Airbrushing in a tube

Taiwanese beauty and fashion programme 女人我最大's Kevin recently talked about BB Creams on the show, which prompted me to run out and get a tube of my own. Korean beauty stores here like The Face Shop, Skin Food and Missha have it.

BB Creams originated from Germany, where they were first used on post-laser surgery patients for care and coverage. It exploded into a huge beauty trend in Korea after celebs there started using it and all the beauty companies came up with their own versions.

BB Creams are essentially multi-functional creams that moisturise, provide coverage and soothe even sensitive skin. Personally, I'm not too sure about the sensitive skin bit because even though the initial creations were meant for delicate post-laser skin, the commercial versions may contain skin-irritants commonly found in skincare/ makeup.

Still for normal skin types, after trying it myself, I conclude that this is one justified craze.

I went for the Missha one because, well, I spent a long time observing the one Kevin was using the show (the show's website usually lists the products used in the show but for this episode, the listing is still not up and I could not wait). There are a few experts on rotation in the show but Kevin is the one I pay the most attention to because generally, he offers the most comprehensive tips and recommends the best products. Don't be afraid of the rich, thick cream texture or the dark colour. Squeeze a little out onto the back of hand and blend it for a few seconds till it's warmed up and more spread out - this trick really aids smooth application for items like liquid foundation and makeup base.

Pick up a dab and apply in a brisk tapping/smoothing motion over areas that need help. The colour will blend into the skin and you'll forget that it was such a rich consistency to begin with. Large pores suddenly look much less visible and redness gets zapped away. Suddenly, with much less work than it takes to apply foundation, you'll look like a digitally adjusted version of your real self.

A beauty writer told me I looked very radiant and for the first two days I wore it, I just could not stop looking into the mirror. My skin stayed pretty much flawless for the entire day and was even less shiny than usual, which makes sense if you consider that skin starts to secrete excess sebum in protest of its state of dehydration. So the moisturising properties in the Missha M BB Cream must have been doing their job. The even skintone mimicked what I managed to achieve a while back with the Clarins 21-day whitening programme.

On the whole, I am most pleased with this discovery. My biggest problems are enlarged pores and some redness. And I detest having to put on makeup because it takes a lot of work to do a naturally flawless base that does not deteriorate into an oily mess by the end of the day. With this BB Cream and Fasio mascaras, my life is so much simpler.

Of course, if you're looking for heavier coverage, this may not be for you. Although you can layer on some powder or go for the versions that offer more coverage instead. Still, the trend has been towards natural-looking skin for a while now. And even if it's not a trend issue, from an aesthetic point of view, revealing the best "real" skin you can achieve is much more attractive than a thickly powdered pancake face.

Brighter complexion, instantly

Well, not exactly instantly, you have to go through a painful ordeal first.

Finally went threading today after walking around as a moustached girl for a few weeks. Okay, maybe it wasn't that obvious. I don't know. Every time I looked in the mirror, my upper lip glared ferociously at me but I was just too tired to deal with it until today.

Threading the upper lip has to be the most freaking painful hair removal process ever - 10 times worse than a Brazilian. But when I see my face suddenly light up, looking clearer and brighter without all that fuzz, I sigh and acknowledge that it's worth it.

This is my third visit to Reflexions located on the third floor of Peninsula Plaza and I've decided to stick to it. The young girl who did my face today was really gentle and patient, taking time to balance my brows and spending so much time on my upper lip and chin I never realised just how half-hearted other people were when they do it.

I've also had some really rough hooligans scrape their threads hard against my skin when they do my upper lip, as if the searing pain from ripping out the hairs was not enough. Until today, I didn't realise just how gentle threading could be.

Ever since the auntie at Kanya Parlour in Little India forsaked us to migrate to Perth, I've had quite a few bad experiences with threading. The worst of it was at Midpoint Orchard. I've been there a few times and they've never once been friendly. The place is cramped and there's nowhere to sit or even stand when it's crowded. And the one time I decided to do my brows there, they fucked it up big time because they don't bloody listen.

So even though Peninsula Plaza smells really funny (not at all in a haha manner), I shall stick to this place.

"There's no sun! Why do you still need to use an umbrella?"

I get that question a lot. My reply is always a calm, "What I'm afraid of are UV rays," or "UV rays are ever present."

