Valen's Beauty Parlour

This blog is moving

noreply@blogger.com (Valen) — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 06:22:00 +0000

Announcement!

I will no longer write with this blog....because I'm moving it to its own domain called Valen's Vanity Square! Hooray!

Well, I'm not literally 'shifting' things over. The posts published here will remain here, but from now onwards I will post in the new site and continue to share my skincare and beauty tips there.

If you are already getting feeds from this blog, please re-subscribe to the new blog, okay? :)

So, let's hop over to visit my new place now!

Remark: Luckily this blog is rather 'young', so I don't feel that heavy to leave it... *sniff*

Kose Sekkisei - As white as snow

noreply@blogger.com (Valen) — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 07:49:00 +0000

Yes, my favourite toner is Kose’s Sekkisei lotion.

I don’t understand why they call toner as lotion. In fact I notice that Japanese skincare brands name their products differently – day-use moisturiser is known as day essence, night-use moisturiser as emulsion.

Anyway, my experience with Sekkisei products was by chance. I was looking for a new range of skincare products to replace my Dermalogica stuffs last December. I didn’t have any particular brand in mind to shop for. I was counter-hopping in the cosmetic department of Gurney Plaza. After dropping by several counters, the Kose promoters were the most friendly, helpful and willing to apply all kinds of product on my hand, haha!

Good customer service always brings business, how true!

I love Sekkisei’s range of products. Their ingredients are mainly oriental plants and herbs, and I like that kind of smell.

Amongst the Sekkisei products that I bought, Sekkisei lotion, the toner, is my favourite. Not only it provides moisture to my skin, it has calming properties and whitening effect.

After wiping my face with a cotton pad dampened with Sekkisei lotion, I could instantly see my face brighten up. Few months down the road, I noticed improvement in the texture of my slightly dry cheek, and I looked fairer. (Okay, Sekkisei day essence and night emulsion did help, too).

"Provides a feel that is clean and invigorating. A generous amount can be used pleasantly at any one time."

"Provides fresh moisture and improves the texture of dry skin."

"Removes dullness for more translucent skin."

When I finished my second bottle of Sekkisei lotion a couple of months ago, and - due to budget constraint :( - replaced it with other toners purchased from pharmacies, I could see an obvious difference – my face lost its after-toning translucence and the skin moisture-oil balance seems to be interrupted again (and thus gets oily very fast).

So, I promise myself this - as soon as I start earning a decent income from blogging (hehe), the first thing I am going to buy is Sekkisei’s lotion, my favourite skin toner.

Image source: http://www.kose-my.com/e/

Skin toner is absolutely necessary

noreply@blogger.com (Valen) — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 04:35:00 +0000

I’m ashamed to say that I started using toner faithfully only in my mid twenties. By then, a lot of damage had been done. But now, I can’t live without one.

Some people don’t believe in using toners; they would go straight to the moisturizer after the cleansing routine. Reasons they give would be such as “very troublesome lah” or “don’t want to waste cotton pads”. But the most common reason (and the worst misconception) would be: “my skin doesn’t need it”.

Your skin definitely needs a toner!
It’s an integral part of our daily skincare regime for the following reasons:
* Toner is like a “follow-up” of the cleansing process to completely remove dirt, oil, dead skin cells and residues of the cleansers. Of course, you should not replace a proper cleansing process with a skin toner.
* Toner helps to restore the natural pH balance of your skin. The skin’s pH balance is disturbed during the cleansing process, due to the alkalinity of soaps or cleansers used.
* Toner freshens and tones up your skin, thereby preparing the skin for optimum absorption of what you apply next (e.g. whitening essence, moisturiser).

How I apply
It’s important not to be stingy when pouring toner onto a cotton pad. Of course, when it comes to an expensive toner, we would all be very careful not to over pour it.

So, I will put a ‘generous’ amount of the toner onto a cotton pad. I first wipe it over my T-zone, then eventually the whole face. This helps to lift up residues from the face.

Next, while the cotton pad is still damp, I pat it around my face. This helps to moisten the skin.

After that, I will wipe it over my neck, ear, back of the ear, and shoulders. Don’t want to waste even a single drop of the toner, haha!

With or without alcohol?
Alcohol-based astringent toners have very drying action, and are used to control oil production. Therefore, they are better suited to oily, non-sensitive skin types. It’s important not to use this if it’s not suitable for your skin type. If you already have dry skin, using astringent toners may trigger your skin to react and produce excessive oil to combat the dryness. This may lead to more problematic skin conditions.

The current trend is to use alcohol-free toner, because it is safer and more suitable for dry or sensitive skin. As mine is a combination skin type, a toner with hydrating properties suits me the best. I don’t mind using toners containing a small amount of alcohol though, because it helps to control my oily T-zone while not over-ripping my skin’s natural moisture.

