Say bye bye raccoon eyes.

Who or what invented the concept of dark eye rings? Seems 90% of it is down to plain & simple lack of sleep.

Too little sleep ups cortisol levels, causing skin to retain fluid among other ‘nasties’. Combine that with poor eating habits , sun damage, and allergies, and eureka,  dark circles and eye bags.

Preemptive strike:

Here’s a tip that may run opposite to what you’ve heard so far. Drink a glass of water before bed, yes you heard us right;  this reduces puffiness by decreasing the amount of salt in the body.

Store an eye gel in the fridge and pat it around the eye area before bed.

Elevate the head of your bed or sleep on a thick pillow to prevent fluid from settling under the eyes.

In the morning, using  an eye cream that contains both antioxidants & light diffusing particles, such as Neutrogena Radiance Boost, or one that has cucumber extract as an ingredient, helps a lot.

If allergies are the ones contributing to the raccon effect, take an antihistamine.

Counterstrike:

Any eye cream that contains caffeine helps remove fluid from the skin.

Cold tea bags have tannins which also reduce puffiness.

Our favourite trick for circles would be to dab on vitamin k. Vitamin K is used in operations to reduce bruising after surgeries and it has been formulated for eye circles in a number of products. We also like the use of retinol, which makes lines less noticeable over time.

From there it is all about camouflage. We  like to cover rings with  light-reflecting concealer and if you finish off with a white eye pencil rubbed on the inner corners of the eyes, vavoom.

That trick alone makes you look alert even if you’re not.  Only Jane Iredale of course, the mineral makeup is best suited for sensitive skin.

Specials:

Vita K for dark eye circles now available in store at $79.90.  10% off for the first ten readers of this post.

You do not want to look like a lobster special.

Prevent: Chemical peels, waxing, and Rosacea can make you look flushed so use mild cleansers. Cetaphil or Peter Thomas Roth Chamomile Cleansing Lotion, with lukewarm water, helps a lot.

Also,  steer clear of Retin-A, glycolic acids and salicylic acids about 3 days before peels or waxing to reduce irritation. Any over-the-counter cortisone cream will also reduce redness, just don’t apply it to broken skin.

Counter Strike: Rosacea sufferers require more attention. Avoid spicy foods, alcohol, aspirin, and the sun, these vasodilators will trigger blood vessels to expand and you know what happens next! A longer lasting solution is a few rounds with a laser or Intense Pulsed Light to close blood vessels near the surface of the skin.

Specials: light treatment full session trials for reducing facial redness starts from $150, ask for a special trial price off the AFT laser if you’re looking to speed it up a little.

Spent $500 at our location in the last 3 months? Good on you, we’re give you another 10% off the Peter Thomas Roth Chamomile Cleansing Lotion. Go to www.spahaven.com.sg

Ingrown hairs are always the classic chicken and egg issue.

To get smooth skin, you need to devote all your time to shaving or waxing. But such treatments can create this beastly side effect where hair curls inward as it grows out. As it turns out, people who shave and those with curly hair are the most vulnerable.

Prevent:

Here’s a trick; use a good glycolic acid moisturizer, which helps release trapped hairs from the skin. The aim of this is to exfoliate dead skin so that hairs don’t get trapped under. You can also choose to scrub on less sensitive areas of your body like legs and arms and back. But for the bikini line and underarms, it really wiser to use glycolic or natural fruit enzymes to exfoliate as these areas are particularly prone to pigmentation for some people.

If you’re particularly prone to ingrowns no matter what you do, there’re always permanent solutions to think about.

Counter Strike: What you can do when it happens!

Raised, angry red bumps that look like pimples indicate that the hair follicle has started to burrow beneath the skin’s surface. The immediate thing you can do is to apply a topical hydrocortisone cream to bring the redness down.

If you can see the hair follicle that is causing this, you can opt to pluck it out yourself. Never start digging as this injures the skin and leaves a dark mark which can stay for weeks or months, go to a professional or to your regular wax technician, they will be able to extract it easily and harmlessly.

Sensitive skin that turns red at the slightest change in weather, sleep patterns, food or just about anything you do? Read our next blog.

Specials:

Permanent Hair Removal treatments up to 50% off usual prices. We now stock all the necessary products that prevent ingrown hairs as well as creams that bring down the redness when they do occur. Call frontdesk at 6221-2203 should you need assistance with this pesky issue, we’ll be glad to help!

