I’ve always been more of a make-up person. My best friends would tell you they’ve nagged me about my skincare routine for years and I never tried products unless it was gifted to me. All I wanted was for it to be fuss-free — which at that time meant just cleansing, moisturising, drinking lots of water and that’s it. 

It was not until we started talking about SocietyA Beauty in 2019 that I grew to better understand skincare, what my skin needs and what’s good for me. The journey we took towards discovering clean and ethical brands, testing on ourselves, our community of shoppers that we’ve built, it made me understand my own skin a lot better. I’m pleased to share that I am now the proud practitioner of a five-step skincare routine catered to my skin concerns and needs.

When the pandemic hit and we worked from home full-time, I paid so much more attention to my skin. When you’re bare-faced sans make-up for more of the week now compared to before, you really notice things about your skin. What I thought were innocent freckles, were actually sun-spots and hyperpigmentation! Which is why I’m now a religious user of CELLOOM’s Easy Breezy Sun Serum (yes, even when I’m at home) and the Mellow Naturals Vitamin C Natural Glow Face Serum, which helps brighten your skin and reduce hyperpigmentation. 

My make-up routine hasn’t changed too much except for the fact that I don’t wear them when I work from home, and my bold lippies have had to take a breather because of all the mask-wearing. I still make it a point to wear light, natural matte lip colours (smudge-proof!) that won’t get messed up from wearing my mask. My new favourite is Nita Cosmetics’ Cham Liquid Lipstick, something we’re launching mid-October on SocietyA Beauty. The formula is so hydrating and it is so successfully smudge-proof. 

Whenever I do a virtual call from home, I usually have on some tinted moisturizer, lightly lined eyes and either a lip-tint or light lip colour to look fresh!

I’m definitely more aware of the ingredients in each product and to also make sure that my make-up does not transfer onto their skin. My daughter loves playing dress up and she’s always digging into my make-up stash. I don’t mind it because I know that the brands I use are clean and vegan in general. She’s also constantly asking me about my different creams and I’ll share with her on which creams and oils are for your face and body, and also for soothing cuts and rashes.

I learnt a lot of beauty and skincare tips from my own mother, whose penchant for bold lipsticks have definitely rubbed off on me. Growing up, I knew that she paid a lot of attention to her skin, and she’s been loyal to some brands till now. When I was in my early 20s, she told me that with every decade we go into, we need to relook at our skincare routine and tweak it accordingly to meet our new skincare needs. I’ll always remember that. I definitely see a huge difference in my skincare needs now in my 30s compared to before. 

With my own kids, I hope to teach them good habits and to remind them that what makes them special is their own unique physical traits. Curl-care is something I’ll definitely be focusing on with both my kids too! 

My daughter applies a light hair oil now after washing her hair as her hair is also curly. I hope that by educating my kids early on about how to care for their wonderful curls, they will embrace them wholly when growing up.

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The one make-up item I can’t live without is the eyeliner. My current fave is the liquid eyeliner from Singapore beauty brand Solos Cosmetics called the Felt Tip Myliner ($12). I used to buy eyeliner from other international brands that are $20-$60 and the Myliner from Solos works just as good — and is easier on the wallet! The colour is jet black, the application is great and does not smudge. It is definitely going to be a product that I use for a long time.

Having naturally curly hair is challenging to maintain and I am also recovering from post-partum hair loss after having my second child a year ago. I invest more in good, quality hair-care products that are best suited for curly hair. Drug-store brands are aplenty and mighty affordable but a lot of the times my hair will end up frizzy, brittle and weighed down. 

Now, I wash my hair every morning with a scalp-soothing shampoo. I’m currently using Look At Hair Loss Shampoo ($17.50) which is a brand from Korea. I follow that with Ouai’s Curl Conditioner ($42). I then follow with a nourishing hair oil and add on Ouai’s Leave-In Conditioner ($39) towards the ends to protect my hair when using a blow-dryer. Once a week, I condition my scalp using Beigic’s Volumising Shampoo Scrub ($65) and Damage Repair Treatment Mask ($75). My hair and scalp feel so clean and refreshed after.

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If you have curly hair, the best way to dry it is not with a regular towel but with a t-shirt or jersey towels. They lessen the frizz! As much as possible, I try and let my hair air-dry because constant heat from blowdryers or other tools will lead to breakages. Curly hair is naturally dryer in texture so your hair looks best when your it is hydrated, so conditioners and hair oils are your best friend! Don’t brush out your curls and use your fingers to style. 

I stopped using a primer as a make-up base because a lot of them contained silicones and polymers which clog your pores. Instead, when I started incorporating a face oil to my skincare routine, I found that it helps a lot with my make-up application and keeps my skin hydrated throughout the day.

Contrary to what some might think, using face oil doesn’t make your skin oilier. Instead, it helps hydrate your skin from deep within and actually prevents it from producing more oil as a result. The trick is to look for a face oil that’s perfect for Singapore’s weather. And if you must ask, the face oil I would recommend is the Beigic Regenerating Oil ($89).

Also, because I don’t use bright lip colour regularly now, I’ve been using them as a natural blush for my cheeks!

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Definitely a good spot treatment or serum. I currently use the Mellow Naturals Clarifying Serum with Sophora Root ($59). It helps to target stubborn pimples and break-outs quickly. I soak a cotton pad with some drops and leave the pad on the troubled area for about 10 minutes so my skin really soaks up the goodness.

For a quick hydration boost, I always turn to gel sheet masks like the CELLOOM Take Some Break Mask ($39) to help brighten my complexion after a long day.

Don’t go to bed at night with your make-up on!

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