What Is A 'Neutral' Product?

I'm a firm believer in the psychological pleasures of beauty products. Sometimes, I want to treat myself to a luxurious product, to satisfy the lust we often feel as consumers for something new, something extravagant, something precious, something rare and hard-to-find. Often, however, I lose focus and the once-exciting treasure is not sought out for repurchase. Over the years I've come to the conclusion that when it comes to high-turnover products like skincare—quickly used up, quickly repurchased—I prefer my most-loved essential products to be boring. Neutral.

If I had no other skincare, I would be fine. I do have more, of course. =)

If your aim is simply to take good care of your skin, then finding a core routine of reliable products is all that's required. If you enjoy experimentation, you still need neutral products to fall back on, as a point of comparison for your skin's preferences. My 'neutral' cleanser is not my Tata Harper Refreshing Cleanser, and I know this, in spite of its heavenly fragrance of grapefruit and neroli, the creamy warm pink hue, the gentle purification from pink clay and willow bark, the bottle like summer sunshine filtered by a tree spreading its green branches above you; it's my Bioderma Atoderm Ultra-Nourishing Shower Oil, which you can buy in a colossal 1L size and offers little in the way of romance. It's a cleanser, in sum. A very good, simple formula, and an economical option for dry, sensitive skin. This isn't to claim that one is superior to the other—in fact both feature coco-glucoside as their main detergent—there's room in our skincare routines, surely, for both frivolous luxuries as well as boring, utilitarian products. However, for a routine to work, it does need to be built on a foundation of neutral products. The option to experiment is always there; it's harder to find the basics.

Some signs that a product is a neutral product:

• FORMULA   Typically (but not always) a simple, minimalist formula designed for most skin types including sensitive. Or, a product that you know well, and can be sure of how your skin reacts.
• PERFORMANCE   Reliable to the point it no longer requires much thought to use. It's always in the background, performing faithfully. Ingredients lists are a start, but they don't necessarily determine how they perform on the skin, so this differs somewhat from formula.
• LIFESTYLE   Integrates well into your routine and plays well with other products. Often this is where texture comes into play.
• ACCESSIBILITY   Skincare, unlike eyeshadow palettes, are high-turnover products and require frequent repurchases. Personally, I love the thrill of the hunt when it comes to experimenting, but strangely loathe the hassle when making repurchases. As such, I prefer to buy within the domestic market (currently South Korea). The beauty industry is rife with copycats, so you can often find products that are similar to each other; for example I don't necessarily consider Heimish All Clean Balm the best makeup-removing initial cleanse on the market, but it is a good product that I can find easily without too much expense.
• PRICE POINT   Again, because skincare tends to be high turnover, the pricing becomes a factor when it comes time to repurchase. For me, that's between ₩10,000–₩50,000, depending on its kind.
• CONSUMER HABITS   If you've repurchased it or have a stockpile of backups, that's an obvious sign. It's not always possible to avoid ordering online; something critical like sunscreen or a specialized treatment may prove more elusive when it comes to finding the right formula.
• COMPETITION   It becomes a standard by which you measure other products. If you enjoy experimenting with skincare, that core routine gives you clarity: drop after drop, Product X was enjoyable, but at the end of the bottle (or jar), you think, "Well, it's not quite as nice as old faithful Product Y." This makes dabbling in luxury products less burdensome, in my opinion, since you are not looking for commitment.

Most of my own 'neutral' products are fairly bland but well made utilitarian products and, though best suited for drier skin, I can recommend without much reservation: Bioderma Atoderm Ultra-Nourishing Shower Oil, Bifesta Eye Make Up Remover, Heimish All Clean Balm, Freeplus Moist Care Lotion 2, Etude House Soon Jung 10-Free Moist Emulsion/Atopalm MLE Cream/Huxley More Than Moist, and Sun Bears Super Strong Plus SPF50/PA++++. One is a treatment; Paula's Choice 1% Retinol is fairly aggressive, so this is one to consider carefully before introducing it into your routine.

Routines: Treatment: Fall 2017

One category of products is conspicuously absent in my routine: and those are actives* (with the exception of sunscreen).

At the present moment my skincare is largely dedicated to maintenance and care. While I do break up cleansing and moisturizing into multiple steps, my routine is ultimately nothing more than maintenance. Currently I have neither a no-nonsense minimalist routine nor an overflow of trendy products: some are neutral basic formulations, others are psychologically indulgent luxuries. A little faff is okay, in my estimation. I find that if you've established a core routine of reliable and neutral basics, you can experiment a little outside of products that offer value for money, conservative skincare practices (such as avoiding plant extracts), and those ingredients backed by clinical research. But, again with the exception of sunscreen, these products will not counter the inevitability of genetics and time.

