beauty

Clear Skin Always With D’Skin

maybeline

Author: Alex Chua

Having good skin is important no matter if you͛re male or female. Be it heading for job interviews, weddings or important functions to attend, a good first impression starts with a supple, glowing face to front. And here at DSkin, the leading anti-aging experts with over 10 years of presence in Singapore, is here to help me fulfil just that. See, I have acne and blemishes problem since secondary school days, and it got worsens after army. Compounded with work pressure, harsh office conditions and years of neglect, my skin is dull and lost its youthful suppleness.


img-2


The severity hits me on the face when the therapist took a simple skin analysis to identify my skin condition and problems I am facing. The hydration score revealed a severely dehydrated skin, and my sebum test showed (100%!) oily skin results. She explained that due to the dry skin, the skin secretes more oil to compensate for the lack of moisture, thus contributing to the build-up of clogged pores and pimples.


img-3


Everyone͛s skin conditions are different. D͛skin personalised the facial treatment regime according to the individual͛s skin condition. For me the Therapist recommended a 2-hour Triple Acne Facial Treatment ($198) to combat acne and to hydrate dry skin. Now its time to head over and pamper myself!


img-4


The treatment room itself is warm, cosy with natural soothing music. Starting off the facial with D͛Skin͛s in-house cleansing oil and cleansing milk, which is really gentle on the face with a calming scent. The expertly massage techniques, said to pressure points for better circulation, relaxes me so much that I doze off a couple of times during the session. Next came the extractions, which I know would be painful but is a necessary step to remove all those pesky pimples.


img-5


During the extractions, soft breath of steam breezes onto the face, softening the skin and pores to minimise the harshness during the process. It is best to leave the extractions to the professionals because, if we do it ourselves, it might cause inflammation and worse, really bad inflamed scars.


img-6


Moving on from the extractions, the therapist used an equipment to sanitize the face, zapping away all the bacteria and germs. She mentioned that it might hurt abit but I didn͛t feel any pain in the process. Once the face was completely ͚germ-free͛, a layer of hydration gel mask was applied, followed by a layer of netting and finally a delicious smelling oat mask that strangely makes me hungry. While the picture above looked quite comical, the cool tinkling sensation, plus the neck and shoulder massage made me feel like a million bucks.


img-7


Overall, I felt that the therapists here are very professional, customer-oriented and knowledgeable on their work. After all, D͛skin has been in Singapore for over a decade, further proving its reputation and professionalism in the saturated skincare industry. There͛s nothing that would hinder me from visiting again in another 2 weeks͛ time, and I look forward to that day for another 2-hour of pampering!

D’Skin Prestige.
238 Thomson Road #03-04/05 Velocity @ Novena Square,
Singapore 307683
Tel: 62589388

Dual Yellow Laser at Astique Clinic Singapore

maybeline

We are just 9 more months into our wedding and we are taking extra care for our face because we want to look our best on our big day. We have been visiting Dr. Celine Leong from Astique Clinic for the last 2 years and we focused too much on enhancements instead of better skin so we have decided to do the otherwise! We have recently embarked on the Dual Yellow Laser journey!

There are a lot of other Laser Treatments which you can find at Astique Clinic but there are just too many people raving about Dual Yellow Laser so we just have to give it a try!

What is Dual Yellow Laser?
“Using a combination of yellow and green lights, the Dual Yellow brightening laser can combat a wide range of skin concerns like dark spots and pigmentation due to aging or sun damage, scars, melasma, stretch marks, acne and bulky lesions (moles, skin tags and other raised lesions). The green light in Dual Yellow targets melanin which causes pigmented lesions like freckles, sun spots and age spots or skin discolouration like melasma.

An immediate change in appearance of dark spots will be noticed and some might appear to darken slightly and gradually fade after a couple of days.

Not only are treatments fast, precise and targeted with reduced skin damage and no down time, the Dual Yellow brightening laser will effectively treat your skin condition while also stimulating collagen generation helping to keep your skin supple and brightened in complexion.”

