Face Good

Product Review: Sunscreen - Clarins - UV PLUS Protective Day Screen SPF 40

2011-05-20T14:21:00.000+08:00

The sun has been merciless these days, hasn't it? I was on my way to work this morning, it was only 9 plus, and already, the morning sun was leashing its vengeance on me. By the time I got to the mrt station five minutes away, my eyes were seeing a little red, and my hair felt hot against my fingers. This is summer period in Singapore, where the heat gets really intense. Time to get more vigilant with the sunblock!

Recently, I've been using Clarins' UV PLUS Protective Day Screen, so I decided to do a review on it. It's not a new product, but it's still going strong in the market, for good reason.

I have combination skin and I'm really wary about sunblocks because I break out easily. Nevertheless, sunblocks are a necessity. After all, skin cancer is much worst than acne. However, I have no worries about this. It feels extremely lightweight. Like all sunblock, it feels greasy and icky when first spread on skin. But it absorbs almost immediately and leaves no residue.

A friend of mine went to Hawaii recently for a holiday. Needless to say, she spent most of her holiday frolicking at the sunny beaches. She's one of those people who gets sunburnt easily. This time, she was armed with this sun screen, which she applied every few hours each day. She came home sunburnt free! This makes me conclude that this sunscreen is gentle on skin, but a strong shield against the sun rays!

Anti-wrinkle DIY Facials

2011-03-29T11:43:00.000+08:00

It's been awhile since I last wrote an article about DIY beauty methods! Given rising costs of living and worsening inflation, I'm back to experimenting with home remedies that are comparatively cheaper to branded facial products in the market.

Some fruits and vegetables, when in contact with your skin, produces natural moisturizing and nourishment effects and can remove wrinkles in the long run.

Brinjal Mask
Mash up a brinjal (unskinned), soak it in a small jar of rice wine and add about 2 to 3 tablespoons of natural honey. Keep in a sealed jar and refrigerate for a week. It helps to smoothen skin and remove wrinkles.

Banana Mask
Mash a banana, add half a tablespoon of olive oil and mix evenly until the mixture is very fine. This masks helps in eliminating wrinkles.

Water melon wipe
Wipe your face with a clean piece of watermelon skin and then rinse your face with clear water. This helps to refresh and moisturize your skin, thus preventing the formation of wrinkles.

Snake gourd mask
Juice a snake gourd and mix the juice with half a cup of rice wine and 2 tablespoons of honey. Apply it to your face and rinse off when dry. Snake gourd is effective against wrinkling skin.

Cucumber mask
Probably one of the most popular and easiest methods. Simply place slices of cucumber over your clean face. It helps to refresh your skin as well as soothe wrinkled skin.

Tomato Mask
Mix 2 tablespoons of honey with a glass of freshly squeezed tomato. Tomatoes protect skin against sunburn and premature wrinkling.

All masks are to be applied directly to skin for about 15 to 20 minutes unless otherwise stated, and washed off with clean water. However, before applying these masks to your face, always apply a bit of it to the back of your ear or neck to test for allergy reactions. Instead of applying the masks to your entire face, you can also do spot treatment by applying it just to drier, more wrinkled parts of your skin and monitor its progress to see if it works. As with all products, results and effects vary from person to person.

A Beautiful Cause

2011-03-18T12:11:00.002+08:00

Even if you don't read the news regularly, you must have heard about Japan's recent Earthquake disaster due to all the relief efforts that are being carried out in Singapore by various volunteer organizations. I am fortunate that I do not have loved ones living in the disaster-hit zones to worry about. Nevertheless, the disaster greatly saddens me, not solely because it represents a huge loss of humanity, but also because Japan has given me, and many people in the world, wonderful things that have become part and parcel of my life - Japanese food, fashion, music, technology, anime and many more. Not to mention that they have a culture that draws compliments from people of all nationalities and races in the world. I sincerely hope that life will revert back to normal for those in Japan as soon as possible.

For those who are interested in helping, there are a few fund-raising groups in Singapore dedicated to this cause, but the most legitimate and prominent one would be the Singapore Red Cross, where you can make cash donations. I'd also like to highlight Singapore Isetan, considering that I do get many of my Japanese cosmetic products from there. Although there is no information on their website, Isetan at Orchard is directing some of their proceeds to Earthquake Relief efforts. Isetan has sales events this month, as well as a Spring Kyushu Fair. If you like Japanese food, Isetan's food fairs are always highly recommended.

As there are many Japanese expats in Singapore, you should be seeing more creative forms of fund raising efforts over the next few days. Yesterday (17 Mar) for example, 150 performers, 1/5 who are Japanese living in Singapore, held a Charity concert to raise funds for Earthquake relief efforts. These small and mostly impromptu events are usually not announced in the mainstream media, but Facebook is a good source of information for events like this. If such events come your way again, do check them out. It is always heartwarming to experience personally how people of different nationalities stepping across borders to help one another in times of need.

With a beautiful heart and attitude, even the plainest of all plain Janes exudes beauty and charm.

Dealing with the Inflation: Reduce your skincare expenses!

2011-03-09T10:48:00.000+08:00

The threat of inflation is very real. Prices of daily necessities have been going up and the inflation does not seem like it will be letting up any time soon. Reducing expenditure on things you do not need such as expensive dinners and branded apparel is one of the surest ways of coping with reduced income.

However, this is no excuse for you to abandon your beauty regime and let yourself go to pieces! Usually, beauty products seem expensive to us only because we aren't spending wisely. Here are tips on how you can reduce frivolous spending.

If you can use one, don’t use more
Many products these days come with multiple purposes, such as two-in-one make-up remover and cleanser, eye moisturizer with wrinkle prevention etc. Always read carefully what a product contains so you don’t end up wasting money on extra products. Besides, treating any part of your face too many times a day can cause adverse effects.

Don’t buy based on price
Just because a product is expensive doesn’t mean it works miracles on everyone. It’s wiser to determine the effectiveness of a product before splurging on it. You can obtain a sample, or read customer reviews off beauty websites and online shopping facilities like Amazon. Also, bear in mind that products that work well on people of a certain ethnicity may not work so well on people of another ethnicity. Get reviews from a local beauty website rather than one that serves a different community from yours.

Natural home remedies for fundamental skincare
They are cheap, easy to make, generally have no side effects and they work. So why not?

Lead a healthy lifestyle
Don’t stay up late, don’t drink often, don’t smoke etc… You know the drill. You save up money on electricity, cigarettes, alcohol etc, and you don’t have to spend so much money on beauty products to salvage your skin!

Adding variety to your beauty regime

2011-02-28T18:22:00.000+08:00

A basic beauty regime consists of the use of multiple products, and most skin care brands tap into this phenomenon by producing entire sets of products, complete with sequences. While some people are brand loyal, not everyone uses products from the same product line.

I for one, enjoy trying out products from different brands, because some brands are particularly good with certain products but not others, and certain products come cheap but are equally effective from other brands. Taiwanese programme 女人我最大 often introduces top selling products in Taiwan which are known to be highly effective and reasonably cheap if purchased online. Some of the brands are not even mainstream. Yet that shouldn't stop you from trying something new or incorporating it into your beauty regime. If I had stubbornly insisted on one of my most often-used brands Loreal, I would never have discovered the miracle which is BB Cream, for it was invented by the Korean skincare companies.

However products from different brands and product lines are not specifically made to complement each other. Using them inappropriately may render a product ineffective, or worst, cause skin damage.

There are some basic principles one should follow when using different products from different brands.

1. Do not use products with similar functions simultaneously

Many people believe that if they use two whitening products together, for example, they will experience an increased intensity of whitening effect. This is not true. Because these products consist of similar chemical compositions and produce similar reactions, they may cancel out or neutralize each other when used together, hence reducing the products’ effects instead. Furthermore, there’s a limit to the skin’s absorption power. Too much may result in rejection.

2. Follow a sequence

Regardless of product brands and type, there’s a sequence of application that you should follow after cleansing and toning your face: Essences > Gelatin (Gels) > Milk > Creams > Oil-based products.

Going down the list, you’ll realize that the composition of the products at the further end consist of larger molecules and have greater moisturizing properties. Applying them last will create a protective layer over your face.

On the other hand, products on the other hand are made of smaller liquid molecules which would be difficult to absorb if applied over that protective layer, much less produce any effects.

3. Sensitive Skin

It’s perfectly all right to use products from different brands, but take care to choose products that have soothing and stabilizing properties.

Romantic makeovers for Valentine's Day

2011-02-14T11:21:00.000+08:00

Valentine’s Day is just round the corner but honestly, I haven’t had time to plan my look for the big day. But I’ve got 3 fail-proof make-up themes up my sleeve which are lovely and alluring and at the same time, not over-the-top. If you’re out of ideas on how to do your make-up, there’s bound to be at least one that should suit you! These looks are easy to create and go with any regular hairdo, be it straight or curly, short or long. They’re great for those who take ages to dress up for a date!

Sweet Princess
Use a soft and sweet make-up scheme to look lovable and princessy! This is suitable for the younger crowd or ladies who like the fresh-faced look but do not want to look bland.

The crux to keeping your look soft is to use sheer and muted colours, and avoid excessive makeup on any facial feature or part of your face. Pink is a great colour theme that is not only the universally acclaimed colour for sweetness but also matches the romantic mood! When choosing the shade of pink for your blush and lip stick/ lip gloss, get the shade of pink that suits your skin tone best.

To create the look, curl your lashes and apply black or brown mascara. Be sure not to use too much. We’re not going for a dramatic look. Keep it sweet and simple. After you’ve applied all your base make-up, use your make-up brush and tap a thin layer of sheer pink blush over your cheekbones. This should give your cheeks a neutral pink and resembles a natural glow. Add pink lip gloss to your lips and that’s it!

You can complete the look with a feminine dress. If you have long straight hair, style it with lucido-l's hair curling wax to get long wavy hair. If you have long bangs, you can pull your hair back into an elegant bun, leaving your bangs out. If you have straight and short hair, you can use some floral hair accessories to accessorize it.

Sexy Diva
This look places great emphasis on your eye make-up. Long fluttery eyelashes are your friend, but unfortunately, not many of us are blessed with beautiful eyelashes. So it’s time to make a trip to the beauty store to get a set of false eyelashes and clear eyelash adhesive. My personal recommendation is Shu Uemura. They have really nice girly long lashes. Mind you don’t choose the ones with jewels, coloured feathers, cobwebs or whatnots that are meant for parties. Remember, not everybody can pull off the dramatic look, and you’ll need to carefully coordinate your outfits if you do want to be over the top.

Now even if it’s going to be obvious that you don’t usually have such long eyelashes, you wouldn’t want ‘falsies!’ to be the first thought that strucks your date, so do take great care to attach your lashes in such away that they will look natural. First, line your eyes with eyeliner. Then apply mascara to your natural lashes. Then spread the adhesive evenly over the underside of the part of the lash that’s not facing out. Be careful not to let the glue clump together. Gently piggyback the lash onto your natural lashes, starting from the outer corner, and then gently lowering it down the middle and to the end. Dust a sheer layer of shimmer shadow to your lids. Choose muted tones like grey and brown, nothing too bright or too dark.

Dress up your cheeks with a sheer blush. Pale pink would be my recommendation. Just be wary to keep it subtle. For the lipstick, use rich colours like deep red or rich brown. For the fun of it, you can add a beauty mark near your lips ala Marilyn Monroe. Just dip your tiniest brush into black or brown liquid eyeliner and make a little dot where you want the mark to be. When it dries, dab a little powder over the mark so it will stay.

Smouldering eyes
This make-up scheme is also centred on the eyes, though with more emphasis on your eyelids, where you will use eye shadow to achieve the smouldering eye effect. Unlike smokey eyes, which involves the liberal use of dark shadow to cover your lids, smouldering eyes calls for the smudging of eyeshadow at the ends of your eyes to soften your look while accentuating your eyes. Use a pale shadow on your lid, preferably of neutral colour or close to your skin tone, and smudge smouldering charcoal on the corner ends of your eyes. For best results, apply the charcoal using a chiselled fluff brush or shadow crease brush. For a more dramatic effect, you can add a little smouldering charcoal under your eyes.

Next, apply mascara. If you can spare the time, get your eyebrows groomed into an elegant arch. For your lips, use a matte lipstick. Red or earth tones are good colours. Generally, most colours are fine, but bright colours like orange and pink will not go well with your eye makeup. Avoid gloss and bright colours as shimmers and brightness just don’t go together with smouldering eye make up.

Have a beautiful Valentine’s Day!

Beauty Beyond the Stars III

2011-02-01T09:58:00.000+08:00

I'm back with the commentaries on the remaining five zodiac signs!

Scorpios: The Analytical Consumer

Skeptics by nature, Scorpios take great care to construct a protective wall over the precious visage. Lies and exaggerations from desperate sales people fall flat in front of their sharp ears, for Scorpios have a natural flair for distinguishing between genuine advice and empty claims. They are well aware of what they need and how to ascertain whether a product will suit their needs. If you want to go shopping, a Scorpio companion would be an asset!

Sagittarius: The Fun Loving Free Spirit

The Sagittarius is happy-go-lucky and contented with what she has, as long as she’s happy. That includes her appearances as well. Unless it’s a necessity, Sagittarius don’t put in effort to beautify themselves for the sake of their image. They only usually do it because they think it’s fun and intriguing. That’s why while some Sagittarius ladies like going out bare-faced, there are others who spare no expense at make-up, simply because they enjoy it. The Sagittarius also tends to be fickle and loses focus easily.

Tips: Your energy and sunshine personality is your greatest asset, but don’t forget the sunblock when you go out and play. UV Rays from the sun is harmful to your skin!

Aries: The Career Woman

The Aries always carries herself with grace and maturity and is organized and serious in her work. Her make-up is usually basic and bland, serving the mere purpose of formalities at work. For the Aries, self-grooming is merely for enhancing her image for work purposes.

Tips: Learn to appreciate and have fun with your beauty regimes. Only then can you get the best out of it. Occasionally, you should also try something different. It would be a nice surprise for you and everyone around you!

Aquarius: Dare to be Different

The Aquarius beauty is talented and enjoys showing herself to be so. Independent and confident, she enjoys investing her beauty regime on fancy hairdos and having a different look on a regular basis. Unique and independent brands interest her as the Aquarius dislikes going with the flow.

Tips: Things are usually popular for good reason. It’s good to switch to mainstream some times.

Pisces: Effects are important, acknowledgements even more so

The Pisces beauty is sensitive and is easily affected by criticism and compliments. She is willing to invest a lot of time and money on her beauty regime and responds quickly to others’ feedback. If someone expresses disapproval, she is quick to alter her beauty habits.

Tips: Less self-consciousness and more confidence will make you a happier and more beautiful person.

And this concludes the end of the horoscope series! I hope everyone gained some new insights from reading this! Chinese New Year is just round the corner, so here's wishing everyone joy with your preparations and a prosperous year of the Rabbit!

Beauty Beyond the Stars II

2011-01-21T17:01:00.000+08:00

I’m back with the second instalment of the zodiac series beauty tips!

Cancer: At two ends

Those under the Cancer sign hold rather extreme attitudes towards beauty and skin care. On one end, Cancers may have little interest in beauty and prefer to focus their efforts on other things like their career or family. On the other end, Cancers may be so obsessed that they will insist on only the very best methods. It it’s neither branded nor endorsed by celebrities, they would not even consider it.

Tip: You need to achieve a balance. For the ones who don’t bother, it’s time to at least practice some basic skin care. In an image-oriented society, sloppiness is always frowned upon, no matter how capable you are with your job. If you’re at the other end, remember that brands and celebrities are not always sure indicators. Different skin types yield different results. Always fish for feedback and reviews before plunging into something expensive.

Leo: Confident Decision Makers

Like the beauty-obsessed end under the sign of the Cancer, Leos, too, only pick brands that are popular and trust-worthy. However, they are not easily swayed by advertisements and celebrity endorsements. Apart from brand name, product ingredients and feedback matter a lot to them too. Natural ingredients are their favourites as these are safest to use and have little side effects.

Tip: Keeping up with your practical beauty regime is the right way to go!

Virgo: The Perfectionist

Virgos have always been famous for their pursuit of perfection. While it is always good to pursue the best, this insistence on the best sometimes becomes a hindrance when they select their beauty products. They may try something which may present good results but still switch to another product because it is not sufficiently good.

Tip: There is no such thing as the perfect product, or all the other companies would have been out of business. Sometimes, settling for a little less is better than spending extra time and money on experimentations.

Libra: Obsessive Beauties

A typical example of a Libra beauty is Taiwanese television personality Barbie Hsu, whose famous for her extreme beauty tips. She has never dyed her hair for fear of damaging it, and often goes out covered head to toe like a grass cutter to protect her skin and hair from exposure to the sun. Of course, not all Libras are like this, but some do have pretty intense beauty methods up their sleeves, many which do not have actual scientific basis or have little significance. However, on the other side of the spectrum, some Libras can be so lazy that they would go out without applying sunblock or brushing their hair. Libras are a little like Cancers, but much more extreme on both ends.

Tip: Confidence will make you beautiful. But over-confidence is not a good thing either.

Next week will see the last installment of the series with the remaining zodiac signs, so don't fret if yours hasn't been discussed yet! See you next week!

Beauty Beyond the Stars

2011-01-14T14:12:00.000+08:00

At the beginning of a new year, one of the types of books that sees increased sales are horoscope forecast and zodiac geomancy books! After all, those who believe would want to know their fortune for the rest of the year so they know what to expect and how to adapt. Of course, some people consider this hogwash, but all the same, it makes for entertaining reading! How many ladies can honestly say that you've never in your life read the horoscope prediction page at the back of your magazines?

When it comes to beauty and skin care, different people adopt different beauty regimes based on their personalities and characteristics, which some attribute to the stars. Not that I'm a firm believer in this, but I do sometimes find how interestingly coincidental the description of my zodiac sign is with my personality!

For this entry, to make things a little more interesting than usual, I'm going to do something a little different from usual. Based on the personalities of the different signs, I will advise on beauty tips and cautionary notes. You may take the horoscope reading like a pinch of salt, but if you see your personality up there, the tips may very well work for you!

Capricorn - The Risk Taker

Capricorns rarely deliberate on decisions. If they decide to go for it, they'll go for it. Home remedies like baked soda, aspirin mask and all sorts of trial and error recipes have the largest audience in them, even if these methods are not scientifically proven. The Capricorn owns the richest collection of make-up and beauty products, counter-bought or self-made.

Tip: Your courage and perseverance for change is commendable, but you should still exercise caution when using these products. At least read up on the ingredients used or consult friends who have used them. Bear in mind that some mistakes made in your beauty regime are irreversible!

Taurus: The Diligent but Stubborn Bull

Tauruses have incredibly high expectations on beauty and spend lots of time and effort toiling away at their beauty regime. They dislike change and once having settled on a brand, they'll swear to use it for the rest of their lives, buying and using every companion product of the same brand.

Tip: As the saying goes, "If it's not broken, don't fix it". If you're comfortable with your current state, by all means, carry on. However, it's good to try some new brands and products occasionally on the recommendation of friends. You may be in for a pleasant surprise! If you're not comfortable with completely switching brands or products, you can always ask for a sample from the sales rep at the beauty counter.

Gemini: Always in Two Minds

Geminis sound very knowledgeable about beauty care. Indeed, they have probably bought and dabbled with many different products but each is never fully utilized for the Gemini changes her mind like the weather and loses focus easily, jumping from one beauty regime to another.

Tip: Products don't work magic overnight. At least wait until you've finished using it for the stipulated period of time before assessing it's functionality!

More zodiac signs to come next week, so stay tuned!

Keep the zits at bay!

2011-01-07T13:58:00.000+08:00

The first week of the new year is about to end! I hope the new year has been great for you!

After New Year, the next big major festival is Chinese New Year! This is also the time when we tend to be more stressed and a little more unhealthy than usual from the effort we put into the preparations as well as doing overtime, and with stress and poor health comes the zits! Before Chinese New Year gets nearer, let's get the zits under control so you can enjoy Chinese New Year without fretting about these little buggers! As you go about your daily routine, here are some simple things you can take care off to ensure your zit-free holiday!

Make-Up Application

Make-up is almost an essential part of our daily routines. Especially when one has existing spots and imperfections, the natural thing to do is to turn to make out for a temporary solution. However, if make-up is inappropriately applied, it could worsen your pimples, or even cause you to have pimples when you didn't have them in the first place!

Before applying make-up, ensure that your face is clean. If you have combination or oily skin, use facial products with oil-control features. Use foundation that is suitable for oily skin. Throughout the day when you have to touch up your make-up, use oil blotting paper to absorb excess oil from your face before touching up your existing make-up. Finally, it is also very important that you remove your make-up at the end of the day as soon as you can. Never go to bed without going through the proper steps to remove your make-up completely, or your make-up would clog up your pores, causing zits to form.

Cleansing Your Face

Often, there is this common misconception that if you have pimples, it means that your face is dirty and not properly washed. While touching your face with dirty hands does result in pimples, poor hygiene is just one of the factors that cause pimples. Cleansing your face multiple times throughout the day is not going to improve your skin condition. On the contrary, it could make your pimples worst. Our skin is made up of a layer of cuticles and a film of moisture, which contribute to the regulation of oil on our skin. Washing your face more often than required can cause damage to these layers, resulting in an imbalance of the oil and moisture content on your skin. When this happens, your skin releases more oil instead, causing your face to be oily and pimples to be formed. Facial scrubs also cause pimples to worsen. That's why when you have pimples and acne, it's best to keep your face clean with gentle, non-stimulating facial products. The recommended amount of times to cleanse your face is once in the morning and once at night. On other times, you can splash your face with clean water.

Exposure to air-conditioning

Do you realize that even when you're in an air-conditioned office for the entire day, your face and neck feel exceedingly hot even if your hands are ice-cold? This is because water helps to cool your body down but the dry air resulting from air conditioning causes moisture to leave your skin, and the skin on your face and neck are often the most sensitive parts of your skin. Oily skin tends to secrete even more sebum than usual. It is important that you bring a skin moisturizer around with you and apply it whenever your skin feels hot and dry. Remember to wash your hands before doing so!

Feeling under the weather?

When you’re tired, stressed or in a bad mood, your skin reflects the condition of your body, appearing dull and void of elasticity. Sometimes, little bumps appear on your skin. These are not pimples, but should they become infected, they will have pus and become pimples. Don’t touch them or squeeze them; they’d get worst. If you want them to go away, you should work on getting rid of your bad mood and lethargy. A nice warm bath or hot shower, getting ample sleep or doing something relaxing which cheers you up often helps.

Good luck with your Chinese New Year preparations!

Keeping Fit for the New Year

2010-12-31T11:52:00.001+08:00

Year 2011 is just one day away! Are you all geared up to pave the way for another great year ahead?

One of the things people often talk about when it comes to self-improvement is resolutions. "What are your New Year resolutions?" is a common question to drive the conversation at an New Year party. Admittedly, it's something I delve into when conversation dries up.