And, always remember to immediately apply moisturiser to keep the skin hydrated and supple.

Up next, my favourite toner!

Whiteheads, go away!

noreply@blogger.com (Valen) — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 08:28:00 +0000

This is my fourth post, but I’m going to skip over the topics on toner and moisturisers, and straight to this skin rescuer of mine – Pro Sebum Gel from Cellnique.

“Cellnique's Pro Sebum Gel is a gentle formula designed for comedogenic, oily and combination skin types to reduce both blackheads and whiteheads.”

While I started using this product February this year, it was being recommended to me earlier by a promoter in Sasa @MidValley some time in December 2006. Although there was a 10-days money-back guarantee promise, I didn’t buy it that time because I know nothing about that product.

Only months later I found out that my sister was actually using it. She said it had helped to clear the blackheads on her nose without having to squeeze them herself. Okay, one thing about my sister’s skin is that, put aside the occasional over-budding of blackheads and enlarged pores on the nose - all due to late nights and work stress - her skin is flawless.

So, it doesn’t mean the gel would treat MY skin problem, too.

I’ve had whitehead problems for a long time. It had caused my skin, particularly at both sides of my face towards the jaw line and near the ears, to be rough and ‘bumpy’.

I was very frustrated because every time I went for facials, the beautician would spend 20-30 minutes extracting the whiteheads. They would say something like this “your whiteheads are very stubborn lor!” or “your skin is really congested!” And can you imagine the ‘hard’ work the beautician had to go through with me, and the pain I had to endure?

Not all the whiteheads could be removed during a facial session. Even if they were removed, they would happily spring out again in no time.

So, as I was really in despair out of hope, after reading some testimonials about this product on the internet, I decided to give it a try. If it doesn’t work, I could claim my money back.

The results? After applying it day and night for about a week, 90% of the whiteheads disappeared or shrunk! That was a major improvement for me. 2 weeks later, my skin was clear and smooth.

That was really amazing!

Now I no longer need to apply it every day. As soon as I spot signs of little bumps appearing on my face, all I have to do is apply Pro Sebum Gel for several days and it will take care of the problem. The gel is not oily; rather it gives a cooling sensation upon applying to the skin because it contains tea tree and Eucalyptus oils. After applying this gel, I can put on my usual moisturisers. So far, it goes well with all my moisturisers and does not cause any trouble to my skin.

Now, whenever I go for my facial, the beautician would say “Oh, your skin is sooooo much better now!” and only spend less than 10 minutes doing the extraction.

Finally, this may sound cliché, but I still want to say it:
Pro Sebum Gel is my best friend. It’s always there whenever I need it the most.

Haha!

Image from: www.cellnique.com

Let your skin breathe!

noreply@blogger.com (Valen) — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 03:02:00 +0000

Sorry for the long gap since the last post. Life was so busy with mundane daily chores and errands that kept me from posting on this blog.

Well, when there are so many things to do, surely one of the things can wait, for example, writing this blog, hehe. But, taking good care of your skin definitely CANNOT wait!

Why cleanse?
The most basic yet essential part of a complete daily skincare regime is to cleanse your face thoroughly. As simple as cleansing your face once in the morning and once at night brings you closer towards a healthy and radiant skin.

Thorough cleansing ensures removal of impurities, dirt, make-up, and oils from the surface of your face. The No.1 rule – I supposed everyone already knows about it – never go to bed without removing your make-up.

Do you always adhere to this rule? You’d better! Without a clean face, it is useless to slather on even the most expensive, most effective anti-aging creams, because your skin won't be ready to absorb the goodness of whatever skincare products you use. Even if you are using just moisturisers with SPF during day time, your face should be cleansed well at night.

My cleansing regime
My night cleansing regime is different from that in the morning.

At night, I usually double cleanse with Dermalogica’s cleansers – first with the Essential Cleansing Solution, followed by the Special Cleansing Gel.

If I have some light make-up on (ie, lightly powdered and blushed), I will replace the Essential Cleansing Solution with Pre-cleanse Oil.

If it’s a complete make-up (ie, foundation + blusher + eye shadow), I will actually first wipe away the make-up with Simple’s Facial Cleansing Wipe, before I carry on with my usual double cleansing. So, it sort of makes it a three-step cleansing process! The point is, to ensure that the skin is totally cleaned and the pores are not clogged with make-up residues.

The ritual is much simpler when I wake up in the morning. Just the Special Cleansing Gel is sufficient to foam away skin oils produced over the night and freshen up my face.

Dermalogica’s cleansers
I have been an avid user of Dermalogica products and services for a long time. I like their products because they don’t contain artificial fragrance or color, and are made from natural ingredients like plants and flowers. As I’m getting older, I somehow noticed that certain Dermalogica products no longer cope with my aging skin condition.

