We all have our daily beauty routines and recently I asked on Twitter about your nightly beauty routine. The things you do before you go to sleep is equally or possibly more important than what you do in the morning because your body repairs itself during the precious hours your eyes are shut. Here are some key things in my nightly beauty routine before bed:

Moisturise
Taking care of my basic skin care needs by moisturizing nightly, I’d have to say, ranks as one of the most important things you do before you sleep. Of course, this step should come after you’ve thoroughly removed your make up. Regardless of whether you have oily, dry or combination skin, proper cleansing and moisturizing is a crucial step in getting good skin.

Apply Vaseline
I was only reminded recently of the many uses of Vaseline as a beauty product. There are many things you can do with Vaseline but I use it as a lip moisturizer in particular. Apply a generous amount to your lips before you go to bed and you’ll wake up to softer lips every morning.

Apply Eye Cream
The skin around the eye is one of the thinnest and most delicate areas on our body. Not taking care of that delicate skin will increase the incidence of fine lines under the eyes and make you look tired. Applying eye creams nightly around the area will help keep your peepers looking fresh and awake for longer periods of time. Always use the fourth finger to lightly pat eye cream around the eye area to prevent any excess stress to the delicate eye area.

No water
As much as water is a necessity and essential for survival, drinking water less than 3 hours before you go to bed will only serve to give you puffy eyes and a bloated face the very next morning. Staying away from any food and drink just before you go to sleep is probably wise as your body is winding down and metabolic rate is following suit. If you, however, really must have that drink of water, I recommend a tiny shotglass… goldfish size.

Are these things you do before you go to bed at night? What other important steps are in your night beauty routine?

I know many of you would probably say my fears of growing old and aging skin are unwarranted. But I feel as though I’ve come to an age where I have to start taking care of myself. I’m not THAT old, but say it’s definitely better to start protecting your skin early than leave it till too late. I’m only in my mid 20s but I keep going on and on about how UV rays from the sun is bad for your skin. If I’m such a nazi about sun protection, you probably should expect that I’d be big on anti-aging products too.

So when I heard that the OLAY Regenerist range works at a cellular level to help skin firmness, it got me thinking. We’re all a big bunch of cells and cells behave and respond to the environment to produce various results. If you can control the way the cells on your skin behave or even change their behaviour, you’d actually be providing skin care that’s more targeted. If it’s more targeted then of course you can expect better results. It’s focused and addresses the specific problem. That’s the premise that OLAY works on.

It is with this in mind that OLAY developed their two new products: OLAY Regenerist Microsculpting Serum and the OLAY Regenerist Super Structure Cream SPF 30. These were specifically made just for the purposes of reducing fine lines and wrinkles. I’ve mentioned previously how fine lines can add years to your appearance, so it’s highly important to maintain firmness of the skin on the face and neck for a youthful appearance. Using OLAY Regenerist is like getting a facelift* in a bottle because it firms up skin.

In the video below, you’ll see how after using the newly launched OLAY Regenerist Microsculpting Serum alongside the OLAY Regenerist Micro-sculpting Cream, my skin becomes more taut and firm after just one use. Thanks to a special aminopeptide that helps boosts cellular production of collagen and elastin, skin is instantly rejuvenated. I was amazed by how bouncy my skin was after application of the OLAY products. Coupled with a face massage, you’ll improve facial tone and soften the hard contours of your face.

Remember how I mentioned sunblock as one of the most basic skin care needs? Well, the OLAY Regenerist Super Structure Cream SPF30 gives you sun protection and more. It is designed to not only keep skin hydrated but also helps protects skin damages from UV rays. It’s a two in one! Perfect for the busy girl on the go. By keeping your skin hydrated and rebuilding collagen, your skin will regain its youthful firmness in no time.

*Epidermal level only. When used regularly and continuously. Results not equal to cosmetic procedure.

I always feel honoured when someone compliments me on my good skin. Although I am a beauty blogger, I will admit to not wearing make up on a daily basis. I feel absolutely comfortable going out completely bare faced because I’m much too lazy to apply make up everyday. I wasn’t born with perfect genes but I try to keep my skin as clear as possible. Thus, on a daily basis, I live by some beauty tips. These are the beauty tips for good skin I keep to daily.

1. Never sleep with your make up on
This is definitely the most basic of all beauty tips for good skin. Your skin, like you, needs to breathe. Sleeping overnight with your make up clogs pores. Just like how water and oil dont mix, oil and make up dont mix, especially on our skin. Always remember to thoroughly remove all your make up before you go to bed.

2. Popping your zits
While I admit to being guilty of this from time to time, the general rule of thumb is to never pop your pimples with your bare hands. Our hands come into contact with all sorts on a daily basis and the last thing you want to do is infect your pimples with random germs from goodness knows where.