Recently, I came across a meaningful quote by John Selden about New Year resolutions - "Never tell your resolution beforehand, or it's twice as onerous a duty. "

I suppose some people produce better results under pressure, and it really depends on personality. There are people who swear to shake off 5kg by the middle of next year and then get disheartened when they're 1kg short, and go back to doing things that make their goal drift further away. Then again, there are people who do everything to make sure that they do see their resolution through. Perhaps a resolution that everyone should make is to stick to their new year resolutions.

Jokes aside, whether you decide to reveal your resolutions or not, it's still good to start off the year with some sort of goal or plan in mind. It doesn't have to be something momentous or historic. It could be as simple as finishing off something from last year, or persisting with an achievement you managed last year.

Last year, I maintained a regular exercise regime (jogging and work outs at the gym) and I feel healthier and have fallen sick less often too. So for the new year, I'm going to continue doing that, but maybe try some more challenging sports to add variety. I did some research and found some sports which are easy to take up, promotes weight loss and doesn’t give you muscles:

Ice Skating
Suitability: Any age group, as long as your health permits. It’s not too difficult to learn if you’re not going for the fancy stuff.
Equipment: The ice skating outfit and skates. You should be able to rent these at the skating rink.
What it does: Improves ability to balance. Tones leg muscles. Increases stamina.
Approx. Calories burnt: 420 Calories per hour

Cycling
Suitability: Any age group
Equipment: Just the bike if you’re a non-professional cyclist
What it does: Exercises your thigh muscles and knee joints. Promotes blood circulation
Approx. Calories burnt: 240 Calories per hour

Golfing
Suitability: Any age group, but patient people are more likely to enjoy it. On the other hand, if you persevere, the sport will help develop your patience too.
Equipment: Sports attire, golfing shoes and gloves, gold club
What it does: All that walking strengthens your heart. Swinging the golf club helps stretch and strengthen your back muscle.
Approx. Calories burnt: 270 Calories per hour

Horse riding
Suitability: Age 40 and below. This is a sport with some risks. It’s also an expensive sport, and you must not fear horses.
Equipment: Riding attire, helmet, a docile horse
What it does: Trains your agility and body coordination. Exercises full body, especially leg muscles.
Approx. Calories burnt: 240 Calories per hour

Volleyball
Suitability: 30 plus and below. This is a high impact sport.
Equipment: Sports attire, sports shoes
What it does: This is a full body exercise that even tones your abdominal and bum muscles. It also trains your agility. If you’re still growing, the sport will help you grow taller.
Approx. Calories burnet: 260 Calories per hour (recreational)

Have a happy, healthy new year ahead!

Coping with the Holiday Food Fest

2010-12-22T17:42:00.000+08:00

Christmas is a mere three days away! How are you celebrating Christmas? I’ll be having a Christmas dinner pre-ordered from the supermarket with my family. Even before that, I've already met up with a friend for a huge Japanese dinner in celebration of Christmas and I'll be meeting up with another group tomorrow!

Wow that’s a lot of eating to be done! And as if the greasy turkey and creamy log cakes aren’t fattening already! And I expect there will be more partying and eating to be done over the New Year! But Christmas and New Year only happen annually, you say, why spoil the festive mood by worrying about eating too much? Still, this doesn’t give you the excuse to pig out. Overeating is a huge burden to your digestive system and heart. You don’t want to end up feeling queasy for the entire holiday season. Besides you may end up in a terrible mess in the form of puke if you top it all off with alcohol.

Here are tips for both hosts and guests on how you can eat heartily yet healthily. These are tips that are also relevant to your daily eating habits and meals!

1. Include salads and fruits in your Christmas dinner. Leave out the salad creams and sauces. Use lemon-honey sauce instead.

2. Eat slowly and thoughtfully. Do not gobble down your food just so you can catch that after-dinner Christmas special. It’s all right to multi task while eating, but make sure you’re thinking about what you eat. Eating aimlessly gives rise to a greater chance of over eating since you don’t realize that you’re full.

3. Dish out cute little plates instead of using extravagantly huge ones. This prevents guests from taking too much in one helping and forcing themselves to finish everything to be polite. After all, it’s not much trouble to get second helpings.

4. Eat the way you would at a restaurant with a three-course meal. Start with low-carb food like salads. Follow up with the main course aka the turkey, hams and what-not. Finish up with dessert aka the log cake. Some people think that eating salads and fruits after a full meal aids with digestion. While the sourness of citric fruits and salad sauces whets your appetite, it does not aid in digestion. After all, food doesn’t get digested within a meal’s duration. If you’re full, just stop eating.

5. Serve / Drink fruit teas and citric fruit juices instead of soft drinks and alcohol. A little red wine for a candlelight dinner is all right, but leave the beer for after dinner. Vegetable juices are veggies too! Try mixing different vegetable and fruit juices together to create your own unique vegetable cocktail. Your guests may clamour after your recipe!

6. Avoid creamy soups like Cream of Mushroom and Cream of Chicken. I personally feel that minestrone and pumpkin soups will complement a Christmas dinner well.

7. Only eat until you’re three-quarters full. That leaves your stomach emptier for alcohol and other snacks. But don’t binge on the alcohol or snacks either! Keep them to the minimal.

8. If you're attending a buffet-style dinner, don’t stand next to the buffet table. You tend to either end up eating more because it’s convenient or simply to give yourself something to do.

9. Don’t starve yourself over breakfast and lunch just so you can eat more at the Christmas dinner. You will certainly overeat at dinner, which will be cruel on your digestive system at night. Besides, skipping breakfast is unhealthy.

10. Exercise the next morning.

Remember, keep yourself healthy so that there's room for more!

When Less is More

2010-12-03T15:58:00.001+08:00

The holiday season's coming and there will be parties and dinners to attend, including corporate ones. That means out comes all your fabulous collections of beauty products and make-up kits! Make-up can make a world of difference to a person. We all know that make-up can make someone look extraordinarily beautiful. On the other hand, a botched make-up job can make someone stick out like a sore thumb! Many people tend to go overboard with their make-up or get into all kinds of slip-ups when preparing for parties. Do steer clear of the following commonly-made mistakes so that you don’t ruin your party.

Foundation / BB Cream overdose
Foundation is meant to make skin look even. It should not be used as a concealer. If you’re using your foundation like a mask, chances are, most people are going to notice the oddness of your skin under bright light. Too much foundation will also cause your skin tone and texture of your face to look different from the rest of your body. Apply only one thin layer of foundation, and use concealer to cover up your blemishes and imperfections.

Mascara overdose
Long, black eyelashes will certainly make your eyes look more alert, but too much mascara makes you look like, well, that you've got too much mascara on. Long and well-defined lashes look more elegant than lashes caked in mascara. If you want to give your eyes the 'pop' but aren't very skilled at applying mascara, try fake eyelashes instead. At least each strand is an even size, and you can choose dramatic ones like sequins and feathers to suit the occasion.

Long lasting lipstick You’re likely to be doing lots of eating, drinking or talking, or all of the above. If your lipstick is not lasting, some of it could fade. I know some people who try to apply more lipstick in the hopes that they don't have to touch up and that there will still be a thin layer of lipstick covering the lips at the end of the day. However, lips that are not evenly coloured look terrible, and the difference can be great when one part of your lips is covered by a creamy thick layer of lipstick while another part has little or no lipstick. Use a lipstick that doesn't fade, and apply a thin, even layer. Otherwise, remember to touch up your lips regularly.

Obvious lip outlines
Do use a lip liner with a similar shade of colour to your lipstick to outline your lips. Don’t think that you’re accentuating your lips by making the outline look obvious. It just makes you look like you’re trying too hard.

Staying Slim under the Thick Layers

2010-11-26T12:01:00.000+08:00

December holidays are coming and many are undoubtedly planning to travel! It's snowing or about to snow in many popular tourist destinations and that's always novel for those of us who have lived in tropical weather all our lives. Snow also makes for beautiful scenery for photo-taking! Unfortunately, the cold weather also makes it mandatory for us to dress warmly in multiple layers and bulky coats, causing us to look regrettably tubby in those beautiful photos! But don't despair! With the right type of cut and accessories, you can keep warm without looking like a dumpling!

Dark colours
Wearing dark coloured clothes gives the optical illusion of looking thinner. But this does not mean that you have to dress up like a crow. Dark shades of brown, blue, red, purple and other colours too, do not add bulk to your body. On the other hand, pink and white coats make you look sweet and fluffy, but they can also make you look bulkier than usual.

Long coats
These coats that go down to knee-length are suitable for tall girls and when worn with knee-high, high-heeled boots, can really elongate your body and make you look slimmer! Petite girls too, can wear long coats, but bear in mind to choose one that is proportionate to your body. Something that goes beyond your knee could make you look like you have short legs.

Flare-bottomed Coat

If you're bottom-heavy, these are especially great for covering up your weaknesses while giving the optical illusion of a smaller waist. Shorter ladies who do not find long coats suitable for them may go for such coats that reach above the knees. Just be sure that it actually reaches beyond your butt or you'll look even more bottom-heavy.

Furry collars, hoods and scarves

Isn't it annoying how layers of clothes add bulk to you horizontally but never vertically? If you have small, sloping shoulders, they would look disproportionate to your now-wider torso. But not to worry! Draping something that stands out around your shoulders and neck will not only level out your shoulders but also draws attention away from your waist. For scarves, choose something whose colour stands out against the colour of your coat e.g. white on black, rather than something that complements. Fur itself is outstanding and elegant. For those of you who are like me and don't support the use of real animal fur for aesthetic purposes, there are lots of coats that are accessorised by gorgeous faux fur.

Warm Colours

While warm colours may not actually keep you warm, they have psychological effects that make you feel and look warm! Besides, wearing warm or even hot colours makes you stand out against the snowy landscape!

Happy shopping!

Oh those panda eyes...

2010-11-18T12:06:00.068+08:00

November is typically a busy month for everyone. It's the month of exams for students, worries for parents and overtime for the working class.

If you've been sleeping late, your body will not be getting enough rest and it will be more difficult for your system to purge the toxins that have accumulated in your body. These results in premature ageing and ageing related problems such as wrinkles and uneven pigmentation. Dark eyebags and listless eyes are a given too. Although there are various methods to combat problems stemming from late nights, these are only temporary. If your body is not resting well, the problems will come back again, and your health will suffer.

If you have to stay up late for various reasons, here are some tips to keep in mind to make your short length of sleep as sound and productive as possible.

Don't eat before sleeping. That means no snacking, and try not to have dinner to late.

Sleep with the lights off. In fact, the ideal condition for sleep is when it is so dark that you can't even see your fingers when you raise your hand. In total darkness, your body rests and undergoes repair. However, when there is light in your room, your body is misled into thinking that it is not yet night and will thus not be able to rest as well as it should.

Sleep in a comfortable position.
If you like to sleep on your side, place a pillow or bolster between your legs, it will make you feel more comfortable. If you like lying on your back, place a pillow under your thighs. It will help to reduce the pressure on your back. Avoid sleeping on your stomach as it will cause discomfort in your back and neck the next day.

Find time to exercise. It will keep you healthy as well as relieve stress.

Power naps are good for quick replenishing of energy, but avoid napping for longer than 20 - 30 minutes or you will not be able to sleep at night.

Rest well and keep yourselves healthy for the holiday season!

Clear out that Make-up pouch!

2010-11-04T16:09:00.000+08:00

Just about two more months and it will be the end of 2010! Doesn't time fly by so frighteningly fast?

It's probably still too early to start cleaning your house for the new year, but it's definitely not too early to clean out your make-up pouch! Especially with Christmas around the corner and parties and gatherings to attend, you wouldn't want to spoil your skin with expired make-up, or get carried away by Christmas sales, only to realize that you still have loads of make-up at home!

Hygiene plays a part in good skin care. Keeping your cosmetics in a dirty environment can result in contamination. Here’s what to look out for when you tidy up your pouch.

Wash your make-up pouch. This is easily neglected, but it really is essential for good skin care. Just imagine putting a container of food into a dirty refrigerator. The food is likely to get contaminated too, even if it is separately packed!

Discard any product that has been kept longer than two years, including products that emit strange smells.

Discard balding brushes and worn out make-up pouffes and sponges.

If liquid products have solidified, discard them too.

Give away brand new products that you have not touched for the past 6 months. If you haven’t used them in such a long time, most likely you won’t ever use them. You might as well give them to someone who will actually use them before they expire.

Discard products that you’ve used and found to be unsuitable or ineffective.

Keep in mind what you own and don't buy more make-up unnecessarily. It's perfectly understandable to own loads of eyeshadow, lipstick and blush in varying shades, but it doesn't make sense to own several base-makeup sets with similar shades and functions. It may be cheap to purchase make-up at sales, but don't forget that you're still wasting money when you throw away unused make-up!

The Little Things Matter 3

2010-10-28T16:07:00.000+08:00

This is the last installment of a series of tips on damaging lifestyle habits.

7. Using your hands to scoop your facial products

Long term effect: If your products get contaminated, your skin could get worst from the presence of germs and dust from your fingers and the surrounding air.

If your product comes in a wide-mouth jar, use a spatula to scoop the required amount and cap it immediately.

8. Over-reliance on home remedies
DIY remedies, if appropriately administered, are effective and cheap. But if inappropriately administered, they may result in sensitive and injured skin in the long run.

Bear in mind that DIY remedies are not substitutes to fundamental skin care products like cleansers, toners and make-up removers. They are supplements which would help to enhance skin care and thus help to reduce costs on additional facial products like acne and age spot treatments that are expensive and would not be needed if you take good care of your skin regularly. Besides, not any home remedy you see on the web works for you, because most home remedy recipes are written based on the writer’s personal skin health and desired achievements, which may not be applicable to you. Home remedies are also a product of trial and error, and there are some careless people who may post home remedies online without verifying them. Always do some research on the composition of the recipe before using it, and if you can’t verify how the ingredients in the recipe contribute to the promised result, don’t use it! Also, do consider the fact that when different ingredients mix, they may produce side effects!

9. Using the same make-up remover for eyes and other parts of your face.

Long-term effect: Using non-eye make-up remover around the eyes can cause various skin problems around the eyes like puffy eyes and dullness.

The skin around your eyes is different from the skin on other parts of your face. Makeup removers that are specific to the eyes should be non-comedogenic and its PH value should be similar to that of your tears so that it is gentle on your eyes. Make-up removers for other parts of your face would contain a different composition that is likely to be unsuitable for the sensitive area around your eyes.

That's all for the moment, but it's not a comprehensive list! Always put your common sense and analytical skills to good use, especially if you're going to do something that would have a direct impact on your body!

The Little Things Matter 2

2010-10-21T12:08:00.000+08:00

I'm back again with the continuation of the previous article about poor lifestyle habits that we're so used to taking for granted. More food for thought...

4. Frequently using exaggerated expressions like winking, laughing really hard, frowning hard

Long term effect: You’ll get more wrinkles and at a faster rate

As mentioned earlier, wrinkles appear earliest where facial movements occur most frequently. Do avoid making exaggerated expressions or reacting strongly to something too often. It’s bad for your face as well as your heart.

5. Squeezing pimples

Long term effect: Skin develops an infection and scarring occurs thereafter

Leave your pimples alone. Always remember that a giant pimple will definitely disappear after a couple of days, but a scar will stay for a month or even longer. If you must hide that pimple, cover it up well with lots of foundation and concealer, but don’t forgot to remove your make-up properly.

6. Exceeding recommended time for masks

Long term effect: Skin gets dry, sensitive and ages quickly

Always read the instructions overleaf. Usually, the recommended time is no longer than 15 minutes. Leaving your mask on for too long causes it to absorb water from your skin since its water content is now less than that of your skin. If you’re using a clay mask, it could also cause your pores to clog up.

Tune in for the last installment next week!

The Little Things Matter

2010-10-14T10:50:00.000+08:00

You've invested money, time and effort on what you thought were the best facial products. You eat healthily and live healthily. You did everything you thought you were right. So why are problems like wrinkles, saggy skin and pimples still setting in?

All of us have our own little tics, like running fingers through hair, chewing of knuckles when under stress, tapping toes when bored... most of these tics are harmless, but some that seem insignificant may actually leave permanent changes to the point of being destructive! Chewing of knuckles, for example, is known to cause calluses. In the same way, some of the little things we do to our faces may actually disrupt our skincare routines. Set them right before permanent damage sets in!

1. Propping your face up with your hands

Long term Effect: Doing this regularly gives you wrinkles in the long run.

The pulling and pushing pressure exerted on your cheeks by your hands causes wrinkles. What’s more, unlike fine wrinkles caused by dryness, these wrinkles caused by skin loosening will be there to stay and no amount of expensive cosmetics would reverse the problem.

2. Crinkling your nose

Long term effect: You would develop wrinkles around your nose and eyes even if you've yet to reach the age when wrinkles set in!

Wrinkles occur earliest on places where facial movements occur most frequently, usually attributed to an outward expression of emotions. When facial muscles move, a crease will appear, but it will go away as long as your facial expression reverts to normal. Crinkling your nose is not a reflex action, so you have the choice of not doing it frequently!

3. Using only one side of your mouth to chew

Long term effect: Your face will become asymmetrical i.e. one cheek appears larger than the other.

This usually happens when one has a toothache, ulcer or some form of discomfort on one side of the mouth that requires him to concentrate on the other. If it has become a habit, it will occur everyday during all meals. The muscles on the side of the mouth that you keep using to chew will become stronger and bigger over time. Since the muscles on the other side are not in use, they will remain the same size or worst, become smaller in a process known as atrophy. When you eat, always make sure you’re using both sides to chew!

I'll follow up with more in subsequent entries, so stay tuned!

Eat Your Way to Delicious Lips!

2010-10-08T11:06:00.000+08:00

Do you sometimes feel that even with the richest lip gloss around town, your lips are still prone to dryness and chapping? Especially during this festive season when you’re either busy with preparations or rushing work to finish up in time for your long weekend leave, it is likely that you may not be drinking much-needed water to replenish your body’s moisture.

In Singapore’s tropical weather, it is quite rare for people to have chapped lips – that tends to happen in colder weathers - so if your lips are dry or even peeling, your lack of moisture is rather serious.

Like dry skin, lip dryness isn’t something that you can improve or cure overnight, but by incorporating certain foodstuffs in your daily diet, you’ll find soon find that those succulently luscious lips that you always wanted is not a dream!

According to the study of Traditional Chinese medicine, there are certain foods with ‘heaty’ effects, ‘cooling’ effects and neutral effects. The more obvious examples of food with heaty effects are durian, fried food and spicy food. These are the type of foods that cause you to fall sick from fever and sore throat, especially if you have a heaty constitution. Examples of ‘cooling’ food include mangosteen, green bean soup and herbal teas. These are the things you eat to combat the heaty effects. Heaty foods are generally drying, so food with neutral or ‘cooling’ effects is recommended for people lacking in moisture.

Vegetables: Spinach, mustard, radish, eggplant, bamboo shoot, tomato, winter melon, cucumber, luffa, bitter gourd, mushroom, green bean, soybean

Seafood products: Seaweed, jellyfish, clam, crab, black fish, oyster

Meat and protein sources: Pork, Duck meat, duck meat and eggs, goose meat and eggs, milk

Beans and grains: Sesame, Black bean, millet, wheat, barley

Fruits: Sugarcane, Banana, Water melon, mango, pear, Luo Han Guo, persimmon, coconut, pineapple, water chestnut

Others: Lotus root, lotus seat, lily, wolfberry, chrysanthemum, honey, tea leaves, rock sugar, table salt

Ensure that you’re drinking sufficient fluids daily (8 glasses) and avoid coffee and smoking. Good luck in your quest for juicy lips!

Common Misconceptions about Facial Products

2010-09-29T11:04:00.000+08:00

These days, the influx of information has created so many falsehoods about facial products and ways to use them! I've summed up a list of myths that are most widely spread and their corresponding facts!

Myth: Facial products with alcohol are bad for skin and should be avoided at all costs

Fact: The presence of alcohol in facial products has been demonized. Although non-alcoholic facial products are gentle and ideal for skin, alcohol content is not necessarily bad. An appropriate amount of alcohol cleanses pores of oil and dirt with greater effect than non-alcoholic products. It also aids pores to contract, hence providing greater control over oil secretion. Facial products with alcohol are generally more effective for people with oily skin. As long as you do not have dry, sensitive skin and are not allergic to alcohol, it’s all right to use facial products with alcohol.

Myth: This brand/type works miracles on me. I should stick to it and never switch!

Fact: In a tropical country like Singapore where the weather and humidity are relatively constant, it’s all right to stick to the same product. But if you’re going to a place with a different climate or if your skin experiences significant changes at some point of time, you need to change the brand and type of product in accordance to your skin problems. For example, if you’re going to a country that’s experiencing winter, choose highly moisturizing products targeted for extreme cold and dry weather. If you have severe breakouts during ‘that time of the month’, you should avoid oily and highly moisturizing products that may worsen your breakouts.

Myth: You can never go wrong with cotton pads and make-up puffs when applying or removing facial products.

Fact: Cotton pads / make-up puffs are indeed more effective at removing residue because they are more absorbent, but those with rough textures may actually harm your skin. Do be careful to choose smooth cotton pads and make-up puffs that are gentle on skin. Also, if you use clean hands to massage your face while washing it, warmth from your hands will prevent pores from contracting, thus allowing your skin to absorb nutrients from your facial product more effectively.

Myth: Organic products will not harm your skin because they are natural.

Fact: Actually, products like lemon, peppermint, citrus fruits and camphor oil are acidic in nature and can be harsh on sensitive skin.

DIY Masks for blackhead removal

2010-09-23T10:50:00.000+08:00

Here are some simple masks made from food that can be used to extract blackheads!

Green Melon Mask

You will need:
1 Green Melon
1 Facial mask sheet

Instructions:
1. Put the green melon in the blender, add in some water and blend.
2. Filter the mixture, setting aside the liquid for use.
3. Pour the green melon water onto facial mask sheet and wait for it to soak up all the liquid.
4. Cover face with mask for 20 minutes.

Apart from removing black heads, its cooling effect reduces infections and swellings. If you have pimples, you’ll soon be rid of them!

Egg nose mask

You will need:
1 Facial Mask Sheet
Egg White from 1 egg

Instructions:
1. Cut out from the facial mask sheet, the portion that covers the nose. This will be used for the nose mask.
2. Apply egg white on the nose mask
3. Place nose mask on nose. Make sure it sticks on your skin and don’t leave space for bubbles.
4. Sit in front of a fan to dry the mask. Once the mask is dry, remove it. You should be delighted to find black spots (your blackheads) on the mask!

The best time for a facial

2010-09-17T17:18:00.001+08:00

Today's Friday! Woohoo! The weekend's finally here and I'm sure lots of people are going to hit the night spots to hang out with their friends until late since there's no work the next day. However, I'm going to head straight home today right after work because I'm going to pamper myself with a facial at home!

What's the rush though, you must be asking. You see, after returning from work, having dinner, doing the housework, bathing and washing face, it’s at least 9pm before one finally gets time to relax and start your home facial treatments. But did you know that 9pm and after are inappropriate timings for beauty treatments?

Our skin also has a biological clock. Between 9pm to 11pm, the skin is most sensitive, blood capillaries are weak and the body is most susceptible to decreasing blood pressure, water swelling, bleeding and infection. In this condition, beauty treatments like masks, moisturizers etc burden your skin and may lead to complications.

