All posts tagged: beauty

How Cate Blanchett prepared her skin for the Oscars

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Trust me, I’ve seen Cate Blanchett up close during a face-to-face interview. Besides the fact that she is lovely and humble, her skin glows with a radiance that cannot be faked. Of course, she has good genes for sure; but an arsenal of effective skincare products definitely helps. (I know from experience that the SK-II Facial Treatment Essence does not work for everyone. But when it does, you can’t live without it.) Cate looked gorgeous as usual at the Oscars red carpet in Armani Prive. Here’s a sneak peek at what happened behind-the-scenes when she was getting her skin and make-up ready. Here’s what Cate’s make-up artist Jeanine Lobell did to enhance the star’s megawatt glow: 1. Prep skin with the Facial Treatment Essence 2. Follow with the new Facial Treatment Oil 3. Seal skin with the anti-ageing RNA moisturiser 4. Mix a few drops of the Treatment Oil into the foundation for extra dewiness. 5. Spritz Mid-Day Miracle Essence over make-up to set it and further hydrate skin. In an exclusive e-mail interview with …

Foreo Luna 2

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The key to a glowing complexion is simple: cleanse and exfoliate well.  Honestly, the best scrubs, cleansing oils and facial wash alone cannot clear clogged pores as the well as a vibrating sonic cleansing device. When I get congested pores around my chin and nose, I rely on the gadgets to cleanse them thoroughly. Sonic brushes with fine bristles do the job; but sometimes, they can be a little harsh on the skin, causing it to be more prone to sensitivity. This is where the Swedish Foreo comes in. Shaped ergonomically like a bar of soap, it has a curved egde with ridges on one side, and silicon bristles on the other.   I feel that the slippery bristles cleanse and exfoliate the skin with lesser friction than the brushes. The blue one pictured here is made for combination skin, with longer bristles at the edge for deep cleansing the corners of the nose and chin that turns greasy easily.  Flip the gadget to the other side and it can be used as an anti-ageing …

BodyBlendz Coconut Delight

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Coffee body scrubs – the caffeine supposedly boosts circulation and temporarily smoothens skin – are all the rage now.  I’ve tried more than a few, and BodyBlendz is one of my faves. Blended with ground and roasted Arabica beans, extra virgin coconut oil, sweet almond oil, macadamia oil, jojoba oil, organic dessicated coconut shreds, and Himalayan pink salt; the scrub smells good enough to eat. The aroma of coffee and coconut filled the warm air in my bath; pretty much the perfect way for me to unwind after a sweaty circuit-training session. The coconut shred and granules of salt (that are not too coarse) gently exfoliates, while the oils soften the skin. All you need for a simple at-home spa session. BodyBlendz left my skin alot smoother. And I liked how the formula did not leave my skin feeling tight and dry like some body scrubs ✌🏻️

Experts’ take: The future of beauty

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With new beauty products rolling out every week, what will the next truly innovative product look like? Dr Shekhar Mitra, member of the Procter & Gamble Global Leadership Council; Dr Donald Bissett, research fellow at Procter & Gamble; and Ms Rameet Kaur, managing director of Skin Inc USA and Canada, give their take. The Beauty Gazette (TBG): Encapsulation technology is increasingly gaining popularity in beauty formulas. Why is the encapsulation of active ingredients so important in a skincare product? The encapsulation of actives in skincare is important as it ensures the stability, purity and potency of the ingredients. Vitamins and other antioxidants can degrade when exposed to light.  Certain ingredients provide benefits to the skin when used individually. But when they are added into a formula with multiple other ingredients, the various components may react with each other and lose their efficacy. The protective encapsulation layer maintains the efficacy of the individual ingredients before they are delivered into the skin. The encapsulation of single ingredients also allow for easy customisations of formulas to suit individual skin …

Wearing make-up to the gym

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With all the hip new exercise options in the most bustling spots in town, looking tired while you sweat it out is not an option.     Especially with the latest virtual gym passes (KFit, Guavapass) that get you through to the fancy spinning classes, barre, MMA sessions, and aerial yoga time-outs.  You want that post work-out glow before the work-out. It’s the same reason why you would shell out the money for pricey designer sportswear. The sleek cuts and cute cut-outs make you look good while you prepare to get your heart pumping. It is proven that if you feel good before you actually hit the gym (or the tarmac), you would perform better. Now, for the make-up to match those spiffy Lululemons. (If you already unintentionally wear make-up to your workouts when you rush to classes after work, these tips are for you too.) 1) Stay away from the pore-clogging make-up.  I would not recommend slathering on picture-perfect foundation just before you sweat it out. It might end up patchy and stain your perfect (and …