There’s more than one way to deal with skin saboteurs like blemishes, puffiness and redness. Check out our top tricks to neutralizing the most persistent problems plus how to prevent them from erupting in the first place.

Acne

Breakouts aren’t caused by dirt or too much chocolate,  not at all.

They may accelerate the appearance of pimples, but the real problem starts when pores become clogged with a combination of dead skin and oil.

Breakouts don’t always stop even after our school days, although adults are more likely to get red bumps rather than black or white heads, and these usually develop on the nose or cheeks.

Prevent:

Pimples radiate pain to the surface of your skin as they start rising. Here’s a trick you may already know, once you feel it, use Benzoyl Peroxide on it, but keep the concentration to 5% or less.

This helps stops bacteria from brewing and will reduce if not prevent, eruption. Keep it to 5% or less, reason being any more may irritate certain Skin Types.

Use a salicylic or glycolic cleanser, the exfoliating features will also go a long way in reducing eruption by reducing the amount of dead skin.

We also like to finish that off with a light, oil free moisturizer, this is the step that a lot of people with acne concerns, skip and what it does is to only cause  skin to pump out more oil, and more oil means happy days for acne bacteria.

Counter Strike: What to do when they erupt!

Hands off.

Don’t pick, poke or puncture, this only makes the marks more noticeable, last longer and leave scars. All scars are resulted in this manner and it is always very expensive to treat acne scars.

If you must pick, learn to do it the right way with a sterilized tool but such things are really best left to the professionals.

Use spot treatments with a high dose of salicylic acid, sulfur, or even my personal fav, Retinol. Be careful, though, you won’t want to be using Retinol after the pimple has erupted, this usually worsens the redness that comes with the eruption.

Watch for the next edition where we give counter strike tips for Ingrown Hairs, you won’t want to miss this if you/re waing, shaving or epilating at the moment.

Wanna practise a little frugal economics and keep the pounds off at the same time? A study has shown that possibility and best of all, it’s free!

Apparently, as little as ten minutes of exercise increases growth-hormone levels, which helps prevents abdominal fat (nasty nasty things) and increase muscle mass.  A group of women were studied while told to perform aerobics exercise for either 10 minutes at 75% of their maximal heart rate (equivalent of a brisk walk). Blood samples taken after shows growth-hormones levels to be at least 500% higher than before they exercised.

If you’re reading this on your PDA while on the treadmill, set it to 10 minutes folks.

Someone had to figure this out; why does it seem like everyone around us is having loads of skin complaints at a time when there are more skin care products than ever before?

Well someone did, no not us but a dermatologist came with the Baumann system that we have been using to stunning effect at our location.

Have you noticed dark spots on your skin after sun exposure or as a cut heals? If you borrow a friend’s cleanser, will you end up with irritated skin? Great skin results from addressing those questions and  the four parameters that really define your skin type:

• Dry (D) vs. Oily (O)

Oily skin appears shiny, and those who have it may prefer gel- or powder-based cosmetic products, as moisturizers feel greasy. Dry skin may appear dull and rough; dry skin types find moisturizer soothing and gravitate toward creamy makeup.

• Sensitive (S) vs. Resistant (R)

Sensitive skin flushes easily and may become red and irritated at the slightest deviation from its standard routine; it may also be prone to acne and eczema. While resistant skin sounds like an unqualified blessing, people with this type often need to use stronger products to penetrate their skin and achieve the desired effect.

• Pigmented (P) vs. Non-Pigmented (N)

Some people believe that pigmented types are always dark-skinned, which is absolutely not the case. Anyone who experiences unwanted dark spots (melasma, sun spots, or freckles, for example) is a pigmented type.

• Wrinkled (W) vs. Tight (T)

Short of a crystal ball, this parameter is the best indication of how your skin will age, based on both genetic tendencies and lifestyle. You can’t do much about your genes, of course, but your daily routine can significantly affect your score on the wrinkled-tight scale: sun exposure, smoking, and poor nutrition, for example, all contribute to skin aging.

Put them together, and you get 16 skin types instead of three or four – a far more realistic picture that we can work with.
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Hi, I’m Deborah Chan, technical director of the Skin Type Solution programme at Spahaven. Like what you’re reading?

It gets even better, sign up for ‘The Beauty Insiders’ Guide” & never have to pay full price for our services ever again.