However, I am still using their cleansers because they do a good job in cleansing, without ripping off my skin’s moisture as they are soap-free.

I love the creamy texture of the Essential Cleansing Solution. It helps to remove dirt and dissolve impurities. It is water-soluble, and so can be rinsed off easily, leaving my skin clean and soft. It is especially recommended for people with drier skin.

The Special Cleansing Gel is a soap-free foaming gel. It lathers away excess oils and impurities without causing dryness or ‘tightness’ to my skin.

As for the Pre-cleanse Oil, I really love it! Mostly because of its very pleasant and soothing smell of essential oils extracted from a variety of plants. Its consistency is not as ‘oily’ as other types of cleansing oils found in the market, and thus does not give that ‘sticky’ feeling when I apply it on my face. Adding a little bit of water is enough to transform the oil into a milky emulsion, which is easy to rinse of. It is a very gentle blend that can also be used around the eye area. Every time after I cleanse my face with it, I can immediately feel the difference, that my skin is very clean and the whole complexion actually brightens up!

Besides what have been mentioned above, I’m also currently trying other types of cleansers. Well, I will report about my experience with those some other time.

How about you? What type or brand of cleansers are you using?

*Images are from www.dermalogica.com

The Ten Commandments in skin care

noreply@blogger.com (Valen) — Mon, 03 Sep 2007 13:56:00 +0000

As what you read in the description of my blog title - there are no ugly women, only lazy ones - a mantra from Helena Rubenstein. How brutally true it is!

We, women, should take ownership of our own beauty and well being. Nobody can labeled us as 'ugly', 'fat', 'horrendous', 'terrible to look at', 'no sense of beauty'...unless we willingly turn ourselves into what they describe! Are you going to let this happen?

I do envy women who are born with great complexion, nice facial features, and almost poreless skin. They never seemed to be troubled by oily skin or breakout problems. Even if they age, their skin ages at a much slower speed, and they still miraculously look as radiant as before. Gene plays a big part here, but these beauties never take skin care lightly.

Obviously, I'm not one of those lucky ones. Although I've not had the worst skin problems ever, I still do face common skin issues like oily T-zone, open pores, fine lines, dry cheeks, etc. So, I have to work harder.

I'm sure there are many out there who are just like me. Good news is: even we are not natural skin-perfect babes, we can still feel and LOOK beauty if we know how and do it faithfully.

It does take time and effort (and $$$!). We need to search for skincare products that best suit our skin and do our homework (i.e. skincare regime) diligently.

Below are my very own 10 commandments in skin care:

Make sure the face is well cleansed at the end of the day.
Remove residual oil or impurities and tone up the skin with toners (also called lotions in certain brands).
Moisturise both face and neck at night.
MUST apply moisturizers with SPF during day time, even at home.
Apply facial masks (mostly hydration or firming masks) 2-3 times weekly.
Boost up skin hydration with boosters or essence, especially when I have to stay in an air-conditioned room for a long time (e.g. hotel).
Incoporate additional skin care products addressing different skin needs - oil control and minimizing pores at T-zone, reduce fine lines, etc.
Only use make up as necessary, e.g. dinner with friends, meeting clients.

(These two are more difficult to stick to, hehe)
9. Eat healthy & exercise regularly.
10. Get enough beauty sleep.

How about you, what's your skincare secrets?

Beautiful forever

noreply@blogger.com (Valen) — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 08:23:00 +0000

Creams and lotions, masks and scrubs, cleansers and toners, plus some powder and lipstick for make-up – these are what my beauty parlour is made up.

Welcome to my Beauty Parlour!

In this little space of mine, I will share some personal beauty tips and my very own experience with the skincare and beauty products that I’m using, or have used before.

As with many women, I’ve had my fair share of skin problems. And like ALL women, I want to look good and beautiful, if possible, at all times, and regardless of age. Haha! The stuffs I put on my face range from expensive brands purchased from department stores and special chains to affordable ones sold in pharmacies.

While some of the products work wonders on me, there are also some that have no effect on me at all. However, that doesn’t hamper my spirit to try and test various skincare products and regimen. Honestly, I don’t know why. Guess I’m just a very risk-taking and ‘experimental’ person when it comes to the issue of looking good. Well, I’m not happy with just ‘good’; I want to be better! Simply put – I’m so vain. Haha!

Since I’m neither a beautician nor a skin specialist, I’m not providing any sort of professional advice here. I’m just giving an account of my own observations after using certain products, and the results of using them. Just keep in mind that what works on me might not work on you, and vice versa, stuffs that you love so much may be of no value to my skin.

I may also be disseminating useful beauty tips or secrets that I learned from beauty experts online. The information does not limit to just products that we apply onto our face, but also includes nutrition or exercise or whatever that will help enhance our beauty, both from the inside and on the outside.

So, ladies, let’s work our way to be beautiful forever!