Extravagant and fancy gelish nail manicures and pedicures have become so commonplace nowadays that every other Singaporean “Influencer” on Instagram…
In the current consumerist and media-centric society, coupled with the rise of social media apps such as Instagram, outer appearance and beauty become more valued than ever, especially if all your peers and connections are hanging out online where aesthetics is Queen. With the skin being the largest organ of the human body, it is necessary that we take as much care of our complexion as much as possible to maintain it for the rest of our lives.
If your wallet can’t keep up with the latest and ever-changing upscale beauty trends in skincare, follow the below tricks and cultivate these habits to ensure you don’t have to splurge on emergency visits to the dermatologist or spend extra money on branded makeup to cover imperfections up.
Although such types of skincare will not be the cheapest in the market, using hypoallergenic or non-comedogenic skincare is extremely important in getting the foundation of your skincare right. Skincare that doesn’t specify this property might in fact be the factor that is triggering your breakouts due to sensitivity or intolerance to ingredients used in cheaper skincare. Moreover, popular skincare brands such as La Roche Posay or Avene are easily accessible from pharmacies and stores like Watsons and Guardian, and they usually have promotions on such skincare brands all year round. Another simple and basic brand you can purchase online is ‘Ordinary’ where you can mix and match the different ingredients based on your skin’s needs (some research involved). Make sure to get the proper range for your skin type (eg. Oily/combination/dry skin) otherwise you might not experience the most effective results.
On big nights out or special dates, we definitely want to look our best for that special someone or the potentially unforgettable party lined up in the night ahead. Nowadays, it is also very common to wear tons of makeup, body paint and glitter to huge festivals and parties. Always, always remember to remove all traces of makeup before you head to bed when the night ends. Not only does this reduce the damage to your complexion, your eyes will also get some rest if makeup has entered them sometime during the night. Limit the number of days that you wear a full face of makeup so that your skin has more time to breathe and relax in the days in-between. Bonus points if you manage to put on a face mask before sleeping at the end of your night out.
The top cardinal sin of skincare would be to leave your home without proper sunblock (SPF 30-50) on a sunny day. When we are young, we might not realise the effects the sun’s rays have on our complexion. Overtime, you will realise that pigmentation, brown spots and even moles will start to appear on our faces- these will not be easily removable unless you are willing to pay top dollar at the dermatologist, and it might not even be as quick a process as you would think.
A seemingly simple tip yet extraordinarily difficult to carry out for some. With all the bacteria on our fingers and hands, it is never a good idea to pick at your facial pimples or acne spots throughout the day. Such actions increase the risk for infections or scarring, which delays the healing time for pimples. Moreover, repeatedly scratching the spots will cause pigmentation and darkening that can take months to fade- not at all ideal in a quest for a flawless complexion.
Another well-known tip would be having lots of fresh fruits and vegetables with every meal, which promotes an overall healthier well-being as well. Sugary foods and dairy products have been known to aggravate acne, and if you haven’t found out the cause of your acne condition, perhaps you might try reducing your consumption of them for a while. In the meantime, definitely supplement your diet with lots of water and fresh foods as a form of detox for your skin and entire body.
Lastly, a simple google search will show easy and convenient home remedies for active spots and pimples that you might need to get rid of ASAP. My favourite go-to trick for pimples would be a generous dap of aloe-vera gel. If your skin has redness, try slicing up cucumbers and use them as a cooling mask- this tip is also good for puffy eyes in the day or at night. For blackheads on your nose, dip a thin cotton pad into egg-whites and let it sit over your nose for 10 minutes before removing the cotton pad when it is dry.
Read also: 4 cheap ways to learn a new language
