From The Straits Times    |

Warning! See this checklist for the catastrophic consequences to your complexion that may crop up from your stressful CBD lifestyle:

1. Suffering from sparse lashes and eye strain?

Peepers looking puffy after a day spent eyeballing your electronic devices? You’re not alone. “Our studies suggest that Asian women spend eight hours or more per day on their tech gadgets,” notes Nathalie Cachin, scientific communication manager for Parfums Christian Dior at the press junket I attended in Tokyo. “This constant squinting can cause swelling and shadows around the eyes.” Not a good look, by any means.

The solution? Try massaging your woes away with the delightful new Dior Prestige Le Concentre Yeux ($250), an exquisite eye elixir that’s amped up with a gorgeous gold-plated applicator.

First, the product proper. Packed with precious Rose de Granville nectar, this pampering potion promises to inhibit inflammation and diminish dark circles. (Fun fact: Patrice Andre, ethnobotanist at Parfums Christian Dior, tells me that this rose is one of the very few flower strains bred specifically for cosmetic purposes. Don’t expect to find bouquets of this bloom at your local florist!) Another intriguing addition to the ingredients list is a cotton nectar extract that’s said to strengthen sparse lashes – a beauty benefit that should pique the interest of stubby-lashed women in Singapore.

What’s more, these effects are said to be boosted by using the accompanying applicator, which simulates the massages proffered at the posh Dior Institut spas. “The rotating tip maximises the efficacy of the formula while offering you the benefits of the massage techniques that have been practiced for centuries in Asia,” explains Shigeo Okubo, market and consumer intelligence manager for the Asian Innovation Center, Parfums Christian Dior.

Try this easy “eye-xercise”: Use your fingertips to pat in the cream around the eyes, then roll the ceramic rotating pearl (it’s the white bit at the tip) along your upper lash line in a micro-circulatory movement that’s said to boost the density of hairs at the roots. Finish by switching to the larger gold pearl and use circular motions on the lower lids to decongest dark circles and puffiness.

Personal experience? The gentle tool glides across my lids with nary a tug on my sensitive skin – perfect when paired with the comforting cream, which is such a treat to apply at the end of an exhausting workday. And because this salve is so very souffle-soft in consistency, I also like layering this under  a heavier cream for extra cushioning on long haul flights. And speaking of long haul, the hero product yields long-term gains, too: Let’s just say that after a month or so of using this product, I’ve found myself wiggling out of undereye concealer on no-makeup makeup days. And yes, the posh packaging is incredibly Instagram-friendly, too: Always a plus in our social media-obsessed world. “Eye” love it!

2. Is your skin dry and sallow from working indoors all day?

Yes yes, I get that you’re probably sick of the sun-shaming, but it bears repeating that sunscreen really is of the essence if you want to stave off skin cancer (not to mention freckles and fine lines).

But if you think you’re safe from the skin-damaging effects of UV exposure if you slap on a conventional sunscreen, you may want to think again. Dior researchers now say that our addiction to LED light-emitting devices (think tablets, smartphones and such) may also be detrimental to our dermis. “Symptoms of long-term damage include hyperpigmentation and dehydration,” warns Dr Yuri Okano, senior consultant at cosmetics evaluation firm Ciel Co. “Artificial light exposure also produces carbonylated proteins in the skin, a process which results in a yellowish tint to the complexion.” Gulp.

Enter Dior’s Prestige White The UV Protector Youth & Radiance Blemish Balm SPF 50+ PA+++ ($165) and The UV Protector Youth & Radiance Rosy Glow SPF 50+ PA++++ ($165), both of which boast a fancy new mineral filter dubbed the Artificial Light Protector. “This ingredient safeguards against UV rays as well as up to 85 percent of radiation from artificial light,” adds Dr Okano. “Diamond-shaped pigments also diffuse light for a natural glow with no chalky finish.” No pasty “powder face”? Sounds good to me!

Indeed, these sun protective salves do double duty as colour-correcting primers, so feel free to layer them under your foundation. I’ve found that this imbues my skin with a lovely burnished lustre, as if your mien were made of money (and you probably are, if you’re a Dior darling.)

But what about the suffocating stickiness? Dior hears you, guys. The featherweight formulas leave zero telltale streaks, at least on my combination skin, and should lend your complexion a pretty pink luminescence – fantastic for fending off signs of fatigue when you’ve been working overtime and sleeping late!

Coach ID Lanyard
Now $75
Original price: $168
Shop Now
Jabra Elite 4 Wireless Earbuds
Now $88
Original price: $162
Shop Now
BaByliss Air Pro 2300
Now $63
Original price: $144
Shop Now
Abib Collagen Eye Patch
Now $19
Original price: $35
Shop Now