Just two to three years ago, I was one of those people who know that I should be wearing sunscreen daily but just am too lazy and too cheap to. This was even when I was a beauty writer - when it came to sun protection, I wasn't exactly tanning but I wasn't practising what I preached either.

One roundabout later. I now wear sunscreen daily and I carry an UV-protective umbrella everywhere I go. I open it almost everytime I step into the open, even if it's just to cross a small road. The only exceptions are when the sky is heavily overcast and even then, I know I should, because UV rays penetrate clouds. But I am a lazy person and there are times when laziness wins over common sense. However, I do still use sunscreen, rain or shine, so I guess there's redemption there.

My biggest loophole is body sunscreen. I skip it when I am running late, which is too often. This is something I need to work on. When it comes to sunblock for the face, however, the thought of not applying it gives me the shudders now. I can literally envision the UV rays cutting into my skin and destroying it.

Yes, the word is destroy.

Actually, lots of people don't take me seriously. They think it's funny I don't like to go into the sun, that I have my frilly, polka-dotted umbrella with me all the time, that I use it even when it looks like it's going to rain. It is not a given, I'll admit, but it is very likely that if you're that smart-ass woman walking past me and then looking up into the sky asking mock-quizzically, "Is it raining?" you're also the one whose skin is going to collapse first, if it hasn't already.

The first signs of sun damage, or ageing, is considerably mild. Skin loses that bit of tone and looks that little bit more dehydrated, pores look that wee bit bigger and just the finest of lines. You can go for a while thinking your skin is doing very well and then suddenly, it hits you like a train wreck and your life in front of the mirror will never be the same again.

Okay, maybe I sound a little menacing but this is nothing but the truth. I'm not touting skincare or sunscreen so I have nothing to lose or win. The truth is, I don't really like to force people to adhere to my sometimes strange ways and while I sometimes give shit to my friends about what they should or should not do (baby girl gets the most shit from me, I think), at the end of the day, I won't say it again if you don't feel compelled to help yourself. I'll explain what I can if you ask, but it's really up to the individual.

In the May issue of Allure, there is a feature on the sun, skin and skin cancer. When I saw the images below, I think my brain froze for a moment. I don't know about you but the thought of something as innocent as stepping into the sun causing such turmoil under the skin scares the shit out of me.

According to the sidebar where these images appeared, sunburn and wrinkles are the obvious effects of UV exposure but there are also insidious and invisible damages such as DNA damage.

Structural changes occur in many skin cells' DNA in less than one second of contact with UV light. The cells are able to fix most of these defective segments but some become permanent mutations... In a study, properly applied broad-spectrum SPF 15 sunscreen reduced this damage to undetectable levels in 99 percent of UV-exposed cells.

And do note that sunburn is actually an inflammatory response caused when skin is over-exposed. It means the damage has set off a wound-healing response. People who tan think of it as a prelude to bronzed skin, but there's really nothing goddess-like or romantic when you think about "sun-kissed" skin - you're just a giant walking wound.

Of course, not everybody has the same priorities I do, there are people who like their time in the sun. Personally I don't but there's nothing wrong with enjoying your sporting activities or simply, walking in the sun, if you take adequate care with sun protection.

Sun-tanning or tanning salons, however, are another form of stupidity altogether.

I started this hiding from the sun because I wanted to try to be milky white. That is an uphill battle I've more or less given up on, because it requires more resources than I'm prepared to give. Now, it's still a vanity project, but it's about ageing as best as I can.

My skin suffers because of my laziness. I've seen what it can look like when I spend more time nourishing it but I've never been able to force myself to go back to my fanatical ways. So I suppose my fight against UV-penetration is my way of slowing down the ravages of time.

I'm still refining my sun protection techniques but one thing is for sure, we use less sunblock than we ought to. The correct amount to use is never quantified noticeably, if at all, on packaging but SPF is actually based on a uniform application thickness of 2 mg/cm² and yet most people never use more than 60% of what is correct. When you don't use enough product, you are slashing your SPF by much more than half.

#1
What the hell is 2 mg/cm2 though? I read an article in W years ago and if I remember correctly, it explained that it's an amount that will leave your face pasty white.

#2
Which is why then it becomes pertinent to find a lightweight, non-oily formula. I've been using Boots No. 7 Whitening sunscreen for a while now. The black blob indicates the size of a dollop I use on one side of my face. So on a daily basis, I use three blobs - face, face, neck. And I'm beginning to wonder if it's enough. Which is why on some mornings now, I do one face-face-neck rotation and then go back to the first section again to apply just a little more.

