I gave up on expensive treatments for my uneven skin tone

Spending too much time on my morning routine

I used to be obsessed with the idea that I needed a high-end skincare regimen to look decent. My bathroom shelf was full of random tubes, some that I bought because of a random recommendation from a friend, others because they were ranked high on the Olive Young app. I remember buying the Cosnori Whitening Dress specifically because everyone said it was the holy grail for instant brightening. It cost me around 15,000 to 20,000 won if I recall correctly, which isn’t cheap when you realize you’re going to run through it in two months. I spent way too many mornings standing in front of the mirror, blending this stuff into my neck and arms, just trying to hide the fact that I have uneven patches from wearing sandals all summer.

The reality of body brightening creams

There is this expectation that if you buy a specialized body brightening cream, it will fix the hyperpigmentation on your joints or toes almost immediately. Honestly, it’s mostly just a psychological comfort. I tried using these products on my feet and even around my inner thighs, hoping for some miraculous change, but it’s mostly just a temporary visual effect. It’s like putting a filter on your skin in real life. If you miss a day, the skin just looks like itself again. It’s annoying when the product rubs off on your clothes, especially when you’re in a rush to get to work or meet someone. I’ve wasted so much time scrubbing off white streaks from my dark-colored shirts.

Choosing between sun protection and tone correction

I spent a solid hour once looking at the different sunscreens in the local health and beauty store. You have the Scinic Enjoy Super Active Airy Sun Stick, which is easy to carry around, and then the various tone-up creams that promise a ‘no-foundation’ look. I like the idea of skipping foundation, but many of these tone-up sunscreens are either too chalky or leave my face looking like a ghost in photos. If it has a lavender tint, it helps with the yellowness, but it doesn’t really cover my pores. Sometimes I think the more I put on my face to ‘correct’ it, the more visible the texture becomes. It’s a trade-off that never feels quite perfect.

Why I stopped chasing the perfect glow

I stopped looking at the rankings for top sunscreens. Every time I find one that I like, it seems like the brand changes the formula or it gets sold out everywhere. I remember grabbing a cooling spray when I was overheated from waiting for the subway, thinking it would save my makeup, but it just ended up making my face feel wet and sticky for twenty minutes. It’s funny how we think we can control how our skin looks with a 70ml bottle of something. Lately, I just wash my face with lukewarm water, slap on a basic moisturizer, and pick whichever tone-up sunscreen isn’t expired. It’s not the glowing look you see in magazines, but it’s enough for a Tuesday afternoon.

The cycle of testing new products

I keep seeing new stuff pop up—things with ‘exosomes’ or fancy plant extracts that promise to change your skin texture in a week. I’ve tried the ones that cost twice as much as my standard cream, thinking maybe that’s the secret, but the difference is barely noticeable to anyone but me. I still have a pile of half-used bottles under my sink. I tell myself I’ll finish them eventually, but I know I’ll just end up buying something new when a sale pops up on an app. It’s a weird, repetitive cycle that I don’t think I’ll ever actually escape.