The best times to do your facial treatments are around 7 or 8 pm, or after 11pm.

4pm to 8pm is the best period to do beauty treatments. During this period, blood is high in oxygen content and the skin absorbs nutrients more efficiently.

After 11pm is the time when cells grow and split most rapidly. Hence, our skin is able to absorb nutrients from masks and moisturizers more quickly and thoroughly!

How Not to Overeat During the Festive Season

2010-09-11T11:19:00.041+08:00

Yet another long-awaited long weekend is here again! Since it's Hari Raya Puasa, many people in Singapore will probably be visiting Muslim relatives and friends to celebrate a month of fasting! As for me, my neighbour has already dropped me and my family an invite, and we've RSVPed of course. I'm excited about seeing their new curtains and threads and catching up with them, but - I'll be honest - what I'm really really looking forward to is the food. My neighbour is an excellent cook and she makes awesome traditional Malay dishes! Just thinking about them makes me salivate! I guess many people are going to do a lot of eating on this festive day too, since festivities often equate to hospitality and lots of food!

Even so, don't forget to exercise prudence with your diet! I'm not going to be a wet blanket and tell you that you should be counting calories at a table laden with delicious Malay delicacies. It's all right to indulge once in awhile, but over-eating is bad for health and the holiday spirit should not be an excuse to subject your body to heart-burn and indigestion.

Three Golden tips to avoid over-burdening your stomach:

Don't skip earlier meals so that you can eat more later. Your brain will send out messages telling you that you need to eat more to make up for the lack of food earlier on, but your stomach capacity or digestion ability doesn't expand just because you are hungry. You will end up eating more indeed, more than your body can process.

Drink more water. Warm drinks and plain water are fine, but not gassy drinks. It's healthier, fills you up without hurting your digestive system, and you probably will need it if you are not used to the spicy Malay fare.

Don't be afraid to say no if you're full. Most hosts will offer to refill your plate with food or ask you to take more helpings. This is usually done out of courtesy and you should not have to worry about offending them if you say that you are full. They'll surely understand. Of course, do say it in a polite manner. If they have fruits, you may ask for that though. Fruits give your diet a fiber boost and do not contribute to overeating.

Have a great weekend ahead! Selamat Hari Raya!

Product Review: MAC Pro Longwear concealer

2010-08-26T12:15:00.045+08:00

I just got my new MAC Pro Longwear concealer in the mail and I'm in love with it!

It is a full coverage liquid concealer that looks thick and opaque and feels a tad sticky to the touch. However, upon application, it actually feels very light weight on my skin. It stays in place for about eight hours in an office environment, keeping all my imperfections invisible, and I never even saw a necessity to touch up.

The packaging is a cute little glass vial which looks pretty, but I'm not too enthusiastic about it. I never do like glass bottles as I'm always fearful that I might drop them and cause them to break. The dispenser is easy to work, but take care not to press too hard or you may end up dispensing too much at one go.

It claims to contain medical grade ingredients that help with reduce spots and blemishes, so that's
another plus for people who have some pimples.

Soothe Your Stressed Skin with Tea

2010-08-19T12:08:00.000+08:00

Tea is an all-natural beauty and health supplement! Dermatologists say that regular consumption of tea makes your skin smooth and radiant and lengthens the time period for wrinkle formation.

Apart from drinking tea, there are some simple things you can do with tea to improve various aspects of your wellbeing!

If your eyes are tired from prolonged computer usage, use a cotton pad to soak up a small amount of cooled tea and wipe your eyes gently with it. After a few minutes, splash some cold water on your face. It brings instant relief for your eyes!

Teabags are also great remedies for dark circles and eyebags. You can view the article that I wrote on it months ago here.

Tea soothes sunburnt skin too! Just gently dab some cooled tea onto the peeling and flaky parts using a cotton pad. Do it for as long as you like until you’re satisfied with the results.

If your eyes are swollen and red due to lack of sleep or failure to remove your eye-makeup completely, you can bring down the swelling with tea bags. Take 2 tea bags that have been soaked in luke-warm water and place them over your closed lids for 10 minutes. But don’t place them directly over the slits of your eyes in case tea gets into them.

Last but not least, you can make a tea facial mask! You will need brown sugar and red tea leaves for this. Add 2 teaspoons of red tea leaves and brown sugar to a tea pot. Add a little water (until approximately 1 finger widths from the base of the pot) and boil the mixture. After the tea has boiled, stir flour into the mixture until you get a gooey and evenly blended mixture which would serve as your mask. Wait till it is cool enough, then apply the mask to your face. Wipe the mask away from your face after 15 minutes. This mask is especially good for people with dull skin. If you keep this up for at least 1 month, you should be able to put some radiance and colour back to your skin!

You may find the large selection of herbal and all natural teas these days overwhelming. However, you don't have to worry about exactly which tea to choose as all natural tea (not the ones with artificial flavouring, mind you) generally have beauty and health merits, so you could use any. Examples of natural tea include red tea, black tea, Jasmine tea and green tea. My personal recommendation is green tea because it is known to have detoxification effects!

Reduce Facial Puffiness

2010-08-11T15:30:00.000+08:00

Oh no! My face swelled overnight! It's puffy like a bun in the morning! And it looks like one too; pale and dull-coloured!

This is often the result of drinking too much water before you go to bed. The most effective way to curb this problem is of course, to drink more water in the day and reduce water intake at night. But this is easier said than done because most of us have little time to drink in the day and try to make up for the shortage of water consumption by drinking more at night.

Thankfully, there’s a method to reduce swelling quickly. It’s done like a ‘sauna’. Splash your face 30 times with cold water. Repeat the process with warm water, followed by cold water again. Five minutes after this process, your skin should become firmer, elastic and radiant!

Paint your Face Safely

2010-08-05T10:46:00.001+08:00

National Day is just round the corner! Ready to paint the town and your face red?

Face Painting is a fun and colourful activity that really gets you into the atmosphere of large-scale celebrations! But some people are concerned about the possible toxic effects of face paint, and whether it can be thoroughly removed, all for a good reason, because face paint can indeed damage your skin if not applied with care!

Here are some safety tips on using face paints:

Use Material Suitable for Skin

That means no acrylic craft paints, watercolor markers, permanent markers (gasp! some people actually use it!), pencils and your arts and crafts material. Not even for a short period of time. These chemicals can take days to be removed completely, during which they may cause rashes especially for those who have allergic skin. You can find face paint at large places selling craft material such as Art Friend. Just make sure you get the right one, and ask for help if you need it! Don't use metallic craft glitter either! If you need some shimmers, only use those specifically for face painting. These are usually made of polyester and 0.008 microns or smaller.

Don't Paint On Open Wounds
This includes acne and open cuts. When you rub your skin to remove the paint, you could aggravate the wound and cause irritation. Use a sticker instead.

Personal Hygiene
Just like when applying make-up, practise personal hygiene when applying face-paint! Especially since it's a longer process than your usual make-up routine, keep hand sanitizer or baby wipes at hand so that you can wipe your hands at various intervals!

Be Comfortable
Sit down and make sure you're in a position where you are comfortable so that you can paint your face without causing any strain or having to resort to awkward postures. Take breaks at various intervals if you must. Apart from health reasons, looking comfortable at the end of it adds a star to your colourful new visage!

Practise good hygiene with your cosmetic tools

2010-07-28T10:29:00.001+08:00

Unhygienic face sponges, powder puffs and cosmetic brushes are breeding grounds for bacteria. After washing your face, rinse your face sponge or towel thoroughly and place it in a well-ventilated area to dry. Face sponges and towels should be sunned every now and then to prevent them from being wet. Powder puffs and cosmetic brushes must be washed regularly. There are cleaning liquids specifically for this purpose that you can buy from places selling skincare and cosmetic products. Ideally, you can use your bath foam or shampoo as cleaning agents. They are pretty effective too!

Powder puffs blacken easily so you ought to wash them at least once a week. Brushes can be washed once in two months, but each time after usage, they must be wiped with tissue. After that, shake them hard to dislodge residue.

Don’t be negligent with the way you handle your products! Dirt gets inside them, if you don't handle them properly. Tube containers and any other form of packaging with a dispenser of some sort are easier to handle. All you have to do is ensure that you replace the cap properly after use. If you’re keeping them in your moist bathroom, make sure the cap is tightly sealed, and try to finish the contents as quickly as possible.

For wide-mouth containers, do not ever use your fingers to scoop up the product. Each time your fingers touch the product, bacteria gets inside it. Use a clean spatula or cotton bud instead. After scooping up the product, replace the cap immediately to prevent dust from getting in.

Using a lip brush to apply your lip balm and lipstick is most ideal (if you keep your lip brush clean!). If you apply your lipstick or lip balm directly to your lips, that’s fine too, but do remember to use tissue to wipe its surface of contact with your lips after usage. You wouldn’t want your saliva to remain on your lipstick till the next day.

More is Better with Facial Masks

2010-07-22T10:21:00.003+08:00

The subject at hand is only applicable to users of facial masks in clay or paste form. Many people perceive that such masks are economical because they only require a little of it each time to cover the entire face. That's how they make their tubes of mask last much longer than packs of 5-in-1 peel-off masks.

In reality, a skimpy, translucent layer of mask is insufficient to create a closed environment for your skin to rejuvenate. To ensure that your skin gets enough nourishment, you must be generous with your application, especially around the T-zone. Nobody ever said that beauty comes cheap :(

So what's the ideal amount that one should use? There isn't a standard to adhere to, as different products have different concentrations of ingredients. Generally, you should use about 3 - 4 blobs of the product, each the size of a broad bean. After application, the mask should constitute a thick and prominent layer.

You'll end up finishing your product a lot faster than you usually did, but take heart. At least you are finally putting your product, and consequently your money, into good use!

Cucumber Porridge

2010-07-14T10:15:00.000+08:00

Recently, the flu virus has been rampant! I've just recovered from it and now my mum's on flu medication while my dad is showing signs of having succumbed to the virus! Porridge has been the only thing we've been eating at home so far, so I've been on a porridge diet. I did some research to find out what other porridges I could make other than the typical fish, pork and chicken porridge, and now I bring to you... the cucumber porridge! It's healthy, promotes healthy skin, and most importantly, tasty! I wouldn't mind having more of it even after my pesky phlegm has cleared out!

For 1 serving of porridge, you will need:
Rice, ¼ of a normal-sized cucumber, a pinch of salt, a few slices of ginger (skin removed), 1 egg (optional)

Directions:
1. Wash and skin the cucumber. Remove the seeds and slice cucumber into very thin strips.

2. Mince the ginger (you can do this by smashing it with your knife).

3. Put the rice to cook. Crack an egg into it. Add the minced ginger. When the porridge is boiling and soft enough for your liking, add the cucumber strips, followed by salt. Turn off the stove and it’s ready to be served!

Note: Cucumber strips should not be added in before the porridge is cooked. If cooked too long, vitamins from vegetables will escape. Furthermore, cucumber is crunchy and refreshing when eaten raw.

For best results, have a warm bowl of cucumber porridge once or twice a day. It helps in moisturizing skin, bringing down cholesterol and thus helping with weight loss, and lightening freckles. Cucumbers are rich in Vitamins C, B1 and B2, glucose, protein, sylvite, Renieratene, phosphorous, iron and other important minerals. Regular consumption of cucumbers is highly encouraged to maintain healthy skin!

Banish those eye bags!

2010-07-07T13:09:00.000+08:00

Good eye creams do help to lessen eye bags, but as a long term solution, they can get really expensive! Here are some food items that are known to help prevent the formation of eye bags and reduce their intensity. Try to accommodate them in your diet frequently and you’ll find your eye bag issue improving in the long run without breaking your bank!

Eggs
Eggs are rich in proteins. Protein stimulates cell growth and helps to reduce dead cell accumulation around your under eyes. However, bear in mind that the max number of eggs one should consumer per day is 2. The healthiest method to cook your egg is to boil it. Lean meat and seafood are also rich in proteins and can be consumed to increase your amount of protein intake. However, because the amino makeup of protein in eggs is more similar to that of the human body, we absorb protein from eggs more readily.

Sesame
Sesame is rich in vitamin E, which is nourishing for your eyes and the skin around your eyes. Apart from this, it also promotes healthy hair growth! Other food rich in vitamin E include peanuts, almonds and sunflower seeds.

Carrots
Like sesame, carrots are rich in vitamin E. It has one more added bonus – richness in Vitamin A. It stimulates skin repair and thus helps to reduce eyebags. Other food items rich in Vitamin A include animal liver, butter, almonds, alfafa etc.

Seaweed
Seaweed is rich in iron. Iron combines with protein to form hemoglobin which promotes oxygen transportation and absorption of nutrients.

Green tea
Green tea has detoxification effects. If you’re constantly in front of the computer, you should drink more green tea to get rid of eyebags caused by radiation from the computer. Green tea contains polyphenols, a powerful antioxidant. It helps to reduce skin damage caused by harmful free radicals. Green tea helps to promote sleep, thus indirectly reducing one of the main causal factors of eyebags.

Placing tea bags over eyebags also helps to reduce dark circles. After boiling tea bags, put them aside to cool, or refrigerate them for a short while if you want to use them quickly. Place over closed eyes for 20 minutes.

My make-up doesn't stick!

2010-06-29T13:43:00.000+08:00

Having problems getting your foundation to blend? If you have to keep reapplying your make up because it fades, you may have dry skin that’s causing problems for your make-up application.
Here’s a quick solution that you can adopt each time before you wear make-up.

1. Prepare a basin of hot water. Bend your head over so that your face is near the water surface. You should feel the steam in your face. Drape a clean towel over your head and the basin so that steam doesn’t escape. Do this for 5 minutes. Steam helps to soften stubborn dead skin cells and opens up your pores so you can unclog them easily.

2. Use a facial scrub (the type with exfoliation beads) and scrub each part of your face in a circulatory manner. Wash it off when you’re done. This step helps to exfoliate and smoothen skin.

3. Dab some toner on your face.

4. Drench a square of cotton wool in toner. Carefully split cotton wool horizontally into 2 thin pieces. Place each split piece on each cheek. This produces a moisturizing effect.

5. Leave the cotton pads on for five minutes. For better effect, drape a clean permeable clear plastic wrap (the kind used to wrap food for refrigeration) over your face. This not only prevents the toner from evaporating but also improves blood circulation in your face due to wamrth generated.

6. Apply your usual eye and face moisturizers. Cap your clean hands over your face for 15 seconds to generate warmth and improve blood circulation.

Your clean and moisturized skin should nod its head to your powder pouffe!

Make-up Removal - The forgotten residue

2010-06-23T10:24:00.000+08:00

Generally, make-up users are aware that make-up removal and subsequent skincare entails the following: make-up removal, cleansing, facial wash and toner application.

However, these steps only enable the removable of the bulk of make-up and not the entirety. Residual substances are often left behind around the lips, eyes, eyelids, eyelashes, sides of the nose and even at the edges of your forehead where the hair begins. Colour make-up produces more residue. We are cautioned against using cleansing products on these sensitive regions. But what you can do is to use a cotton bud or tissue paper to wipe these areas gently. You'll be surprised just how much dirt comes off onto it!

Foam Your Face Good!

2010-06-17T11:11:00.000+08:00

10:30 AM by Lydia

What does face care have in common with foam, other than the first letter in their spelling? The result of clean and radiant skin of course!

One of the most common misconceptions is that the complex in cleansers is directly responsible for purifying the skin. While that's what cleansers do, we have to get technical about this to get our product application methods right. No matter how much time and money you're investing on skincare, your efforts will come to naught if you're not using them the right way! The substance that produces the cleansing effect is actually foam produced from the cleanser.

However, high foam cleansers do not necessarily make good quality cleansers, because chemicals can easily be added to alter foam production. These chemicals agitate sensitive skin, so it's still safer to choose low foam cleansers.

Pretty contradictory eh? Well, not really, because low foam cleansers do produce foam with the correct application and amount. The correct method of applying cleansers is as follows:

1. Squeeze cleanser into the center of one palm
2. Dab the four fingers of your other hand in water
3. Rub your damp fingers over the cleanser in a circulatory motion
4. Rub both palms together to spread out cleanser and foam evenly
5. Gently massage your face with both hands.

If you're new to low foam cleansers, you need to adapt to them gradually. Adjust the amount of cleanser applied based on how much foam you are getting. If you're finding it difficult to get foam despite doing all the right steps, you're probably being too miserly with your cleanser. If your face is getting swarmed in too much foam, reduce the amount of cleanser slightly.

DIY Honey-Yolk-Milk Mask

2010-06-08T11:28:00.000+08:00

Here’s a recipe for a new face mask which I saw on the Taiwanese beauty show 女人我最大. It's a quick and simple respite for your tired face!

Ingredients: 1 egg, 2 tablespoons of honey, half glass of milk, flour

Crack the egg into a bowl and scoop out the egg yolk into another bowl. Add honey, milk and flour into the bowl containing the yolk and mix. Amount of flour added should be in accordance to your preference of how watery you want your mask to be. When the mixture is thoroughly mixed, apply it evenly on your face. Leave it on for 20 minutes and wash it off with lukewarm water.

It will nourish your skin and make it more radiant!

I hope everyone gets to greet your relatives during Chinese New Year with a joyful and glowing face!

Using facial masks the right way

2010-06-03T12:42:00.000+08:00

It is very important to use the right technique to apply your mask. Simply rubbing it or spreading it onto your face in any old way may diminish the effect of your mask or even harm your skin.

Pre-facial Treatment
Your skin should be cleansed and absolutely free from make-up and dirt. Dab some toner on your face to balance out the pH value of your skin. After that, apply your mask. Some brands may specify that you apply a layer of oil, moisturizer etc. Usually these are meant to remove dead skin cells. Just follow the manufacturer's instructions.

Application technique

Paste or Clay mask
The layer of mask applied should be thick enough to conceal your pores so that the effects will be optimum. Wash-off masks are easier to manage as they won’t dry up your skin. After leaving it on your face for the recommended amount of time (according to the directions on the packaging), simply rinse it off with clean water.

The procedure for applying the mask is very important. Different parts of the face has slightly different temperatures. Start applying on your cheeks first, where the temperature is lowest, followed by the forehead, nose and chin. Avoid your eye rims and pimply or acne-infested areas to prevent an allergy reaction.

Sheet Mask
After spreading the mask on your face, adjust it according to your facial structure, ensuring that the mask adheres to every part of your skin. Tap your face lightly to dispel the air bubbles. For greater effectiveness, you can place an area of clear sheet wrap above your mask, cutting out holes in the nose area to facilitate breathing. Place a warm towel on top. This will prevent your mask from drying up, so you can leave it on your face for a longer time!

Additional tips
While you’re enjoying your facial, you can massage your face lightly to stimulate blood circulation. This will not be possible for clay masks though!

Don’t leave your mask on your skin for too long, especially if you are not using the plastic wrap method mentioned above. Usually, a suitable time frame is 10-15 minutes. Any longer and your skin will dry up due to lack of oxygen.

Do not think that just because you do regular masks, you don’t need other skincare products. Different masks have different uses, and they are not comprehensive. More importantly, have a healthy lifestyle, because basic skin care products are just for maintenance!

Consuming fruit juices the right way

2010-05-31T17:06:00.000+08:00

I adore fruit juices because they look and taste delicious, are rich in vitamins, healthy and have beautifying effects! But there really is a lot more to fruit juices than people usually perceive. Not all fruit juices can be drunk anytime or have the same values. Here are tips on how you should incorporate juices into your diet so you can enjoy their optimum effects!

1. Don’t drink fruit juices on an empty stomach
After a night of sleep, blood in your body coagulates because the body has been working to dispel toxins from the various organs. Nutritionists encourage people to drink a glass of plain water in the morning to dilute body fluids. If you drink fruit juices first thing in the morning, not only does it not help to dilute your body fluids, it also burdens your stomach.

2. Fruit juices as a source of energy and vitamin C
Many people, especially corporate workers and students, have hectic mornings and barely eat breakfast. This causes the body to have a shortage of vitamin C and energy. After a busy morning at work, remember to drink a glass of fruit juice to replenish your energy and vitamin C!

3. Freshly squeezed fruit juice is better than pre-packed juice.
Some people prefer getting fruit juice from the supermarket because it’s a hassle to squeeze your own juice. But squeezing your own fruit juice gives you the most nutritious fruit juice. So called 100% pure fruit juice from the supermarkets are really diluted for marketing and packaging appearances. Not only are a lot of vitamins lost in the process, to make the juices taste better, preservatives and flavourings are even added.

4. Fruit juices are not to be taken warm
Warm fruit juices may taste good in rainy weather or winter, but vitamin C gets destroyed by heat. If you use hot water to make fruit juice, you’ll be losing all the health and beauty effects that come with Vitamin C.

5. Fruit juices are not to be mixed with milk
Fruity milk shakes are delicious, but that’s all to it. Tartaric acid in fruits and protein from milk will react such that both nutrients will fail to be absorbed by the body. So if you think fruity milk shakes are healthy, that’s really not true at all!

A Veg A Day Keeps the Skin Doc Away

2010-05-27T15:22:00.000+08:00

Everyone wants smooth, tender skin, but sometimes our body just won’t comply with our wishes. With poor lifestyle habits, it’s not uncommon for skin to have uneven pigmentation or look pale and dull. It must be emphasized again that using good facial products and treatments help to improve and maintain skin quality on the surface, but if your health is poor, the problems are just going to keep returning.

The most effective way to improve your skin condition without compromising too much of your regular lifestyle is through eating more vegetables! Different types of vegetables are especially suitable for treating different types of skin conditions!

Red Face
By this, I don’t mean radiant rosy cheeks or the flushed cheeks you get from blushing or drinking, but red patches in various parts of your face. This is usually attributed to eating too much animal cholesterol and animal protein. To counter this problem, include a large amount (estimated 2 servings) of leafy green vegetables when having a meal that’s heavy on meat. Such vegetables include spinach, celery, and lettuce. They are more effective when eaten raw, but you can also make juice out of them.

Crimson Red Face
Similar to the red face, the pigmentation is spread in various parts of your face, but they look more pronounced. Fortunately, they aren’t permanent and only occur when your blood circulation is poorer i.e. during cold weather. Still, that shouldn’t stop you from looking your best at all times. There are two solutions to this problem. You can take warm baths and massage the red portions more often to quicken your blood flow. You should also take in foods rich in vitamin B1, C and D to allow the body to absorb protein efficiently.

Oily skin and dark pigmentation
This usually results from consuming too much oil – namely animal and vegetable oil (yes vegetable oil is still oil after all!). The solution is to reduce your oil intake by consuming less oily foods, and eat more leafy green vegetables. Before a meal, drink a glass of warm vegetable juice.

Freckles
Asians are rarely born with freckles. If you have freckly cheeks, one of the causes could be consuming too much salt. If your diet consists mainly of animal cholesterol and protein, this will affect your liver’s function negatively, causing freckles to become more obvious. You must include plenty of vegetables and fruits in your diet. Medical drugs are also bad for skin, especially sleeping pills, which result in the secretion of acid. Medication should be avoided when unnecessary.