The good thing about this No. 7 product is that it absorbs really quickly and doesn't feel greasy, which is why I can afford to use so much at a go. But I'm considering a change, because I suspect the whitening actives in it are too strong for me if I'm using it so liberally.

#3
If your sunscreen is of a consistency that is more difficult to absorb, I learned a new method the other day, though I've yet to try it. Slather on a layer over your face and just leave it. Go ahead and do other stuff and then come back to it after 5 - 10 minutes to massage it all in. By then, some of the product would have been absorbed and it would be easier to work it all in.

#4
Don't neglect your neck, back of neck, ears and back of ears. I'm guilty of those myself so here's a reminder to myself as well. Also, back of hands, in between fingers, ankles and feet including toes.

#5
Sunscreen needs to be applied half an hour before you step out. Otherwise, for the first 30 minutes outside, you're unprotected.

#6
The correct amount of sunscreen for the body? I usually only do arms as the rest of me would be covered. You need to squeeze out a line as thick as this black stroke along about two-thirds of the exposed arm length and then work it all in.

#7
SPF 15 is the minimum. But that's if you use enough of it. Moisturisers, foundations or makeup bases that contain SPF should be add-ons to your sunscreen, not your sole source of protection. Because the amounts used of such products are dictated by other needs. Especially in the case of foundations and bases - nobody in the right mind is going to slater on enough foundation to offer full SPF 15 protection.

#8
Physical protection. Clothing and umbrellas, especially of the UV-protective variety, are your best bets. This is beyond what many people are willing to do, so it's subjective, really.

If you care though, colour and material also play a part. Dark coloured and tightly structured fabrics protect against UV best. This means black, navy, dark green, red, etc and closely woven materials. I know you're thinking it's rubbish because black is more heat-absorbent. I still don't quite understand but I'm sure there's a very good physics explanation for it. And I've googled enough to decide it's true. Dark colours are more protective against UV, as seen here and here.

Which means, if you're combating our recent heat wave in billowy, white, light cotton tops, you might want to slather on the sunblock.

#9
Your chest. If you dress with low necklines, you need to slap on sunscreen there too. Imagine damaged collagen and skin structure collapse there - we're talking saggy boobs now.

#10
Sunscreen might not just be a day or outdoor thing. Even lamps emit UV. Fluorescent and tungsten-halogen incandescent lamps, for instance.

#11
It's unhealthy to avoid the sun completely. Of course. But since Singapore is positioned so conveniently in the equatorial belt, Vitamin D-deficiency is hardly a problem. No matter how much you hide, you'll get enough sun from inevitable exposure. Waiting for the train on the platfom, standing by the window on the bus, walking out for lunch, etc. You don't need to feel the heat on your back to know you're getting sun, there's plenty of reflection off the ground and incidental exposure all over the place. Unless you are indoors 24-7, you do not need more sun.

#12
Lastly, sunscreen needs to be removed with something specialised, not just facial cleanser. I was resistant to this for a long time. It bothers me because I don't really wear makeup and yet, I need to use makeup remover to take off something I can't even see. Now, it's just routine. Call it paranoia but my skin feels different when I don't do this step now - like there's an additional slick.

I recently sat through a product training to familiarise myself with a client's products and one of the things we were told about was cosmetic acne - a field of tiny bumps that look a little like giant whiteheads. Happens to people who should have used makeup remover but didn't, and appears after six to nine months of abuse. Imagine, the powder you put on a year ago will still be on your face, just, under the skin instead of on it.

Honestly, I'm not happy at all with the condition of my skin lately. I've been really lazy with my exfoliation and skincare regime and it shows. It's definitely time to start caring again, beginning with a redefined suncare routine.

Don't listen to everything beauticians tell you

Image from here

Miss Malcontent seeks Truth in Beauty has some excellent advice for choosing a good facial.

I had a friend who would go for facials once every three weeks. She would come back with red, inflammed spots all over her face and over the next couple of weeks, they would scab and peel off. When I questioned her about her very questionable facials, she defended them by saying, "It's only for a while. Once they've recovered my skin becomes really good!"

Once they recovered it was time for her next facial. So it's accurate to say she spent two-thirds of her existence with a scabby face.

