Photo: Ming Xi/Instagram
Chinese New Year is less than a month away, which can only mean one thing – it’s time to start whipping your complexion into shape. You might have the perfect outfit, lovely shoes and a beautiful hairstyle, but if your skin looks less than picture-perfect, it could dampen your spirits for the rest of the festivities.
In the weeks leading up to the Spring Festival, try incorporating these extra steps into your skincare routine for plump, radiant and blemish-free skin.
Clean and clear
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Even if you don’t have active and inflamed pimples, clogged pores can make your skin look rougher than it actually is. For a smooth canvas to work with for your makeup, start using a cleanser that contains ingredients like salicylic acid which is able to penetrate into the pores of the skin to give your skin cells a deep cleaning.
Additionally, you can also consider incorporating the double-cleanse technique as part of your skincare regime. Double-cleansing involves using a cleansing oil, balm or miscellar water to break down makeup, SPF and sebum on the face before following up with a deeper water-based cleanser to ensure your face is free from every scrap of dirt.
Peel away
Revive lacklustre skin by exfoliating the surface of your skin with peeling pads. The Medicube Zero Keratin Pad ($56) is pre-soaked with ingredients like salicylic and betaine salicylate to slough off dead skin cells and resurface dull, uneven skin tone. Plus, these textured pads also double up as a physical exfoliator to physically resurface dead skin cells.
Watch this clip to find out more about exfoliating pads:
Don’t forget to exfoliate your lips too. When your lips are exfoliated and moisturised, your lippie will go on like a dream. Kill two birds with one stone and exfoliate and hydrate sensitive lips at the same with a gentle lip scrub like the Fresh Sugar Lip Polish ($36) that sloughs off dry flaky skin while shea butter and jojoba oil join forces to nourish it.
Flush toxins down the drain
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A fuss-free way to detoxify your skin and look instantly more refreshed is a facial massage. The massage helps to stimulate blood flow and lymphatic drainage, which gives the skin a radiant glow. Start with clean dry skin and massage the face in a circular motion, starting at the base of the neck. In gentle circular motions, massage towards the jaw, up the sides of the face and around the eyes.
Mask your skin concerns
If your skin is looking a little worse for the wear, go with a face mask like the Peter Thomas Roth Pumpkin Enzyme Mask ($115) as the first step of your prep. It’s an incredibly effective yet gentle Alpha Hydroxy Acid (AHA) treatment and you don’t need any downtime after it gives your face a peel. Give it five to ten minutes, and we promise you’ll feel better about the way your skin looks.
Brush to perfection
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Planning to rock a dress that shows off your legs and arms? You definitely want to make sure your skin is looking its best from tip-to-toe. Before you take a shower, use a dry brush and move it over your body in slow and circular motions to give your skin a thorough exfoliation. The pressure applied also helps to stimulate your circulation and remove toxins from your body. This dry brushing technique has also been said to be banish cellulite in the long run.
ALSO READ: 7 RED LIPPIES FOR CHINESE NEW YEAR THAT FLATTER ASIAN SKIN TONES