Why did we go for Dual Yellow Laser instead of other lasers?
James has some scars on his face, and some times breakouts. As for me? Sun spots is something I can’t deny since I am ALWAYS out in the sun everyday. I do not personally have scars or stretch marks but I don’t mind having extra collagen stimulation to help keep my skin glowing!

More importantly, the procedure is pretty fast and painless. As we have to attend events or engagements on a daily basis (almost), we want to avoid down time and Dual Yellow Laser has absolutely no downtime. We can step out of the clinic in 10-15 minutes. I can even apply my makeup right after the laser.

The laser is a quick process and all you need is just two steps.

Step 1: A layer of cooling gel will be applied to your face to help cope with the heat (in fact, I couldn’t even feel any heat!).


IMG_0003


Step 2: Laser!


IMG_0001


We do not have any pain throughout the entire treatment and the skin always feel extra smooth for the next 1 week after the treatment! If you google, some people may experience mild redness after the laser but it works pretty well for us so far. We are currently at our third session and we can’t wait for the fourth! I hope we will have even more radiant skin on our big day next year!

I will strongly recommend you to do the laser once a month for maintenance. You can even skip applying foundation after a few sessions (depending on your skin condition).

Please visit www.astiqueclinic.com.sg for more information on the laser.

You can also visit them at:

350 Orchard Road, Shaw House, Singapore 238868

REVIEW: ORBIS Sunscreen On Face Sunscreen

maybeline

I am someone who would go light anytime – be it my body weight or the make up I apply on my face 😛

If I can avoid putting on make up on weekends, I would. But one thing that I can’t ever miss or give up is sunscreen. Prevention is always better than cure. With sun UV rays so strong in Singapore, I don’t want to risk walking on the streets without sun protection and going home to skin pigmentation. There is absolutely no reason to skip your sunscreen unless you don’t mind having brown spots on your face!

Today, I will be sharing about Orbis Sunscreen On Face.





The difference between ORBIS Sunscreen on Face Light and Sunscreen on Face Moist is the texture. Light is more watery in texture as compared to Moist, which is more creamy. Even though I would prefer watery texture but the creamy texture for MOIST is not as thick as I had imagined it to be so… I am good with both!





(on the left – Light, on the right – Moist)

These two are my first tube of each and honestly, I was sold by the texture. They are ultra-lightweight! On top of the sun protection of SPF34 PA+++, both sunscreens can double up as a make up base or primer too! In simple terms, I can apply ORBIS Sunscreen On Face Light on weekends with no other base and still look fresh because of its natural-looking coverage.

That’s me with eye makeup and ORBIS Sunscreen On Face Light as base only! You can still see a little pores on the face but well, I only need minimal coverage on weekends! As for weekdays, use them as a primer or base anytime.





Another point to comment on is their Triple Threat Protection as the sunscreen contains Damage Block Veil that not only shields the skin from harmful UV rays, but also protects us against near infrared rays and air pollutants. Air pollutants are everywhere and that includes dirt and dust from the environment. Do you know how dirty the air is every time you cross the road? *urgh* I don’t even want to talk about the air from the car’s exhaust pipe.

With these protection found in the sunscreens, it can protect our skin from the three major damages which we are constantly exposed to.





Don’t believe me? Give them a try! Both Sunscreen on Face Light and MOIST are already available at all ORBIS counters and stores at $18 each. You can also shop online here: https://orbis.com.sg/cart/product/list/id/uvcare!

REVIEW: Labo Labo Super Keana Washing

maybeline

We are not new to Labo Labo, but if you are, let us share some background information with you about the brand.

Labo Labo is Dr.Ci:Labo’s sister brand and all their products are 100% Made in Japan. The skincare products are developed by a certified group of dermatologists and all ingredients are naturally-derived.

Today, we are going to share with you about Labo Labo Super Keana Washing.

Can you spot which is the actual product among the range?





Yup. You are right. These orange-foiled tubes.





It depends on your usage but one tube (120g) typically lasts for a month (plus minus). All you need is just $24.90 for a tube of Super-Keana Washing.

