It’s my first winter in Melbourne (and she’s nippy), which means everything is dry; my face, limbs, hair! My skin, in particular, has really taken the hit.

I’ve always maintained a fairly extensive skincare routine (read: 9 steps minimum) but with these new set of circumstances (ie being very cold and very dry), I'm finding my usual slathering of serums and balmy creams just aren’t cutting it.

To up the ante, I've enlisted the best of Korean Skincare to hydrate, calm and cocoon my parched Winter skin.

With hydration as the baseline goal (always), my routine has seen the addition of toner pads, milky essences and those juicy, collagen-charged overnight masks that basically do the heavy lifting while I sleep. Heaven!

And I think they've truly helped. My skin feels plumper, dewier and now boats a reflective-in-the-right-light glassy sheen.

With Adore being the go-to stockists for all things Korean and Japanese skincare in Australia, here are the products I’m currently loving and lathering this season.

What: Mediheal Watermide Moisture Pad, BIODANCE Cera-Nol Gel Toner Pads 60 Padsand INNISFREE Green Tea Enzyme Vitamin C Brightening Toner Pad 60ea

Consider me converted.

For those of you new to the toner pad game; they're saturated, pre-dosed pads. The pre-dosed liquid in question? Well this can span anything from exfoliating BHAs (great for refining texture) to potent retinols and brightening Vit Cs. Simply press, swipe or leave on for a gorgeous mini mask moment. They’ve become my go-to on mornings where I'm time poor (and likely running late).

Mediheal’s Watermide Moisture Pads are a great entry point (and where I personally started). Drenched in ultra-hydrators like squalane and aquaxyl, they feel quite cooling and comfortable on the skin without leaving behind any tacky residue. I use them straight after cleansing to rehydrate and bring skin back to life. I usually let them sit on cheeks (they fit snuggly along the cheekbone) for a few minutes while I brush my teeth. My skin feels pillowy and soft afterwards.

For radiance and notable brightening, INNISFREE’s Green Tea Enzyme Vitamin C Brightening Toner Pads are my top shelf pick. The dual-sided pads means you can gently exfoliate with one swipe, then flip for a more soothing second pass. A potent (yet tolerable) dosage of Vitamin C works to brighten and even complexion while added Jeju green tea ensures a soothed finish. The scent is subtle and clean with a hint of.... matcha?! I'm obsessed.

Another hydrating and barrier-repairing hero: BIODANCE’s Cera-Nol Gel Toner Pads. These feel like a notch above - the texture is more essence-soaked jelly than toner-soaked cotton. They're infused with ceramides and panthenol to calm, cushion and strengthen a compromised skin barrier. I reach for these when my face feels a little tight or reactive (particularly post treatment or retinol) and have found they instantly soothe skin. They’re gentle enough to use daily but also potent enough to make a real difference in how my skin retains moisture. A gamechanger!

What: SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Probio-Cica Intensive Ampoule 50ml,TIRTIR Milk Skin Toner Light, Torriden Dive-In Low Molecular Hyaluronic Acid Tonerand Hada Labo Glow Brightening Hydrator 150ml

I've always associated toners with, well, toning (and usually deep resurfacing). Admittedly I wasn't familiar with the milky toner lore until a scroll on TikTok sent me spiralling down the Torriden Dive-In Toner rabbit hole. IYKYK. If you don't know - my lovely colleague wrote a great deep dive on the beloved brand here. The brand has amassed an impressive 333 million views on TikTok, so it's worth checking out.

Thanks to Adore's fast shipping, I received my Toner a prompt 2 days post TikTok scroll and was thoroughly impressed. It's very a watery, (read: weightless) essence that dry skin absolutely lapped up. The formula heroes a low molecular hyaluronic acid, which works to penetrate deeper layers of the skin for longer-lasting hydration. It behaves a little like a serum - fast absorbing and layers nicely. My skin feels instantly quenched, plump and even a little perkier.

Another TikTok favourite - TIRTIR’s Milk Skin Toner. When people talk about Cleopatra's famed bath milk, this is what I envision. A texture so creamy and silky, it softens on impact and imparts skin with the most ethereal, soft-focused finish. The cult formula harnesses rice extract and niacinamide to nourish and moisturise. I've been road testing a newer (and lighter) iteration of their OG Milk Skin and love it. This version delivers the same soft (almost-cushiony) feel, without being quite as weighty.

Speaking of updates, the cult-loved Hada Labo Hydrator got a glass-skin makeover with its Glow Brightening edition. This version adds tranexamic acid and alpha arbutia (two heavyweight brighteners) that work to even out tone and reduce the appearance of post-acne scars (I've personally got some lingering). It still has the signature juicy, gloopy feel but boasts a softer-focus sheen. I like to double layer this under a rich serum when my skin needs some extra TLC. It's also stunning on the neck and dec.

Another sleeper hit: SKIN1004’s Madagascar Centella Probio-Cica Intensive Ampoule. New to Adore Beauty, this serum-essence hybrid boasts a blend of calming centella (mark my words this powerhouse ingredient is soon to be everywhere) and five types of hyaluronic acid. The added inclusion of Ceramide NP, phytosterols, and fatty acids (in a 3:1:1 ratio) make it particularly helpful for barrier support and balancing skin. The serum itself is fast-absorbing, non-pilling and plush. You'll be left with velvety, smoothed skin.

What: BIODANCE Radiant Vita Niacinamide Real Deep Mask 4pcand Medicube Collagen Night Wrapping Mask

I truly, truly believe overnight sleeping masks are the best thing since sliced bread.

Little else (including in-clinic treatments) deliver the same sought-after glassy, pearlescent finish as these. The results are as instantaneous as an overnight treatment can be; you will awake to skin that is infinitely healthier, dewier and glowier. The dream.

I've been a regular devotee to overnight masks for about a year now - but during these colder months is when I lean into them hard.

BIODANCE’s mega -viral, cult favourite Bio-Collagen Real Deep Mask is a go-to (naturally), but it's actually the Radiant Vita Niacinamide iteration that has taken my fancy this season.

Dosed with niacinamide, high-purity glutathione and pineapple water (brimming with natural enzymes), it works to visibly reduce dark spots, refine texture and boost overall radiance - while you sleep. And itreally does!

Like the OG, it boasts the biocellulose sheet mask texture that wears comfortably on top of skin. It's thicker and more gel-like than your usual sheet mask, which gives it it's luxe, this-is-really-doing-something feel. I've also found it to be non-slipping; no matter how much you toss and turn.

My skin looks noticeably tighter and brighter the next day. I fully understand and co-sign on the hype.

Then there’s Medicube’s Collagen Night Wrapping Mask, another mega viral find. This delivery is a little different - it's a buttery gel-balm hybrid that dries down to form a film over your face. It reminds me of those peel off masks that trended circa early 10s (the ones that sounded good in theory, less so in practice), but elevated, luxe and actually science-backed.

The mask is formulated with 13 peptides, hydrolyzed collagen and anti-wrinkle actives to plump skin. Waking up, my skin feels lifted, plush and bouncy - no tautness or squeakiness. Long term results suggest smoother texture and improvement to those visible signs of ageing (eg. better looking wrinkles).

This mask is particularly great for sealing in everything underneath, which in turn encourages moisture retention. I like to use it as a last step over my hydrating serums and essences for the ultimate moisture surge.