sequoia.

Issue 01 / Cover

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sequoia.

Issue 01  ·  Winter 2026  ·  The routine edit

  • p. 04Find what works for your skin
  • p. 08The world shelf: Tokyo, Seoul, New York
  • p. 12Why one-size-fits-all fails
Cover
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Contents

p. 02

  1. 01Editor's letterp. 04
  2. 02The world shelfp. 08
  3. 03Dispatch: Tokyop. 10
  4. 04The methodp. 12
  5. 05Texture studyp. 14
  6. 06Field notesp. 16
  7. 07Join the next issuep. 18
Close-up of a face with a small bandage and dandelion seeds

Fig. 1 — Every face is a different starting point.

01 — Editor's letter

p. 04

Skincare isn't one-size-fits-all. What clears your friend's skin might break you out. So most of us end up with a drawer of half-used bottles, and no idea what to try next.

sequoia. exists to change that. We're building a simpler way to find the skincare that actually works for you. No wasted bottles. No guessing. More soon.

— The sequoia. team

02 — The world shelf

p. 08

Tokyo.
Seoul.
New York.

The products people actually love, from the beauty capitals of the world. Hover to turn them in your hands.

Keep scrolling →

COSRX snail mucin essence bottle on a textured surface KR

No. 01Seoul, Korea

COSRX

Snail mucin essence

Beauty of Joseon sunscreen and cream on stone blocks KR

No. 02Seoul, Korea

Beauty of Joseon

Sunscreen and cream

Rows of Muji Light Toning Water bottles for sensitive skin on a store shelf JP

No. 03Tokyo, Japan

Muji

Light Toning Water, for sensitive skin

Hand holding a Neutrogena Hydro Boost tube against a blue sky US

No. 04United States

Neutrogena

Hydro Boost

Two The Ordinary serum bottles on a beige surface CA

No. 05Toronto, Canada

The Ordinary

Serums

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Mat tube on a white surface FR

No. 06France

La Roche-Posay

Effaclar Mat

Also in this issue

Shiseido · SK-II · Hada Labo · Anessa · Laneige · Cetaphil · Sulwhasoo · Innisfree · Winona · Proya · Pechoin · CeraVe · Glossier

Brand names and photos are shown for reference. sequoia. is independent and not affiliated with or endorsed by these brands.

Neon-lit Shibuya intersection in Tokyo at night

03 — Dispatch

p. 10

Tokyo

In Japan, skincare is a daily ritual of layers: cleanse, lotion, serum, cream. Light textures, built up slowly.

Matsumoto Kiyoshi drugstore with Shiseido, Kosé, Kanebo, Sofina and SK-II on its sign
Fig. 2 — A Matsumoto Kiyoshi drugstore: Shiseido, Kosé, Kanebo, SK-II.

04 — The method

p. 12

Finding your routine,
made simple.

05 — Texture study

p. 14

Gel, oil, cream.

Texture tells you a lot. Oily skin often likes light gels and serums; dry skin often likes richer creams. Knowing your skin is the first step.

Serums arranged on clear round plates Golden serum dripping from a glass pipette Two clear gel textures overlapping

06 — Field notes

p. 16

Things nobody told you.

Skincare isn't just for one kind of person. Everyone has skin, and everyone deserves a routine that works.

Softly lit portrait of a man with his eyes closed
Fig. 3 — Good skin starts with knowing yours.
No. 01 — Sunscreen

UVA rays pass through window glass.

Sitting by a window or driving? Your skin still gets UVA exposure, so sunscreen matters indoors too.

No. 02 — Routine

Apply products thinnest to thickest.

Lighter serums go on first, then moisturizer, with sunscreen as the last step in the morning.

No. 03 — New products

Try a little before you commit.

Dermatologists recommend testing a new product on a small patch of skin first. If it irritates there, it will likely irritate your face too.