The only active-led, anti-aging product in my arsenal (again, except for sunscreen, if only to reinforce its importance) is Paula's Choice CLINICAL 1% Retinol Treatment. I use this around my eyes, where the first signs occur; for whatever reason, my skin does not find retinoids overly irritating, not even tretinoin, so I find a 1% retinol offers just enough punch to use as an anti-aging eye cream. Additionally, I've been pumping it out first onto a hyperpigmentation spot on the back of my hand—because why not—and I am delighted to report that the spot has started to fade. I would also like to incorporate a LAA serum underneath my sunscreen, since antioxidants and sun protection go hand in hand, but the combination of a niacinamide-heavy routine** and lack of access to a stable formulation in Korea hasn't made vitamin C valid as an option. I typically don't have issues with my skin outside of sensitivity, and since actives have a higher probably of triggering a reaction, a retinol is all I've got. I dare say, however, it's a heavy-hitter.

I do not use a dedicated niacinamide-led treatment—at least, there's no information on percentages for any of the products I use—but it is scattered all throughout my routine for its ameliorative effect on my easily upset, easily dehydrated skin. Under the influence of niacinamide, my skin has normalized and become far less reactive than previously, which is my primary concern. Niacinamide boosts radiance and evens out skin tone to boot—always a bonus.

Occasionally my skin has a meltdown. It reacts far less frequently now that it's frequently dosed with niacinamide, but it still happens. In which case I scale back to the bare minimum of Bioderma Atoderm cleanser and one of my favorite discoveries in Korea, Dr. Jart Cicapair, available in both serum and cream. I layer them generously, bunker down, and wait the irritation out. It's very rare that you will find products that will speed recovery and healing; Cicapair is one of the few that does.

Due to having paper-skin to begin with, there is no separate category for exfoliation. Since it addresses a multiplicity of issues from congestion to hyperpigmentation to acne, I would classify exfoliation as treatment. However, I don't exfoliate. It does me far more harm than good.


DETAILS
Paula's Choice 1% Retinol is 30mL for $56, available at Paula's Choice. I haven't replaced mine yet, but RRP in Korea is ₩77,000.
Dr. Jart+ Cicapair Serum is 30mL for $46, available at Sephora. I bought mine at Olive Young for ₩38,000.
Dr. Jart+ Cicapair Cream is 50mL for $48, available at Sephora. I bought mine at Olive Young for ₩45,000.

*It's possible to classify any number of ingredients as actives, but by this I mean potent actives with benefits and side effects on the skin beyond simple cleansing/moisturizing, thus requiring special handling in terms of formulation and application. A cream is a cream at the end of the day; an LAA serum requires more research to incorporate optimally into your routine.
**I have read that the research claiming LAA and niacinamide cannot be used simultaneously is outdated. However, as I don't have access to a proper stabilized concentration of vitamin C product at the moment, the issue is moot.

Lookbook: Faded Roses

Here is my current everyday look. Since I typically favor grey-toned pastels and bold lips, so this is my idea of a dusty toned-down look for autumn, rather than a neutral look. To balance out the earthy tones, it's centered around Bobbi Brown Blush 29 Nude Pink, a pastel violet-pink that oxidizes on my skin into a deeper pink that closely resembles an old discontinued favorite, Becca Wild Orchid. The lipstick I coordinate most frequently with it is Clé de Peau Lipstick 09 Silk Thread, a soft rose with mauve undertones. On me, it's a bog-standard neutral lip, but I nevertheless appreciate the supremely comfortable, balmy formula. I'm most comfortable in a bold lip, so they're still in rotation: Armani Lip Magnet #501 Eccentrico, an ultra-flourescent pink that's probably visible from space, and Missha Signature Dewy Rouge RD04 Scarlet Lady, a glossy pink-red sufficiently muted down that it feels appropriately autumnal.

As you can see, Nude Pink oxidizes significantly on my skin. But!... Into a color I like.

I've gone brighter on the cheeks mainly to offset the simple wash of brown eyeshadow on my lids. No one's more surprised than I am to find how much I like Aritaum Mono Eyes in M18 Classic Shadow, an ashy greyed matte taupe, but I find I can get away with this because it has absolutely no warmth. It could easily double for contouring.