Uneven dark pigmentation
Generally, consuming too much salt results in rough, dry and dull skin. Exposure to sunlight worsens the condition. If your skin is losing its radiance and turning dull and dark, it is a warning for your body to expel the salt. To improve the condition, you should reduce your salt intake and consume more water and fibre (from vegetables) to aid the colon to function more effectively so that the toxins can be passed out through waste. If you have a bath tub, soak in a warm bath until you perspire. This helps your body to detoxicate.

Look 10 years younger in 2 days!

2010-05-17T12:41:00.000+08:00

This method was revealed by the popular Japanese beautician Saeki Chizi on her talkshow about skin care. Apparently, many Japanese girls subscribe religiously to her shows, and we all know how Japanese girls are famed for their young appearances. It’s quick, painless and cheap, so let’s give it a go!

You will need:
- Normal cleansing facial mask. It can be any sort of mask; clay, peel-off, DIY… just get one that you normally use. However, do not use an overnight mask as this is not an overnight treatment.
- Permeable plastic wrap (the type used for wrapping food)
- Massage oil or lotion for face
- A steamed towel. To steam a towel, soak it in hot water, take it out and wring it dry, and put it in a microwave oven and heat for 30 seconds. Don’t heat it for longer than that or it may burn up.
- Facial mist spray
- Facial essence
- Facial cream
- Chilled towel (refrigerate a towel overnight)

Here's what you do:

1. Use a facial mask to correct surface problems on your face (such as zits and blemishes).

2. Place a layer of plastic wrap over your facial mask. Remember not to cover over your mouth and nose! Vapour moisture that passes back and forth the plastic wrap helps to moisturize your face. The effect will be more pronounced if you do your facial while having a soak in your bath tub (there’ll be lots more water and vapour).

3. Remove your mask and plastic wrap according to the time span you are supposed to use the mask for.

4. Massage your face with massage oil/lotion. This will help your skin to regain its radiance, elasticity and intensity. Simultaneously massage the lymph nodes on your face (under your chin and on your cheeks) to promote the removal of toxins and reduce facial swelling.

5. Place a steamed, warm towel over your face for five minutes or so, until the towel has cooled. This will open up your pores, allowing your skin to absorb moisture and nutrients.

6. Spray mist on your face to refresh skin.

7. Apply facial essence to nourish skin.

8. Apply a layer of facial cream which will act as a protective layer, locking in moisture and nutrients inside your skin.

9. Turn in early and have a good night’s rest.

10. On the second day, before you put on make-up, use a chilled towel to cover your face for five minutes. This will minimize your pores and make your make-up last longer.

When the sun is out to play, keep the Oil at bay

2010-05-10T11:42:00.001+08:00

It’s summer and hot, sunny weather is back, for better or worst. 34 degrees Celsius isn’t too bad if you take the right precautions and face your day with a positive attitude! After all, there’s a Chinese saying that goes Xin Jing Zi Ran Liang (if your heart is at peace, it will be cooled). And think about poor India and the Middle East where temperatures go up to 40 + degrees Celsius!

So what are the precautions one should take? I’ve already written a few articles about UV rays, sun block, taking care of burnt skin etc, so I’d like to touch on something else that is just as essential as sun protection. And that would be oil control. In hot weather, your skin tends to secrete more sweat and oil. Especially for those who already have oily skin to begin with, this excess secretion will burden your pores.

Keeping it simple
First of all, contrary to piling all sorts of creams on your face, keep your daily skin care and make-up regime as simple as possible. Bear in mind that the more nutrition you try to feed your face through direct entry through the skin, the harder your skin cells and pores have to work! Basically, if your skin is reasonably healthy, all you really need is a cleanser, toner, day and night moisturizer and sun screen. Keep your make-up light, especially in the day when you’re outdoors, and use non-comedogenic make-up. Keep your skin healthy by consuming fruits and vegetables daily.

Concentrating on the T-zone
The T-zone area (Forehead down to the nose) is most prone to oily secretions and is the first region on your face to start secreting oil. To curb oily secretions, the natural thing to do is of course to treat the specific problem. These days, a lot of skin care products are targeted specifically at T-zone areas. Do note that some of these products tend to leave a white sheen behind which doesn’t really look flattering on your face, so what you can do is apply and blend your foundation before it dries completely, and don’t apply an overly thick layer!

Beware oily skins and dry constitutions
Don’t think that just because your skin is shiny with oil, it’s well-moisturized. In fact, sometimes when the skin’s oil regulation function is messed up due to various problems, sudden change in weather conditions included, your skin may be oily, but is in fact dry inside. This leads to problems like skin sensitivity and flaking, and in more serious circumstances, may cause rashes and infection. In this case, moisturizing alone is not effective. If your skin starts acting up, the best cure is moisturizing + cooling down. After a day out in the sun, take a cool shower, or place a towel that has been iced over the affected areas. Then apply a mild moisturizer suitable for sensitive skin.

More tips to come in the next update!

DIY Juices for late nighters

2010-04-23T11:50:00.001+08:00

Now we all know that fruits and veggies are good for skin, but some don’t taste very nice unprocessed, and we get sick of the common fruits. It’s good to have some variations, isn’t it? Here are some self-invented juices that will help you lessen the harmful effects of late nights on your skin! And they taste great too!

Veggie Delight
You will need 1 radish, 1 carrot, a few stalks of spinach and celery, half a glass of fresh milk, 2 tablespoons of honey and a few ice cubes.
Cut up all the vegetables into small pieces and place them into the fruit juicer. Add the milk, honey, and ice and mash them all together.

Creamie Fruitie
You will need one banana, a slice of papaya and a small carton of yogurt (250ml). Peel the banana and remove the skin of the papaya. Cut the banana and papaya into small pieces. Put them into the juicer with the yogurt and mash them all together.

Sour Stimulation (warning: It’s really sour! Good for digestion though, especially when you’ve just returned from supper!)
You will need 2 kiwi fruits, 4 oranges and 1 lemon. Remove their skins and cut them into small pieces. Mash them together in the juicer.

Sweet and Sour
You will need three pomeloes, a bunch of grapes and 2 tablespoons of honey. Peel the pomeloes and cut them into small pieces. Mash them together in the juicer. The mixture will be a nice balance of sour and sweet!

Minty Cool
You will need 1 cucumber, 500ml of soya bean milk, 3 peppermint leaves. Skin and slice the cucumber. Mash and mix them up in the juicer. It’s cooling and makes you feel more energetic!

Practise good hygiene with your cosmetic tools

2010-04-16T11:45:00.002+08:00

Eye-Openers

2010-04-09T15:33:00.001+08:00

Eyes are the windows to the soul. When Korean cosmetic contact lens companies like GEO, Dueba and G & G were introduced online a few years ago, they took Asia by storm and their popularity has yet to cease, in spite of projected risks (the usual contact lens problems complete with colour chemicals running from the lenses) and the fact that they aren't actually legally prescribed and sold in Singapore. Most users snag them online through 'Group Orders' (in which a group of likeminded shoppers combine orders from the same store to save up on overseas shipping). I have a pair of GEOs myself and they sure do make my eyes look bigger, although I only wear them for weekends and special occasions because I'm concerned about possible side effects too.

I'm not going to discuss regular cosmetic contact lenses since you can probably find tonnes of reviews and information online. I'm going to deviate from the norm for a bit to introduce some bizarre lenses that were actually created and existed for some point of time. Some are beautiful but probably dangerous to wear, some are just really creepy, but they're eye-openers nonetheless (no pun intended!)

Starry eyes

Anthony Mallier designed these sparkly lenses. They're adorned with swarowski crystals, which are gorgeous but probably really risky and uncomfortable to wear. They're competition entries and not for sale. I can imagine why. Still, if a company manages to reproduce a similar effect on 2D, I'm sure cosmetic lens users will be all over them.

Eric Klarenbeek's Eye Jewelery Project adds a whole new meaning to those watery eyes so loved by manga fans and romance novelists. You could look like you're crying for as long as you wear these crystals which are attached to special contact lenses with medical wire. It's an interesting idea, but far less aesthetically-appealing than using glitter make-up or swarowski stickers on your cheek. It looks like eye discharge! And the promotional video isn't exactly appealing. Small wonder that despite having been unveiled in 2008, it receives little positive attention from the consumer market.

Too obsessed?

Like the saying goes, there's a time and place for everything. Cartoon characters like Mickey and Hello Kitty look cute as stuffed toys, costumes and decorative art. Not so much for cosmetic purposes. These contact lenses wouldn't look out of place at a Macabre party or a goth club.

This football print contact lens is a novel way to express your interest in the world's most popular sports event! The downside is, you might miss seeing some goals as colour contact lens wearers are known to have complained about obscured vision from colours overlapping the pupil.

Functional lenses (debatable actually)

These red Nike Maxsight contact lenses are creepy, but they reduce road glare from the sun, which would greatly benefit atheletes. The green pair looks better. These lenses are a joint project by Nike and Bosch & Lomb to enhance or protect the vision of sports people. Different lenses cater to different spots. However, these aren't very popular and don't seem to be in production any more. And a good thing too; vampirish or alien eyes aren't a pretty sight on our atheletic hunks and babes.

This research project by the University of Washington, if successful, would be a hit with all sci-fi fanboys and fangirls. The electronic circuit and lights imprinted on the lenses could serve as power visual aids, creating virtual displays superimposed on the real world, such as projecting a vehicle's speed on its windshield and creating a midair virtual display of a screen only visible to its user - no more busybodies peeking over your shoulder as you update your latest facebook status on your iphone!

Hope you had a good laugh over these oddities as I did!

DIY Skin Moisturizing Tea

2010-04-01T12:17:00.000+08:00

Hot summer days are approaching! And though our erratic weather isn’t making it obvious, don’t you think the heat’s getting more ‘in your face’ during the sunny days?

It’s time to shore up the defences in your immunity system and your skin. I’ve extolled the virtues of tea, the all-natural detoxification fluid, in some previous articles, so here are more healthy tea recipes that could do wonders to your health and skin! Because remember that good health is equivalent to good skin. Each tea serves different purposes and uses different ingredients. Take your pick on what you need and what you can make!

Constitution-strengthening tea

You will need: 5 g of dried Chrysanthemum, 5 g of dried wolfberry and 2 – 3 red dates.

Wash the wolfberries and dates thoroughly and shred them. Place all the ingredients into your boiling pot. Add warm water to rinse the ingredients, and then pour it out. Add boiling water to the pot and simmer for 10 minutes. It’s ready for consumption!

This tea detoxifies your organs, reduces body heat and nourishes your blood.

Detoxifying cooling tea

You will need: 4g of dried honeysuckle, 4g of dried Chrysanthemum and 2g of dried Jasmine.
Use the same cleansing and boiling process as above.
This tea detoxifies and reduces heat and body swellings and provides prevention against flu.

Detoxifying cooling sweet tea

For those who don’t like the subtle taste of Chinese tea, this recipe, which uses 30g of barley seeds, 60g of green beans, 1g of green tea leaves (or a green tea bag) and a table spoon of honey will appeal to you.
Rinse the barley seeds and green beans and place in a pot. Add 300g of water and boil at high heat for 15 – 20 minutes. Add the green tea and boil for another minute. Filter out the liquid and let it simmer. Add honey to it for consumption.

This tea gets rid of heatiness and removes swelling and toxins from water retention.

Summer’s Hottest Make-up fad – Bohemian Glamour

2010-03-19T11:02:00.000+08:00

The Bohemian look is all about layering fabric and prints with earthy hues and accessorizing with bold ethnic-inspired jewellery. Bohemian fashion had been the ‘it’ thing for a time being in Singapore a few years back. Now it's back in fashion, this time with a little evolvement. While keeping it's laid-back style, it has branched out into styles like Bohamian Chic and Bohemian Glamour, giving its wearer more choices of clothing and occasions to wear the style to. Now it’s time to bring back those earthy threads for the summer!

Bohemian fashion typical involved little make-up because it’s a fashion that evokes the feeling of returning to nature. That’s such a pity when there are so many glamorous bohemian accessories in the market that simply look odd when they don't complement with the make-up! Bohemian Glamour is a great look that achieves a fine balance between nature and city girl charm. This gentle smoky eye make-up is popular in Asian countries like Japan and Taiwan for it’s ability to make eyes look bigger, brighter and alluring without excessive use of dark eye make-up.

Here's a step-by-step guide for one typical way of doing your Bohemian Glamour make-up.

First of all, choose a variety of shades you'd like to use. Grey and purplish-grey are colours used to achieve the look in the first image, and they are good choices because they are such mystical colours.

Step 1: Apply a layer of primer to increase the lasting power of your eye makeup as well as prevent caking.

Step 2: Using the darkest grey as a base colour, coat your eyelid and above crease in it.

Step 3: For the next layer, purplish grey would be a great choice for the above crease. There will be no need to blend it with the first layer.

Step 4: Choose a lighter grey for the next layer. Apply a stroke in the middle of your above crease to blend the 2 different shades previously applied without having to layer over both shades. This presents a subtle variation in shades in your eyemakeup. Gently shade the same colour at the inner edge of the brow bone.

Step 5: Use your lightest eyeshadow (preferably pink hues) shade the outer edge your brow bone. This will illuminate your eyes as well as create the illusion that your eye sockets are deeper.

Step 6: Apply a pale shade of shimmering eyeshadow (preferably nude) on your undereye.

Step 7: Using the same grey eyeshadow that you used in step four as an eyeliner, apply in a thin stroke on your undereye, adhering closely to the eyelid and only covering 2/3 of the space from the outer lower lash line.

Step 8: Last but not least, Use the same nude shimmer eyeshadow from step 6 to highlight your undereye right to the tip of your cheek bones.

That's all! Simple isn't it? Now you can hit town as a glamourous Boho Queen with your loudest accessories!

Picture by YOKA时尚网

Sleep late and still enjoy good skin III

2010-03-11T13:17:00.001+08:00

I'm back with the final installment (for now) of beauty tips for late nighters!

If you're going to be up late, the least you can do is make the night constructive for your skin! With some simple steps, you can improve your skin's ability to absorb nutrients from skin care product, and subject your skin to more restful sleep, almost making up for the damage wrought from late nights!

Apply night serum before 11pm

In a previous article, I mentioned that 11pm is the recommended time for your body to rest since it would be when various detoxification processes begin in your body. Sadly that seems to be a luxury that not everyone can afford. Most people apply night serum / moisturizer just before bed time as it is the last step of your nightly skin care routine. I would recommend you do it before 11pm instead, so that the detoxification process does not affect the skin’s ability to absorb the serum.

Take your supplements at night

When your body (and consequently your skin) lacks sleep, nutrient loss outweighs nutrient gains from your diet. If you have a habit of taking supplements, do take them at night, instead of taking them in the morning, especially Vitamin C and collagen. When your body is in its rest state at night, it will absorb the supplements more effectively for efficient reparation.

DIY Aromatherapy

Most salons these days add some fragrance to your treatment room or incorporate fragrance oils into the beauty treatment process because natural fragrance helps your mind to relax.
You can also include fragrance oils in your steam facial to relax your skin and help you sleep more soundly at night.

After cleansing your face, prepare a basin of steaming hot water. Add a few drops of fragrance oil and stir evenly. Place your face over the basin so that the steam emitting from the hot water opens your pores. Cover your head and the basin with a towel to prevent the steam from escaping. When the water has cooled down significantly, cleanse your face with the water. If you’re afraid of perspiration dripping from your hair and dirtying the water, you should wrap up your hair in a towel prior to steaming.

Different fragrance oils can help to improve different skin conditions:
Rose, sandalwood and chamomile are kind on dry, peeling skin. Rose and chamomile will also restore radiance in dull skin.
Geranium and lavender are suitable for oily, moisture-deprived skin.
For those plagued with acne problems, go with chamomile, peppermint, eucalyptus and frankincense.
These fragrances can usually be found in skincare specialty shops like The Body Shop, or shops specializing in aromatherapy.

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Sleep late and still enjoy good skin II

2010-03-01T12:41:00.001+08:00

Apologies for the lack of updates last week! It was a pretty hectic week, having to juggle visitations and work (with people popping in for lao qi when you’ve just got home feeling all ready to fall into bed, and those obligatory visits that simply had to be made or it would be considered rude otherwise, despite having spoken only spoken a few sentences to the host in the entire 20+ years of my life. Good grief). How nice it would be if we got 15 days of holiday like China :D I wouldn’t mind all the socializing.

So back to beauty and skin care. I promised to write more about how to protect your skin against late nights.
In the study of Traditional Chinese Medicine, it is believed that healthy blood circulation makes your skin look radiant and healthy. And what better than a good massage to relax your skin and drive the blood up your skin capillaries?

3 minutes facial massage before bedtime

You can perform a simple massaging exercise just before bed time, which will help to improve your blood circulation, as well as improve sagging and wrinkling skin!

Step 1: Rub your palms vigorously together. Place your warm palms over your face (Be sure to wash your hands beforehand!)

Step 2: When the heat has retreated, keep your palms firmly on your face, and move your palms in a gentle up-down movement for 10 times.

Step 3: Repeat Steps 1 and 2 for up to five times.

Step 4: Tap your face repetitively with the tips of your fingers, starting from your cheeks, surroundings of your eye, sides of your nose, and the area around your mouth, with emphasis on the chin. Always tap in an inside-to-outside circular motion or bottom-to-top vertical motion.

With improved blood circulation, your skin cells will mend in a shorter time!

Acupoint Eye Massage for Brighter Eyes

If you are plagued with dark eye circles, eye bags, puffy eyes amongst various problems attributed to late nights, this is a massage that’s made for you! Chinese physicians believe that massaging the acupoints above, between and at the tail end of your eyebrows reduces swelling and exhaustion in the eyes. When you’re applying your eye cream at night, be sure to massage them by using your index and middle fingers to trace a line from your temples, to the tail end of your brow, over your brow and finally stopping at the spot between your brows. You can keep retracing back and forth 20 times. Your eyes should feel refreshed!

As you can see, TCM isn't all about old fuddy duddies meddling with nasty jars of preserved centipedes. From sidelined alternative medication, TCM has progressed into a mainstream replacement for Western medical services and procedures and is now seeing an increasing involvement in beauty and slimming. Best of all, the medical procedures are usually completely natural without side effects! In the near future, I intend to do more research and share more information about TCM's relation to beauty care.

I'll complete this series of late night skin care tips with another relevant post by this week. Stay tuned!

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Sleep late and still enjoy good skin I

2010-02-19T12:15:00.001+08:00

Early to sleep, early to rise lays the foundation for good health and beauty, but given our hectic lifestyles, we sometimes have to work till late, get home late and sleep even later! Especially when a huge festive season like Chinese New Year is just round the corner and everyone’s trying to handle increased workloads or finish work to enjoy the holiday in peace!

The good news is, yes, it is possible to sleep late and still maintain healthy skin, but there are some good habits that you must inculcate to make up for the lack of sleep!

1. Don’t wash your face late in the night.
Washing your face late at night actually stresses your skin and consequently encourages the formation of pimples and comedogenes. It’s just like eating late in the night, and your digestive system has to work when it shouldn’t have to. Wash your face as early as possible instead of right before bedtime, preferably right after you come back from work or wherever you are. It is also a good habit to remove make-up as early as possible.

2. Keep your skin well-moisturized
Late nights and exhaustion cause your skin’s moisture-trapping system to weaken. After cleansing your face, apply a good moisturizer that is easily absorbed. In other words, choose a moisturizer that suits your skin-type. Those with oily skin in particular, should generally avoid creamy moisturizers and choose water-based moisturizers instead. Frequently spraying water mist on your face is also a good practice. However, those with dry and sensitive skin should avoid using tap water to cleanse or moisturize your face as the deposits in it can cause further drying. Use mineral water or moisturizing sprays designed specially for skin care. Don’t forget to moisturize the nooks and crannies too, which are all too often neglected.

3. DIY Moisturizing Mask
Instead of applying your moisturizing serum directly to your face, apply it all over a plain facial mask and put it over your face. After 10 minutes, remove the mask; the serum should have settled into your skin. This is more thorough and gentler than rubbling the serum in with your fingers. Note that this works for serum and liquid moisturizers, but not for cream moisturizers.

More tips to come next week! Now you can stay up late to watch the Chingay without worrying, but all the same, don't go overboard, because sleeping late is still strenuous on your health in the long run!

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Healthy skin to flaunt to your family and friends

2010-02-12T14:58:00.000+08:00

Chinese New Year is coming! It’s the period of time when we have to sacrifice sleep to immerse ourselves in the festive celebrations and busy ourselves with all the preparations, and yet make ourselves look presentable for the throngs of relatives and friends storming our houses. How do we not succumb to the stress and keep our skin glowing?

Spring cleaning is a great activity in many ways – a complete workout on its own, a time for family to bond over the activities, keeps the house clean and unearths many things that have gone missing for the past year; sometimes, you may even come upon a windfall. However, it is very dusty and dirty work and all this stuff could get all over your face. Worst, because cleaning is such an exerting activity, your body generates heat and your facial pores open, making it even easier for all the dirt to get onto your face, which could lead to pimples. To prevent this, wear a mask (you know that huge stack of surgical masks that you got for H1N1 would eventually come into good use), rinse your face every time you take a break, and wash your face thoroughly after the spring cleaning activity.

Eating is going to constitute a major activity throughout the festives. There are so many festive goodies to savour! However, most of it is really fattening and heaty, which is why people often come down with sorethroats or breakouts after the Chinese New Year! Yes you should accept food when offered, that's only polite, but do eat with moderation; avoid requesting second helpings. You don't want to grow out of your new year clothes! Have green tea or Chinese tea whenever possible, they balance out the sweetness and savouriness of the cookies and cakes, and are capable of purging fats and toxins. Most people don't serve herbal tea to their guests since people generally have a love-it or hate-it attitude towards this Chinese medicinal drink, so keep some instant herbal tea at home which you can consume after a round of pigging out during the visitations!

When you stay up late, avoid eating and drinking. Keep your mind on that television show or the mahjong game! Do not drink tea or coffee to keep yourself up. To keep yourself awake, splash cold water on your face instead or place a cold eye mask or ice bag over your eyes. Remember to give your eyes a cucumber mask or teabag mask the next day.

Above all, Chinese New Year is meant to be fun, so don't exert yourselves physically or emotionally! Happy New Year! Gong Xi Fa Cai!

L'Oreal Colour Riche Lipstick in 752 Classic Wine

2010-02-05T15:25:00.001+08:00

It’s been awhile since I last reviewed a product! Recently, I got some new make-up with red colour schemes. Most people talk about heralding Chinese New Year with new, red clothes and underwear, even hairstyles, to usher in the luck. Funny that people don’t place as much emphasis on make-up, since it’s pretty much something that we wear too!

In this post, I introduce to you my lips’ latest best friend, the new L’Oreal Colour Riche Lipstick in Classic Wine! Now true red lipsticks are difficult to pull off for people with fair skin. It could border on tacky, or simply look unbalanced on fair skin. This lipstick is in a very pretty and bright colour. It is a classic red colour, but not over the top red.