Shiseido Maquillage Dual Colour Rouge

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I am loving these new lippies that are hitting stores soon. Each is a fusion of two complementary shades, so you get two lipsticks for the price of one. Wear the shades alone or layered one over the other; or one on the top lip and one on the bottom. Feeling adventurous? Use a lip brush and create an ombre lip; with the brighter colour on the inside. These lippies are moisturising, have rich opaque colours, and a semi-glossy finish. Relatively long-lasting too.

Tasteful makeup

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As the queen of tasteful make-up Bobbi Brown says: “Confidence is everything, but a little makeup can’t hurt.” But to some, it seems that “Make-up is everything, but a little confidence can’t hurt.” Like all art forms, makeup is a form of expression. It expresses a woman’s aspirations (like red lipstick for an extra dose of sophistication); and the way she wants to portray herself (say, bold and arched brows to channel confidence).  At the same time, a woman’s make-up highlights her fears and insecurities. I can always tell when a woman uses makeup as a crutch. She erases her natural features and transforms her face into something completely different.  There is nothing wrong with going to the extremes with make-up.  But there is something not quite right when everyday, a woman’s visage looks like a caricature. Her eyes seem too large with copious amount of liner, lashes and mascara; while her nose bridge and cheekbones look painted-on. (Granted, in some cases, the OTT make-up is unintentional; they just need better make-up skills) It is one …

Spring Summer 2016 backstage trends: MAC

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MAC’s looks on the Spring Summer 2016 runways… #The not-so-classic red lip    At Kenzo, a glossy red lip is accented with gold pigment powder.     Over at Oscar de la Renta, a powdery matte pink and red ombre lip.     Zac Posen’s neon red lip and clean face with a hint of blush. — #2 Fresh-faced ingenue    Blush and highlighter that mimic a sexy sunburn (if there is such a thing) at Alberta Ferretti.  Marsala and gold eyeshadow with  plenty of mascara completes the look.   Clean face, pearlescent lids at Lea Peckre.  Prabal Gurung: A hint of mascara, blush and lilac-rose lipstick. —  #3 Colour shock    Veronique Leroy’s violet and lilac-lined eyes with rosebud lips.  Gorgeous navy liner, blush across the cheeks and nose, and clean gloss at Moschino.    Smudged electric blue liner and a clean face at Jonathan Saunders.  Lilac shadow, silver sparkles and pastel violet lips at Delpozo. Picture source: MAC

Shiseido Synchro Skin Lasting Liquid Foundation

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Touted as a smart foundation (like smart cars, smart homes, smart cities etc. 😁), this formula is ultra-lightweight. Yet, just one pump of the watery foundation was enough for my entire face. It is also easy to apply with warm fingertips. Coverage is light to medium but buildable to an almost full concealment of flaws. With the foundation’s satin-glow finish, my skin looks naturally healthy and even in tone.  The oil-free foundation lasted all day too. I only had to touch-up a little before dinner.  Other plus points: SPF 20 for extra sun protection, and skincare ingredients like St John’s wort and thyme extract to help keep skin healthy.

How to wear scents

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Spritz and go? A no-brainer right? Not really.     There is an art and science to wearing scents. Especially in humid weather.  Here’s what to note: 💦 Slathering on unscented body lotions first to help a perfume “stick” is one way. But in this hot and humid weather, body creams might be the last thing you want to wear.  An alternative is to let the scent “cling” elsewhere, such as your clothes and hair.  I find that scents hardly last all day on my skin – unless it is super duper expensive such as Frederic Malle’s potions.  A point to note though: spritz scents onto clothes from an arm’s length away. So only tiny droplets settle on your dress or blouse, not a direct spray that leaves behind a splotch that is inpossible to remove (from silks especially). 💦 Imagine the warm spots of your skin as “diffusers”. They are keep the scent molecules wafting towards your nose and others’. 💦 Sprtiz, dab, press; but don’t rub on perfumes. The scent molecules should settle on …