Secret beauty tricks all Singapore women must know for smaller pores and softer skin

Want to pore-fect your complexion?

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It’s a natty night out and you’re feeling fly, which can only mean it’s time to indulge in a little Instagram photo update. But wait, what’s this we see? Those shadowy sags and bags under your eyes definitely aren’t there IRL – and hold up, it’s like the pores on your mien have been magnified three-fold or more. Nobody’s double-tapping on that.

Thankfully, this scary scenario is a beauty blunder that’s easily circumvented. Click through the gallery slides above for all the insider tips and tricks you need to looking like the porcelain princess of your dreams.

Image: 123rf.com.

Want more? Check out my personal pick of the most luxuriously lightweight lotions that work like a dream under makeup for protection against the aggressive assaults of our clammy climate, as well as this ingenious pore-shrinking and face-slimming trick that’ll give you virtually instant Insta-ready skin. Get your daily dose of beauty at www.herworldplus.com/beauty.

Start off by soothing with a sebum-squelching serum

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Prominent pores tend to come in a “package deal” with excess oil production, so the first course of action is to mattify your mien.

There’s a plethora of pore-tightening potions to “pore” over on the counters, but my obsession du jour has got to be Sisley’s swanky new addition to its Tropical Resins range. The impressive ingredients list reads like a who’s who of skincare superheroes: Gentle exfoliants like salicylic acid and java tea join forces with a curated concoction of calming myrrh and incense plus purifying benzoin and burdock extracts. Smooth it on ro lay down the base for shine-free skin.

Try: Sisley Tropical Resins Intensive Serum with Tropical Resins, $210.

Want more? Check out my personal pick of the most luxuriously lightweight lotions that work like a dream under makeup for protection against the aggressive assaults of our clammy climate, as well as this ingenious pore-shrinking and face-slimming trick that’ll give you virtually instant Insta-ready skin. Get your daily dose of beauty at www.herworldplus.com/beauty.

Mineral makeup can make for poor photos...

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Skip “natural” powder formulas fortified with titanium dioxide or zinc oxide (yup, you’ll probably recognise this dynamic duo on the labels of your sunscreen). Here’s why: Against the fierce flare of flash photography, the ray-reflective properties of said sunscreen ingredients can read as bleached and blotchy on film.

Blame it on the profuse peppering of light-reflective silica particles in many of these formulas, which bounces back the glare from your flash and may have the unfortunate effect of gilding your complexion with a ghostly cast. Gun for a gorgeous glow via a lustrous liquid like Kanebo’s fantastic Full Radiance Foundation instead – “wet” formulas tend to read as “real”, both in person and in photos.   

Try: Kanebo Full Radiance Foundation, $82.

Want more? Check out my personal pick of the most luxuriously lightweight lotions that work like a dream under makeup for protection against the aggressive assaults of our clammy climate, as well as this ingenious pore-shrinking and face-slimming trick that’ll give you virtually instant Insta-ready skin. Get your daily dose of beauty at www.herworldplus.com/beauty.

...But feel free to apply in the AM

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That said, of course there’s a place in the sun for mineral makeup powders; they’re especially useful as an additional buffer against UV rays during the day. All you need to do is to whip out your compact of choice whenever you feel shine creeping up, press the puff liberally all over your face, and you’ll be recharging your skin’s defense against the sun at the same time. Remember: Good for daytime use, not so neat for night.

Try: Lancome Teint Miracle Compact Powder Foundation SPF 20 / PA++, $65.

Want more? Check out my personal pick of the most luxuriously lightweight lotions that work like a dream under makeup for protection against the aggressive assaults of our clammy climate, as well as this ingenious pore-shrinking and face-slimming trick that’ll give you virtually instant Insta-ready skin. Get your daily dose of beauty at www.herworldplus.com/beauty.

“Oil” think this is the key

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Once you’ve splashed off your makeshift mask with warm water, top up with a dash of – yup, you’ve guessed it – a comforting facial oil. This may seem counterintuitive, but think of targeted oil treatments as adhering to the Chinese proverb of fighting poison with poison; using an oil product may actually reduce the amount our bodies produce by tricking sebaceous glands into cutting back on overproduction.

Not sure where to start? Opt for “lotion-finish” hybrids like Yves Saint Laurent Beaute’s fabulously featherweight Forever Youth Liberator Water-in-Oil, which takes the “kwali face” fear factor out of the equation – they don’t feel greasy and gross in the least, and lend themselves well to all manner of mixing and matching.

Bonus tip: To purge pores and even zap zits fast, try layering your oil of choice on top of your salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide blackhead treatments – this helps fend off the frightful flakiness that can be a side effect of some of your harsher medications.

Try: Yves Saint Laurent Beaute Forever Youth Liberator Water-in-Oil, $189.

Want more? Check out my personal pick of the most luxuriously lightweight lotions that work like a dream under makeup for protection against the aggressive assaults of our clammy climate, as well as this ingenious pore-shrinking and face-slimming trick that’ll give you virtually instant Insta-ready skin. Get your daily dose of beauty at www.herworldplus.com/beauty.

More "powder" to you!

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Last lap! Time to become a powder-puff girl. When it comes to powder application, puffs are perfect – just don’t slap it on helter-skelter. I don’t know about you, but yours truly has a huge axe to grind with folks who use their puffs to puff to pat randomly all over the face – you’re only going to end up with a terribly blotchy complexion.

Instead, glide your way to a gorgeous glow by patting from the centre of your face where “craters” tend to congregate, using soft strokes to skim upwards and outwards to the jaw and hairline. Sheering out the product this way blurs out any telltale lines of demarcation between your face and neck, which is always a good thing if you’re into the no makeup-makeup thing.

Try: Chanel Poudre Purete Perfection Long-Wear Shine Control Powder, $81.

Want more? Check out my personal pick of the most luxuriously lightweight lotions that work like a dream under makeup for protection against the aggressive assaults of our clammy climate, as well as this ingenious pore-shrinking and face-slimming trick that’ll give you virtually instant Insta-ready skin. Get your daily dose of beauty at www.herworldplus.com/beauty.

The final flourish

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Finish by dusting off any excess with a clean dry brush, following the contours of your face to ensure everything is evenly dispersed and seamlessly set. Pore-fect!

So, to recap. To prevent patchiness in photos, whip out a white piece of paper to tweak any white balance issues; pass up on powders with SPF; and always use a puff to buff in your product. With any luck, you’ll be pretty as a picture. Say cheese!

Try: Laura Mercier Shine Control Pressed Setting Powder, $62.

Want more? Check out my personal pick of the most luxuriously lightweight lotions that work like a dream under makeup for protection against the aggressive assaults of our clammy climate, as well as this ingenious pore-shrinking and face-slimming trick that’ll give you virtually instant Insta-ready skin. Get your daily dose of beauty at www.herworldplus.com/beauty.