The lipstick goes on my lips smoothly and feels rich and smooth. It would be a good moisturizing lipstick for people with dry and peeling lips. It has decent staying power. It has been 4 hours since I’ve applied this lipstick. I drink water periodically (well I use a drinking straw, I don’t drink straight from the cup!) and I still don’t need to reapply yet!

Pretty lips for a low price - I’d definitely recommend this lipstick! If you fancy other colours or shades of red, this series has quite a generous selection.

For the life of me, I can't post it into our Facebook discussion group at the moment. There must be some glitch. You're more than welcome to repost it here. Thanks!

Hydrogen Peroxide solution for acne

2010-01-29T11:03:00.001+08:00

I generally don’t believe in overnight miracle cures for skin. Improving your skin is just like trying to lose weight – you can’t do it quickly has it’s either damaging or non-lasting. In this case, especially with acne, you need to find the root of acne (stress? Poor lifestyle? Bad hygiene?) and eliminate it. On-the-Surface solutions like some creams may alleviate the problem for awhile but the acne will return if you don’t get rid of the root problem.

However, as some people have expressed interest in the effect of Hydrogen Peroxide (H2O2) solution on acne because I mentioned it in my previous post, I’ll blog about it today.

H2O2 is an antiseptic product that is commonly found in household products and hospitals. Just like how it disinfects by killing bacteria, it clears acne by killing bacteria in the skin that causes the acne. Without intrusion from the bacteria, the skin can then heal faster on its own. H2O2 is also throught to prevent acne from returning because it oxygenates the pores, hence preventing bacteria from growing in it since bacteria thrive best in anaerobic conditions. H2O2 solution is very cheap and commonly available. A bottle of 3% concentration H2O2 (nothing higher! H2O2 is caustic and high concentrations will burn the skin) will do the trick! You are advised to get it from the pharmacy.

Sounds good eh? However, as with all acne treatments, there is little scientific basis to prove its effectiveness or long-term effects. Here are some things to consider. Since H2O2 oxygenates your skin by introducing new, unstable oxygen molecules, these free radicals could cause damage to your skin. If used over a prolonged period of time, it could cause dry skin and wrinkles to set it. Use it with moderation; you can use it get rid of current acne, but do not attempt to incorporate it into your regular skin care regime. Once the acne shows sign of clearing up, put it away and concentrate on solving the root problem to stop acne from setting in again. I’ve written some articles concerning acne previously which you can refer to.

Now that we’re aware of the pros and cons of it, how does one use it? Firstly, only use it at night. After washing your face and toning it, dab H2O2 solution over the problem areas, keeping it well away from your hair and eyebrows as H2O2 is an ingredient in bleaching agents. After 1 or 2 minutes, apply moisturizer over it.

If you’re iffy about putting straight H2O2 on your face, you may also consider getting an actual acne kit which utilizes H2O2 but contains other ingredients to serve its cause.

Good luck getting rid of those pesky red things! And don’t forget that a healthy lifestyle and strong immune system always helps get rid of all the bad stuff from your body!

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Got Milk? III (Pigmentation Lightening Milk Mask)

2010-01-22T13:12:00.001+08:00

One last milk mask for this series before I go on to something new next week! If you are plagued with age spots and uneven pigmentation, this mask will help you to fade the problem spots and restore even skin colour!

You will need a tablespoonful of milk, two tablespoonfuls of Hydrogen Peroxide Solution (H2O2), three tablespoonfuls of pearl powder and a little water.

H2O2 solution has been used to treat acne as well as diminish marks caused by acne. However, bear in mind that it can be quite drying and irritating especially on sensitive and dry skin. Milk does help to alleviate some of the dryness, but go for a solution with as low a concentration as possible. 3% concentration is the most commonly available one often used as antiseptic. Most pharmacies should carry it, so do consult the pharmacist on its contents and concentration. H2O2 with a concentration of 10% and above can burn skin!

So back to the mask! Mix the above-mentioned agreements together until it becomes a nice gooey mixture. Apply it to your face. Be careful not to touch the brows and area around the eyes because they are too delicate to handle the H2O2. After the mask dries, rinse off with warm water.

Tip: Masks are great for deep cleansing. However, if you have no time to make your own masks, you can simply pour a little milk into your face wash basin, dip a mask sheet in the wash basin and place it over your face. Once the sheet dries, wait a few minutes and then remove the sheet and rinse your face with water.

This article is shared at Face Good on Facebook! Please join it if you have a facebook account, and discuss and contribute!

Got Milk? II

2010-01-15T13:48:00.000+08:00

In my previous article, I wrote about the wonders of milk, and using fermented milk to make masks. However, it seems some people really dislike it (my mum. oh dear. she nearly threw up because of the smell). So if you think that fermented milk smells too bad for your liking, here are a few more milk masks, made from fresh milk! Take your pick!

#1
Mix three tablespoonfuls of fresh milk with three tablespoonfuls of pearl powder and stir until it becomes an even gooey mixture. Apply it all over your face. Once the mask is dry, wash it off with warm water. You should only use this mask twice a week or less.

#2
Mix a tablespoon of fresh milk, a few drops of olive oil and 1 table spoon of pearl powder together until you get a nicely even mixture. Apply it to your cleansed face. When it dries, wash off with warm water. This helps to reduce wrinkles and maintains your skin’s suppleness and elasticity. Similarly, only do this no more than twice a week, and if you use one, don’t use the other.

#3
Mash 50g of strawberry. Juice it by placing the pulp in between porous sheets or a porous bag. Pour the juice into one glass of fresh milk and stir evenly. Massage this all-natural strawberry milk mixture over your face and neck. Wash off after 15 minutes. This cleanses, tones and moisturizes your skin and prevents wrinkles!

This article is shared at Face Good on Facebook! Please join it if you have a facebook account, and discuss and contribute!

Got Milk?

2010-01-08T17:36:00.000+08:00

I’m back with my first post for the New Year! I hope everyone’s New Year started out great! My new year was tonnes of fun, but I’m so exhausted! I’ve been staying up past 2am for the countdown and parties. My poor skin’s gone through the mill! To make up for the late nights and unhealthy food and beverages, I’ve been giving my skin a treat – milk masks!

Since historical times, milk has long proven its worth in beauty and skin care. Concubine Yang, one of the four great beauties of China, was famed for taking a milk bath everyday. Even in modern times, Fan Bing Bing, touted as one of the greatest beauties in Chinese entertainment, revealed milk baths as one of her beauty secrets!

However, milk baths are rather extravagant, and not all of us have bath tubs to begin with! On the other hand, using milk on your face once in a while is pretty affordable!

For this week and the next, I'll share with you some recommended DIY treatments and masks derived from milk!

Wrinkle-removal & whitening mask

Milk is rich in dairy fat, vitamins and minerals. It has natural moisturizing properties and is easily absorbed by the skin. It prevents skin from drying, and reduces dry wrinkles. It is a great all-natural skin care product!

First of all, place a glass of milk in a warm part of the house for a few days. This will cause the lactic acid in the milk to ferment, thus releasing its anti-bacterial properties. Scoop up about 2 tablespoons of milk and set aside. Add a tablespoon of pearl powder paste to the rest of the milk and stir until it becomes a gooey mixture that is thick enough to stay on your skin surface.

Do not choose low-fat milk or skimmed milk. Freshly collected, unprocessed milk straight from the farms is the best, but this is not very conveniently available, so you can make do with packet milk.

Here’s how to milk the treatment for all its worth!

1. Using some milk from those 2 tablespoons of milk that you previously set aside, apply it onto your face. Massage it all over your face for about one minute.

2. Wipe your face clean with a warm towel.

3. Apply the milk mask thickly to your face. Rinse off with warm water after 20 – 30 minutes.

4. Dab green tea water or alkaline toner (because lactic acid is acidic) to your face and wait till it dries.

5. Massage the remaining fermented milk all over your face. You don’t have to wash this away. However, if you can’t tolerate the smell from it, you can use fresh milk, or mix fresh milk with fermented milk. Pure fermented milk is still the most effective though!

After doing this five or six times, you should find that your skin looks visibly better!

Tune in next week for more!

On another happy note, I've created a Facebook group for Face Good! It's still rather empty but I'll spruce it up soon and invite more members. Apart from discussing my articles posted here, you can discuss anything and everything to do with beauty. So do come and join up and contribute your wealth of knowledge, and invite your friends!

Face Good on Facebook!

An Apple a Day

2009-12-29T13:25:00.000+08:00

Christmas has just come and gone! I hope everyone had a good Christmas! 2010 is just round the corner now! Time for New Year resolutions! I’ve already made a list of them, many of which are only for my eyes. Teehee. But some regular entries on my list include good health and better beauty regime, which I believe should be on everyone elses’ too! Only if we are in optimum health and feel good about ourselves can we set out to fulfill all our other resolutions. Don’t you agree?

One of my greatest New Year resolutions with respect to beauty and health is to consume at least one apple every day, because apples have many health and beauty benefits as listed below:

1. Prevents Weight Gain
Compared to other fruits, fat level from apples is virtually negligible. Apples don’t contain protein. Every 100g of apple contains only about 60 calories. Apples are also rich in malate, which stimulates the dispersal of fats in the body, thus preventing weight gain.

2. Whitens Teeth
Apples are rich in cellulose, among which some have the ability of cleansing grime on and between your teeth. Smile as much as you like after enjoying an apple!

3. Detoxifies Intestines
Apples are rich in pectin, which promotes bowel movement. Its rich source of dietary fibre helps to expel toxins from your body, consequently improving your skin’s appearance.

4. Skin whitening
Apples contain plenty of Vitamin C, which helps to lighten freckles, age spots and keeps your skin rosy and supple.

Since apples are great for skin, why not use them on your face too! Here’s a simple recipe for an apple mask that you can do once or twice a week!

Skin an apple and mash it up into pulp. If you have dry skin, add milk or vegetable oil to the apple pulp. The amount you add depends on how watery you’d like your mask. Preferably it should of course not be too watery that it runs down your face. Personally I find a quarter of a glass to be pretty good. If you have oily skin, add egg white from an egg to the apple pulp. Stir until the mixture is even and apply all over your face. Leave it on for 20 minutes and then rinse off with clean water. This mask helps to lighten acne scarring, freckles and brown spots. You’ll feel that your skin becomes smoother, softer and whiter.

Do you also know that apples can help to reduce eye circles? Simply place a thin slice of apple under each eye. It works like cucumbers!

Always remember the old adage, “An Apple a Day Keeps the Doctor Away!” Skin doctors and dentists included too!

Pomelos for Christmas

2009-12-16T11:28:00.000+08:00

Christmas is just 2 weeks away! Have you started drawing up your shopping lists for Christmas dinner? This year, I’m going to include pomelos on my dinner table. Yes, you read right. All my guests will be getting a slice from the huge fragrant fruit usually eaten during Autumn Moon Festival.

Then again, who says pomelos should only be eaten during a particular season? Pomelos are a native fruit to South East asia and they can be found in Singapore even during this period. They may be more rare in supermarkets and markets, but you can try wholesale vegetable markets or even across the causeway!

According to those who practice Chinese Traditional Medicine, pomelos have the ability to reduce phlegm, soothe lungs, detoxify the intestines, contribute to the production of red blood cells, and strengthens the spleen, amongst many other medical advantages. It’s a great rehabilitation food to have after a cold, or simply to counteract the many sinful foods you’ve eaten at the Christmas dinner table! In fact, it’s a healthy fruit to eat on a regular basis.

But it is very important to bear in mind that pomelos cannot be consumed with certain types of medication, especially prescribed medication for people suffering from Hyperlipemia. Consuming medication with inappropriate food products can result in intoxication and consequently muscle aches and kidney problems. Do consult your doctor if you have medical problems!

On the plus side, it reduces sugar and cholesterol levels and when consumed in the long run, promotes healing in patients suffering from diabetes, high blood pressure, hardening arteries etc. It also stimulates weight loss in obese people. Even for healthy people with no medical problems, pomelos promote healthy and beautiful skin!

There are some simple tricks to ensure that you select a pomelo that is guaranteed to be sweet! First of all, ripe pomelos are very fragrant, so choose one that your nose likes! Next, gently knock and press against the peel with your finger joint. If the peel dents easily, ditch it. The key word is ‘gently’. Using strength is just going to dent anything, no matter how top-grade the pomelo is. Besides, you wouldn’t want to get yelled at by the seller, would you? An ideal pomelo has the standard shape of a broad, round base that extends to a narrow tip, skin that’s not dull and is pale green or yellow. (If it is an intense shade of green, it is not ripe!) When you’ve purchased your pomelo, it is not quite ready for eating just yet! Pomelos keep for a long time, so keep it aside in a cool place for about 2 weeks. By then, it would have ripened further and lost extraneous water content and it would taste sweeter.

So don’t wait until Eve of Christmas to buy your pomelo. Time to go pomelo hunting now!

Why you should let your body rest at night

2009-12-11T16:20:00.000+08:00

Altering your biological clock radically can result in potential illnesses in the long run. In this aspect, many people are guilty of sleeping late and disrupting some of the body's most essential processes, which only take place at night. Here’s another outline of the workings of your body, this time, focusing on its nightly detoxifying actions.

1. 9pm – 11 pm. Lymphatic system detoxifies.

2. 11 pm – 1 pm. Liver detoxifies.

3. 1 am – 3 am. Bile ducts detoxify.

4. 3 am – 5am. Lungs detoxify. When you’re suffering from a cough, your cough is most vigorous at this point of time. Don’t try to stifle or stop your cough as you’ll be interfering with the lung’s detoxification process. Head out of the room instead if you don’t wish to disturb your room mate.

5. 5am – 7 am. Large intestine detoxifies. This is the time when you’d normally go to the toilet to defecate.

Our body’s detoxification system works best when the rest of our body is in resting mode. Hence, it’s best to be asleep during the entire detoxification process. But few people have the luxury to sleep by 9 and would prefer to spend the time before midnight on leisure activities. Nevertheless, from 9pm to 11pm, you can still optimize rest time by doing relaxing activities like listening to music and reading and avoiding high-energy activities such as eating (yes, eating burdens your digestive system) and adrenaline-pumping computer games.

The Healthy Life

2009-12-02T15:47:00.000+08:00

Humans are highly adaptable, but going against the workings of our biological clock is never good for you in the long run. When your health is poor, there is no beauty to speak of. So let's take a look at what the ideal healthy lifestyle should be like to stay healthy and beautiful!

7:30: Time to wake up! Researchers from Westminster college have discovered that those who wake up between 5:22 to 7:21 are more susceptible to heart problems. It’s best to wake up a little after 7:21.Turn on the room lights once you’re up. This helps your body to register that it is daylight and snap out of rest mode. Next, drink a glass of water to make up for the lack of water in the night.

7:30 – 8:00: Before breakfast, brush your teeth. Fluoride from the toothpaste creates a protective layer over your teeth.

8:00 – 8:30: Breakfast time! Breakfast is mandatory and the most important meal of the day. It helps to stabilize your sugar levels. Cereals especially make good breakfasts as they are healthy and quick to prepare.

8:30 – 9:00: Avoid vigorous exercise as your bodily system is overall weakest at this point of time and rather than improving your fitness and immune system, you may end up being more prone to injuring yourself. Walking is all right and recommended though.

9:30: Begin with the most challenging task of the day. According to New York Sleep Centre researchers, we are often most alert in the first 2 hours that we’re awake.

10:30: If you’ve been working on the computer, look away and rest your eyes for 3 minutes. Keep doing this every hour if you have to use the computer for long hours.

11:00: Have some fruits. Consuming fruits before lunch makes you fuller so that you will eat less for lunch.

13: 00: Lunch hour! Be sure to have a delicious and nutritious lunch in order to have the energy and vigour to continue work for the day. Consume more vegetables and bean products and less meat. Rice can be supplemented with bread too if you’re packing your own lunch and find it a hassle to prepare rice.

14:30 – 15:30: Have a half hour nap (subject to boss’s approval, but it has been scientifically proven that employees who take afternoon breaks are more productive). According to a university research team in Athens, napping for half an hour for at least 3 afternoons per week reduces death from heart problems by 37%.

16:00: Have a yogurt drink. It helps to stabilize blood sugar levels and is good for the heart.

17:00 – 19:00: This is the best time to exercise. Most working people are probably still in the office though. But you can try doing some office workouts.

19:30: Have a light dinner. Eating too much for dinner causes sugar levels to go up and also affects sleep because your digestive system has to work into the night. Avoid high-calorie and protein foods. Eat more vegetables instead, and take your time to chew your food so that it is more easily digested.

21:45: Having cleared up after dinner, you can watch a little tv for relaxation, but don’t watch tv on your bed. It affects your quality of sleep because your body then gets attuned to the idea of bed being a place for watching tv instead of rest.

23:00: If you have problems falling asleep, take a warm shower to relax your muscles.

23:30: You should be asleep by this time! If you wake up at 7:30 the following day, you will enjoy 8 hours of sleep.

Few people I know are actually able to follow this schedule exactly due to our committments. Adhere to it as much as you can, but don't panic if you can't! You can always substitute what you can't do with something just as good. For example, if you have to get up before 7:30, make it a point to go to bed even earlier. If you can only spare time to exercise in the morning, do it anyway! Exercising at a less productive time is better than no exercise at all!

Keeping Humidity Levels friendly for your skin

2009-11-24T10:46:00.001+08:00

It seems that many people are traveling abroad this year for a white Christmas since the economy picked up! Since I'm receiving more emails asking me about skin care tips for winter, I’ll try my best to comply!

Environmental conditions affect our wellbeing in many ways. Since your lodging is the place where you spend the night recuperating, it's important to know how you can make it a conducive place to rest and relax.

In countries experiencing winter, hotels and rooms have heaters or even fireplaces to keep you warm. While these are necessities, the heat causes moisture in the room to evaporate. When humidity levels are too low, one may experience itchiness and dryness in the nose and throat, headache and bleeding from the capillaries. When I was visiting a country experiencing winter a couple of years ago and didn’t know better about protecting my skin from the harsh winter climate, the skin around my nails bled, and I had a friend who suffered from nosebleeds every morning. Random bleeding is alarming and even leaves stains on your clothes if not taken care of in time. Furthermore, dryness causes skin itch, peeling and roughens the texture of your skin.

Here are some tips to prevent humidity levels from dipping too low. If there’s a fireplace in the room, place a kettle filled with water over the fireplace, leaving the cap off. This keeps the water boiling and the steam issuing from it will increase humidity levels in the room. If your lodging has a heater installed, stand a basin of water on top of the heater. You can also hang your wet towels and clothes around your bedroom. They will contribute water to your surroundings and consequently dry quickly!

If you can spare the time, take a hot water bath before going to bed, or before going out in the morning. In winter, your metabolism decreases and blood flow is slower than per normal, hence the paler outlook. A hot water bath will stimulate blood circulation and give your skin a healthier glow!

Keeping your skin supple in winter land

2009-11-17T18:32:00.000+08:00

The rainy season has come again in Singapore and this also means decreasing temperatures and winter in other countries! Some of you must have already begun preparations for going abroad during the year-end holiday! If you’re going to a country with winter, don’t forget that you will need to protect your skin against the harsh dryness of the weather. Keeping your skin fresh and smooth isn’t all about piling moisturizers on your skin.

1. Drink lots of water
Overseas, we don’t get the comfort of drinking as much water we want, whenever we like, especially if you’re in the middle of trekking up a mountain or exploring some slums, but do make the effort to drink at least 8 glasses of water per day. A sudden decrease in water consumption is often detrimental for health, what more when you’re in a new climate. Drinking water keeps you healthy too so you can enjoy your trip without falling sick! So you don’t have to go out of the way to ensure you get your eight glasses of water, try to get at least 2 glasses of healthy beverages during your main meals. Soup contributes to water consumption too. You wouldn’t say no to a steaming bowl of hot soup, would you?

2. Easily-forgotten parts
Middle of eyebrows, behind ears, nose, edge of eyes, neck and joints on elbow and knee. Many people tend to neglect these areas, so if you don’t moisturize them, you’ll feel the drying effect will be even more severe in winter.

3. Morning is the best time for skincare
Our body has a biological clock such that there are different times when different parts of the body work best. Our skin actually absorbs moisture and nutrients best in the morning at around 8am. Therefore, make it a point to apply your moisturizing cream and do your moisturizing facials and what not in the morning before you go for breakfast. This applies even if you’re traveling to a vastly different time zone because our body adapts to our environment. Once you’re no longer jetlagged, your body has adjusted to your environment.

4. Moisturizing Sprays are useless on oily skin
Oil and water do not go together. The oil obstructs water from being absorbed your skin. If you have oily skin, you do not need a moisturizing spray, even if it’s touted as a handy must-have winter item. Rely on water and moisturizing cream instead.

5. When too much is simply too much
Just because the weather is drier than usual doesn’t mean you slather on more moisturizing cream than usual. Continue to use the moisturizing cream as per instructed. Applying more than the recommended amount restricts your pores from being able to open completely and breathe properly at night. When skin can’t breathe properly, it can’t regenerate new cells and perform its usual repair process, which results in dry skin instead!

Maybelline: Creamy Gel Eyeliner

2009-11-13T17:42:00.000+08:00

Recently, I picked up a new eyeliner from Maybelline. I was attracted to the sticker on it’s packaging which screamed “No. 1 eyeliner in Japan!” Yes I get taken in easily by catchy taglines, especially anything to do with Japan’s famed beauty industry. Well, I don’t know how true the statement is, but this gel eyeliner is good enough to want to make me buy it again!

Application is really easy. A brush is provided with the eyeliner, so all you have to do is use it to apply the gel. It’s not called a ‘creamy’ gel for nothing. Because of this creaminess, it is very smooth to apply on. No furious repeated brushing across your poor lids. Blending is a cinch, so if you accidentally draw a little out of line, you can fix it easily.

It is very lasting. I didn’t have to touch up after 8 hours outside, this despite my having oily eyelids . It comes off easily with the right make-up remover, but won’t budge if you try other means to get it off. That’s why it’s important that you blend it quickly because it also dries and rather quickly upon application.

The colours are limited. I’ve only seen a black and brown one in the local stores. I bought the brown one. It’s a very pretty colour and even has a little shimmer.

The bottle is typically tiny, like most brands of gel eyeliner. But it should last long enough if you aren’t doing a goth make-up everyday. Priced at 19.90 SGD, I personally find it a very worthy purchase!

How do liver spots (freckles) come about II?

2009-11-10T16:36:00.001+08:00

As promised in the previous post, I'll look at the causes of liver spots and how to prevent them! Apart from the sun, here are the other culprits!

Heavy make-up
Make-up contains metallic elements, with absorption of light being one of their chemical properties. Scented cosmetic products especially, contain large amounts of metals like lead, which can cause black pigmentation on skin. Furthermore, when make-up is not thoroughly removed, colour pigments in the make-up will enter the skin, resulting in the formation of coloured pigments.

Only use heavy make-up when you absolutely have to, such as special occasions. Stick to light, natural make-up on regular days!

Too much whitening
Whitening techniques such as chemical peeling and chemical scrubs, when done too frequently, can cause skin to become sensitive to light and dry. A little sunlight can cause red spots and coloured pigmentation. Unless you intend to stay indoors all day, don’t be too caught up with chemical whitening methods!