That was my pre-beauty writer days, when I was still ignorant about all these beautification processes and wonders but even then, I knew that was a tremendously silly piece of logic.

Sometimes, when you're lying back and someone is wielding sharp metal tools over your face, I guess it's easy to misunderstand what is being told to you as absolute truth.

That may have been extreme but she's hardly the only person I know who is in the "no pain, no gain" camp.

Me, I back away hastily from all facials that are said to be the slightest bit painful. I like extraction but I believe it should be pain-free and it certainly should not irritate my skin. Kose at Takashimaya have been not too bad for me the three times I've been but thus far, I've yet to try a facial that is so marvellous I want to rave about it.

Olay Regenerist Thermal Skin Polisher

I have to say once again, this is really very good.

I finished my first tube and have not been using it for a few months but a week ago, I started on it again.

Previously, I used it along with the Clarins 21-day whitening program and the results were stellar. My complexion lightened and evened out. Pores looked smaller (not just because they were unclogged but also cos of adequate moisture) and I was constantly radiant.

This time, I've decided to use it alone first (on top of usual regime, but minus Clarins), because you've got to test variables one by one.

I've these tiny whitehead-ish bumps just under the middle of my lower lip and two days of the product later, the area is flatter and smoother. On the whole, skin is softer and smoother to the touch. It looks a tad more even, definitely less blotchy.

Most excellent. Can't wait to start on the Clarins program again.

Just a few notes if you use it. It is daily exfoliation after all and there are beads involved, no matter how micro, so the urge to apply too much pressure should be avoided. No thoughts of invigorating scrubbing here, it's your face you're sloughing away, and over-exfoliation can bring on a whole slew of problems.

If your cleanser has exfoliating properties, whether physical or chemical, you should switch to a gentler one while you're on this skin polisher. On the whole, I don't like cleansers with exfoliating properties but I like the Boots No 7 whitening one so much I'm willing to ignore this rule for a bit. But even though I love it and its round beads, I'll be using a Shiseido White Lucent one for now. It's a gel formula that is totally gentle but I do not usually like because it doesn't rinse off cleanly or quickly enough. But paired with an after-exfoliant, it works.

Back to Olay, do spend a few moments massaging the product gently into the skin and use water to prolong the warmth. Just concentrate on getting all areas of the face, including edges of nose and corners of mouth. The heat is utterly relaxing, so for a couple of minutes, you can even take the chance to quiet your mind and just blank out everything else but the task at hand.

Anyone wants this?

Gel creme moisturiser for normal/combi skin. I opened the plastic seal around the outside of the bottle about one month or so again, but I've only used it once.

I'm not one that minds fragrances in my skincare. I like the delicate scents of Chanel skincare, and the aromatic ones of Clarins. But I hate it when I open a bottle and all I smell is a huge whiff of synthetic fragrance. Biotherm Line Peel along with some of the men's moisturisers, I've realised, are exactly like that.

I find it rather revolting to use. I might as well spritz cheap, imitation perfume or smear air freshener on my face.

So no, I don't want it anymore. If you like and would like to have the product, let me know.

Listen to S and you'll definitely have good skin

S is one of those celebs you want to listen to when it comes to taking care of your skin. There are loads of female artistes who try to cash in on their looks by attempting to teach gullible females how to save and improve their skin. Most of this are super blah to read and full of the superficial shit you can find in any female mag on the racks.

S is different because she's a fanatic and she has no qualms about telling you all her scary ways and methods and about the extra lengths she will go to to beautify herself. She spends a lot of money on beauty products and cosmetic procedures (those not requiring going under the knife) on top of her freebies, so she has a certain amount of authority as a consumer expert.

Read her 2 beauty books and you'll find a lot of insights and personal experience and more importantly, you'll actually find the motivation to do some of what she says. Because when she believes that something works, she really cuts to the chase and tells you why.

She did get into some shit with her first book, because of some of the unorthodox methods she talked about. Like using Salon Pas medicated plasters on occasional zits. I'm not really sure what happened exactly, but it was one of the those things that triggered a whole host of reactions from experts to random girls who tried it only to irritate their skin.

To her credit, she was apologetic about it but she did stress that it is an unorthodox method that works for her, her sister and her friends. And she said she won't dare to give people such ideas again. Which is a shame because some of the best beauty ideas out there are unorthodox.