3. Go for regular facials
Having an expert who knows your skin condition and can dispense good skin care tips is extremely helpful. I usually try and go for a facial once a month. During my facials, my beautician does extraction and hydration to clear my skin. She knows my skin’s problem areas and tries to remedy it as best as she can. I absolutely love walking out of the room after a facial because not only do you leave with clear skin, you walk out well rested and relaxed.

4. Dont skip your basic skin care needs
This is probably another one of the most basic of all beauty tips for good skin. Basic skin care is absolutely essential for maintaining and getting clear skin. After thoroughly removing your make up, you want to make sure you’re skin is free from dirt and grime. A basic skin care routine is, thus, the next step after proper make up removal, in getting glowing skin.

5. Exercise regularly
We all know the benefits of exercising: It keeps you healthy and keeps you fit. These health benefits translate directly to your skin too. When you feel good on the inside, you look good on the outside. Furthermore, the better circulation that comes from exercising also provides a natural glow! Who needs blusher when you have a natural flush?

6. Drink loads of water
Other than flushing out toxins from your body, water keeps your skin hydrated. Our bodies are made up of 70% water and drinking at least 2 litres of water a day keeps you well hydrated.

7. Dont rub your eyes
The skin around our eyes are the thinnest and most sensitive. Rubbing and pulling the thin skin under the eyes excessively causes fine lines, and we all know what fine lines do to our appearance. I know it feels good to rub your eyes when they’re tired, but opt for eyedrops and keep fine lines at bay the next time your eyes feel dry.

8. Sunblock, sunblock, sunblock
If you’ve been reading and following my posts all these while, I’ll probably sound like a nag when it comes to sunblock. I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again, whether you’re travelling overseas or looking to start your very first basic make up kit, sunblock is a definite must-have in protecting your skin. UVA is the main culprit of pre-mature aging, but sunblock protects your skin from the damaging rays of UV. So, block up and get good skin that’ll last you years down the road!

I know it may seem like a lot, but no body ever said being beautiful was easy. These are but a few a couple some of the good skin tips that I live by religiously. Even eating right is on the how to get good skin list. But even if you use make up routinely, I cannot stress how important good skin is. A clear complexion is the bottom line for make up application and I hope these beauty tips for good skin will help you. I promise once you have a clean canvas to work on, your options are limitless!

Having never heard of this product before, I obviously had my doubts. I looked it up and here’s what they said on the website.

A shielding lotion is far more effective as a dry skin care treatment than mere moist­urizing lotions or protective creams.

If you suffer from dry skin, you know that just using a moisturizing lotion does not solve the problem.

This is an entirely new con­cept in skin care requiring a new classifi­cation: “Shielding Lotion”. Skin MD Natural keeps moisture-robbing irri­tants away while proprietary “super” humectants hydrate the skin throughout the day.

Skin MD Natural is promptly absorbed without the slightest hint of any greasy or oily feeling or residue, transforming the outer layer of skin into a hydrating invisible shield.

The Skin MD Shielding Lotion is recommended for dry skin and also said to be good for problem skin, eczema sufferers and people with latex allergies. Although I didn’t have any of these problems, I still decided to try it out since it’s paraben free and contains natural extracts. Really no harm in trying it because it’s over 90% natural – free of harmful fragrances and colorants. It’s also non-comedogenic which means it will not clog pores. Hooray! Maybe transforming the outer layer of my skin would prevent further loss of moisture and help improve my skin condition.

The first time I tried the Shielding Lotion, I really liked how it glided onto my skin and quickly dried up afterwards. I couldn’t believe how fast it took to dry compared to conventional moisturisers. It probably took a total of 2 seconds for the lotion to disappear. When it did, my skin didn’t feel tight and there was no sticky residue. WOW. The effect is instantaneous. You see your face looking visibly smoother and if you look carefully, it’s as though there is an invisible barrier on the outer layer.

The effect, however, doesn’t last the whole day. Depending on your skin condition you have to apply the lotion initially every 2 – 8 hours until moisture level improves, then just once every 12 – 24 hours.

As much as I loved how the Shielding Lotion made my skin look, I felt it worked better on my hands, heels and legs. Possibly because my skin’s primarily dehydrated and not completely dry. One application and my hands and heels were softer and smoother. I particularly love how the Shielding Lotion dries non-greasy, because I was able to get back to whatever I was doing in a jiffy without having to worry about all that stickiness. I could never stand just sitting around doing absolutely nothing waiting for stuff to dry.

Although the product wasn’t what I was looking for, it might work for someone with a different skin type. If you have dry skin and are looking for something to keep improve the moisture level in your skin, the Skin MD Shielding Lotion might just be the thing for you. A single bottle retails for SGD29.90 while a Twin Pack costs SGD51.90 at the DRM Concept shop.

