You won’t get angry, splotchy skin after these, just a smooth, radiant complexion. No downtime needed.
You won’t get angry, splotchy skin after these, just a smooth, radiant complexion. No downtime needed.
To brighten
Lancome whitening treatment, $280 for 90min.
This treatment utilises ultrasound energy and products from Lancome’s Blanc Expert range – including its bestseller, Melanolyser – as well as a brightening cream made exclusively for use in the brand’s facial treatments to lighten pigmentation and boost radiance. Included in the treatment is a pampering face, neck and shoulder massage. The facial left my skin brighter and more lifted, and my jawline, more sculpted. – Charmaine Lee, beauty writer At Lancome Beauty Institute, #01-12 Capitol Piazza (tel: 6384-0571).
Signature express laser facial, $148 for 20min.
This two-step quickie had me in and out of the clinic in less than 20 minutes. The doctor used two different lasers to tone my skin and tighten pores. The first laser is said to stimulate collagen production while the second exfoliates. The entire process was quick and comfortable, and the slight redness on my cheeks faded within minutes. My skin looked instantly brighter, and over the course of the week, it became clearer and smoother too. – Amanda Lai At Gangnam Laser Clinic, #03-04 One Raffl es Place, Tower 1 Shopping Podium (tel: 6536-8393).
Aqua st (spiral therapy) with micro pt facial, $200 for 45min.
This multi-tasking treatment sloughs off dead skin cells, and leaves skin looking bright and plump. First, a hydradermabrasion machine gently unclogged my pores and exfoliated my skin. Then, it infused three serums into my skin – these reportedly speed up skin cell renewal, calm oily and acneprone skin, and promote the repair of damaged cells. At the end of it all, my skin looked radiant and taut, and the breakouts on my cheek appeared less inflamed. My makeup glided on perfectly too. – Jaclyn Gunasilan, associate beauty editor At Ageless Medical Centre, #01-11 Orchard Parade Hotel (tel: 8181-0680).
To lift
SK-II senze renewal proionic facial, $480 for 85min.
After a hectic workweek and a couple of late nights, my skin loved the soothing, hydrating gel mask applied at the start of this facial. After the mask, a radio-frequency (RF) treatment was performed to lift skin by reportedly stimulating microcirculation and collagen production. To finish off the session, I was treated to a tension-busting head-and-shoulder massage while the therapist applied a firming SK-II Skin Signature 3D Redefining Mask. The result? Visibly firmer skin and a brighter, more lifted eye area – a stark contrast to the tired and droopy look before! – Carina Koh, beauty writer At SK-II Boutique Spa by Senze Salus, #02-06 Shaw Centre (tel: 6836-9168).
Porcelain aesthetics proionic facial, $406.60 for 90min.
This lifting and anti-ageing facial isn’t a new treatment, but it now includes additional components: exfoliation, to brighten skin, and a 10-minute tension-relieving shoulder massage. It utilises RF energy to reportedly restore the skin’s natural ion balance – this results in healthier-looking skin – and includes a facial massage to improve blood circulation for a luminous complexion. The RF device felt like a warm thermal pack on my skin, but it was comfortable overall. After the treatment, I looked more alert and my skin was noticeably tighter, especially in the jaw area – I’d recommend this for women who are concerned with sagging jowls. I loved that I could put on a full face of makeup immediately after and walk out without worrying about any redness. – Carina At Porcelain Aesthetics, #03-13 Orchard Gateway (tel: 6844-9660).
Tribo-effleurage face, $228 for 90min.
The name may sound a tad intimidating, but it really is just a name; the facial itself is very shiok. My therapist used a combination of gua sha, meridian acupressure and lymphatic drainage massage techniques. These are said to make facial contours look more lifted, and also target dark eye circles, dryness, puffiness, and the look of fine lines and wrinkles. I loved how deftly the therapist relaxed my tense facial muscles with light and targeted sweeping strokes. Before the facial, the marketing manager had promised me that I would doze off easily during the session. I did, promptly, and woke up to firmer cheeks and a more radiant eye area. – Pearlyn Tham, editor At One Beauty Spa, 14 Liang Seah Street (tel: 6338-4979).
