What you need, what you want, and what really works
From left: NARS looks at Toga. Smears of Satin lipsticks in Impulse and Bad Reputation. Morocco Matte from the Iconic collection. Satin lipstick in Orgasm
BIRTHDAY KISSES
Francois Nars is celebrating NARS’ 25 th birthday with products that started it all: lipsticks. As a makeup artist in the 1980s and ’90s, Nars felt limited by the products available to him and decided to launch his own brand in 1994, starting with 12 lipsticks. The brand’s portfolio has since burgeoned to over 600 products across 50 categories. To mark its silver jubilee, NARS launched the Iconic Lipstick Collection featuring a whopping 72 colours, including the 12 original hues—such as Heat Wave, a bright, matte orange-red. Boasting an innovative formula that’s lightweight yet creamy, these long-wearing lipsticks glide on like butter and give intense colour pay-off. Among the shades set to become new cult classics are Dolce Vita, a sheer dusty rose, and Orgasm, a satiny peachy pink with a golden shimmer.
BRIGHT-EYED
A pioneer in tech-driven beauty, local brand Skin Inc has set its sights on brighter, younger-looking eyes with its Optimizer Voyage Tri-Light Glasses for Bright Eyes. This new device boasts NASA-inspired LED chromotherapy that seeks to brighten dark circles with yellow light, reduce puffiness with red light, and alleviate signs of fatigue with a combination of both, in the form of orange light. Perfect for time-starved urbanites who are sleep-deprived and constantly multitasking, these glasses should be used right after your skincare ritual. Leave them on for 10 minutes while you unwind (with a glass of wine in hand) at night, or use them in the morning over breakfast.
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THE EYES HAVE IT
Vegetal Regenerating Serum, $69.90, Placentor
"Face In-Shot Mask in Illumination and Premium Black, The Oozoo"
Here, two online platforms where you can score products from South Korean beauty brands that work without stepping out of your house
ASIAN BEAUTY X
This newly launched platform prides itself on stocking a curated selection of South Korean skincare and cosmetics that are both cult favourites and heritage classics, from brands previously unavailable in Singapore. These include Lagom, Polatam and The Pure Lotus—the last being a luxury beauty brand that formulates with nutrient-rich botanical extracts sourced exclusively from plants grown on the mineral-rich, South Korean volcanic island of Jeju. Our top picks: Lagom’s Cellup Micro Foam Cleanser, which has a silky lather that swiftly removes dirt and sebum with gentle, natural agents and oils, and DermaFlux to boost moisture levels in the skin; and The Pure Lotus Essence Lotion, concocted with a whopping 89 percent lotus leaf extract, which is a natural antibiotic and rich in flavonoids with known anti-ageing benefits.
"Cellup Micro Foam Cleanser, Lagom"
NET-A-PORTER
Medical Director of The Aesthetics Medical Clinic in Paragon
On treatments versus products, and vice versa…I am a big advocate of minimally invasive “tweakments” to improve your skin—nothing too drastic, but concise, effective treatments on a regular basis to maintain youthfulness. These include small units of botulinum toxin on problem areas to relax overactive muscles; small quantities of hyaluronic acid fillers in the right areas to plump skin, adding volume to areas that have become hollow; and energy-based non-invasive treatments to improve collagen deposition, tone and texture. Your doctor only sees you every month or so, so home care is also vital for keeping the signs of ageing at bay. Compared to over-the-counter products, those prescribed by your doctor are stronger and backed by scientific evidence. However, they are meant to complement clinic treatments rather than replace them.
On misconceptions about aesthetic treatments…One is that lasers will thin and weaken the skin. Most treatments for pigmentation and rejuvenation these days make use of non-ablative lasers that target the deeper layers of the skin, ensuring that the surface remains undamaged. Done at suitable intervals advised by your doctor, they will not thin the skin. Ablative lasers—skin-resurfacing treatments that target deep, indented acne scars and rough, uneven texture— may cause temporary sensitivity, but as long as the treatments are not done too closely together, they, too, shouldn’t thin the skin. In fact, the energy produced by both types of lasers stimulate collagen production in the long run, helping with fine lines and wrinkles as well as sagging skin. Another misconception is that you will become addicted to aesthetic treatments once you start. But I think it’s more a case of being consistent. Going for regular sessions helps keep you looking young, the way exercise helps you stay healthy.
On top procedures… Our Rejuvenation Laser is a bestseller! Combining two different laser machines, it involves the use of a laser wand that is moved across your face to brighten and even out skin tone, and minimise the look of pores. Those who have done it leave the clinic with glowy “glass skin” that is less oily, and their pigmentation usually fades in two to three weeks. Painless with no downtime, this also helps zap zits and lighten the marks left by pimples.
The Aesthetics Medical Clinic
BY DANA KOH