To me, I was irate and thinking, stupid girls. It's common sense, isn't it? You have to take off the plaster after a few hours, it is not for acne cases, if it feels weird you should remove it immediately, everyone's skin differs and reacts differently to different substances, so on and so forth.

Rant over. I can be unforgiving when it comes to stupid people.

Anyhow, I grabbed the latest Queen magazine because it's S on the covers and she doles out 15 of her personal tips in the feature.

Here's some:

1. Keep reapplying sunscreen, especially in the summer (which we have, all year freaking round). Even if it's over makeup. Use a lightweight formula and look for one that says it's good for reapplication over makeup. Squeeze an adequate amount over fingers or hands, spread evenly, then lightly pat over face before powdering over again.

I try my darndest not to be lazy about sun protection. I've gotten used to wearing and removing sunscreen daily. Shall now work on getting used to reapplication.

2. Good whitening and hydration products will give you results overnight.

According to S, after trying so many products, only those that are immediately effective are worth using again. For items like sheet masks, it is needless to say that as intensive treatments, your skin should immediately improve. If it doesn't give you instant results the first time, it's not going to the second time as well.

When it comes to application products, night use should result in more radiant skin the next morning. It's normal for the improved skin to go back to its duller self by afternoon but at the very least, you should feel encouraged in the morning. Use such a product over time and you'll see significant improvement after approximately four weeks.

3. Expensive, luxurious, rare ingredients does not equal effectiveness. S has not much love towards the recent trend of using gold in skincare, for instance. But there are expensive products that deliver. She has been using an ampoule skincare product that costs NT 75,000 (around $3,000 plus?) and it has worked pretty well to improve skin quality and evenness.

4. For anti-ageing, pick a European brand. For hydration and whitening, head for the Japs. Generally, she finds that older women prefer European while younger girls go for Jap. Her theory is that Europeans are not as concerned with whitening as Asians but they age faster, so their products tend to be more revolutionary when it comes to fighting wrinkles and ageing. But she suggests that it has less to do with age than skin requirements. If you're young but facing problems with lines, you should be heading towards anti-ageing.

This is quite a generic, simplified explanation I'm guessing S and the writer summarised for easy understanding. But it does ring true. I will always head to Shiseido, Kose, Kanebo and various Jap products for whitening and think more of Chanel and Sisley for combating age. When it comes to hydration, I still do favour Chanel, Clarins and Dior Hydraction though.

5. Use a combination of off-the-shelves and departmental store brands. S' rule is to get application products from the counter brands and sheet masks from off-the-shelves. Simply because she uses up to 4(!) sheet masks daily and it is more economical that way. Not that she can't afford it but in her opinion, off-shelves sheet masks do not very differ from counter brands in terms of efficacy but the price diff is humongous. Using affordable sheet masks daily will give you better results than an expensive one once or twice a week. When it comes to application products though, nothing off-the-shelf has ever got her raving.

Personally, I totally agree about this one. I've tried tonnes of sheet masks and while I have both expensive and affordable favourites, it's just not worth paying approx $20 a sheet. I adore SK-II and Lancome whitening sheet masks but five Kanebo sheet masks from Sasa only costs me 17 bucks and using it daily does give more superior results and is easier on the wallet.

Friend did mention the other day while getting an expensive moisturiser that it is cheaper to spend more on a good moisturiser than to mask everyday, even at $3-5 a sheet. In my opinion, the good moisturiser is important but by itself, it can never replicate the plumpness of skin that comes with daily masking. So it's important to have both. And if I have to choose between them, I'd rather use a less top-notch moisturiser while continuing to mask everyday.

6. When you need intensive help, pick up a sheet mask. And if you find that the whitening mask is not working that well, try using a hydration mask as a first step, because whitening actives can only be fully absorbed by moisturised skin. Lightly pat in excess before applying the second mask. If you don't have hydrating sheet masks, you can always slap on a thick layer of your regular moisturiser.

I have to add that exfoliation is the key to fully appreciating the goodness of your skincare.

Okay, there're actually a few more but I'm really exhausted from typing so I shall stop here and leave you with two pictures of S. Notice how her brows have evolved over the span of a year. She's born with sparse, barely there brows but she started applying some unorthodox product (thing is, she said it in Chinese and I could not for the life of it figure out what product she was talking about) to her brows and it has been growing out. So now, she can pull the full-browed look.

I do like full brows. Overly skinny, arched brows ages one so.