The rest is finished off by bushy brows, courtesy of Bourjois Brow Design 04 Brun, which yields a fluffy and dramatic brow, moreso than the infamous Boy Brow, and extra definition at the lashline by tightlining. The result is an effortless, almost natural-looking smoky eye (if I didn't wear mascara, I think it would pass for natural), so to ramp up the smoulder a notch, Clinique Cream Shaper For Eyes 103 Egyptian, green-gold reflects scattered through a dilute charcoal kohl. Or, because my idea of a seasonal look tends to be variations on a theme, a touch of Addiction The Eyeshadow 052 Midnight Drive lifts the matte taupe ever so slightly and takes it in a more polished, colorful direction. I like the freshness of a pastel against the more conventional autumnal tones.


AFTERTHOUGHTS
I love the color on Bobbi Brown Nude Pink, but I wish the texture was less choppy.
Clé de Peau Silk Thread was bought in Japan, almost as a souvenir; otherwise, an expensive lipstick in a boring shade.
Love both Armani Lip Magnets and the Missha Signature Dewy Rouge formulae, however.
I wish I knew which MAC shadow Aritaum Classic Shadow is duping.
Might have to go back to Boy Brow. Bourjois Brow Design is finicky to apply: too big a brush.
KBeauty was obsessed with Clinique Egyptian several years ago, and that's why I thought to buy it.
I rarely wear colorful eye looks these days, but I still like to collect shadows, especially when they're as pretty as Addiction Midnight Drive.

Routines: Sun Protection: Fall 2017

The best sunscreen is one that you will actually use.

This is tricky. As much as I want the protection PA++++ offers, like most people I have trouble finding a sunscreen that strikes a balance between texturally acceptable and non-irritating. I am particularly reactive to UV filters, so when I find one my skin can tolerate, only then is it possible to consider whether the texture is tolerable. Something like Avène Very High Protection Mineral Fluid SPF50+/PA++++ is gentle and provides the UVA protection that's required, but like most all-physical sunscreens the suffocating feel on the skin is hard to tolerate and, regardless of its fitness for my skin, I will end up applying too little or, worse, avoiding it entirely.

Luckily, I've got one that works, with enough stockpiled for a nuclear winter: Sun Bears Super Strong Plus SPF50+/PA++++. I would not pretend it is the best texture out there, but in order for a sunscreen not to be irritating on my skin, a higher proportion of physical filters—and the corresponding sacrifice in texture—is necessary. An absolutely invisible sunscreen is not realistically within the realm of possibility for me, so I'm happy that Sun Bears is pleasant enough for everyday use, and like most fluid sunscreens there's enough silicone to double as a primer, and the scent is faint and inoffensive. The zinc oxide is a tad drying, but over the multiple strata of skincare typically applied onto my skin, I can hardly sense it. For all the things it is not (suffocatingly heavy, greasy, dead matte, stinky, irritating, alcohol-laden, prohibitively expensive, hard to apply), this serves as my neutral sunscreen.

It's amazing how sensitive this balance can be, how individually determined. A sunscreen that's even a little off loses significantly in terms of use value. Something like Too Cool For School Mild Cica Sun Lotion SPF50+/PA++++ manages nearly everything, but stumbles at the last when it comes to finish: it's simply too dead a matte. And yet, this would be great on an oilier skin. On the other hand, Anessa Perfect UV Sunscreen Aqua Booster SPF50/PA++++ offers the silky texture of dreams (though it does sit strangely under makeup), but is too harsh for my skin.

Among the trickle of PA++++ sunscreens on the Korean market, I've had better luck with Laneige Watery Sun Cream SPF50+/PA++++ and Huxley Sun Cream: Stay Sun Safe SPF50+/PA++++. Neither presents any serious issues, but they're both somewhat heavier and considerably pricier than the perennially reliable Sun Bears, so neither suffices as a replacement, though the boost in moisture might be nice for winter. We'll see. I am still in the process of testing.

N.B. All of these products, with the exception of the Anessa, leaves a white cast. I'm fair-skinned so personally this is not an issue.

DETAILS
Avène Mineral Fluid is 40mL for $16, available at Cocoon Center. I bought mine at Olive Young for ₩32,000.
Sun Bears Super Strong Plus is 28mL for $3.50, available at Sasa.
Too Cool For School Mild Cica Sun Lotion is 100mL for ₩23,000. I bought mine in store.
Anessa Perfect UV Sunscreen Aqua Booster is 60mL for $30, available at Sasa. I bought mine at Watson's for ₩36,000.
Laneige Watery Sun Cream is 50mL for $27, available at Aritaum.
Huxley Sun Cream: Stay Sun Safe is 35mL for ₩28,000. I bought mine at Chicor.