Dullness and pigmentation will often form as we age, but don’t let that dampen your glow. Let our Radiance Report serve as your guide to achieving a luminous complexion.
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SCRUB-A-DUB-DUB
The accumulation of dead skin cells on the surface of your skin can make it appear dull or prevent skincare products from penetrating well. Using a gentle scrub once or twice a week can help skin appear brighter and smoother.
AM Use cleansers that are gentler in the morning as you don’t want to risk having redness and sensitivity that come from using scrubs and harsh cleansers.
PM Cleansing your skin in the evening calls for something more thorough. Makeup removers are recommended to dissolve hard to remove mascaras and sunscreens. Then, use a regular facial cleanser to remove residual impurities on your face.
Glow With The Flow
Add these to your skincare routine and give dull, sallow skin a new lease of life
1 FANCL Facial Washing Powder, $26 (50 g).
2 Kiehl’s Clearly Corrective Brightening & Exfoliating Daily Cleanser, $50 (150 ml).
3 111SKIN Lift Off Exfoliating Cleanser, $90 (120 ml).
4 Allies of Skin Fresh Slate Brightening Cleanser + Masque, $59 (50 ml).
5 The Body Shop Japanese Matcha Tea Pollution Clearing Mask, $32.90 (75 ml).
Did You Know…
Clay masks serve a dual function of drawing out impurities from the pores and ridding skin of excess sebum. Before rinsing your mask off, rubbing skin gently with damp fingers can also serve as an exfoliator.
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SKIN QUENCHERS
It can be tempting to rely solely on serums for hydration, as they are lightweight and feel great on our skin, especially in our weather. However, serums lack the essential fatty acids which moisturisers contain to strengthen our skin’s moisture barrier and keep skin hydrated. Gel-based moisturisers work well under makeup, which is ideal in the day, but if you sleep in an air-conditioned room, opt for an emollient cream that will help keep moisture in.
1 Belif The True Cream Aqua Bomb, $54 (50 ml).
2 Biotherm Aquasource Gel, $ 69 (50 ml).
3 Fresh Vitamin Nectar Moisture Glow Face Cream, $77 (50 ml).
4 A’kin Intense Hydration Day & Night Cream, $49 (50 ml).
5 Philosophy Take A Deep Breath Night Oil-Free Detoxifying Gel-Balm, $56 (60 ml).
6 Clarins Hydra-Essentiel Cooling Gel, $82 (50 ml).
7 Dr Ci:Labo Aqua-Collagen-Gel Super Moisture EX, $125 (120 g).
8 Formulated as pre-makeup skincare, the Bevy C. Lumiwhite Moist Up Elixir EX, $131 (50 ml), infuses skin with essential moisture, allowing makeup to glide on for a glow that lasts all day.
9 Containing brightening ingredients such as arbutin and safflower extract, the ORBIS =U White Day Moisture, $52 (30 g), brightens skin while protecting it against ultraviolet damage with SPF 30 and PA+++.
10 The Shiseido Essential Energy Day Emulsion SPF30 PA+++, $80 (75 ml), targets women in their 30s to reinvigorate skin from a cellular level so that it’s more responsive to skincare. Skin dullness, dehydration is improved, while skin is protected from sun damage.
11 Selected from a pool of 50,000 ingredients, the active ingredient Lumidose in La Prairie White Caviar Creme Extraordinaire, $1,090, was found to be most effective against tyrosinase, an enzyme responsible for formation of dark spots.
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DIAL UP ON RADIANCE
Pigmentation, lines and dehydration can affect skin dullness. Here’s how you can target each of these skin concerns.
Brighter Skin
Brightening serums usually work in two ways: Inhibiting the production of melanocytes which are responsible for the production of melanin in response to ultraviolet radiation, or breaking down existing dark spots to even out the skin tone. Besides serums, using a broad spectrum sunscreen will also protect skin from sun damage and help prevent new dark spots from surfacing.
1 Active ingredients within the Estetica ést.lab LumiWhite Brightening Serum, $198 (30 ml), inhibits the production of melanin and also lightens existing pigmentation.