Labo Labo Super Keana Washing removes dirt and blackheads effectively without drying the skin. In fact, it moisturizes the skin with its high concentration of hyaluronic acid and collagen.





It has a soft and creamy texture that is made from 100% plants-based ingredients.

4 types of pore refining ingredients – Hamaelis leaf extract, Pepperwort leaf extract, Artichoke leaf extract and Multiflora rose fruit extract can be found in the cream to issue your pores concernt.

The wash gently removes dead skin cells, leaving the skin silky and soft. Other than the generous amount of hyaluronic acid that was mentioned earlier, collagen was also one of the ingredients used in the wash to keep the skin supple and soft.

Gently squeeze 1 to 2cm of cream onto your palm, fluff it before you wash your face with your hands. You will be able to see smaller pores instantly as all the dirt was removed during the washing process.





Super-Keana Washing is free from the annoying 5 irritants – fragrance, alcohol, artificial coloring, mineral oil and paraben which makes it safe for people who have sensitive skin to use.

You can find Labo Labo Super-Keana Washing at #B3-41 Ion Orchard, online at www.ci-labo.com.sg and selected Watsons stores.

Review: Strip Underarm IPL for just $18!

maybeline

Have you done IPL before?

Was it painful? Will there be any downtime? What are the pros and cons of getting IPL underarm?

These questions kept raging in my head when I decided to try out IPL underarm at STRIP. I decided to go ahead with it even though I was quite scared because I have long heard about Strip. Plus I find shaving a hassle and constant shaving can cause the skin to turn dark. Imagine wearing sleeveless top! The dark armpits can’t be hidden at all.

I visited STRIP at Plaza Singapura #04-08A and the outlet was very welcoming and reminded me of the movie – The Grand Budapest Hotel by Wes Anderson. Plus there were a lot of customers. It made me feel even more assured because this proves that they are very popular among us – the ladies!





Something hygienic and cute to share as well.

Play it safe!

Don’t they remind you of something else? 😉 Hahaha. This individually packed kit contains your own spatulas and wipes so you don’t have to share them with others during treatment. That is actually Strip’s number one priority and I don’t have to worry about sharing one shaver with so many people. Yay! I am kind of OCD and I bet most people are as well, so this is really thoughtful!!!





My cute IPL Kit for my underarms which includes a disposable shaver, disposable latex gloves, pre-sealed wet wipes, wooden spatulas and fresh cotton pads/buds!





I gathered my courage and went for the IPL at Strip.

I kept asking the therapist if it will be painful and she smiled. Pain? Haha. THERE WASN’T ANY PAIN AT ALL. All ready for my treatment!





It was painless because STRIP Powerpac uses a gradual heating system that directs energy via multiple passes to accumulate the desired energy level to destroy hair follicles. Other machines used by salons work differently because the machines emit sharp bursts of energy. In fact, all I could feel was a warm and soothing hot stone massage.

I was told to put on a pair of glasses to protect my eyes. A layer of gel was applied on the targeted areas and zap zap.





Zap zap zap, I was done in 15 minutes for both sides!

They even gave me a set of products (could I have a picture of it in the post?)  – Ice Cream, SCO Peace + and SCO Ace Cream.

Ice cream can help in moisturizing, SCO Ace Cream will give you whitening and Peace+ can help in slowing down hair growth. With the use of these products, it can help prolong my results after treatment.

This is important because after each session of IPL, your skin tends to get a little dehydrated. Thank you for taking care of my underarms even when I am home!

Can’t wait for my next appointment~

Here’s a promotion for my readers:

Quote “MAYBELINE” when making an appointment to get your first IPL Underarm Trial at $18. Promotion ends 30 September 2016.

Only valid for new customers and one time redemption only at Plaza Singapura.

Review: Is Eye Cream Essential? – SK-II R.N.A Power Eye Cream

maybeline

Author: James Aw Yong

I started my daily beauty regime inmy early 20s with cleanser and moisturizer ONLY. However, as I age, I realized that I need more products on my face to help me fight ageing.