Computer degeneration

These days, most of us have to use the computer for at least a few hours a day. However, rays emitted from computers are harmful to our skin and causes a variety of skin problems, including dark eye circles, pimples, dryness and spots. Since it’s hardly impossible to keep away from our gadgets, the next best thing to do is to increase our skin’s defences as much as possible.

Before applying make-up, apply a make-up base with UV ray blocking function, such as Laneige’s skin veil base. If you work in the office and have to be in front of your computer the whole time, remember to reapply sunblock every couple of hours!

Lack of Exercise
Exercise helps to dispel toxics through our skin through perspiration. Otherwise, these toxics remain in our bodies and skin and can give way to dark pigmentation. No matter how busy you are, sat aside some time for a little work out every day! Some perspiration is better than none at all!

How do liver spots (freckles) come about?

2009-11-06T18:24:00.000+08:00

Isn’t it annoying to invest so much time and fortune dousing your skin in skincare products, only to have those annoying brown little blemishes disfiguring your skin in the later part of your life? The problem with freckles is that they usually only emerge years after the damage is done, and there is nothing you can do by then. It is always important to be mindful of your beauty habits so you don’t end up doing something that’s a cause for regret.

November has been cool and most people only take out their umbrellas when it rains. Now, even if the sun doesn’t show it’s face, UV rays are ever present, any time, any where, even in your house where it enters through the windows. And UV rays are one of the main causes of liver spots.

Don’t let your guard down even on a rainy day. Taiwanese show host Barbie Hsu, famed for her beautiful complexion, goes out and about in sunglasses, hats and even a veil over the face such that she has been teased for resembling a grass cutter! But you know, you can never be too cautious when it comes to beauty! Anyway, just an umbrella or a hat when you’re outdoors would suffice. Of course, don’t forget the sunblock!

However, the sun isn’t the only culprit for those liver spots. Tune in next week for more information about liver spots and how to prevent them! In the mean time, keep those brollies in your bags!

Concealing body art

2009-11-03T16:49:00.000+08:00

Did you have a spooky weekend? I must say that Halloween in Singapore is pretty happening this year! Lots of clubs had great offers if you entered in costume and many attractions were made over and implemented special events just for Halloween. Over the weekend, I saw many creative costumes complete with heavy make-up, face and body paints. Halloween is honestly a great time to let down your hair, have fun and be out of character and become something else for a change. But what happens if you can’t revert in time for work and school on Monday?

A colleague of mine who loves going sleeveless came to work today all wrapped up in a woolly shawl. Apparently, she wasn’t trying to dress up as a sheep but was trying to cover up the remnants of her huge airbrush tattoo that she got for her dragon lady Halloween costume.

Body painting usually draw negative attention at the work place, and are definitely banned from school. Most good quality airbrush tattoos, however, require time and effort for complete removal, and then there is of course, the issue of permanent tattoos, which can only be removed through painful lasering.

But body art lovers need not despair. With some make-up tricks, concealing the marks of rebellion is simple and quick!

You will need
1. A set of heavy-duty, heavy-pigmented concealers meant for covering up scars and tattoos, of varying shades near your skin tone.

2. Finishing powder for setting make-up

Step 1: Choose a concealer of a slightly darker shade than your own skin tone. Massage a generous amount of it over the part of your skin that you wish to conceal. At this stage, you don’t have to try to completely conceal the tattoo.

Step 2: Choose a concealer of a slightly darker shade than your own skin tone. Apply it over the first layer of concealer, blending while massaging to achieve a natural-looking shade.

Step 3: Gradually add on more layers of concealer and blend it using massaging movements until the tattoo is completely hidden.

Step 4: Apply finishing powder over it. You should bring loose powder out with you so that you can touch up whenever there’s a need to.

Revlon: Fantasy Length False Lashes 99501 Defining

2009-10-27T11:04:00.000+08:00

Last Saturday, I finally got a chance to try out my new Revlon False Lashes when I met up with an old friend for an entire day of shopping and dinner. This is actually my first time reviewing false eyelashes. I hardly ever wear them because I always had issues with the ones I've tried on, so I always stick to mascara. But too much mascara on a regular basis is bad for eyelashes so it's good to be able to switch to false lashes every so often, and I'm really glad that these new lashes from Revlon have given me one more viable option for make-up.

While the Revlon 99501 Defining Lashes aren’t dramatic in the ‘hey-look-at-me-I’m-wearing-falsies’ way, they are perfect for people with short, sparse lashes (like myself) who don’t want to draw the wrong sort of attention to oneself. ‘Beautiful lashes!’ is after all, different from ‘hey you’re wearing fake lashes!’. They do define your eyes without making you look overly made up, which means you can actually use them on a daily basis and for work.

The lashes have just the right amount of curvature. I didn’t even have to press them with a curler to make them curl upwards. And they don’t cast an annoying curtain over my eyes like some of my other fake lashes would.

The lashes are self-adhesive, which means no need to deal with sticky glue that goes all over the wrong places. They last really long too; I used them for 8 hours and they’re still in perfect condition. Although you can’t reuse the adhesive strip, you can reuse the eyelashes for a few more times by using the good ol’ eyelash glue if you have been careful with handling them.

While the lashes look very natural because they are so fine, they are also rather fragile. The first time I tried to put one of them on, I accidentally folded some of the lashes with my clumsy fingers and failed to get them back into shape. So do be careful when putting them on. Use tweezers if possible, and avoid holding the adhesive with your fingers. It really sticks.

No complaints other than that. I’m in love with these lashes. They’re easy to stick on, and just the right length for me. I didn’t even have to cut them. I’ll be trying the Intensifying one for Halloween, so I’ll be back with more reviews!

Cheap luxury skin care products? Do they exist?

2009-10-23T16:10:00.004+08:00

For people who love luxury skin care products, this website The Skinny will interest you. It’s a Skin Care Sample Sale website which promises to sell luxury skin care products and spa services at huge discounts.

If you’ve read Confessions of a Shopaholic or live in New York, the concept of sample sales should be familiar to you. Sample sales are usually invitation-only sales events organized by designer fashion companies or distributors. Quantities of sale items are limited, but you can get designer fashions at bargain prices - up to 70% or more off retail. Sample sales have gone online, and while they are not uncommon, The Skinny seems to be the first online sample sales platform dedicated to skin care products.

The reason that spawned the creation of this website, quoted from the press release I was sent by the website's staff, is something that I fully empathize with, “You can take one look at a CHANEL© bag and know that it's perfect for you. You can't glance at a bottle of moisturizer and know if it's right for your skin.”

That’s why I rarely buy designer beauty products unless I’ve had good experiences with it. Just like non-designer beauty products, designer ones, too, produce varying effects on different users. Sadly, few designer beauty brands see the need to put out free samples since they are already well-established in the beauty industry. But if I could get Lancome, for example, at half its price, I would certainly try it to see if it's worth the original hefty costs.

If online shopping isn't your cup of tea, you might still want to stay for the original videos that The Skinny will be producing to evaluate beauty products. The website seems to be under preparation, but you can register for a free membership or at least add it to your bookmarks. Personally, I’m quite excited about it and I hope they get some stuff up for the public soon!

Make your large pores vanish temporarily!

2009-10-21T12:15:00.000+08:00

Your hot date is sitting right across you, staring deep into your… enlarged pores?

Don’t let worries over bad skin spoil your romantic moments. While permanent reduction of pore size doesn’t occur within a short period of time, you can temporarily reduce pore sizes very quickly!

It is important to note that deliberately piling layers of foundation over your face is simply going to make you look like you’re trying to hide something. The trick is to apply a reasonable amount of coverage that actually covers while still looking natural.

1. Spray some spring mist all over your face. After a few seconds, gently dab (not wipe) your face with a clean tissue paper.

2. Dab on some liquid foundation with the tips of your fingers. Tap the foundation over portions with large pores.

3. Use a powder puff to apply powder foundation to the rest of your face, ensuring that both the liquid foundation and powder foundation blends.

4. Spray on some spring mist again, then place a clean tissue paper flat over your face to absorb the extra moisture so that the make-up looks more natural and stays on longer. You should notice that your pores have vanished for the time being.

If your pores are really huge and still visible after doing the above, it’s time to bring out the ice. After washing your face, dip a clean face towel into a basin of ice water, rinse and dab one part of your face with it. Keep repeating with different parts of your face. This not only reduces the size of your pores, but also aids with blood circulation, giving your face a natural blush. When you’ve covered your entire face, apply make-up as above.

During your date, order an iced beverage. Wrap your fingers around the bottom of your cup to make them cold and touch your face (the parts with the huge pores) occasionally to stimulate blood circulation as well as keep your pores contracted!

Spruce up your hair in an emergency!

2009-10-16T17:58:00.001+08:00

Few people are blessed with glamorous-looking silky hair with the right amount of curls and springiness. Us Asians especially typically have straight, fine hair that looks very average. But when we’re trying to impress someone, looking average is simply not enough. Furthermore,most of us have too little time in the morning to style our hair before going to work.Now imagine you’re having a hectic day at the office and your unstyled hair is as listless as your tired self. Suddenly, a client demands a meeting with you and you only have a few minutes to make yourself look presentable.

First, head to the ladies with a comb, hair ties (or rubber bands) and 2 fat highlighters (bring several if you only have thin ones). Wet a comb and comb it through your hair. This will smoothen out all your tangles and frizzes, making your hair easier to manage.

Pull all your hair from the back and place in front of your shoulders. Part them properly so that there’s a similar amount on each side.

If you have curly hair, apply some styling cream for curly hair to the end portions of hair on both sides. As a matter of fact, it’s good to keep some hair styling cream at your desk as there are no alternatives for it. Take hold of all the hair on one side and curl it around a fat highlighter (or bunch of pens). Use a hair tie (or rubber band, but mind you, it'll hurt your hair when you remove it) to secure the highlighter so that it doesn’t drop when you release it. Do the same for the other side. This is resourceful utilization of items at hand. If you have proper curlers, please use those by all means.

Wait for whatever duration that the instructions on your styling cream advise you to. Typically it’s no longer than 5 minutes, during which you might want to hide in the toilet cubicle in case someone walks in on your strange ritual.

When the 5 minutes are up, lower your head under the hand dryer to blow dry your hair into shape. This shouldn’t take long since your hair shouldn’t be very wet in the first place. Gently dislodge the highlighter from your hair as your hair dries. And there you are, livelier hair to see you through your emergency meeting!

If you have dull and listless straight hair, apply styling cream on your hair and braid it. Leave your hair in the braid for up to half an hour. If you haven’t got that amount of time, keep applying pressure on it so that it gets into shape quickly. You can do this while taking public transport too! Release the braid for temporary waves that add a little life to your hair!

Common Misconcepts about acne

2009-10-12T14:48:00.000+08:00

Acne is stubborn and a real headache for all sufferers. What’s more, there is no one guaranteed method that works on everyone and sometimes, they just keep coming back after disappearing for a couple of days. But don’t despair just yet. On the battle ground, one wrong move can cause you to lose a winning battle. You may have simply made one mistake that keeps the little buggers hanging around. Hopefully through this article, you’ll learn what you did wrong and correct it!

Mistake 1: Acne and pimples are different

Acne and pimples are the same. Or rather, pimples come from acne. Past research has proven that acne and pimples arise from the same source. Even if you have just a couple of pimples, that’s a mild acne problem that can escalate if nothing’s done about it. If you’re simply trying to get rid of those couple of pimples, they will come back again. Pimple cream is insufficient to make them go away. You need to have a healthy lifestyle by drinking more water, eating more vegetables, having sufficient sleep and exercise to curb your acne problem to prevent the pimples from coming back.

Mistake 2: Acne is common and nothing to worry about

Yes, lots of people have acne at some point of their lives, but that doesn’t mean it’s nothing to worry about. This is simply because more people are leading unhealthy lifestyles and neglecting hygiene practices. If you’re spotting pimples, stop and reflect on what unhealthy lifestyle or eating habits you may have picked up to aggravate your pimples, and curb them.

Mistake 3: Acne results from not washing face properly. Blackheads are proof of this.

There are many reasons for acne formation and poor hygiene is definitely one of them, but the most common reason is a an unhealthy physique – a result of eating oily foods, not exercising or drinking enough water to purge toxins, and sleeping late. That’s why it’s so important to change your lifestyle if you want to curb your acne problem.

On a side note, blackheads are not dirt. They are simply the result of your comedogenes being oxidized by air.

Mistake 4: Acne is a result of oil. Simply stop using oily products and I’ll be fine.

Acne is formed from oil and cutin, so simply switching out your rich moisturizers isn’t going to curb the acne completely, though it would help to some extent.

Mistake 5: Frequent masks and cutin removal facials will solve my acne problem

Our skin naturally has oil and cutin, so even if remove them on the surface, your skin will produce them and they will combine and form acne again. Ridding acne isn’t as simplistic as this. It requires an overhaul in your lifestyle.

Mistake 6: I can get rid of acne by squeezing them out

Some people believe that by having a beautician extract them professionally or doing it yourself with a pimple stick, the problem is solved. Truth is, while it does make you look clear for a few days and helps you salvage a date threatened by a nasty pimple, you will soon find pimples growing over the same spot again. Notice how ‘pimple removal stick’ is not called ‘acne removal stick’? The worst is, if pimple extraction is not done carefully, you may end up with facial scares.

Mistake 7: I give up! Nothing I do will make acne go away

If your acne is serious and improving your lifestyle doesn’t help much, consult a doctor qualified in dealing with dermatological problems. Some general practitioners have diplomas in dermatology and will be able to help with minor acne problems, or refer you to a dermatologist if it’s serious. In the worst case, pay a visit to the National Skin Care Centre.

However, bear in mind that doctors are not miracle makers. Again, not all medicines work on everyone, and most medication take at least a couple of months to create visible improvement. The important thing is to lead a healthy lifestyle, practise good hygiene habits, including not picking your face, and have a positive mindset!

Shu Uemura: White gel eyeliner

2009-10-06T13:53:00.000+08:00

If you had a late night, Shu Uemura's White Gel eyeliner may just be the thing to spruce up your dull eyes.

I just received it in my mail last week and I couldn't wait to try it out. The packaging is so unique, simplistic yet classy. How many eyeliners come in a stick instead of a slick paint pot like this?

It's best feature is of course, how it makes your eye make-up look fresh and bright. You don't often get this 'hey bright eyes!' effect with non-shimmery eye liners. This eyeliner however, is matte and would be suitable if you're in need of a more subtle eyeliner.

It is also holds out well. It lasted all throughout work. Just needed a little touch up before hitting the pubs with my girlfriends, and it's still perfectly intact when I got home. It's supposed to be waterproof and while I haven't gone swimming in it, I've tried applying it at home and splashing water and on my face and it doesn't come off.

My only grouse would be its price. For a small and shallow little pot, it is rather pricey (24USD on Shu Uemura's website). But you probably won't be using it on a daily basis. Besides, just a little of that white gel works well as a highlighter that accentuates your eyes. I would recommend it to anyone who wants eye makeup that stays on and gives them a fresh look.

On the subject of eye make-up, I've received samples of false eyelashes from Revlon. I'll be trying them out for a party in a couple of weeks, so if you have any specific questions about any of the 3 products in this series, feel free to email them to me!

Cosmetic surgery goes beyond skin deep

2009-09-30T13:11:00.000+08:00

To most people, cosmetic surgery is all about improving your looks, but to a rare few, the procedure is done for more meaningful (note: crazier) reasons.

Professional impersonator Mikki Jaya, a mother of 3, spend 8000 pounds on cosmetic surgery on her nose, jaw and cheek bones to make herself look like her idol Michael Jackson. That sure is a huge amount of money, but looking at her earnings – a grand annual income of 120,000 pounds, a very good investment indeed. Following the death of the King of Pop, this amount is likely to escalate.

Cindy Jackson, famous for being the in Guinness World Record for having the most amount of cosmetic surgery done in the world, had been a huge fan of Barbie dolls since she was a little girl. After her father passed away, she spent years and her large amount of inheritance to fulfil her dream – undergoing cosmetic surgery to transform herself into a living Barbie doll. As she made waves in the media, her obsession met the approval of English man Tim Whitfield-Lynn, who underwent plastic surgery to look like Ken doll, Barbie’s boyfriend.

Wealthy socialite Jocelyn Wildenstein decided to undergo cosmetic surgery for her billionaire husband Alec Wildenstein so he would be faithful to her. Knowing that her husband loved cats, she spent 2 million pounds to make her features cat-like. Needless to say, her husband divorced her after witnessing the horrifying results of the surgery.

She’s 69 years old and he’s 37 years old. Their age gap of 32 years would not deter them from being in love with each other, but the wife Ma Yu Qin has always wanted to look younger to match the appearance of her younger husband so she did a wrinkle-removal procedure in a cosmetic surgery hospital in Shenyang.

Sandra Boyes and Steven Patrick look like a pair of twin sisters, but they are in fact a mother and son (yes, that’s a man) pair with an age gap of 29 years! Steven Patrick always liked dolling himself up as a blonde vamp since he was 17. When his mother got tired of her brunette hair and wanted a make-over, the filial son sponsored a cosmetic cum cloning surgical procedure costing 11,000 pounds to make her over to look like him. The pair has always had a close-knit relationship resembling that of a mother-daughter’s relationship and no doubt being able to look like twins is something that appeals to them.

Maybelline: Superstay Concealer

2009-09-22T11:20:00.000+08:00

Since I’ve been writing articles about concealing flaws, I figured it’s a good time to recommend a cheap and good concealer that I’ve been using. Maybelline is a pretty economical brand of make-up and its effects are definitely worth its price. It covers my dark circles completely, doesn’t crease and true to its name ‘Superstay’, it stays on for long hours without my having to touch up.

Application is very smooth. The wand applicator is easy to handle and the formula is thick and creamy, yet it dries quickly and smoothens out evenly. You do have to blend it very quickly, however, as it dries a tad too quickly. People with more complicated skin problems like flaky skin and acne where blending is tricky will have to take note of this.

While it stays on very well and for a long period of time, it is also rather difficult to remove. With my usual make-up remover, I had to wipe my face with several squares of cotton before the last square was stark white. Still, I’d rather spend more time removing my make-up then touching up my make-up!

Concealing your flaws at different ages III

2009-09-15T11:53:00.000+08:00

For the 40's and above

More mature skin tend to have problems such as uneven skin pigmentation and wrinkles. All these flaws can be concealed with appropriate concealers. Skin also tends to be dryer, so liquid foundations and moisturizing foundations should be used to make skin look more moisturized and less wrinkly. And yes, indeed the same type of make-up can be used for even older women in their 50s and 60s, if you have been taking good care of your skin. Always remember to start caring for your skin as soon as possible, don’t wait until the flaws start showing.

Photo courtesy of: 醫美人

Steps

1. Apply skin tone correcting foundation on your entire face
2. Apply undereye concealer to conceal eyebags and wrinkles

3. Apply a concealer with a pearly shade over your undereye (makes your eyes look brighter and more refreshed)
4. Cover your facial flaws with concealer of similar shad to your skin tone
5. Use a concealer stick with max concealing properties to apply concealer over your cheeks.

Photo courtesy of: 醫美人

6. Use a powder puff to blend the concealer
7. Apply concealer to your forehead with a concealer stick and blend with powder puff.
8. Remember to use a small brush to reach areas unreachable by powder puff.
9. Apply a little loose powder over your under eyes.

10. Use a make-up brush and gently swipe loose powder over your whole face.

Tips

Before applying undereye concealer, apply a deeply moisturizing primer around your eyes to keep your eyes well moisturized and prevent caking.

If you skin is dry, use a large make-up brush to swipe on loose powder. The effect is much more natural looking than using a powder puff.

Don’t forget to apply sunblock and moisturizing cream before applying make-up. It helps to protect your skin and makes make-up application easier.

Use a small make-up brush to apply concealer over fine wrinkles instead of running your pigment stick over it. This prevents caking.

Use mineral foundation with light-reflective minerals. It makes your skin more smooth-looking.

And this concludes the end of this series.

Face Good Gets a Facelift!

2009-09-11T12:41:00.005+08:00

Today's a very special day - Face Good's 100th post (The newly added About and Responsibility page do not count as posts)! *curtseys*

When I started blogging, I didn't think I'd get far owing to my busy schedule and the myriad of beauty blogs already on the web. Would this end up as a personal diary that nobody would read? I wondered.

But as the months went by, I started getting feedback and requests for advice through emails, sometimes even invitations to beauty-events and product review requests! Wow! People read my blog, and they like it! Thank you very much!

To celebrate this happy occasion, I changed the template! It looks much more vibrant and livelier now, doesn't it? A great improvement if I must say so myself!

I hope everyone will continue to enjoy my articles in the future. Your comments and emails are always welcome!

DuWop Twilight Lip Venom

2009-09-07T10:11:00.000+08:00

I promised a review on DuWop's Twilight Lip Venom, so here it is!

The pros and cons can be summarized in one sentence: Difficult to apply for newbies, but very pretty indeed!

If you're a new user of DuWop's lip products, chances are, you're probably going to experience some difficulties getting it on your lips properly. Initially, I found it very difficult to spread evenly on my lips, with the result being a very patchy red. But practice makes perfect, and after a few tries and steadier hands (you need to keep brushing it on and blending simulteneously until you get evenly spread out.

The colour is a rich, deep red (think fresh blood and vampirish lips, so the product is pretty successful in mimicking this vampirish effect) and has a glossy effect. After a short while, however, the gloss wears off, but the colour stays. You can add clear gloss over your lips. The effect is very nice and makes your lips look wet and succulent.

Like all DuWop lip venom products, it stings your lips upon application so that's nothing to worry about. Unfortunately, the lip plumping effect, if any, is subtle. A recommended product if you want some sexy lips but not so if you're really looking into the lip plumping effect.

Concealing your flaws at different ages II

2009-09-02T14:02:00.001+08:00

Make-up for the 30s

Careers usually constitute a huge commitment in the life of a career woman in her 30s. Late nights and work stress inevitably cause insufficient sleep and hence eye bags and dark circles. Make-up should be focused on covering these flaws to give your skin more radiance.

Photo courtesy of: 醫美人

1. Evenly apply a make-up base all over your face.

2. Apply liquid foundation on your cheeks using a horizontal outer sweeping motion.

3. Spread foundation on your forehead in a horizontal movement, pulling it downward to cover the area beside the eyes.

4. Apply foundation on your chin in a downward motion, spreading it horizontally to cover the base of your chin.

5. On the edges of your nose bridge, apply concealer of similar tone to your skin colour.

Photo courtesy of: 醫美人

6. Dab a little concealer on the edges of your lips to conceal sneaky little cracks of wrinkles.

7. Apply concealer over eyebag and dark circles.

8. On area surrounding eyebag, apply concealer that’s of a slightly lighter tone than your skin colour or with a yellowish tint. This helps to increase the radiance around your eyes.

9. Apply loose powdered foundation over eyebags.

10. Dab loose powder all over your face. And that’s done!

Additional tips

If the skin around your eyes are dry, apply primer specifically meant for the undereye area before applying concealer.

