Aesthetics & Beauty Guide July – coming soon!

16 July 2011

After toiling for two months and subjecting my face and body to countless treatments in the name of work, the 3rd issue of Aesthetics & Beauty Guide (July) is done and will be out end of this month!

From in-depth reviews of the latest body slimming procedures to amazing new facial treatments that rejuvenate without any downtime, ABG July will serve to be your beauty bible to the world of advanced aesthetic technology.

Look out for it at all news-stands, petrol kiosks and the back of Mercedes Premier cabs soon!


Top 10 Celebrities Who Have Aged Beautifully

2 July 2011

The phrase, “age is but a number”, really applies to these women, who although over 50-years-old, are still looking as beautiful as ever:

1. Kelly Lynch

2. Jerry Hall

3. Cheryl Tiegs

4.  Julianne Moore

5. Jane Seymour

6.  Bo Derek

7.  Jaclyn Smith

8. Christie Brinkley

9. Michelle Pfeiffer

10.  Sharon Stone

I’ll have whatever they’re having!

For the full list of 50 most beautiful celebrities over 50, go here: http://www.stylebistro.com/The+50+Most+Beautiful+Women+Over+50/articles


Aesthetics & Beauty Guide July – Beauty Queens Special!

25 June 2011

I’ve been busy wrapping up July’s edition of Aesthetics & Beauty Guide – and I am thrilled! Not because I am looking more rejuvenated thanks to all the latest treatments I’ve been trying for work, but because we are doing a beauty queens special and shooting our cover for the first time with 2 beauty queens (did I just mention beauty queens 3 times in a row? – that’s how excited I am!).

For this issue, we got beauty queens to spill the beans on what they do to look good and feel great, and while good genes play a part, you’ll be relieved to know that hard work, grooming and using the right products are integral too. Read and learn from these beauty experts!

You will be happy to know that the latest trend now is all about treatments with little or no downtime. With technology advancing at a rapid speed, more super machines are being developed that promises to erase all your problems with no interruption to your hectic social life. Who can afford to stay home for a week these days to recuperate from treatments? We want to zip into the clinic and out to our limousine ready to be whisked to our next soiree!

ABG is still first and foremost an educational guide to the complicated world of laser machines and aesthetic treatments, and with this issue, readers can once again look forward to our in-depth treatment reviews and further explanations of even more industry jargon. Look out for Aesthetics & Beauty Guide when it hits news stands in July!


Essential Oils For Anti Aging

17 June 2011

A few weeks ago, I attended a Power Of Scent essential oils workshop by Spa Esprit. I’ve always been a proponent of natural therapies – you’ll never see me at the doctor and once I had to be practically dragged to the pharmacy by my mum to get medicine for my food poisoning. I’ve always believed that my body has the power to heal itself and it has proven me right many times. So, I was more than eager to find our how essential oils can not only enhance my beauty products but also help me with ailments.

The workshop was interesting to say the least, with the trainer of doTERRA essential oils giving us an in-depth overview, highlighting the difference between mainstream ones and her pure versions. They definitely do smell different – doTERRA oils have a very rounded scent and with an inhale, seems to envelop my entire olfactory system. In fact, they are so pure that the trainer even ingests some of them for health reasons.

How essential oils work:

Applied to the skin – Our skin is somewhat permeable. The active chemicals in essential oils are absorbed just like the ingredients in common pharmaceuticals such as hormone replacement therapy cream and nicotine patches.

Inhaled – The olfactory system includes all physical organs or cells relating to, or contributing to, the sense of smell. When we inhale through the nose, airborne molecules interact with the olfactory organs and, almost immediately, the brain. Molecules inhaled through the nose or mouth are also carried to the lungs and interact with the respiratory system.

Ahhh…now I get it.

It can also be used for anti-aging properties (my pet topic!):

Hair loss - Dilute 5 to 20 drops of Thyme, Rosemary or Lavender into a carrier oil and massage onto scalp every night.

Impotence – Diffuse Ylang ylang, Clary Sage or Sandalwood into the air and inhale or apply topically to temples, wrist and back of the necks.

Stretch marks – apply Cypress, Gyranium or Lavender topically several times a day.

Cellulite – massage Rosemary, Grapefruit or Lemon vigorously on areas before exercising or add to water and drink throughout the day.