First, I will tell you what this product is supposed to do. It is an epidermal re-texturising micro-dermabrasion and is thus supposed to re-texturise your epidermis via micro-dermabrasion. Haha. Okay, in short, it’s kinda like a scrub. It smoothens your skin surface via tiny particles in the product. I’ve written about how useful a scrub is for keeping skin baby smooth and soft and the same goes for your face.

Now, I will tell you what’s inside this product that helps you do just that.

There are three main components as listed in the Kiehl’s website.

Micronized Shells (Diatomatious Earth)
dia-to-may-shus
A naturally occurring crystalline silica derived from diatoms, unicellular microscopic algae. This fine silica powder is a natural exfoliant to eliminate dead cells located in the epidermis or surface layer of the skin.

Shea Butter
SHAY BUH-t’r
Shea Butter is the natural fat obtained from the fruit of the African Karate tree and is widely used in lotions and cleansing products for its hydrating properties. Protects skin from dehydration, restores skin’s suppleness and improves the appearance of dry skin.

Willow Herb (Epilobium Angustifolium)
will-oh errb
Derived from a plant commonly known as fireweed or willow herb. This plant is known to have anti-microbial and soothing properties for skin.

Unrefined skin texture with visible appearance of pores? Well, this Kiehl’s Epidermal Re-Texturizing Micro-Dermabrasion (trying say it really really fast) gets rid of them.

After one use, my skin was instantly more radiant, pores were visibly smaller and skin surface was smoother. I’ve always fretted about the appearance of my pores, but one use and my pores were instantly reduced. Oh yes! It was also hard to tear my fingers away from my new velvety skin. My new skin surface was so smooth it looked as though water would slide off it like water off a duck’s back.

The product is gentle on the skin and non-fragranced. Although the price is a little steep (SGD$92 at any Kiehl’s outlet), it’s not just ANY scrub. It’s the Kiehl’s Epidermal Re-Texturizing Micro-Dermabrasion and will probably last you an entire year giving you smooth and radiant skin the entire time you use it.

I haven’t used any other DIY micro-dermabrasion products (nor have I actually heard of any. have you?) but in my books, this is a keeper and I promise to use it 2 times a week along side my regular hydration routine. I adore seeing my skin after a good scrub and this product delivers results. Good skin care is sooooo important, wouldn’t you agree?

The Kiehl’s Epidermal Re-Texturizing Micro-Dermabrasion is available at any Kiehl’s outlet or good departmental stores.

Most scrubs have fine or rough particles in them that work to exfoliate the dead skin on the surface. A lot of them are also beautifully fragranced. Some come with moisturing properties. So other than removing the unwanted dead skin cells from your body, the scrubs help moisturise and keep new skin underneath soft and supple.

To keep your skin looking beautiful and smooth to the touch, scrub no more than twice week from neck to toe. You don’t want to overscrub and bruise tender skin. While you’re scrubbing, dont be shy to give yourself a massage. Remember to scrub those often neglected areas like your elbows, knees and heels! You’d be amazed what a scrub once a week can do for your overall skin condition and your mood.

Some recommended products:
Body Shop – Olive or Papaya Body Scrub
Origins – Incredible Spreadable Scrub

What body scrub do you use? I never used to like the Olive Scrub from Body Shop, but now it’s one of my favourites. I find it so rejuvenating. If you don’t use a body scrub, you totally should start today!

But what she really meant was for us to eat our fruits.

The humble little tomato (yes, it is a fruit!) is actually a powerful skin booster.

The skin, our largest organ of our 5 senses, might probably be one of the hardest things to maintain. The constant exposure to various physical elements including the sun can leave the skin looking dull over time.

But because tomatoes are rich in Vitamin C and the antioxidant Lycopene, they help to fight off free-radicals which damage skin cells and leave your skin looking aged.

Eating one tomato a day can help to keep the doctor away, and can help your skin look more radiant.

Here are some easy ways you can incorporate tomato in your daily routine:
- Juice 2 large tomatoes in the morning and drink up with your favourite toast.
- For breakfast, make yourself a cheese and tomato sandwich.
- Pack one large tomato in your lunch box.
- Cherry tomatoes are a great alternative to regular tomatoes. They are small and easy to eat. Pop them a handful of them in your mouth in the morning before heading out to work or school!

If you have a little more time on your hands, the best way to eat your tomatoes is to cook them lightly in oil. You can cook them with pasta or as part of a colourful salad. The cooking fully releases the Lycopene in cell walls giving you the full benefits of tomatoes.

Looks like tomato juice is on the menu for breakfast tomorrow!

Has anyone of you tried this recipe previously? Did it work for you?