M always tell me how delicate the skin around the eyes are and wrinkles tend to appear there first. I had quite a few lines around my eyes area. They made me look so old that I had to go for Botox to hid them.

If you don’t believe me, check out a picture of me and M below. Check out my wrinkles around my eyes and hers.

Botox can be really expensive and it is not a solution. Prevention is better than cure so I learnt that eye creams are very important. We all want to hide our age and not let our wrinkles reveal them, right?

I was introduced to SK-II R.N.A Power Eye Cream when it first launched in Singapore Changi Airport.

“According to SK-II, mid-20s is the turning point for eye aging and eyes tend to get 20% smaller over 15 years. The key reason for this is the lack of lengthwise and crosswise firmness around the eyes. With this, SK-II upgraded its STEMPOWER Eye Cream with two new ingredients to increase wrinkle resilience – Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4 and Chlorella Extrac. The new R.N.A.POWER Eye Cream is formulated with the unique Radical New Age Complex to improve lengthwise and crosswise firmness of skin around the eyes.”

The new anti-aging SK-II R.N.A. Power Eye Cream contains Radical New Age Complex which can help improve the skin firmness, reducing wrinkles, lines and even refining pores. Even though it is called a cream, it has a silky texture that glides on the skin easily. The cream gets absorbed really quickly into the skin as well.

We can all experience bigger and brighter looking eyes after 6 weeks of continuous usage. No need for needles or knives.

I have to work through the night on certain days and I don’t really get enough sleep. However, after I incorporated the eye cream into my regime, I don’t feel that my eyes are as tired looking as before. Sometimes, it looks bigger too. Oh ya, not to mention, when your eyes age, they get smaller due to sagging as well.

The R.N.A Power Eye Cream is an addition to the current SK-II anti-aging boutique- R.N.A Power Cream and R.N.A Power Essence.

Thank you SK-II for turning my facial clock around!

Read More: The best anti-aging products your future self will thank you for.

Sephora Grand Opening at ION Orchard

maybeline

Beauty junkies unite! Sephora ION Orchard had just relocated from Level 1 to Basement 2 (#B2-09 to 15)! Just so you know, it is on the same level as the MRT station. Tap out, and turn right!

The store is so HUGE and in fact, it is the largest outlet in Singapore. I bet one can spend hours shopping inside.

I heard that queues were already formed last night because people were all queuing for deals and vouchers! Seems like some took off to join in the queue as well!





Also do check out the full range of 100 Urban Decay 100 Vice Lipsticks retailing at $29 each.





There are also beauty counters and studio all around for a makeover.





I attending Kat Von D masterclass some time back and you will be happy to know that they are now available right in Sephora ION Orchard!!





The makeup artist is as cool as the brand itself! Goes without saying, she introduced the Signature Tattoo Liner Eyeliner ($32) to most of the guests. Do request her to try it on you if you pass by! The liner is seriously long-lasting!





After checking out the cosmetics and skincare, head further in and you will be welcomed by Sephora in-house products, fragrances and nail lacquer.














They are opened 10am to 10pm daily.

Review: Styling our hair with ghd styler, good or no good?

maybeline

I am not new to any flat irons or curling tools for the hair. In fact, if I put all my styling tools together, I think I may have more than 10 easily! This is because I find it hard to curl my hair with a flat iron when I have long hair. And now that I have short hair, I will always reach out for flat irons. I also like to explore the different brands in Singapore.

When I received the invite to try out ghd styler, I knew that this is one event which I should not miss because I may pick up some tips from the stylists!

I brought James a long because he would always help me with the hair at my back. I can’t seems to reach the back part always. But he was obviously more concern about his hair than mine. As a matter of fact, stylers are suitable for men as well. He followed some fashionistas in Instagram and they did some hair tutorial with a styler so he tried using them for the first time in his life!

If you don’t know, using a styler for the fringe can help volumized the fringe when you style them up!











My take on the styler:

I swear they are so easy to use. I could twist and turn and tadah, get my curls fixed in seconds. My usual curler will take me at least 20-30 seconds to get a curl done.

