February 24, 2013by Regina Chow6 CommentsUncategorized

New Additions to My Skincare Routine

I’ve been using a number of newly discovered facial products for a few months now, and I thought I’d share the products that worked for me. I don’t usually like to try new products on my face, but I succumbed to these after my friends strongly recommended them to me, and I’m happy to report that I’m pretty impressed with these products!

1) Likas Papaya Skin Whitening Herbal Soap

The most unexpected find among this stash of new products which I’ve incorporated into my daily routine is the Likas Papaya Skin Whitening Herbal Soap, recommended by my good friend Veron. 
At just over S$2 (yes, you’re not seeing things here!), Likas hails from the Philippines and is well-known for being the country’s first organic herbal soap. It is enriched with natural papaya enzymes to whiten your skin and can be used on your face and body. I’ve been using this soap as a facial wash everyday and I like how it makes my skin feel so smooth and clean thereafter. I was darker when I first used it thanks to my New Zealand holiday (everyone asked if I got a tan on purpose!), but now I’m almost as fair as before!
For those who are interested, you can find this in any of the shops selling Filipino products at Lucky Plaza.

2) St Ives Green Tea Scrub 
 
Besides the Likas soap, I’ve also been using this St Ives’ Green Tea Scrub which I bought from Sydney before heading back to Singapore for good.

I’ve been trying to cut back on products that are artificially enhanced by chemicals, and this paraben-free scrub totally fits the bill. This green tea scrub is meant for acne prone skin but it’s great for preventing spots too. The tiny exfoliating beads are very gentle on the skin, which means that the scrub can be used on a daily basis to stimulate cell renewal. If your skin is sensitive, then it’s probably best to just use it once a week. My sis-in-law was the one who uncovered this gem of a scrub when she went over to Sydney to visit us. I haven’t been able to find this green tea scrub in Singapore, so if you know where I can find this, please let me know!
I switch between the Likas soap and this St Ives scrub everyday. Sometimes, I’ll even use them together. I know it sounds harsh to double cleanse like this, but I find that this method has been effective in keeping my skin zit-free. This routine also helps to even out my skin tone. That’s the reason why I no longer require tinted sunscreens. Now, I just dab on my Jane Ardell powder sunscreen (which is translucent) and I’m all ready to face the world!
3) Etude House Daily Masks

I know there are
many brands of sheet masks around. I’ve tried a number of them and some
are either too rich, which leaves your skin with a sticky after-feel,
while others just didn’t have much effect on my skin. Well, that was until I tried Etude House’s masks.  
 
Grace first got me hooked onto Etude House’s Daily Masks when she got me a pack of the ginseng masks as a gift. Each box comes with 20 sheet masks and I’ve since finished my first box. There’re three different types of masks to target different problems such as whitening, hydrating or acne. I’m now on my 2nd box and I’ve decided to give the yeast and Vit C masks a try this time.
The yeast and vitamin C masks are meant for acne control, skin tone correction and anti-aging. I was drawn to this for its whitening and anti-aging properties, and I love how supple my skin feels after masking. Yeast has oil-control properties, which is good for acne prone skin or if you have oily skin/T-zone like me. Vitamin C has whitening and anti-ageing properties, which is great for maintaining your skin texture and reducing the appearance of fine lines. 
These 3 products that I shared today are probably the most inexpensive skincare products that I own, but in terms of efficacy, I can safely say that they have surpassed many of my more expensive skincare items. 
Whoever said that good things don’t come cheap certainly didn’t know what he/she was talking about! 😉