From The Straits Times    |

Ah, Irene Kim and Nicole Warne: Two pretty peas in a pod. 

Our dynamic duo of the hour share more than a couple of things in common: They’re Asian, they’re awesome – and they have absolutely sensational skin.

Here’s all you need to know to cop the complexion (plus hair and makeup!) of these illustrious Instagram superstars. Take notes, beauty students!

They’re all about that base. Seoul siren Irene Kim may be known more for her K-Hair – the mane muse’s Instagram account is stalk-worthy in the extreme! – but the gorgeous Global Beauty Contributor for Estee Lauder also happens to have K-Beauty-worthy skin, thank you very much. 

Take it from the belle herself, who boasts a five-step facial regime that’s a perfectly prudent distillation of the Korean mania for multi-step rituals: “Skin is incredibly important to me because I’ve always had sensitive skin [but] I like to keep my steps simple though, because I feel like too much won’t let my skin breathe,” Irene says. “I keep it to five steps: cleansing, toning, essence, moisturising and sun-blocking and in the morning, I simply wash my face with water instead of cleansing.” Stripping down Korean beauty to its essence, so to speak; I like!

Product recommendation-wise, Irene is all about the tried-and-tested family favourites: “My Mum introduced me to the famous Advanced Night Repair serum,” she reveals, “and I always use it.” Aw, such a sweetly relatable and lovely Lauder anecdote; I mean, we’ve all shared the brand’s stuff with our Mums, right? 

As for newly minted Kiehl’s face Nicole Warne of @garypeppergirl fame? Well, the trendsetter has fully embraced the beauty world’s obsession with oils; her skin saviour comes in the form of a richly restorative blend of botanical oils: “Kiehl’s Daily Reviving Concentrate helps fight skin fatigue and keeps my skin looking youthful and fresh all day.”  

Ready for lift-off? Here’s how to enjoy the plane ride of a lifetime. As it turns out, both Nicole and Irene are a treasure trove of travel beauty tips – the latter, for instance, swears by taking it all off after take-off and slapping on “a facial mist, my eye cream and moisturiser and an eye mask.”

Meanwhile, globe-trotting good-looker Nicole – she’s schmoozing with swanky stylistas at Paris Fashion Week as we speak – abides by airport shopping: “I first discovered Kiehl’s at Hong Kong Airport; I always look for new beauty products at the airport and often need to buy certain products if I’ve forgotten to pack them in my suitcase.” 

Makeup-wise, Nicole says a ‘lil highlight is just right. She stashes travel-sized bottles of luminising lotions – “my favourites at the moment are Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation and Sheer Finish Illuminator” – and dabs them on the inner eye corners, brow bone and cupid’s bow to erase telltale signs of flight fatigue. The result is an incredibly intriguing, is-she-or-isn’t-she sheen that’s just right for the short saunter between the airport runway and your limo pick-up!

Enough of skincare; any style secrets to share? Glad you asked: Nicole admits she’s a Chanel chick at her core: “I can’t live without my Chanel bags. [They’re a] guilty pleasure but they’re investment pieces I’ll have for decades.” Spoken like a true-blue bagaholic!

No go-to fashion brand on her end, but Irene is all about individuality, especially when it comes to her trendy tresses: “My rainbow hair definitely influences my style and makeup, but it doesn’t define me.” Want to rock your very own magical multi-coloured mane? Show your colourist Irene’s Insta #hairspo pics to get the creative juices jogging!

Their #diediemustbuy beauty item? Drumroll, please: It’s good ol’ lipstick. Irene is an enthusiastic endorser of Estee Lauder’s Pure Color Envy Sculpting Lipstick in Tumultuous Pink – it’s a fantastic fuchsia that should flatter most Asian faces – while Nicole taps Tom Ford’s Lipstick in Scarlet Rouge, a ravishing red shot through with a juicy jolt of tangerine that’s incidentally my favourite shade as well.

And speaking as a lip lover, I can attest to the fact that both choices boast gorgeous glide and extreme emollience. Start sheer for maximum versatility – dial back the drama for day, and pile it on for a selfie-ready look. Here’s to looking like super stylin’ street-style stars!

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