I was kindly invited to a blogger’s meetup at Sccube the Apothecary, a newish skincare shop here in Singapore that houses cult, celebrity endorsed skincare products. Housing brands like Dr. Brandt (who names Madonna and Jessica Alba as fans) and Rodial (who boasts the beautiful Scarlett Johansson as a user), I was very excited to go in the store! I’ve walked past it a few times but never dared to go in because it looked too exclusive and expensive for me. :-P But I’m glad I did – Sccube is the place to go in Singapore if you’re looking for cult skincare brands. (But yes, the prices are a bit steep!)
Whilst there, the other bloggers and I were introduced to some of the products from the brands they house, as well as trying them on and asking questions, etc. I really wanted to take more pictures because the store is so serene and beautiful, (their motto is Science and Style) but my damn camera started turning everything yellow (anyone know the reason for this?). It was really a pleasant afternoon – the store’s ambience is so relaxing. Even better is that they also do specialized facials, which I hope to try someday.
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So many of you may know about my freak out on Twitter sometime back where I tried a glycolic acid solution on my face and then literally burned it. (Idiotic Renee Moment #9801.) It’s been a little over 3 months and dare I say the scabs, scarring and general woe from it has all finally subsided, so I’m going to write a WARNING post of sorts so that you don’t burn your beautiful faces either!
OK, first and foremost, why did I do it?! Good question. As many of you may know I have always been quite open with the fact that my skin in my high school years were definitely heartbreaking for me – I know of many who’ve had it worse but I think anyone who’s dealt with acne would know that even having “mild” acne really does effect your self esteem and confidence. Especially at that very insecure age that is the teenage years. To cut a long story short, I first started getting zits and the whole works around 14, and I was finally “done” with acne around 19 years old – I started to notice my zits die down at 18 (thanks to my new skincare routine by Clinique) and by 19 dare I say my acne was gone (but not forever, it seems!).
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One of the worse parts of highschool for me (apart from, um, everything) was that my skin was a ranging, hormonal mess.
My best friend and I both suffered acne together. Though it was considered mild acne, we were plagued by blemishes, ranging from blackheads, whiteheads, pimples and the occasional painful cystic pimples.
I am extremely glad to report that both of our skin has settled down immesnsely from our hormonal teenage years, though the practices for clean, clear skin is always on our minds. Even after my skin began to get better, I’ve always tried my best to take care of my skin. I think anyone who has experienced some sort of acne would know how awful it feels, and try their best to prevent it from happening again! Here are some of my tips to keeping your skin in tip top condition and hopefully preventing new breakouts.
Remove all makeup at night.
This is the #1 makeup tip and I really cannot stress it enough: Do. Not. Sleep. With. Your. Makeup. On. EVER! Remember, before bed, remove every trace of makeup and cleanse throughly. I do a double-cleanse that I talked about here and would defintely recommend doing that.
Keep hair out of your face.
In my experience, acne and bangs do not go well together. However, you might be a bit lucky. Eitherway, hair can trap a lot of grime, dirt and oil, and it can spread it to your face, causing breakouts. The best advice I can give is to wash your hair regulary, and if you’re hanging out at home, wear hairband to make sure not a single strand of hair is in your face.
Use the correct products.
- Skincare products: I know what it’s like to go a little overboard with skincare products. For example, I once tried the Proactiv skincare line in hopes that because it was so powerful, my light acne will be banished faster and never come back. Wrong. Proactiv burned my skin, made me breakout even more, and my skin could not tolerate it and all sorts of reactions occurred. Lesson learnt: stick to what your skin actually is. If it’s just a little pimple here and there, don’t go overboard with acne washes and medication. For moisturizers, try to find an oil-free, non-comedogenic formula and ones that are marked for acne-prone skin. And yes, even though your skin is still oily, you still need moisturizer!
- Makeup: For liquid foundation makeup, use non-comedogenic (doesn’t clog pores) and oil-free products. I would highly recommend mineral makeup, especially in its power form for oily skin. Mineral makeup is amazing for acne-prone skin and gives flawless coverage. (Check out the other pros and cons of mineral makeup here.)
Be gentle on your skin.
Keeping the above tips in mind, when applying these products on your face, be gentle. Aggressive applying of makeup and scrubbing your face can aggravate your breakouts and make them worse. Be gentle by applying light pressure from your fingertips to your skin when rubbing on your skincare products. (Check out my post, How to: Cleanse Your Skin Properly for more tips.) For makeup, keep a light hand when using a brush.
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When The Body Shop gave me a goodie bag full of their latest organic skincare range, Nutriganics, from their recent media event, I was beaming. First, how generous, and second; I adore organic makeup and really loving this whole green movement. I even wrote about green skincare recently, so I am especially happy I can finally add a review on the site about an organic skincare range.
(Oh yes, and this should not have to be said but as with everything on the site, this is my 100% honest review.)
Foaming Facial Wash
A blend of essentials oils and natural fragrances, the first product in the set is the Foaming Facial Wash. Ingredients include babassu oil, and organic sugar, mixed in with natural fragrances like Italian lemon, jasmine and red fruits. Said to remove impurities and makeup, the cleanser promises to reveal smooth, soft and freshly cleansed skin.
