dubai sun, the higher the better. For drugstore brands, I personally use Banana Boat (Ultra Protect Faces SPF 50, AED 17-20 for 60-90ML) which you can easily find in most UAE groceries and pharmacies.
Another good brand is Seba Med (SPF 50, AED26 for 75ML) for sensitive skin.
And for high end brands, you can try Clarins (SPF 50, AED 168 for 75 ml).
Sleeping Masks:
SEPHORA has Dr. Jart Dermask Firming Sleeping Mask for AED109, and also the Shiseido Ibuki Sleeping Mask for AED 232. Again, you can go to THE FACE SHOP and ETUDE HOUSE to explore their sleeping masks/ packs.
10-STEP COMMITMENT
This 10-step commitment needs your patience and dedication. As I’ve said, the cost of the products will depend on you, and the result can be different for each person but following this religiously can certainly make a difference.
You can choose to SAVE or SPEND on the products to use, but for some products that are really pricey, you need to just find the most affordable option available.
| STEP 1 | Oil Cleansing | SAVE |
| STEP 2 | Foam Cleansing | SAVE |
| STEP 3 | Exfoliate | SAVE |
| STEP 4 | Toner | SAVE |
| STEP 5 | Essence | Find the Most Affordable |
| STEP 6 | Serum | SPEND |
| STEP 7 | Face Mask | SAVE |
| STEP 8 | Eye Cream | SPEND |
| STEP 9 | Moisturizer | SAVE |
| STEP 10 | Sun Screen | SPEND |
| Sleeping Mask | Find the Most Affordable |