When applying concealer over eyebags, gently rub it in in one direction from inside (near nose bridge) to outside (near temple). Do not apply too much concealer or it will look unnatural.

Excess make-up does not go well with dry skin, so always remove excess loose powder by dabbing your pouffe against the back of your hand before dabbing it to your face.

If you’re always in an air-conditioned place, use a make-up base with moisturizing purposes. It helps your make-up to stay on longer.

A hectic life makes your skin tired and dull. Use radiance foundation to make your skin look healthier.

Always bring your loose powder with you to do regular touch ups.

DuWop Twilight Venom (Lip Venom)

2009-08-28T12:11:00.000+08:00

I promised to write that post about nude make-up for women in their 30s, but I came across this product and I couldn’t resist blogging about it, so that post will have to wait till next week.

First of all, you may be wondering what a lip venom is. Well it’s actually something that you apply on your lips to get a temporary fuller effect, like a lip plumping procedure without the surgery. It usually produces a tingly effect upon application. Something to do with improving blood circulation so that your lips look healthier and fuller.

So there we have, another instance of companies cashing in on the Twilight fandom. Here's what it says on the description: "Twilight Venom should be shaken before use to represent the blending of the human and vampire worlds (I refuse to comment) and can be applied repeatedly until desired intensity of color has been reached and lips are plumped and revitalized. Its containing formula contains argan, avocado, and olive oils as well as vitamin E.".

Although I’m not a fan of Twilight and frankly quite sick of all the hype about it, I thought the colour was lovely.
So I bought it. For my niece who’s a great Twilight fan. I’ll let you gals know if it’s any good.

Concealing your flaws at different ages

2009-08-25T11:12:00.002+08:00

Appearances always make the first impression, regardless of your circumstances! You want to look fresh, radiant and healthy at all times, especially when you’re working and meeting new people! But in this polluted city with hot humid weather and stifling haze, having naturally flawless skin is something that many can only dream about. But don’t let that get you down! With a little aptly applied natural make-up, you can still make your skin look presentable! That’s better than nothing eh? And it’s not just the young and nubile who get it! Regardless of whether you’re 20, 30 or 40, make-up still goes a long way!

Make-up for 20s

Flaws on youthful skin are not rather manageable. Hence loose powdered foundation is suitable. Preferably get one that has oil control properties and is able to conceal enlarged pores, pimples and acne scarring.

Photo courtesy of: 醫美人

1. Apply oil-control skin care product on your T-zone.

2. Apply light foundation all over your face.

3. Apply concealer with pore concealing properties over your T-zone and nose tip.

4. Dot some yellow-toned concealer over your pimples and pimple scars.

5. Apply concealer over your eyebags.

Photo courtesy of: 醫美人

6. Gently pull back skin at the edge of your eyes with your index finger. Especially useful if you just woke up and your eyes are still half-closed from sleepiness.

7. Spray a little moisture to your foundation pouffe.

8. Dab on some loose powder, and spread it on your nose in a downward movement.

9. Spread foundation over your cheeks and chin in horizontal movements.

10. Finally, bring up your pouffe to your forehead and spread the foundation in a horizontal movement, pulling it downward to cover the area beside the eyes.

Add some lipstick, blush and eyeliner and you’re good to go!

Tips:

Always wait for at least one minute in between putting different make-up on the same part of your face. You need to allow time for the make-up to settle down and dry.

When using concealer, do not apply it directly from the tip to your face but apply it to the back of your hand first. This is more hygienic, and prevents you from overestimating and applying too much.

If your face is dry or too oily, your foundation may have difficulty staying on. You can spray a little water over your face and use a tissue to dab gently. Do not swipe or dab too hard or your make-up will come off!

To conceal pimples, first, apply a little skin-colour pimple cream (Bodyshop has some, or try Oxy if you haven’t got dry skin) and wait a few minutes for the cream to be absorbed. After that, gently dab some loose powder over the pimple. Since pimples are raised, piling on loads of concealer will not make it look flat. Furthermore, lack of oxygen will stifle the pimple and cause it to worsen. On the other hand, scars can be covered using a mixture of concealer and foundation.

Don’t forget to bring your loose powder with you to do touch ups!

Not all concealers are suitable for any part of your face. Usually, concealers for eyebags and concealers for facial blemishes are different. If you don’t want to own many concealers, look for a multipurpose one that is used for eyebags and facial blemishes.

The next post will be about make-up for ladies in their 30s!

The Body Shop: Seaweed mattifying moisture lotion SPF 15

2009-08-21T11:25:00.001+08:00

I love multi-purpose products because they save me time, space and money! Recently I bought this moisturizer since I was out of both sun block and my day moisturizer!

However, I’m not very disappointed in it. I didn’t experience any ‘mattifying’ effect. I still have to do touch ups to my shiny face for the usual number of times I usually do. I also suspected that it may be a little too moisturizing – my friend who has oily skin complained that it made her skin look oilier and even gave her more blackheads and pimples! However, for me, I work under airconditioning for long hours and this moisturizer feels like a breath of fresh air on my skin. Pity it doesn't seem to last very long.

If you have combination skin like me, it’s decent enough as a sunblock and moisturizer. I suppose whether it's worth a 2nd purchase depends on your opinion on its pricing. A 50ml tube costs $29.90, not exactly cheap or worth it in my opinion as I've seen cheaper moisturizers with higher spf.

It smells really lovely and refreshing though.

Fruit Masks II

2009-08-18T10:13:00.000+08:00

And I’m back with more cheap and quick fruit DIY masks for healthy skin!

Orange Mask

Effects: Removes layer of dead cells on skin and stimulates cell growth. Has great anti-oxidant effects, especially great for people who face the computer all day long.

What you need: Yogurt (100mg), honey (100mg), freshly squeezed orange juice (100mg)

How to make it: Stir everything together until it becomes an even mixture.

Apply mask to face and wash off after 15 minutes.

Grape mask

Effects: The skin and seeds of grapes have antioxidant effects and can help to slow down skin damage and ageing.

What you need: 10 fresh grapes

How to make it: Mash the grapes, including the seeds.

Apply the mask to your skin, gently pressing your face with your finger tips to stimulate absorption. Rinse off with warm water after 20 minutes.

Watermelon Moisturizing Mask

Effects: Replenishes moisture in both dry skin and oily skin and calms sensitive skin.

What you need: A quarter of a watermelon, mask sheet

How to make it: Remove the watermelon skin and seeds. Place the flesh into a bowl and use a spoon to flatten it into pulp.

Apply mask evenly to face and cover with a mask sheet. Rinse off with cold water after 10 to 15 minutes. This mask is so gentle it can be used everyday.

Fruit Masks

2009-08-14T12:48:00.000+08:00

The weather’s been horribly hot and humid recently! A cold glass of fruit juice or a crunchy fruit straight from the fridge brings great relief! How about giving your face a treat too?

Mixed Fruit Mask

Effects: Moisturizing, Whitening, Anti-inflammation

What you need: Egg white from 2 eggs, skinned/peeled fruits cucumber (yes, cucumber is a fruit), lemon, banana and lychee

How to make it: Add all the skinned/peeled fruits into the juicer and juice them. Add egg white and stir until the mixture becomes evenly pulpy.

Apply the mask evenly on face and wash off with warm water after 15 minutes. This mask can be used once a week.

This is a very natural and economical method to nourish your skin as fruits have moisturizing properties and are rich in a variety of vitamins. Egg white helps to tighten pores.

Apple Mask

Effects: Cleansing, Moisturizing, Whitening, Anti-Oxidizing

What you need: An apple, a plain mask sheet. People with sensitive and dry skin can include some fresh milk or olive oil, while people with oily skin can include egg white.

How to make it: Peel the apple and mash it up into pulp. If you have the above-mentioned skin condition, add the extra ingredients into the apple pulp and stir until even.

Apply mask to your face and cover with a mask sheet. Rinse off with clean water after 15 to 20 minutes. This mask can be used every alternate days. After 20 days, you should see some results.

Apples are great nourishment for all skin types. It has skin smoothening, moisturizing and whitening properties, and is known to reduce the appearance of dark pigmentation, freckles and acne scarring.

I will share more fruit masks with you in my next post, so stay tuned!

BeneFit: Bad Gal Lash Mascara

2009-08-11T12:14:00.000+08:00

I hope everyone had a great long weekend! I didn’t go to the parade because I didn’t manage to get tickets, but it was nice having a patriotic excuse to lounge in front of the tv and watch the parade. I spent the rest of the evening being a couch potato :D a luxury I've yet to enjoy in a long while.

For today’s post, I present my new acquisition from Sephora at ION. That place is seriously draining my wallet.

This mascara gives a pretty natural look, in other words, not dramatically longer and bolder lashes I was expecting because of its name and that gigantic wand. Sometimes, Benefit just gives the weirdest and most misleading names.

I still like it because it has a pretty good curling effect. It volumizes reasonably well too, and stays on for many hours.

However, it is wet and thick upon application and if you don’t handle the applicator properly or you sneeze right after applying your mascara (yes isn’t it annoying when that happens?), you could end up with some really serious smudging around your eyes. I’ve tried applying additional layers to my outer tips of my lashes see if it makes any difference to the length, and was disappointed to see that they simply looked clumpy.

I compared my experiences with other reviews on the web and realized that many people have different experiences. Some thought it gave them length but no volume, and vice versa. Some felt it was smooth to apply, while others thought it was the most inconvenient mascara to use. Some claim that it clumped the lashes, while some say that it gave them very immaculately coated separate lashes, akin to wearing perfect false lashes.

Although the effects produced by mascara differ based on the length and volume of your own lashes and the shape of your eyes, these discrepancies are just too huge. So I guess it’s a hit and miss, buy at your own risk? Besides, the effects are not quite worthy of its high price.

Bare Escentuals: Faux Tan all-over face color Bronzer

2009-08-05T11:05:00.003+08:00

Bare Escentuals, number one selling foundation in America, used to be rather elusive in Singapore. Now fans of Bare Escentuals will be able to purchase quite a wide variety of products from this cosmetics line at the new Sephora at ION, which is even bigger than the branch at Ngee Ann City!

It’s summer now but I haven’t been going out much because of H1N1 and the haze, so I decided to try out their Faux Tan All-Over Face powder foundation bronzer on my pale skin to look at least a bit tanner and healthier.

It gives my skin a natural glow and doesn’t look too orangey unlike other bronzers I’ve used. The quantity is quite generous so it should last quite a long while, definitely worth the price! However, it has to be applied with a very light hand or you’ll look like you got a very poor artificial tanning job. All the more better anyway since it means you won’t have to keep spending money to repurchase.

Reviewers for American stores and cosmetic websites claim that this product gives their skin a matte finish, but I suppose this could only be applicable for their weather conditions. In tropical, humid Singapore, our skin gets oily after awhile and together with the light shimmer that the product itself already has, it’s truly not a pleasant sight. I’ve had to keep it around me whenever I use it to do touch-ups but that’s not a big deal since you’d always have to carry your foundation around to do touch ups anyway.

This is one of the best bronzers I’ve used and I’m likely to repurchase it again. Then again, it’s a decision that I’m unlikely to have to make any time soon since it will take quite awhile before I finish it!

Preventing wrinkles… with food

2009-07-24T11:46:00.001+08:00

Eat Right!

Apart from ridding poor lifestyle habits like sleeping late and smoking, maintaining happy or calm emotions and selecting suitable beauty products, food also goes a long way in combating wrinkles!

Foods rich in collagen or nucleic acid help to maintain elasticity and radiance in your skin. Chicken skin (boiled, not fried), fish, caviar, oyster, animal livers, mushrooms, black and white fungus, and pollen are examples of such food that you should frequently include in your diet.

Prepare it right!

Food preparation methods affect nutritional content in your diet and ultimately, your skin too! Oily, fried food especially, contributes to facial wrinkles. Here are some tips on how you can still enjoy that oily meal once in a while without jeopardizing your skin.
When preparing fried food, you can coat it in a layer prepared by mixing flour, egg, sesame and coriander fillings.

When preparing fried meat, stir-fry it together with onions, coriander and garlic. When stir-frying fish or any kind of meat, you can wrap it in green vegetables to fry. You should also eat fried food with minced raddish or garlic as garnish.

The trick is to consume as little oil as possible and ensuring that you still eat your vegetables without turning your meal into a salad (not a bad thing for people who don’t mind their veggies, but for those who do mind, this will be useful).

For the most part, choose steaming over frying and avoid deep-fried, stir-fried and grilled/barbequed food. Try to consume fresh vegetables half-raw instead of fully-cooked, as fully-cooked vegetables usually have the least nutritional level. Vegetables should just be boiled to get rid of the germs. When eating grilled fish, have it with minced raddish. When eating grilled meat, have it with fresh, raw vegetables.

Foods that cause wrinkles

Canned beef, canned fish, typical mayonnaise / tartar sauce salad dressing (ah who says all salads are healthy?), food that has been frozen for too long, dried scallop, dried shrimps, chocolate, cake, instant noodles and fried food are examples of food that speeds up the wrinkling process.

Frying and freezing food are popular food preservation methods, but do not keep them past their expiry date as expired food can change for the worst and affect your skin in a big way.

Consuming a lot of salt also results in wrinkle formation.

You can also make masks out of certain types of food and fruits to reduce wrinkle formation! I’ll blog about it in my next post. Stay tuned!

Sephora: Lip Attitude Chic - 07 Sensual Rose

2009-07-20T12:30:00.003+08:00

Sensual Rose doesn’t quite strike me as being rose-coloured as it has slight purplish undertones in them. Nevertheless, it is a very nice lipstick. It's texture is moist and creamy and easy to apply evenly to my lips. Under air-conditioning, my lips feel less dry. This moisturizing effect makes your skin look healthily glossy but at the same time, it doesn’t make your lips look shiny, so it is great for nude or light make-up.

It is also fairly long lasting and needs very little touch up apart from after meals. On fair skin, it actually looks flattering, unlike other lipsticks with violet or purple undertones that make fair-skinned users look ghostly. I’d certainly use this again!

There's a huge, sparkling new Sephore outlet at the ION so you can check out this lipstick in different shades there!

Don’t turn skin care products into skin hazards!

2009-07-13T14:37:00.002+08:00

Even premium facial products can turn harmful or lose effect when misused, so always use them with care!

Spot diminishers
Upon turning 30, freckles tend to appear rapidly. Fortunately, there are spots diminishing products that will help to reduce the appearance of these pests. However, it is inadvisable to use such products for prolonged periods of time. These products are specifically targeted at diminishing spots, so their effects are usually visible after a short while, but your skin may become over-dependent on it and lose its natural ability to repair dead or damaged skin cells, which are responsible for dark pigmentation. You should cease usage after about 3 months (typically the time needed to finish up a bottle).

Make-up Remover Oil
Make-up remover oils are generally touted to be more effective than water-based make-up removers, especially when it comes to removing thick eye make-up. However, in sunny Singapore, many of us are subjected to combination and oily skin, and our skin also tends to be more vulnerable to break-outs. If you’re not applying heavy make-up, refrain from using make-up remover oils and use cleansing milk instead. It is usually gentler than make-up remover oils.

Eye moisturizers
Most people tend to just massage their eye moisturizers around their entire eye in any random motion. You’d just be wasting your eye moisturizer or worst, making your defects looks worst by rubbing them the wrong way (no pun intended!).

For different problems, you have to deal with them in different ways. For example, if you’re targeting the wrinkles at the corner of your eyes, use two fingers on one hand to straighten out the creases (one finger above the creases, one finger below and gently pull vertically in opposite directions). Hold on in this position and using a finger on the other hand, dab on the moisturizer. Then massage with your index finger in one direction from the corner of your eye to your temples.

If you’re targeting dark eye circles, concentrate on massaging the moisturizer over the dark patch below your eyes.

Cold Masks
Cold masks are great for tightening pores and improving skin texture, but the coldness of a mask that has just been removed from the refrigerator is very harsh on the skin. There’s another more economical and kinder method to tighten your pores involving cotton pads and toner. I’ve described the method in this previous post.

Time interval between product application
In our mad rush to work or school in the morning, we often contract our beauty regime into a casual routine under 10 minutes, going immediately from one cream to another and then jumping straight into make-up.

However, skin requires time to absorb nutrients, hence there should be at least a 10-minute interval between applying your last facial cream and putting on make-up. Otherwise, you’ll also find that your foundation cakes because there’s already cream on your face which has yet to be fully absorbed. Of course, this also means that your skin care regime isn’t thorough since your skin isn’t absorbing all the nutrients.

The time interval between each application of a different product should be at least 30 seconds to 2 minutes long. This sounds time wasting, but while waiting, you can massage the product into your face gently with your fingers. Not only does this speed up the process, it also facilitates blood circulation!

Pop your pimples without leaving scars

2009-07-10T12:45:00.000+08:00

I previously promised an article about the correct method of popping pimples but I must have forgotten about it lol. Sorry about that. Well here we go!

Even pimples in the appropriate stage for manual removal (when it has a little yellow ball of pus at the top) can get inflamed if you don’t remove them hygienically!

1. Make your pimples come out more easily!

Firstly, you have to open your pores so that comodogenes come out easily without you having to squeeze them really hard and damage your skin in the process.

You can do this by giving your face a home steam. Prepare a basin of boiling water. Then lower your head over the water, keeping your face at a safe distance such that your skin doesn’t get scalded by the steam. You should feel comfortably warm, but not so hot that its causing you pain. Then drape a towel over your head and basin to contain the steam. Steam your face for about 10 minutes and you’re good to go! However, do not perform this operation too often. Personally, I do it at most once a week, as over-steaming your face can cause dehydration of your skin.

Alternatively, if you’ve already done a home steam recently and shouldn’t be doing another one so soon, or if you haven’t the time for it, you can arrange to have your little pimple removal operation right after a hot bath or shower. The steam from your bath would have a similar, though weaker effect as that of a home steam.

If you’re trying to squeeze your pimples after washing your face, don’t apply your toner before doing so because your pores will shrink and that will make the pimple removal process more difficult.

2. Keep your hands clean!

Always sanitize your hands before squeezing your pimples! Even if you’re going to use a pimple and blackhead removal stick, you may accidentally touch your face in the process, or contaminate the stick.

3. Avoid direct contact with pimples

Get a pimple and blackhead removal stick instead of using your hands. Your nearest pharmacy or beauty counter should sell these. They’re cheap and easy to use, and are less likely to cause damage to your skin in comparison to squeezing. Before using them, don’t forget to sanitize them as well!

However, if you find those difficult to use, you can still use your hands, but wrap your fingers in clean tissue. Also, do not attempt to force out the pimple if it refuses to budge.

4. Post removal treatment

No matter how gentle or careful you are, there are bound to be open wounds where your pimples are popped, so you should disinfect to reduce any possibility of inflammation. Apply some disinfectant specific to the face over the wounds. Alternatively, you can dab a little salt water (with sanitized hands! And make sure you were hygienic when preparing the salt water) over the popped pimples. This will also help to reduce swelling and redness.

Product Review: Legere Water Drop Shiny Pearl BB Cream

2009-07-06T11:18:00.005+08:00

This brand of BB cream seems to be the hottest now, given its publicity on popular Taiwanese beauty show Nu Ren Wo Zui Da. I couldn't contain my curiosity, so I got one to try.

Like other BBCreams, this one promises a whole range of skin protection abilities. It serves as a sunblock, protection and healing for sensitive skin especially those plagued by acne, oil control and make-up base.

On first contact with the cream, I can understand why this product is so highly acclaimed. It feels very cooling, soothing and light. It's visible, but not felt, unlike some oil-based creams and foundations, which could stifle your skin. Being more watery than other make-up bases I've used, it needs to be blended quickly or you'll see swirly lines on your face when it dries.

Fortunately, it dries quickly, because no matter how nice it feels, it's concealing effect is not exemplary, so I always have to apply powder over it. It does cover up faint scars and blemishes, but not the more obvious ones. It also doesn't cover eyebags. What I always do is put some concealer over the blemishes and the eyebags, apply the BB Cream and then pad on a layer of loose powder.

It's also not called Shiny Pearl for nothing. It makes your face shiny. Well, my skin is the combination type, and I've always tried my best not to let it get shiny and oily-looking. However, applying loose powder helps to eliminate the shine factor. The colour of the cream is also surprisingly dark. It's brown, the darkest I've seen of all foundations and bb creams for Asians (Chinese) so far. Upon application, it seems to blend with the colour of the fairest skin, but after it dries, I realized it turns a queer orangey brown. It's as though I went to get my face tanned. This is certainly not good, but once again, it can also be remedied by applying loose powder of your own skin tone all over your face.

I really love this cream because it provides very natural coverage. Well maybe semi-coverage seems like a more appropriate word, but I love how it makes my skin look smooth and flawless without looking like I dipped my face in skin-coloured flour.

I have doubts about its supppsed sun protection feature. There's no SPF value written on it. So I'd advise users not to put too much faith in it and apply your sunblock as usual instead. I don't think much of its oil control properties either. As the day goes on, my face starts getting shiny again. It could be because the loose powder flakes off, revealing the shine from the BB cream. I have to apply loose powder regularly throughout the day, but we usually do have to fix our makeup from time to time anyway.

I can't review it's healing effects because I do not have acne-plagued skin. However, one of my friends who does said her doctor recommended this cream for her because it doesn't clog up pores and will not irritate skin. She's been using it and it hasn't made her skin worst or caused additional breakouts.

However, all in all, it's certainly a make-up base that I would recommend.

DIY Masks for Acne Scars II

2009-07-03T15:14:00.003+08:00

More DIY masks to reduce acne scarring!

Red wine with Honey

Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of honey into a small glass of red wine. Stir until the mixture is even and apply on your face. When about 80% of it has dried up, wash away with warm water.

You use this mask every alternate day.

Citric acid stimulates cell renewal, thus causing dark pigmentation to lighten and makes skin smooth and whiter. Honey has moisturizing and nurturing purposes. However, people who do not react well to alcohol (such as getting red patches on skin upon consumption) should not try this method.

Green bean and Bai Zhi mask

Mix 3 teaspoons of powdered green bean with 2 teaspoons of powdered Bai Zhi. Stir some honey into the mixture. Apply on your face and leave it on for 15 minutes. Wash it off with clean water.

You can use this mask 2 to 3 times a week.

This mask has detoxification and cleansing properties and will be especially suitable for people with oily faces.

Bai Zhi is a Chinese herb that you can get from a Chinese medicinal hall or the supermarket.

Pearl Powder and Yoghurt Cream

Mix about a teaspoon of yoghurt (natural yoghurt, not flavoured ones!) with a pinch of pearl powder and apply the cream to your acne scars before you go to bed. You don’t have to wash it off.

This can be done once every day.

Do refrain from adding too much pearl powder even if it’s famous for beautifying properties. Too much of it can clog your pores. Just a pinch will do, and it should be fully absorbed into the yoghurt.

Choose skimmed or low fat yoghurt to avoid the formation of oil bumps.

DIY Masks for Acne Scars

2009-06-30T10:54:00.001+08:00

Acne scars are more bothersome than pimples! At least the most humongous pimples go away after a couple of days if you leave them alone, but acne scars can stay up to several months! Acne scars can be concealed, but if not done well, especially when they’re dark and require lots of coverage, your multiple layers of make-up could draw more attention to your blemished visage.

