How My Life Changed with a Filler Lift

A  filler lift at The SW1 Clinic gave me a slimmer jawline, fuller cheeks, and an ‘eye-opening’ effect (literally)! I woke up happy today. 10 hours of glorious sleep! But my happiness was shortlived, as I bumped into a friend I haven’t seen in yonks on the way to work. “Germaine?” I yelled out to her with enthusiasm initially. “Serene? Wow! You look tired.” She replied. Yup. That was pretty much all we said for the rest of the train ride. Maybe her comment was a ‘girl thing’, maybe she never liked me much while we were at school. Or maybe it was an ‘asian thing’, speaking our minds candidly. Or it could really be because at the ripe old age of 25, I had undereye circles so dark that I looked like I just spent a year in a cave. My Miracle Lift I was frankly tired of people commenting on how tired I looked everyday, even though I always woke up feeling fresh. I researched on the possible Continue Reading

Why You Should Be Careful Of Sun Exposure

I have pigments on both sides of my face, thanks to spending a decade of my younger years studying in Australia. But my right cheek has a pesky brown spot, the size of a 5 cent coin in Singapore. It bothers me. How did I get it? I am almost positive that it all started during one hot summer afternoon when I was stuck in a 3 hour traffic jam travelling from Brisbane to the Gold Coast. After I got out of my car, my right cheek was sunburnt. To be honest, I never really noticed my pigments until they got really obvious. I headed out to the beach during study breaks and lay on the soft white sand, trying to get that stupid sun-kissed tan. I even tried the tanning booth at the gym several times. The burnt spot would go on and turn into a nasty pigment many years later and I am spending good money on skincare products and visits to my doctor’s clinic to make sure Continue Reading

Decoding The HydraFacial

Some people eat or go shopping when they are stressed and need a little me-time. I am similar in the sense that I share the same craving for some self-indulgence every now and then. But instead of buying a dress (or three) or a bag, I am the type of girl who turns to pampering staycations, spa treatments or facials to unwind. On one of these self-indulging moments, I discovered a gem – the HydraFacial. This facial promises clearer, brighter, younger-looking skin immediately. (I heard you say “Seriously?” there!) Here’s all you need to know about this relaxing, gentle, yet effective facial treatment.   What Is The HydraFacial? The HydraFacial prides itself for being suitable for all skin types and thus being able to address both oily and clogged skin, as well as dry skin with fine lines and wrinkles. It is usually done at a doctor’s clinic and takes approximately 30 to 40 minutes. In order to perform the HydraFacial, the proprietary HydraFacial MD needs to be used to Continue Reading

Beauty Feng Shui – The Secrets Our Moles Hold

I’ve always considered the brown beauty mark prettily placed below the corner of my eye a signature physical feature. Very much the same way Cindy Crawford’s trademark mole is a central element of her look. So I was taken aback when a close friend suggested that I removed it, since a prominent mole in that area apparently symbolised a “tearful” future according to Chinese beliefs. Bothered and bewildered, I spoke to Master Yvonne Teh from 5 Arts Consultancy to demystify the truth behind “good” and “bad” facial moles. Read More: My Skin Renewal Laser Experience   LIFE DIVINATION, MARKED The oriental art and metaphysical science of Face Reading has a history as old as Chinese Medicine, and remains as relevant today as it was in the past. In Face Reading (Mian Xiang), moles are like the trees, logs or flower on the garden landscape of your life: Depending on its size, position and colour, a mole may signify a life that’s a bed of roses or hint of a rocky Continue Reading

Goodbye Foundation. Hello Great Skin

Men love soft, shiny skin. Here’s how to get it. Nothing exudes youth and sex appeal more than the healthy sheen of nude, supple skin. While the cosmetics industry would love to have you believe that more makeup translates to a more attractive appearance, most men we spoke to actually say they prefer their women with LESS, not more makeup. There lies the conundrum, we women face. How can we bare our faces if our skin is anything less than flawless? We spoke to two skin experts, Marisa Tay, a freelance makeup artist and Dr Low Chai Ling from The SW1 Clinic on their take on how we can make it or fake it when it comes to glowing skin.   A LITTLE SCIENCE Skin has three layers: The epidermis is the “raincoat” of our skin, it provides a waterproof barrier and creates our skin The dermis, beneath the epidermis, contains tough connective tissue, hair follicles, and sweat glands. The deeper subcutaneous tissue or “storeroom” is made of fat and connective Continue Reading