Whoo! Finally my kind of thread :D
I'm a self-proclaimed skincare addict/expert in acne-prone skin. I've had acne most of my life. I'm past my mid-twenties and still get the occasional pimple every now and then and I've been so terribly frustrated with most skincare, I swear to God, I had to spend years educating myself on ingredients and detailed reports of how my skin reacts to each and every one of them until I could clear my skin.
All that make me realise that most western skincare is just full of shit. Quite literally. Drugstore? Everything has alcohol and perfume. High end? Full of shit you don't even know why they put there.
My salvation and saviour in these dire times was Korean skincare. Koreans are, as we all know, are perhaps the most vain people in the world. And where there's demand, there's results. Their skincare is not only cheaper than the stuff we get in the west, but way way waaaay better with a lot better ingredients and NEVER bad shit like alcohol, unless it's absolutely necessary, like sunscreen.
Also, OP, I would argue about the exfoliant being in a daily routine. If you have sensitive or acne-prone skin like myself, exfoliating will only make it much much worse. I exfoliate only when I feel like I need it, which is about monthly. I use a lot of oils, like coconut oil or rosehip oil which is great for sensitive skin, but be warned - it burns a little, as it purifies/detox. Do not use daily and expect your skin to go all red when you use it.
I would also add a toner, which is like a primer for your moisturiser. What most moisturisers do isn't, as the name suggests, moisturising, but instead they are like a shield that keeps your moisture and good stuff in the skin. Whatever you put before the moisturiser will make the most difference to your skin and the moisturiser will just keep it in longer.
Also always, ALWAYS use a sunscreen. Facial one. I'd highly recommend the Biore ones, they're specially made for face and daily use and are pretty cheap.
And another note that seems to be a topic here - there is absolutely no fucking difference between men and women products. It is the exact same thing.