We’re seeing a lot of enquiries and skin issues directly related to makeup so I thought of sharing some do’s and don’ts that will help prevent your favourite-holy-grail-can’t-leave-the-house-without makeup from giving you problems.

Past its prime, the makeup that you love can actually cause acne and skin irritation. We’ve found that the dye used in certain makeup is also a major culprit in pigmentation on the cheekbones.

How and where you keep it is half the battle won.

A cool area that is exposed to minimal sunlight would mean your makeup does not break down so quickly into its chemcial derivatives (which are always a non no for skin). Keep your bottles and jars closed after use, exposure to air often causes oxidation (darking of the makeup) and possible contamination.

Next, consider the next couple of tips:

• If you use makeup with retinol, the retinol will “expire” and stop being effective in about 4 weeks. The good news is that you can still use it and there will not be side effects, the bad news is that you won’t be able to derive the benefits of the retinol ingredient.

• Interestingly, mascara is the item on your counter (or in the handbag)  with the shortest lifespan and the highest susceptibility to bacterial contamination. A good rule of thumb would be to replace it every three months. Never share, no good ever comes out of that.

• As a rule of thumb, you should replace creamy products sooner than powders. Your cream blush, foundation and concealer should last about a year.  Oil-based foundation, however, lasts longer than water-based - up to 18 months.

• Facial powder, eye shadow, and powder blush, and powders in general – are among the longest-lasting items in your medicine cabinet, and should last for two to three years. Another reason why mineral makeup is all the rage.

• Eyeliners and lipliners are good for up to three years, sharpen before using.

• Last but not least, the world’s greatest invention. Lipstick! This should stay with you for a good three years, until another shade becomes the in thing!

Also, if you notice a change in colour, odour or texture of the makeup, it usually means its time to replace. Not doing so may cause a lot of unnecessary skin issues as time goes by, we’ve seen clients with acne, pigmentation and uneven skin tone issues that could be traced back to unknowingly using expired makeup.

Lastly, the tools that you use. Wash your makeup brushes and sponges and replace sponges regularly. Lay brushes flat to dry as standing them upright may cause rust on the metal portions and decay in the wooden handles. Brushes are a hotbead for microbacterial activity and that itself, is an acne causing possibility.

Special: Pure Minerals, Pure Results.

First ten readers of this entry get a free colour match with our Skin Iredale Mineral Makeup. We’re having special promo sets up to 20% off the usual price, call now and give mineral makeup a go. We have a full testing counter and free makeup gifts for all who make a mineral makeup purchase in the months of Jan and Feb.

Its a love hate relationship for sure, but choosing the right method for yourself will make things easier whether you’re on a budget or are prepared to spend less time in the toilet shaving.

Let’s see the options:

Shaving: The fastest, cheapest, and easiest thing to do at home.

The drawback is that a razor slices the hair follicle, hence leaving a sharp edge. When the hair grows, there may be a tendency to curl back towards the skin and the result is commonly known as ingrown hair. Some people are more prone to it than others, especially people with curly hair. We usually advise people with curly hair to consider other methods of getting rid of body hair.

Ingrowns can leave marks and scars on people who are prone to pigmentation, and the best way to know if thats something you’re susceptible to, just do this simple test; do your cuts and scratches turn a dark brown when they heal? Do they take a considerable amount of time to fade? If the answer to both is ‘yes’, then you’re likely to do pretty badly with ingrowns and the marks they can leave on your skin.

Waxing: So many people love waxing! The appeal lies in getting it done and forgetting about pesky re-growth for weeks. The thing to note though is that waxing is a skill that is difficult to acquire and there are really not that many good waxists around (despite the number of providers increasing) Always see a skilled professional if you’re interested in waxing.

If you’re a good candidate for waxing, though, this method will slowly damage the hair follicle to minimize re-growth. With time, hair will grow back thinner in areas that are regularly waxed.

Threading: This technique, popularized in India, uses a small thread to remove hairs one by one. It is my favorite facial hair removal method because it doesn’t involve any potentially damaging heat.

Depilatories: These cream- or gel-based products contain strong chemicals that essentially “dissolve” hair. As you might imagine, they are not good for those with sensitive skin - and even those without sensitive skin should follow the product’s directions carefully, as depilatories can give the skin a chemical burn. Clients often ask me if these products are safe in the long run, and the truth is, we don’t know: There are no long-term studies on the safety of depilatories. However, they seem to be safe in those who don’t experience immediate irritation.