Awesome! The hypochondriac in me bought a blend called OnGuard ($67) to boost my immune system and I’ve been diligently applying two drops on my pillow, my husband’s pillow and my puppy every night. At the rate my work is going, looks like I might be heading back soon to get a bottle of Serenity very soon…


Latest Aesthetic Machines Causing A Buzz…

9 June 2011

It’s been a busy week for the aesthetics industry with two launches this week.

The first launch on Tuesday was at ION Sky for new laser machine, Clear & Brilliant Laser.  Created by Solta, their new shiny baby attempts to straddle the gap between spa treatments and ablative lasers like the Fraxel (also created by Solta), for people who want all the benefits of a stronger laser without the downtime. It is designed to attract younger patients looking to take control of their ageing process. These consumers would like a more efficacious treatment than their current regimens, but as of yet they do not need the full transformative benefits of a more aggressive laser skin resurfacing procedure. Being one of the first few lucky recipients to try this treatment, I am happy to report that I am now the owner of a refreshed mien with more even skin tone and glow :)

The second launch was a more intimate affair for UltraShape version 3, hosted by Dr David Loh at Japanese restaurant, Sun With Moon, today. Over a casual lunch, the amicable doctor enlightened us on how his new body sculpting machine uses focused ultrasound to break up stubborn fat desposits accurately, effectively, safely and most importantly, non-invasively. Patients usually report a fat loss of five centimetres after the first treatment. According to Dr Loh, who has years of experience sculpting bodies with liposuction techniques like Vaser, this 3rd generation UltraShape works particularly well on men’s bellies.

To prove his point, we proceeded to his new clinic at Liat Towers, dedicated to UltraShape treatments, to witness the live demo of his treatment on a lucky male attendee of the event. After the 15-minute quickie session, the recipient’s tummy did indeed look flatter!


The Men Get It Too…

3 June 2011

Men rejoice! Dr Georgia Lee is launching a Men’s Range for her eponymous and highly successful skincare line, DrGL. Stay tuned here for updates…


Eat Pig’s Skin For Good Skin?

28 May 2011

Apparently so, says Lily Kew, founder of GLOW Aesthetics. And, if you look at this 40-year-old’s taut and glowing skin, it must work! She shares more skin secrets here:

The clichéd answer would be to eat more fruits and veggies, drink more water and consume less salt in foods. However, I am going to share a secret my grandmother has passed down to me. 

Believe it or not, you need to eat pigs’ skin and make sure you shave off the layer of excess fat; just eat the skin itself. You can find this commonly as a key ingredient in kway chap at your local hawker centre. You can also find pigs’ skin at some yong tau foo shops.

Apart from this, another food that contributes to good skin is chicken feet, which you will normally find served as one of many dim sum dishes. Alternatively, if you were to cook chicken feet with red dates, wolfberries and peanuts, I promise this will give you skin that everyone will be envious of.

Another food that will give you good skin is white fungus. I suggest these foods because they are high in collagen and fats. Once consumed; they provide your skin with natural moisture which prevents the formation of wrinkles, and creates a barrier prohibiting UV rays from damaging your skin and thus prevents pigmentation. The collagen gives your skin added firmness.

To read her full article, get a copy of Aesthetics & Beauty Guide December issue, in newstands and petrol kiosks now!


Best Skin Solver For Hyperpigmentation

20 May 2011

If you suffer from hyperpigmentation (melasma), here are the recommended prescription and over-the-counter treatments:

Treatment:

Hydroquinone (a benzene derivative that fades dark spots)

How it helps:

Bleaches darkened areas by preventing formation of pigment.

How to use it:

Apply twice a day and only to hyperpigmented areas. May be combined with products with AHA or salicylic acids.

Inside scoop:

- Be patient: improvements may take 4 to 8 weeks to become apparent.

- Stop immediately if area becomes darkened.

- Diligent sun prevention is a must to prevent reversal of benefit.

- Give non-prescription forms 2 months to work, if they’re not effective, switch to prescription strength.

Products recommended:

- Over the counter: La-Roche Posay Biomedic Conditioning Gel (2%)

- By prescription: Generic hydroquinone (4%), Tri-Luma, EpiQuin Micro, Lustra or Lustra Ultra

For more information, check out Dr Amy Wechsler’s book, The Mind-Body Connection.


