Face Good

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!

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!

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!

Large pores are undesirable because they make your skin look coarse. What's even more undesirable about them is the fact that they are very difficult to shrink. Think about it this way. If you've over-stretched an elastic band, it is going to be very difficult, almost impossible, to make it revert to its normal shape and elasticity, right?

The best method to keep your pores small is to prevent them from enlarging. Here's a list of factors that contribute to enlarged pores. Prevent them from occurring and you'll enjoy fine skin even into middle-age.

Dehydrated skin
When skin lacks moisture, cells on the skin surface will start to shrink. Pores will appear enlarged and wrinkles will start appearing as a result of structural changes to the skin. It’s important to ensure that your skin is well-moisturized all the time.

Excessive dead skin cells
When new skin cells are generated, these are transported to the topmost surface of the skin. When these cells are old, they will settle above the surface area as dead cells. Failing to cleanse your skin properly daily will result in slower cell regeneration and detachment of dead skin cells. These dead cells could clog your pores and cause them to look enlarged. Make sure you cleanse your skin properly everyday, especially when you remove your make-up. Exfoliate your skin at least once a week, but not too often or you may wear out your skin.

Aging skin
As you get older, blood circulation slows down, and this applies to your skin as well. Your skin will gradually lose its elasticity and become less firm and taut, and that’s when your pores appear more obvious. Keep your body metabolism high by exercising regularly and having a healthy lifestyle to slow the ageing process.

Oily skin
When your skin secretes a lot of sebum, the access oil clogs up your pores, hence making them look larger. If you are prone to having oily skin, invest in some cleansers or remedies that help with oil control.

Applying pressure to skin
Applying pressure inappropriately to skin when going about your daily beauty treatments will cause pores to look enlarged. Usually, one may accidentally apply too much pressure when squeezing comedogenes using erred methods or rubbing the face too hard when applying creams. If skin cells are continuously damaged before they can be fully replenish, it will get increasingly difficult for cell renewal to take place and you’ll be stuck with rough skin for a long while!