For those of you with severe internal dryness, let me share my personal hydration routine haha.

Hello Maypure members! The weather has been really wild lately; it's chilly in the mornings and evenings but hot during the day, so my skin condition has been really fluctuating. I have naturally oily skin that lacks moisture, so I've always been very worried because the internal dryness gets so severe whenever the seasons change. Do you all know that feeling where your face feels so tight it's practically tearing apart after washing it? So, I recently established my own complete hydration routine, and since it's been much more effective than I expected, I just wanted to quietly share it on the general discussion board.

First of all, I consider the "golden time" immediately after washing my face to be the most important. I started by getting rid of the habit of vigorously rubbing my face dry with a towel. Now, while my skin is still slightly damp, I immediately apply a water-type toner that I keep in the bathroom to help it absorb. In the past, I preferred the so-called "wiping toner" method, where I soak a cotton pad and wipe my face with it. However, when my skin barrier is thin, even that physical friction becomes irritating. So, I now use the "absorbing toner" method, where I pour some into my palm and gently press it onto my face to help absorption, repeating this about three times. Since I stopped using cotton pads, my skin definitely gets less red, and I feel like it is plumping up with moisture from deep within.

In the next step, I apply a generous amount of hydrating ampoule. I usually use products with a high concentration of hyaluronic acid. However, since hyaluronic acid has the property of attracting moisture from the surroundings, I heard that applying it when the skin is dry on the surface can actually draw moisture away from deep within. Therefore, you must apply it while your skin is hydrated—after opening up the moisture pathways with a toner in the previous step—for the synergy to explode. After applying the ampoule, the skin feels supple, and finishing with a barrier cream to lock in moisture and prevent it from evaporating is essential.

The area I am focusing on most these days is barrier care. I squeeze out a pea-sized amount of cream formulated with ceramide, cholesterol, and fatty acids in the right proportions, gently warm it with a finger thermometer, and then spread it thinly like a coating. A strong skin barrier is essential to withstand external stimuli and retain moisture. Lately, I have been keenly realizing that the foundation of anti-aging is, ultimately, hydration and a strong skin barrier.

In addition, I am paying just as much attention to drinking water as I do to applying skincare. Since it is difficult to drink plain water, I brew light decaffeinated tea and am trying to drink 2 liters a day. Since I started managing my skin this way, my makeup definitely flakes less in the afternoon, and my skin texture has become much softer. If you, our members, suffer from severe inner dryness, I highly recommend trying this barrier hydration routine that builds moisture layer by layer starting from your basic skincare. Please share your tips in the comments on how you are coping with the changing seasons!!