My actual skincare routine for Malaysian humidity (not the aesthetic version)

I get asked about my skincare routine more than literally anything else, so here it finally is — the real one, not the aspirational one I post about once and never repeat. Malaysian humidity is a whole different beast and half the advice out there is written for climates that never hit 90% humidity by 9am.

Mornings are deliberately boring: a gentle cleanser, a lightweight vitamin C serum I've repurchased for two years straight, and a gel moisturiser that doesn't leave that heavy film under makeup. Sunscreen is non-negotiable — I reapply around midday if I'm out and about, which I know most people skip but genuinely makes a difference here.

Evenings depend entirely on how the day went. Good day: double cleanse, a light exfoliating toner twice a week, then whatever treatment serum I'm testing that month. Bad day: micellar water and straight to bed, and honestly that's fine too.

The one change that actually moved the needle for my skin this year wasn't a product at all — it was switching my pillowcase more often and finally taking "drink more water" seriously instead of just saying it in videos. Not glamorous, but it works.