It heats up in just 20 seconds as well so I can save the time waiting for it to heat up!! When they told me that ghd’s tri-zone technology can reduce hair breakage and keeping the integrity of my hair color up to two times longer, I was doubtful. But they proved their words to be right after 2 weeks of using it daily! The high gloss plate also made each application smooth and effortless. It seems that I can skip going to the salon to style my hair on some days!

But what I love is not just that, it actually has the safety function to off itself after 30 minutes. FYI, just 2 Mondays ago, I left my Brand X styler at home and I left for work. It was only during lunch when I remembered that I forgot to switch it off. I WAS SO WORRIED IF IT WILL EXPLODE OR CAUGHT FIRE THAT I HAD TO CALL MY DAD TO RUSH HOME. And true enough, it was burning like mad and of course, my dad was fuming like mad as well 🙁

Here’s us after giving a go with ghd stylers!





They have the limited edition Electric Pink Styler now. Retailing at $395 at Sephora.





You can’t see from the picture but it has pink glitters on the plate! Stunning!





We were also given a styler at the end of the event and ever since, it has been my daily hair styling necessity now. NO JOKE! You can get ghd from Sephora if you are keen!

Follow them for more updates on their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Ghd-SG-1595090997425179/

Lancome Juicy Shaker Review + Giveaway

maybeline

I am a fan of Lancome’s lip colours because they are always highly pigmented! Of course, not just their lip colours, I am a fan of their products! Being a fan, I will always keep myself up to date with their new launches. I got very curious when I saw Juicy Shaker on their Instagram account and I knew I had to give them a try.

the weather being so humid and dry nowadays, it is always good to apply some lip oil on the lips to keep it plum and hydrated! They remind me of my sweet childhood memories because they are flavoured. I used to buy flavoured lip gloss very often because of the scent!

Now, I call them the Juicy Shakers the new generation of lipgloss! They give me the flush of of colour whenever I need them – something not too overpowering!





There are 5 star shades: Berry in Love, Lemon Explosion (Limited Edition) Cherry Symphony, Apri-Cute and Mangoes Wild – But you will be able to find 20 different shades and each of them has their own unique scent. They are currently retailing at SGD36 each.





Guess how lucky can I get? I have two shades with me now! They are: Juicy Shaker #283 in Berry In Love (left) and Juicy Shaker #313 in Boom-Meringue (right).





The sponge tips are so cute. Bet you didn’t see that coming. Instead of roller balls, they are sponges! Gentle enough even for the driest lips!

Tip: Shake them well before use. That’s why they are called Juicy Shaker!





Here’s a look with Juicy Shaker #283 in Berry In Love. The lips look instantly pink and full! Don’t you agree with me?





Another one with Juicy Shaker #313 in Boom-Meringue. Boom-Meringue has a little tint to help the lips look fuller and healthier. It gives off the gloss that makes the lip look kissable!





You can also use the two colours together for an ombre look with Berry In Love on the inside and Boom-Meringue on the outside.

I really do love the texture they leave on my lips because my lips feel smoother after each application other than the fuller effect everyone loves!

If you are interested to give the Juicy Shakers a try, you can sign up for the complimentary Juicy Shakeover (makeover) at http://dv.sg/juicyshaker-maybeline.

During the shakeover, you can also create your own shake tape for a contest to walk away with three Juicy Shaker Shades! I hope to win another three colors tooooo!!!

Pucker up for a showdown

Ready to #bantheboring? Take part in a beauty pageant just for lips with Lancome!

Create your Shake Tape wearing a Juicy Shaker shade and hash tagging #juicyshakersg #lancomesg #bantheboring.

You could be one of the six winners to walk away with Juicy Shaker!

The contest will end on 29 Jun.

For a chance to win:
•          Do the Shake Tape at dv.sg/shaketape-maybeline
•          Upload to Facebook and Instagram
•          Use the 4th pose of your Shake Tape as the thumbnail
•          Hashtag your video with #juicyshakersg #lancomesg #bantheboring.