I have a complicated relationship with Bowen Yang and skin care. I blame him for several specific laugh lines on my face and yet his luminous skin means I'd follow any complexion care advice he dropped.

So when the exact routine he used before his appearance at the Wicked: For Good New York premiere popped up in my inbox, I knew I had to try out every single product immediately.

Like, look at Michelle Yeoh experiencing the silkiness and Jonathan Bailey admiring the glow?! Is that not the ultimate endorsement of a skin care routine worth the effort?!

In an attempt to replicate a level of luminosity that even Bailey would notice, here's my experience sampling Bowen Yang's Wicked premiere skin care routine...

Bowen Yang Skin Care Routine

Step 1: Paula's Choice 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant ($54 at Paula's Choice)

As someone with skin that gets annoyed at me for making any changes to my routine, I've long lived in fear (and envy) over this cult-classic exfoliant. Salicylic acid?! Straight onto my face?! Not even to be rinsed off?! Sounded like a recipe for disaster. Leave it to Bowen Yang to convince me to take the plunge, and I'm thrilled I did. Okay fine, it was a combination of Yang's seal of approval and me actually reading the ingredients properly this time. Once I realised it's designed to be gentle and even features green tea, we were off to the races.

I don't feel anything at all when I wear it (like in a good way, as most exfoliants cause me physical pain), but I do feel like my face looks notably fresher with consistent use. Makeup seems to apply with a silkier finish, my skin care products appear to work more effectively, and my face feels less congested.

Okay, step one, approved!

Step 2: Paula's Choice 7% Ectoin Milky Hydrating Serum ($40 at Paula's Choice)

I'm like a moth to a flame with any skin care product featuring the word 'milky' in the title. Does that not just sound so comforting?! Billed by the brand as a product that works to offer an array of skin barrier-protecting benefits, it sounded right up my skin's alley.

You can use this one of two ways: alone, applied directly onto skin or mixed into your favourite moisturiser or serum. I wanted to stick to Yang's order of application so I smoothed it over my face solo after my exfoliant had sunk in. It's loaded up with hyaluronic acid (seven weights of it!) and a water-binding ingredient called glycogen that helps moisture to seep deeper into skin and last longer.

I'm determined to keep up with this one for a few months to test out its longer-term benefits, but my first impression was that my face felt less tight and dry to the touch, and looked a bit brighter, as if my barrier was in a better place. Another winner.

Step 3: Paula's Choice Pro-Collagen Peptide Firming Eye Serum ($59 at Paula's Choice)

Eye cream isn't generally a category I care for (as my eyes are super sensitive and I've never seen amazing benefits from applying them), so I was intrigued to see what Yang's new go-to eye cream would deliver. The gel-serum formula felt like a natural extension of the Pro-Collagen range's moisturiser (more on that gem in a minute): it absorbed quickly, it didn't pill under makeup, and it left skin looking and feeling fresher.

The standout of this product, in my book, was the cooling metal tip applicator. I'll definitely be packing it in my travel beauty bag, as it eliminates the need for an ice roller if you need a cooling effect on eyes fresh out of the shower. You can see how that works below, with groomer and makeup artist Evy Drew applying the product to Yang's face.

Step 4: Paula's Choice Pro-Collagen Peptide Plumping Moisturiser ($70 at Paula's Choice)

When I dream at night I visualise a beauty drawer full of these bright pink gel-cream bottles. I cannot overstate how much I love this product. I started using it a month before my 30th birthday and it actually made me feel like my skin had hope of looking fresh and youthful even as I entered a new decade. I see a visible difference in the 'bounce' of my skin as soon as I use it. My only gripe is that I wish a bigger bottle existed. I fly through it (as I apply it generously morning and night), but refuse to use any less per use because I love the ritual and results I see too damn much.

It's practical (no fussing around with a tube or tub, but just pumping it right out of the bottle), it's pretty (the formula is actually a soft pink shade with plenty of sheen, so leaves skin with a fresh glow), and it's irreplaceable in your skin care routine if dewy, bouncy skin is what you're after.

I was a super fan of this one before it got Bowen Yang's blessing, but it's only reaffirmed how great this product really is. If your skin care routine can only be made up of a single product, make it this one.

Step 5: Paula's Choice Pro-Collagen Peptide Gloss Balm ($39 at Paula's Choice)

Based on my general Pro-Collagen range obsession, you can probably guess that I was excited to sample the Peptide Gloss Balm, a newer addition to the line-up. It, like the rest of the collection, is packed with peptides, so you can expect the same visibly plumped and smoothed look for your lips.

What I liked most about this gloss was that it made my face look a lot more 'done', even on days where I only wanted to wear skin care, no makeup, as it features a sheer pink tint (like the face moisturiser). Either the peptides or the gloss (or maybe both) leave my lips looking a bit fuller, but not in an OTT 'I applied burning gloss' kind of way at all. It's subtle but appreciated, and it's among the most comfortable, softening balms I've ever worn.

Verdict

All up, I no longer know who I'm a bigger fan of: Bowen Yang or Bowen Yang's skin care routine. Let's call it a draw, they're both 10/10s.

Main image credit: Getty Images

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