Here are some tried and tested home remedies by myself and my friends which have lightening effects or help to speed up the process of skin cell renewal so that your scars take a shorter time than usual to fade out! Do be reminded that the results for home remedies vary for everyone! Some remedies don’t work for me while others work particularly well. You can try a few to see which works for you, but don’t use more than recommended. Also, don’t try to use several different types simultaneously on a regular basis. You wouldn’t be able to monitor its effectiveness, and more importantly, it may be too much for your skin to bear.

Pearl Powder and Egg White

Pearl Powder and Egg White soothe irritated skin and have lightening purposes. Mix egg white from an egg and a pinch of pearl powder so that the mixture becomes a gooey mask that you can apply on your face. It helps to smoothen skin and lighten scars.

Use this up to twice a week.

Seaweed Mask

Stir 20g of seaweed (dried ones from the supermarket, not seaweed snacks!) into clean water (boiled and cooled till mildly warm). Wait for the seaweed to expand so that the little flakes are stirred evenly with the water. Then take up the wet seaweed and cover your clean face with it. Do this when you’re lying down because you’re obviously going to have issues doing it standing up. After 10 minutes, wash off the seaweed with clean water and apply your regular moisturizer and creams that you use after the toner.

Use this twice a day.

Aspirin mask

This is actually quite a popular home remedy. Some people swear by it while some claim it doesn’t work. Again, this is rather subjective and dependent on many factors such as your skin type.

Pound 5 – 6 aspirin tablets into powder. Add a ladle of clean water and stir to mix.

For first time users who wish to test for sensitivity, apply a little of the mixture on the back of your ear.

Apply the mixture evenly on your face. Wash off after 25 minutes. As aspirin mask is quite drying, do put in more effort in keeping your skin well-moisturized at all times.

You can use this mask once or twice per week.

I have a few more remedies to recommend in my next update. Look forward to them!

To squeeze or not to squeeze?

2009-06-26T11:45:00.002+08:00

Isn't it absolutely annoying that every time you have that important appointment to go to, those nasty red bumps make their flamboyant entrance? As the weather becomes swelteringly hot, our oil glands become more active and the zits come out to play. Most of us are tempted to pop them, but logic prohibits it as squeezing pimples inappropriately will leave scars. However, this does not apply to all pimples. Some pimples can be squeezed and gotten rid of. It all depends on where they are and their stage of formation.

Danger triangle of the face

In this context, the ‘danger triangle’ refers to the point from the top of your nose (forehead where your nose bridge reaches) to the 2 corners of your mouth. Improper squeezing of pimples causes infection, and germs from infections in this area may pass into your skull. For more details pertaining to this, you may read up on it on wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danger_triangle_of_the_face).

Furthermore, infection of pimples tends to be more serious in this zone. Notice how when you squeeze that zit on your nose, it becomes even redder and more obvious and redder than ever? The pimple may even develop into a cyst, which is really the last thing you’d want because cysts are more persistent and horrible-looking than pimples. If you absolutely must get that pimple out that very day, seek professional help from a dermatologist or skin doctor.

Stage of formation

You should only remove pimples that are ‘ripe’. Ripe pimples are pimples with that whitish/yellowish little ball of pus on its tip. Once you get the pus out, the pimple will eventually deflate and go away.

Newly formed, red pimples should be left well alone.

You can also get rid of the pimple if it is in its initial stage in the form of a black or white head.
Of course, simply knowing when pimples can be squeezed is not enough. You still need to squeeze it using appropriate techniques and hygienic methods, or you will still end up with an infection and even more pimples consequently.

I’ll discuss the correct method of squeezing pimples in my next post!

Recommended products with sun protection

2009-06-22T13:48:00.000+08:00

Estee Lauder Daywear Plus Lotion

This is a multi-purpose beauty cream that has moisturizing purposes, a decent SPF of 30 and though not explicitly mentioned in the product description, has mild concealing purposes too. Its creamy base allows it to make shallow blemishes less conspicuous. It does not as refreshing on the skin as its fresh mint green appearance implies, but it doesn’t feel oily either. Its oil controlling properties makes it ideal for office ladies who face the computer all day long.

Guerlain Perfect White C Protective Brightening Fluid SPF 40 PA+++

I adore this product! It feels refreshing to the touch and is easily absorbed by the skin. Apart from being a sunscreen with a relatively high SPF, it is also a whitening product and make-up base. I’ve used this like a foundation for light make up. It covers up faint scars effectively and makes my face look brighter.

Clinique : Derma White Super City Block SPF 40

It feels a bit too oily and creamy for my liking, but some Taiwanese celebrities claim that they swear by it in their beauty guides. Apparently, its sunscreen feature is pretty good. My friend uses it whenever she goes to the beach and she’s never gotten sunburnt (of course, self-control and time management are also very important aspects at sunburn prevention).

Lancome UV Expert Protective Make-Up Base Anti-Redness SPF 20

The SPF is rather low for this, so it would be preferable to use this indoors. However, I like its corrective feature; it does conceal redness well and serves as a make-up base. However, I find it insufficiently moisturizing, so it’s best applied over a layer of moisturizer.

Watch out for the sun! III

2009-06-19T17:30:00.003+08:00

Has the sun already left its brown footprints on your visage? Don't give in to gloom yet. There are solutions

I use sunscreen and whitening products religiously. Why are my dark spots increasing instead of decreasing?
UV rays are still able to get into your eyes, causing damage to the cells in your eyes. The brain reacts by instructing the creation of more dark pigmentation. Hence, your skin still gets dark spots even if you took great pains to protect it. Your eyes need to be protected from UV rays too. Choose spectacles or contact lenses with UV ray protection.

Apart from using sunscreens and whitening products, can I improve my skin through my diet?
Fruits are rich in vitamins and helps the skin to get rid of toxics. Kiwi fruits are rich in vitamin C. It helps to suppress the formation of dark pigmentation and reduces dullness in skin. Soyabean milk has good whitening properties. According to a research done in Japan, drinking soya bean milk daily contributes to smooth skin and helps reduce scarring.

After a day at the beach, I carry out an intensive whitening regime after my skin no longer hurts from the sun. But even though I’m using products with quick whitening effect, why does my skin still end up tanned?
When skin is exposed to UV rays, it starts turning red after 4 to 5 hours. After about 24 hours, the intensity of the redness reaches its peak. After 3 to 4 days, black pigmentation is produced and skin gradually turns brown. It is therefore best to carry out your intense whitening programme within 3 days (72 days) before the skin turns dark. It seems that quite a fair number of people only start their intense whitening treatments when their skin is no longer peeling, or when they notice their skins have become darker, but it would be too late by then. Dark spots and freckles are stubborn, so it’s best to start your whitening treatments before dark pigmentation is released. Sunburnt skin shouldn't hurt much after 1 or 2 days, but go easy on the products and use products that are mild on the skin if you have sensitive skin.

Isn’t melanin (dark pigmentation) supposed to protect our skin? By reducing dark pigmentation with whitening products, are we harming our skin instead?
Dark pigmentation is produced to absorb the cancerous UV rays, hence protecting our skin from harm. Whitening products suppress the activity of melanin enzymes, but will not destroy the cells that create melanin. Upon UV ray exposure, melanin enzymes will still be activated and send the relevant signals that results in the creation of dark pigmentation. Hence, sunscreen and whitening products should both be used in your daily skincare regime.

Watch out for the sun! II

2009-06-15T13:23:00.001+08:00

This is a continuation from the last post about sun protection! The focus of this round's questions are on sunscreen application.

If I apply sunscreen alone without make-up, must I still remove it with make-up remover?
The compositions of sunscreen are rather similar to that of make-up bases, and they can only be thoroughly removed with a make-up remover. A water-based eye-remover is more appropriate for removing sunscreens.

If my make-up has SPF properties, do I still need to apply sunscreen?
Indeed, plenty of make-up bases have relatively high SPF properties, but make-up wears off throughout the day and if you don’t touch up sufficiently, you’re exposing your bare skin to UV rays at various times of the day. For more wholesome protection, apply sunscreen, followed by make-up at least ten minutes later.

My face always looks oily and shiny after I apply sunscreen. What can I do to prevent this?
Substances in sunscreen create a protective layer over your skin against UV rays, but this layer leaves a white cast. When sunlight falls on it, light reflects into the eyes, making your face look shiny. To avoid this, instead of rubbing the sunblock over your cheeks in circular motions, gently pat it in an upward movement, towards your ear and away from your nose, such that substances contributing to the white cast do not remain dead centre on your cheeks but are positioned at angles instead, thus reflecting the light away from your cheeks. If you aren’t going to the beach or won’t be outdoors for long, you can choose a lighter, less oily sunscreen with lower SPF.

Watch out for the sun!

2009-06-12T10:17:00.005+08:00

Summer’s here with the hot sun in tow! The heat on my skin’s a constant painful reminder of the atrocities of UV rays. I’m sure most of you must be feeling the same way!

There are all sorts of sunscreens out in the market, but sun protection is a complicated subject matter, given the number of queries and misconceptions users have about it. I’ll address the common ones as best as I can!

First off, let's begin with the basics!

Does using a sunblock with SPF30 prolong amount of time taken for UV rays to affect skin by 30 times?
Answer: SPF, or Sun Protection factor, has no direct relation to time. The theory of SPF products delaying UV rays from penetrating skin is very misleading as it implies that SPF products act as an absolute shield between your skin and the UV rays for a certain period of time, which isn’t true. It is quite impossible to reduce the effect that the UV rays have on your skin to 0. A more accurate interpretation would be applying products with SPF30 reduces the energy from the UV rays that comes into contact with your skin to 1/30 in comparison to not applying any at all.

If I avoid exposure to the sun as much as I can, can I still get sufficient vitamin D?
We now have a wide variety of food products and supplements, so many people tend to assume that it’s possible to obtain vitamin D through dietary means. However, exposure to sunlight is a more efficient means of getting Vitamin D as the body produces it when sunlight enters through our skin. But there’s no need to sunbathe on purpose, especially since UV rays are harmful. Instead, you can just sunbathe your hands daily (stick them out of your window!) for 5 to 10 minutes. The cuticle layer on our palms is thicker than that on other parts of the body, so our palms are less likely to develop brown spots.

I have inborn freckles. Will UV ray exposure cause them to darken?
Yes they will. Inborn freckles are a little different from freckles that develop later on in your life. As you grow up, the freckles get darker, but when you’ve hit 20, the freckles tend to start fading. UV rays are capable of aggravating the darkening process, and causing faded freckles to come back again. It’s best to start using sunscreen as early in your life.

What quick solutions are there for sunburnt skin?
This is a regrettably common question. The best solution is of course to prevent yourself from staying out in the sun too much, but when you're in a holiday mood, you tend to forget all these precautions.

Since your skin has absorbed a large amount of energy from UV rays, the best solution is to bring down the temperature. Not only does bringing down the temperature rid your skin of discomfort, it will also prevent the production of pigmentation. There are many reasons for the formation of pigmentation and dark spots. One reason is the release of histamine from the skin due to exposure to UV rays. Histamine activates the production of melamine, causing more dark spots to occur. Reducing the skin’s temperature helps to prevent the release of histamine. However, do not touch your skin with the cooling material directly as it will be painful. You can wrap a wet towel over some ice cubes and place it gently over your face.

In my next post, I will venture into queries pertaining to the application of sunscreen. As always, feel free to send me your questions!

Purchasing Cosmetic Products from Overseas II

2009-06-09T12:02:00.004+08:00

A continuation from last week's post to address enquiries about purchasing cosmetic products overseas.

“Also, would the cream used in a country where there's 4 seasons be useful in our climate?”

Although different seasons call for slightly different skin care routines, there is usually not much difference in cosmetics, certainly not in the way where you have to wear different types of clothing to adapt to the different seasons. Many of our cosmetics and skincare products are actually imported from America and European countries. They aren't tailor-made for us and the very same product lines are used by their own people too.

There are some types of cosmetics with altered properties to suit a particular season. For example, some liquid foundations and lip balm boast greater moisturizing properties for the dry winter. Another issue, not so much pertaining to skin care, is that seasonal make-up is often fashionable in countries with 4 seasons so if you visit a country in the Autumn for example, you may find that the shades of the make-up carried in stores are geared towards Autumn colours.

But few cosmetic products are season-specific. Examples of season-specific products would be moisturizing cream and lip balm with extra moisturizing properties that you may find in winter-gear stores like Winter Wear. Even then, these do not absolutely have to be used only in winter. I’m still using my left over extra-moisturizing lip balm and body cream from my winter trip to the US last December. Apart from wasting its richness and moisturizing properties (better than wasting the entire product anyway), I’m not experiencing any problems or side-effects.

However, do bear in mind that some extra-moisturizing face creams are known to cause breakouts on people with oily or acne-prone skin. Then again, this isn’t limited to seasonal beauty products. The key to buying effective beauty products is to understand your skin type and choose products with properties that suit your needs, never mind where they’re from!

Purchasing Cosmetic Products from Overseas

2009-06-04T14:41:00.002+08:00

A reader asked me some good questions about getting cosmetic products from overseas, so I’ll respond here because I believe these are common dilemmas people face with getting cosmetics outside the country.

“May I ask if you think it wise to buy creams from abroad, because when you run out of stocks, you have no choice but to look for other brands unless you've someone to help replenish your supply?”

I’ve been shipping in cosmetic products from overseas for years. Back then, facial products specially designed for Asian skin were rarities and I often preferred to buy products from Taiwan and Korea. Now, although more Western brands are boasting product lines specially designed for Asians, online shopping has been so deeply inculcated in my lifestyle that it’s habitual for me. Besides, it's an extra avenue for me to try new products!

Most cosmetic lines from reputable brands have their own online storefronts these days. As long as you own a widely accepted debit card or credit card that you can use to do online payments, it’s easy to get cosmetic products from abroad. But even if you don’t have a card or find the shipping fees hefty, not all is lost.

There’s a wonderful concept called online spreeing (also known as ‘group order’ in other countries) which I depend on for most of my overseas shopping ventures. Online spreeing came into existence in Singapore a good couple of years, probably due to demand by people like me lol. For those who are not in the know, let me provide a brief explanation. Online spreeing is carried out by one person, known as a spree organizer, on behalf of a group of participating shoppers who wish to buy items from the same online store. The organizer places a combined order and the orders are shipped to him alone instead of to each individual. The lowered shipping fees are split among the participants and everyone saves some money!

Here’s a list of online spree communities that I frequently spree with. You can visit them to learn in detail how spreeing is conducted and what sort of products are usually spreeed for:
http://community.livejournal.com/_spreee/
http://community.livejournal.com/sprees_sg
http://community.livejournal.com/sgshopaholics/
http://community.livejournal.com/shoppies_spree/

I also enjoy browsing sprees for products that I’ve not used before. It helps me learn about new products. Also, the response and reviews of spree participants help me to gauge whether a product is popular and worth my trying. So if you’re in love with a certain product that you got overseas but ran out of stock, do check out these spree sites!

However, there are cases where the product is so obscure or new that it cannot be bought online, or it contains prohibited materials that cannot be shipped in (always check with customs the eligibility of your shipment before placing your order, especially large shipments). In which case, you will just have to switch to another brand.

Personally, I enjoy trying new products. I believe it’s the only way for me to keep discovering brands and products that may suit my skin better. Some people like to stick to the same brand or product that works for them and are wary of the idea of switching brands. That’s up to individual preferences, but I’d just like to say that one shouldn’t avoid a particular product just because it’s difficult to access. You could always switch back to a previous brand you’ve been using and come back to it again when you get hold of it.

I know some people have complained that their skin reacts adversely to new products. The trick is to always choose the type of product that suits your skin type. Usually, there should be clear indications on the packaging, the skin type it is suitable for understand the ingredients it contains. That’s why I prefer getting products whose instructions and information are written in a language that I understand. However, if you have sensitive skin or skin conditions that can only tolerate special cosmetic products, it is advisable to avoid hard-to-obtain products that you’re going to change around often.

Unlike skincare products, where length of usage sometimes determines the results, cosmetic products are generally temporal means to cover up flaws and enhance features. The committment factor is less significant. Therefore, availability and accessibility should not be a hindrance.

Another thing that online shoppers should be wary about is the authenticity of the product. Do not be swayed by an expensive brand that is cheaply listed. You could be getting an imitation that doesn't work or worst, damages your skin. To be on the safe side, I'd avoid purchasing cosmetics on sites like Ebay, where there is little quality control. Always purchase from the brand's online store or reputable online beauty product portals to avoid getting scammed!

Well Charlotte, I hope this was helpful to you. I'll respond to the other question in my next entry!

Nanoce Blemish Balm Moist Cream

2009-06-01T14:51:00.005+08:00

My dear readers, do excuse me for my lack of updates. I was in the land of the rising sun last week. Japan is truly a beauty haven! Every girl in sight was well-dressed, their trendy outfits complete with immaculate make-up and perfect hairdos with not a strand out of place. I’ve read that Japanese girls rarely go out without make-up. From my observations, this statement is definitely true. Even the cashiers at convenient stores have spotless skin!

Given the high consumer demand for cosmetic products, there’s such a huge assortment of domestic cosmetics and brands in Japan, many which I have not heard of, that I had no idea what to get! Besides, I don’t like the idea of using cosmetics whose instructions I can’t read!

However, I did purchase a tube of Blemish Balm Moist Cream by the brand Nanoce. Blemish Balm is a kind of comprehensive skin care and beauty cream that supposedly gives your skin coverage while protecting your skin with sunblock and moisturizing properties. I saw it in a shop called RanKing RanQueen inside Shibuya Station. It sells a variety of items ranging from food to beauty products, but its unique selling point is that it sells the top 10 most popular brands and items among Tokyoites for each product type. Nanoce BB Moist Cream was ranked first among the other ten brands of BB Creams sold in the store. Since my hands were itching from not having bought any Japanese cosmetic products, I decided to buy it, and I’m glad I did!

Shade-wise, I’d say it’s similar to shade 2 of your typical liquid foundation. If you have typically fair Asian skin, it should blend well enough with your skin tone. One issue I have with BB Creams is that it always comes in one skin tone, so it’s really difficult to find a brand with a shade that’s perfectly complimentary. So don’t forget to apply BB cream to your neck too, or you’ll end up with different skin tones for your neck and face, no matter how close the shade is to your skin!

The texture is watery and cool to the touch, so it feels comfortable and not at all suffocating on the pores. For people with oily skin, clogged pores and acne problems, this is certainly kinder on your skin in comparison to liquid foundation or thicker creams. You may however have to wait a few minutes before you apply your loose powder or finishing powder because it takes awhile to dry. If you have oily skin, applying loose powder over the BB cream helps to control shine.

The cream gives relatively good coverage for mild redness, freckles and faint scars but everything else shows up faintly. Covering moles and birth marks is certainly out of question. If you’re looking for complete cover-ups and flawless complexions, you’d still need a good powder foundation over your BB cream.

This BB Cream cost 1890 Yen, which is about 30 SGD. That’s a decent price for BB creams.
My only misgiving of this product is its strong medicinal scent. It can be remedied by a little perfume, but it a little worrying to not be able to identify the source of the smell. For anyone who’s interested to get this product, it seems that the only place you can get it from outside Japan is on www.makeupcelebrity.com

Saving the Office Plain Jane

2009-05-13T10:43:00.001+08:00

Spending long hours in an office environment is unhealthy for anyone in the long run, and particularly has detrimental effects on skin. Office ladies who don’t bother to take the appropriate precautions will soon find themselves the epitome of Plain Janes. Being able to hide yourself in the office doesn’t mean you can neglect your image. These health and skin problems will continue to plague you, even if you leave office life behind. It’s wise to keep the problems under control while you can. In this post and the two coming ones, I’ll discuss these problems and ways to keep them at bay.

Problem 1: Dry skin
For ladies who do use make-up, you may find it difficult for your make-up to blend or stay on. The moisture level of your skin has a direct impact on the adherence levels of your make-up. Air-conditioning and radiation from the computer cause water loss, resulting in rough, flaking skin that easily creases into wrinkles.

Hydrate your skin
The natural solution is to keep your skin well moisturized. A moisture spray allows you to effortlessly hydrate your face directly. Before using it, dab away oil from your face and use a clean, wet cotton pad to wipe off dirt on your face. Spray some water evenly over your face. It’s a good way to stay awake too! Alternatively, you can place several pieces of clean cotton wool soaked in water over your clean face.

Drink water
It is common knowledge that you need at least 8 glasses of water per day for your body to function properly. If you are often too distracted by work to drink, make the effort to drink lots of water before you go to work. Do not try to make up for the requirement by drinking at night as it will have detrimental effects instead, and you’ll experience disrupted sleep from frequent trips to the toilet.

Blend moisturizer with liquid foundation
Mix 2 to 3 drops of your regular moisturizer with foundation in the amount that you normally use. It’s hydrating and makes it easier for the foundation to stay on.

Problem 2: The Computer Affliction
Computers are a source of radiation emissions and prolonged exposure to it can disrupt your secretion system. If your cells are not regenerating properly, spots and pimples will emerge. Magnetic fields from the radiation also accumulate dust and impure air, causing skin to be clogged, yellowish and dull. In addition, ladies with oily skin will find that their oil glands have become even more active, resulting in pimples and enlarged pores, while those with dry skin will end up with even drier skin that can give way to wrinkles and dark pigmentation.

Keep your skin clean
No matter how late you get home, remove your make-up and wash your face thoroughly. Use a hot towel to steam your face for 30 seconds before you begin your cleansing ritual. It helps to open up clogged pores and makes your skin more receptive to the cleanser.

Salt water exfoliator
Scoop a teaspoon of salt into your palm, pour some warm water (warm, not hot. You don’t want to scald your hand!) over the salt and rub the mixture so that it becomes liquid enough to be applied on your face. Rub the mixture gently in circular motion over your T-zone for thirty seconds and wash off. You can do this twice a week.

Problem 3: Panda eyes
Due to poor blood circulation, eye bags easily emerge, a problem escalated by staying up late to work overtime. Wrinkles also develop easily due to exhaustion and dryness. Fortunately, the onset of wrinkles and permanent eye bags can be pushed backwards given the right treatments as early as possible.

Milk Massage
Gently massaging milk on the skin around your eyes helps to reduce dark circles. If your dark circles are serious, you can use a more intense treatment by soaking a clean, absorbent cloth in milk and put it over your closed eyes for up to 10 minutes.

Wolfberry tea
Wolfberry is widely known to be good for eyes. Wolfberry tea is a sweet, fragrant tea with a mellow sweet taste that would be gladly consumed by many even if not for its health benefits. To make wolfberry tea, you will need a small amount of wolfberries (half a fistful should be sufficient) and 3 to 4 red dates. Add these ingredients to a glass and fill it with boiling water. You can consume it when it cools.

Eye Exercises
Eye exercises originating from China are designed based on how applying pressure on various accu-pressure points helps to regulate your body system. These eye exercises are conducted in schools to reduce the occurrence of eye disorders. This website has very detailed instructions and clear illustrations for doing eye exercises!