Intense Pulsed Light: This light based treatment destroys hair follicles over 8-10 sessions. It gives the best effect on people who have contrasting skin and dark hair colour. We see that it worrks very well on chinese asians, caucasians with dark hair, malays and indians with fairer skin and dark hair, but not recommended for caucasians with blonde hair or malays & indians with melanin-dense skin.

Lasers: There are many types of hair-removal lasers, and they can be used in all skin types. The AFT Laser can even be used on the darkest skin, which wasn’t always possible. Right after treatment with a laser, hairs remain in the skin, so don’t expect instant gratification. Three to five days after treatments, though, the affected hair slowly falls out. Hairs will grow back, but they’ll be thinner and lighter.

For optimal results, you’ll typically need treatment every 4-8 weeks for an average of 6 sessions, and costs vary by the size of the area treated.  Treating the bikini area, underarms, and face is quick and really worth the money!

Vaniqa: This is the first prescription cream proven to minimize hair growth in women. Apply it twice a day, and after eight weeks your hair will grow slower. But it’s not a hair removal product, and therefore must be combined with another method (for example, splurge on a laser treatment, then follow it up with threading and Vaniqa, and you’ll dramatically reduce hair growth in both the short- and long-term). It’s pricey, though, so this is another method that’s best saved for the face, the area for which it’s intended. We sell a non-prescription version of this called Ultim and you can make enquiries with our staff.

It’s raining deals!: Call now to enquire about how to save 20% on your regular waxing, and up to 50% off the IPL and painless laser hair removal treatments. Ultim is also available, limited stock so hurry. You can also reach us on our live chat or by our contact us page.

birth control and acne

Yes you must have heard or read about this one; contraceptive pills can help acne.

It’s true but before you start buying some, you need to know which ones to look for.

Most birth control pills contain both estrogen and progestin (synthetic progesterone).

Progestins can act either as androgens (that is, they can act like male hormones) or as anti-androgens (which means that they block male hormones); androgens trigger oil glands to produce sebum, thus worsening acne. That’s why birth control pills work for acne management, due to their anti-androgenic makeup.

SO if you’re looking for pills that could help with acne as well, you can look at the labels for brands that contain progestins with less androgenic activity such as norgestimate, norethindrone, desogestrel, ethynodiol, or levonorgestrel.

Ortho Tri-Cyclen, Estrostep, and Yaz are all approved pills you can consider. Another option, Yasmin, is similar to Yaz (they both contain drospirenone, another anti-androgen) but not specifically approved for the treatment of acne.

Not everyone may necessarily like the idea of using birth control pills to control oil production and improve acne, while I think it’s perfectly fine, I also like to think that there are other more elegant methods to treat such as retinol, alpha hydroxy acids, and salicylic acid, for example, are also important treatment tools.

Besides,  where birth control pills are concerned, they typically take three to six months to really start working and not many people with more serious acne would like to wait for such an extended period – another reason that you’ll want to use other approaches simultaneously.

Special: 50% off acne treatments for the first 10 readers of this post.

It is a link that I discovered during our consultations; the products that we use to wash and treat our hair is a factor in causing breakouts.

This is why. Many hair products contain acne-causing ingredients such as isopropyl myristate (a chief culprit), coconut oil and other natural oils, silicone derivatives and petrolatum, all of which clog pores.

If you experience breakouts and acne, avoid these when you go shopping by looking at the labels. You can also look for products labeled “oil-free” or “noncomedogenic.”

Whatever conditioner you choose, try what I do; I always wash my face after rinsing my hair. This ensures any potentially irritating ingredients are not left on the skin.

If you use hair-styling products,  keep hair off the face with clips. If you are troubled by acne, try washing your hair product out before bed. Changing pillowcases frequently is another good way to avoid transferring hair products - an

d the dirt that can settle in your hair over the course of the day - to your skin.

Finally, try to avoid using hair-styling products when you know you’ll be exercising or perspiring. As you perspire, there’s a higher likelihood that those products will reside onto your skin and trigger breakouts.

Reader Special: 10% off all PHYTO haircare products that we carry in-store. PHYTO is a french botanical based range for hair and is to tresses what CLARINS is to skin, pure plant extracts and brilliant for sensitive scalps and diminishing follicles.