La Prairie Cellular Radiance Emulsion Workshop

14 May 2011

Gold – this glittering metal has been used since ancient times to heal the sick and save lives.  The use of gold in modern medicine began around 1890, when the German bacteriologist Robert Koch discovered that compounds made with gold inhibited growth of the bacillus that caused tuberculosis. Since then, medical uses of gold have expanded greatly. It is used in surgery to patch damaged blood vessels, nerves, bones and membranes. And it is used in the treatment of several forms of cancer. Injection of microscopic gold pellets helps to retard prostate cancer in men. Women with ovarian cancer are treated with colloidal gold. And gold vapor lasers seek out and destroy cancerous cells without harming their healthy neighbors.

The anti-aging benefits of gold can be traced back 5,000 years to Cleopatra, who was said to sleep in a gold face mask every night to enhance the suppleness of her complexion and preserve its natural luminosity. In addition to antioxidant and antimicrobial powers, gold is praised for its purported ability to ward off UV damage, tighten lax skin and reduce the appearance of discoloration. Some believe it can slow the breakdown of elastin, keeping skin firm and taut; other proponents believe gold increases circulation, eliminating toxins from the body and speeding up tissue repair.

Which brings me to the reason why I was up early on a Saturday morning, popping gold-leafed canapes in my mouth…I was invited by La Prairie for the launch of their new Cellular Radiance Emulsion. At the workshop, group training manager of Starasia, Michelle, educated us on the benefits of gold and how their new product, containing this magic ingredient, will help bring radiance and suppleness to dull skin.

Any tai-tai worth her salt will know that La Prairie is known for their anti-aging skincare range made up of luxurious and top of the range ingredients like caviar, platinum and gold. One of their bestsellers is a serum called Cellular Radiance Concentrate Pure Gold under their Radiance Collection, which contains colloidal gold, flecks of gold and liquid crystals to rejuvenate skin. This Cellular Radiance Emulsion SPF30 is the latest add-on to the collection, and a complement to their bestseller.

Testing the products, the gold flecks in the serum were obvious and my hand was instantly “blinged” up when I applied it. Topping it off with the emulsion, there was indeed a radiance to my hand as promised by the products. The texture was a little too rich for my liking upon application but after a while, the slight stickiness went away when the product was fully absorbed.

Besides gold, the emulsion also contains other skin-loving ingredients like a Unique Brightening Complex that contains a patented molecule that brightens the skin and helps prevent age spots from forming, Extract of Silver Vine which blocks almost 100% of carbonylation which is responsible for decreasing light transmission of the skin and Boswellia Extract, a topical anti-irritant to reduce cellular stress, a cause of redness and irritation.

I don’t think that I am going to use the La Prairie products daily as I am quite happy with my current regime. Instead, I am going to save these goodies for special occasions when I need to glow. Or after a particularly rough week. Or perhaps when I am feeling like Cleopatra and soaking in my milk bath…

The Cellular Radiance Concentrate Pure Gold is retailing at $1050, while the Cellular Radiance Emulsion SPF30 is $750. Available at La Prairie counters at Tangs, Metro Paragon, Takashimaya and Robinsons.


Anti-aging Tip: Abuse Your Face!

6 May 2011

Burning our skin, peeling it off, even pricking it with micro-needles – these are just some of the crazy things we do to achieve radiant, youthful skin.

Does Your Skin Need Resurfacing?

Think of your skin as an increasingly well-worn slipcover. Even if you’ve taken really good care of it, life happens – skin texture has gotten rougher here, the color uneven there, and it all looks a little dull and drab. Honestly, it needs replacing.

That’s what resurfacing techniques do. They remove the old, worn, upper layer of skin, and the healing process replaces it with a new layer of fresh, smooth skin. How? With strong lasers, chemicals or needles.

It’s a delicate process, so find an expert  in whatever method suits your needs. Your recovery time from the procedure will depend on the size and depth of the treated area, but the effect can be remarkable. Resurfacing your entire face is not always necessary, and spot treatments can also be very effective. Or you may only need a laser that mainly evens out color irregularities or subtly tightens and refreshes the upper surface.

Look out for my review of my new beauty must-have which involves running needles all over my face (ouch!) but the results are so worth the discomfort! Coming soon on ReviewAntiAging.com


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