2 Containing the proprietary Miracle Broth and powerful antioxidants, the Blanc de La Mer The Brilliance White Essence, $520 (30 ml), prevents dark spots and helps skin defend itself against pigmentation.
3 The Albion Exage White Whitening Innovation, $83 (40 ml), targets melanosomes in skin to help lighten dark spots and improve skin brightness.
Skin Plumpers
As we age, collagen production in skin is unable to keep up with the amount that’s depleted. As a result, skin loses firmness, and lines start to form. Choose serums that stimulate collagen production and hydrate deeply to help plump skin and make it more supple.
4 IDS C-Plus, $150 (30 ml).
5 Dior Capture Youth Plump Filler Age-Delay Plumping Serum, $152 (30 ml).
6 Avène Eluage Anti-Wrinkle Concentrate, $71.30 (15 ml).
Eye Do
The delicate area around the eye calls for extra care, especially since it is where the first signs of ageing appear. The right eye cream nourishes and soothes your eye area, and helps prevent further damage.
7 Addressing five key ageing concerns, such as crow’s feet, puffiness, dark circles, sagging skin and fine lines, L’Oréal Age Perfect Eye Care, $42 (30 ml), is an all-in-one anti-ageing solution for the delicate eye area.
8 Containing active ingredients like vitamin A, colostrum and eyeseryl, the RE:ERTH Smoothing Eye Cream, $99 (15 ml), boosts collagen production to help smooth out fine lines and protect the skin around the eye area from external aggressors.
9 The Sulwhasoo Concentrated Ginseng Renewing Eye Cream EX, $228 (20 ml), improves skin ageing around the eye area by addressing wrinkles, sagginess and dehydration.
PHOTOS: ANGELA GUO; BAUER SYNDICATION.COM.AU / 123RF.COM
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HYDRATION SECRET WEAPONS: Masks
Formulated to be more potent than your regular moisturisers, masks are your goto hydration heroes when skin is parched. Sleeping masks are especially useful, since you can leave them on when you go to bed, making use of the body’s regenerative powers to recharge skin.
10 SK-II Overnight Miracle Mask, $140 (6 capsules).
11 CHANEL LE BLANC Masque, $133 (50 ml).
12 Skin Inc Pure Deepsea Hydrating Mask, $116 (50 ml).
Firm Favorites
Loss of collagen and elastin also means skin succumbs to the effects of gravity over time. Keep skin plump with serums that restore elasticity and suppleness.
13 Astalift In-Focus Cellactive Serum, $222 (30 ml).
14 LANEIGE Time Freeze Essence EX, $90 (40 ml).
15 CLAIR Royal Age Defying Serum, $78 (30 ml).
Emergency Skin Fixes
Need a potent remedy for your skin? Turn to these treatments!
16 GERANIUM Skin & Hair Boutique Multivitamin Treatment, $480, is packed with vitamins A, B, C, D and E to help strengthen skin against environmental stressors and promote cell regeneration.
17 Mizu Aesthetic Clinic Mizu Laser Facial, $225 (35 mins), is a two-part facial using the Q-switched laser to target pigmentation and acne scars, and Vortex Infusion technology to allow a medley of antioxidants, peptides and hyaluronic acid to penetrate deeper into skin.
18 EstheClinic “3 Days to Instant Youth” Intensive Anti-ageing Programme, $990 (3 sessions), is a three-day boot camp for your skin. It uses a combination of radio frequency (RF), micro-needling and LED light technology to help boost collagen synthesis to firm and lift.
19 Dr Spa Glow Mira-Lift, $888 (120 mins), uses radio frequency, ionwave technology and a luxurious 24k gold-plated derma-channelling process to stimulate collagen and elastin production, while imparting skin with hyaluronic acid for plump and glow-from-within skin.
20 JYUNKA V Ultimate, $380 (90 mins), is a treatment that combinines radio frequency, electroporation, cryo and laser technology. The lifting facial targets all layers of skin to boost regeneration and firm the visage.