Here’s the thing about cleansers. I love organic makeup because it means less junk on my face, but I’m still at that age of fearing zits, blemishes and oil. That being said, I was very concerned about that when trying this wash – after all, from what I know, how can natural products give my skin and potential zits a kick in the butt? I need chemicals for that, no? Still, I braved two days – morning and night – of this cleanser. What I like about it is that it really does cleanse your face – it feels so smooth, and it’s amazing how gentle it feels on the skin. It really feels like you’re putting nothing on your face, which is wonderful. The only thing is, like I said; I need my chemicals. I obsessively checked my face and sure enough, about 3 tiny whitehead zits were forming, and that was it for me. Back to my old cleanser!
So for this cleanser, I’d recommend it for those who do not have any problems or concerns with zits. If you’re blessed with good, (or just normal) skin and have concerns about aging and want to use organic products, I would definitely recommend it. Perhaps in the future I will use it when that stage of pimples go away (God willing…).
(Side note: I passed this on to my mother and she is raving about how wonderful it is and claims she will use it forever. So like I said, perhaps this is more suited for those that do not have acne prone and oily skin.)
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Once upon a time (3.5 weeks ago), in a land far, far, away (tiny island of Singapore), there was …. Alright, ignore my dramatic introduction. Basically, the very lovely The Body Shop (TBS) hosted a private media launch for the online beauty media in Singapore. The Body Shop is launching their very first organic skincare range and TBS kindly invited some of us along to meet, try out, and chat about the new range. We even got a tour of TBS offices and it’s pretty darn cool!
First, we were greeted with a goody bag full of the range, (I’ve been trying them out and will have a full review up pretty soon!). Next, we chatted and ate some snacks while watching TBS’ promo video for the new skincare range. A TBS employee volunteered to be the model for the presentation, while the heads at TBS spoke about the TBS brand, the new skincare range, and showed us how to apply each product, while telling us what they do.
After that, we took a tour of the office, and here we all are in front of an in-house shop, where they test out store display concepts.
Left to right: Diana from Adore Beauty, YouTube Makeup Guru Wiwit Anggun, Myself, Christy from Beaute Runway and Sesame from Viva Woman. It was really great to meet them all, and I can confidently say we had a good afternoon, right ladies? ;) And thanks Wiwit for this awesome group pic!
Overall, I had a great time – it’s nice that TBS took the time to make a whole event for the online world … blogs are finally getting recognized as ‘media’, which I’m ecstatic about! Thank you TBS for the invite, was really honored to be noticed as one of Singapore’s beauty “go-to” online. :) Review coming very soon!
With Tim Burton’s highly anticipated film, Alice in Wonderland finally out (watch it, it’s wonderful!), it seems everyone is remiscising about their favorite Disney fairytales. FANCL has done just that, and has just launched a limited eidtion version of their popular Mild Cleansing Oil, decorated beautifully by famed German illustrator Irma.
A beauty known for her crystal clear complexion is the perfect inspiration to put you on the road to healthy, beautiful skin. Turning to a fairytale heroine, FANCL is launching its bestselling favorite, the Mild Cleansing Oil, in a Limited Edition Snow White.
Enriched with gentle yet effective Meadow Foam Oil extracted from Meadow Foam seeds, it aids in removing keratin plugs which clog up the skin. This hard worker dissolves the dirt in pores, clearing even the most stubborn of grime after a rinse without leaving any oily residue.
Added to the special blend are Green Tea Catechin Oil, which helps remove free radicals on skin surface, and anti-inflammatory Rosehip Oil to facilitate smooth application with minimal friction. Over time, you’ll notice a clearer, smoother and radiant complexion, with skin well prepped for the rest of your skincare routine.
Isn’t it cute?! I’m loving the whimsical look and feel about it, and am especially excited about all these fairtytale themes products! Now where’s The Little Mermaid, ultimate favorite?
What do you think of these special fairytale themed products? And what’s your favorite Disney fairytale? :)
Reader V wrote to me a week ago after reading my post, Beauty Tips for Flights and she wanted to know more specific tips for those who are in planes very frequently – aka, working in one!
I was wondering if you have a tip for me, or possible post on the website about it. I read your post about how the lack of moisture in the aircraft can dry up your skin. I am a soon-to-be stewardess and you know how I will be exposed to ‘this’ dry atmosphere most of the time.
So do you have a tip about how I can keep my skin healthy? Our 5 inches make-up surely is no help, and I’m not sure about the use of facial mist, with 5 inches make up on. Yeah, some stewardess tend to get worried about their skin because we can’t afford to look like we sped up our aging process.
I can relate to air stewardesses who are wary about speeding up the aging process – those working full time in cold, dry offices also have the same complaint (like my friends!). Thing is, unfortunately, I’m aware about the makeup stewardess are required to wear daily, so it’s quite a challenge. No worries though, I have a few tips up my sleeves!
Here’s an idea to start you off – even though it’s just a plane, you can actually just research “winter skincare tips”, because, as you’ve guessed it, one of the main factors is the extremely dry temperatures. They have tons of tips for dry climates and would definitely help in your work environment!
Before the Flight
First of all, it’s vital that you start by cleansing your skin very well before your flight. Try switching to a cleanser made for dry skin. While in the shower, avoid very hot water as it will just dry out your skin more. Instead, opt for a luke warm temperature, and really clean your face well. (Read here for more tips on cleansing.) Basically, leave the cleanser on your face for at least 30 seconds to really let it work.
I’m not sure if they give you makeup to wear or if it’s your own, but if it’s your own, I highly recommend finding a mineral/organic foundation, as this will not clog your pores and irritate your skin. Find formulas made for dry skin, preferably a tinted moisturizer made for dry skin. Since you’ll be traveling a lot, you can go overseas and find winter-related skin care products that would cater to extremely dry weather conditions.
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