Some of us skincare enthusiasts know the struggle of and religiously abide by the 10-step KBeauty routine, but when it’s National Lazy Day, we’re saying a temporary goodbye to all of our toners, essences, serums, eye creams, oils, spot treatments, sheet masks, and more (so, so much more).
So let’s start National Lazy Day off by simplifying a 30 minute-long morning skincare routine to just 5 minutes and 3 products! That’s right: get your entire skincare routine done in the time it takes for Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill” to finish playing.
There’s really not much to it other than a good cleanser, moisturizer, and sunscreen! (Heavy emphasis on the sunscreen part, as you should still be wearing sunscreen indoors!) And we’ll make it even easier by telling you exactly which products we love for a minimalist but effective morning skincare routine.
Cleansers
Etude House Soon Jung Whip Cleanser
There is no best of Asian skincare list out there without Etude House’s Soon Jung line! Infused with panthenol and madecassoside, Soon Jung products focus on optimizing skin health through strengthening and soothing the skin barrier. Their Whip Cleanser is especially gentle, as it’s also pH-balanced and free of fragrance, parabens, mineral oil, and animal materials.
The foam is dense and ultra creamy, very true to name! Despite the bad rap foam cleansers often get for stripping skin, the Soon Jung Whip Cleanser leaves skin feeling so soft and comfortable.
Heimish All Clean Green Foam
If you’re still not a foam cleanser believer, here’s another option to start your skincare routine on a good note! While Heimish’s All Clean Green Foam is marketed as a foam cleanser—and it does lather up just a bit—it’s more of a gel-to-milky-lather than a true foam.
This pH-balanced wonder (5.5 compared to Soon Jung’s 6.5, in case you were curious!) uses an amino acid cleansing agent for a super gentle, mild, and non-stripping cleanse. Plus, centella asiatica soothes irritated skin and reduces redness! Like Soon Jung’s Whip Cleanser, it also leaves skin feeling impeccably soft, prepping skin to better absorb the next step of moisturizer!
Moisturizer
Naturie Hatomugi Skin Conditioning Gel
Since we want to apply sunscreen as our next step, our National Lazy Day moisturizer should be light and fast-absorbing, but hydrating as well. The Naturie Hatomugi Skin Conditioning Gel ticks all our boxes, and then some! The gel-to-liquid formula feels immediately cooling on skin, and is thin enough to sink into skin rapidly.
Hatomugi, its key ingredient, is rich in niacin and peptides. As such, this JBeauty cult fave brightens and moisturizes skin while also delivering anti-aging benefits such as firming and reducing dark spots.
CosRX Oil Free Ultra Moisturizing Lotion with Birch Sap
Another lightning-fast absorbing moisturizer, the CosRX Oil Free Ultra Moisturizing Lotion with Birch Sap provides lightweight hydration and soothing. As it is oil free, it relies on 70.8% birch sap juice, betaine, panthenol, and sodium hyaluronate to increase skin’s water retention and moisture absorption abilities. No greasiness or waxiness with this lotion!
Touted as an all-purpose lotion, the Ultra Moisturizing Lotion can protect skin from environmental stressors and restore moisture to skin in just one step. It’s simply perfect for National Lazy Day!
Sunscreen
Neogen Day-light Protection Airy Sunscreen SPF 50+
Once, the world was a darker place. Once, we lived in a world without Neogen’s Day-light Protection Airy Sunscreen. A weightless, SPF 50 broad spectrum sunscreen, Neogen Airy is the younger sister of Neogen’s Day-light Protection Sunscreen. She’s got a pep in her step, wind in her hair, and a picnic basket full of 20 plant extracts like ulmus extract and aloe vera extract to rejuvenate and balance skin.
You’ll be hard pressed to find a sunscreen with a more beautiful finish! Silky, satin-y, and smooth without a white cast. Just effortlessly gorgeous, as you deserve on even the laziest of days!
Heimish Artless Glow Base SPF 50+ PA+++
What’s that? You have to venture outside today but you don’t wanna wear makeup? Let us introduce you to your knight in shining armor: Heimish’s Artless Glow Base SPF 50+ PA+++. Acting as both heavy-duty sun protection and a skin-enhancing primer, the Artless Glow Base is our secret weapon for lazy days.
Rosehip fruit extract and thyme extract even out skin tone while niacinamide imparts long-lasting moisture. On top of these benefits and fantastic sun protection, this multitasking base also gives skin a slightly shimmery glow, ever so lovely and natural!
Final Thoughts
Sometimes a reduced coursework kinda skincare routine is completely acceptable! Just make sure to hit the three basics of cleansing, replenishing, and spf-ing to satisfy your skin for the day.(Or, you could splash your face with water and call it a day. No shame in it!)