Last week, I talked about a skincare routine for kids to fight dry skin in Beijing’s arid climate. But as an adult, I myself have suffered all sorts of skin maladies since arriving here almost three years ago. Without turning you off your breakfast, just a few of the skin issues I’ve faced included acne and scarring, cracked lips, and mild hives.

After going to dermatologists at hospitals and taking medication, as well as trying various facial and body treatments at spas and medical institutes, I’m here to share the skincare routine that is finally working to keep most of my previous skin problems at bay.

Right off the bat, let me recommend this awesome free app I found to log your skincare routine as well as analyze your skin health and compare daily selfies so you can track how your skin changes over time. It even lets you record the products you use and reminds you when they are about to expire.

This one is great for the colder, drier season when you don’t want to strip your skin of its natural oils. This solid cleansing balm keeps skin plump and moist as it removes dirt and makeup!

The only locally made face wash I’ve found here with prebiotics, naturally formulated by Irina from Vedic Life, who is rebranding her skincare line as Tesori d’Amore Perfume and Cosmetics.

Audrey Tournier founded Slow Living in China to create skincare that takes the best from nature and science in order to help people reconnect to the rejuvenating wisdom of nature. The Juicy Peach Toner smells good enough to eat and keeps my face hydrated with a few spritzes after a wash!

Says it all in the name - the Mattify range will help control excessive sebum production so you don't look oily and shiny all summer! The coolest ingredient in this is cactus oil!

We’re always hearing about serums that should contain the magic ingredients of retinol, hyaluronic acid, or Vitamin C, but why choose between them when you can have them all in this very affordable serum trio set from RG Cosmetics? Even my husband likes these because they are super light and have no scent, except for the Vitamin C one.

I’ve heard so much about the skincare miracle that is pink clay in recent years, and truly it does clear my skin up! One user even commented that her skin-analyzing device reported increased levels in her skin elasticity and moisture levels, while oil levels went down.

Another shoutout to Irina from Vedic Life as I absolutely love this body scrub, which is the first of its kind I’ve found that foams! So often a scrub sticks to you in the shower and you can still find bits of it afterwards in unmentionable places, but this foaming body scrub just glides off your skin, leaving you smelling like freshly-made caramel!

In my next related article, I’ll reveal the skincare treatment that every well-kept Beijing woman treats herself to regularly, so stay tuned!

Images: Unsplash, courtesy of the vendors