If you are a skincare enthusiast, you would definitely have heard that Porcelain’s facials are the best in town – with their famously long deep-cleansing pore extraction sessions. A trip to Porcelain will not only earn you some skincare cred and social status bragging rights (it’s over $400 per session), facial goers claim that it will give you smoother, radiant, and healthier skin.
Porcelain founder Pauline Ng has made it one of her missions to provide a self-care haven to busy individuals since 2009, but when they had to close their Cantonment location due to rental hikes (a common issue for businesses post Covid), she decided to look for something a little different. “We were sourcing for a new space to cater to a younger and vibrant audience while staying in the central location. Our aim is not only to create a fresh and contemporary environment but also to connect with a younger audience, recognizing that skincare is a vital journey that begins in youth,” she explains. A dinner with the owner of Spa Esprit group resulted in a shared space with Tiong Bahru Bakery in Funan, and the rest is history.
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Funan offers the spa brand all the synergies it was looking for. Targeted at a young crowd, it is located in a busy intersection and is easy for customers old and new to access. The space includes an open area for skin consultations and resting while the rooms are warm with modern accents.
Here we speak to Pauline a little more about how wellness has changed in Singapore, specifically post-Covid and how she thinks busy mums can still incorporate a little self-care into their routines.
Self-care has become more prominent as a topic since the start of Covid and the attention towards being kind to yourself and taking care of your mental wellness has become a hot topic the last few years.
The role of technology has significantly changed in the wellness industry too. Advancements in technology have brought about numerous innovations and opportunities that have transformed the way we approach wellness.
We believe in using technology to create a highly personalised customer journey. We have a mobile app that tracks your skincare journey from start to finish. It serves as a digital companion, offering invaluable insights and personalized prescriptions tailored to your specific needs and goals.
Additionally, we have launched our Skin Discovery Enhanced, designed to provide our customers with an in-depth understanding of their skin concerns. We will guide them through a series of personalized assessments, consultations, and educational resources, allowing them to gain a profound understanding of their skin’s behavior, characteristics, and underlying issues.
Beyond that, we are seeing advancements in the treatment technologies and product technologies, which we have incrementally added into our offerings so clients always gets the best of what the industry has to offer.
For busy mums with young kids, taking care of your skin and maintaining a skincare routine can be challenging. However, here are some practical tips to help them prioritize skincare and facial maintenance amidst your busy schedules.
Opt for a simplified skincare routine that is easy to follow and doesn’t require too much time. Focus on the essentials such as cleansing, moisturizing, and sun protection.
Choose a gentle cleanser that effectively removes dirt, oil, and impurities without stripping the skin. Our Porcelain Pre-Cleansing Milk loosen impurities, SPF and light make-up as it works to soothe the skin.
Moisturizing is crucial to keep your skin hydrated and nourished. Look for multi-purpose products that offer hydration and additional benefits like anti-ageing similar to Bio-Reset Intensive Night Recovery Elixir.
Remember that it’s important to prioritize self-care and carve out small pockets of time for yourself. Even if it’s just a few minutes each day, taking care of your skin will not only benefit your overall well-being but also boost your confidence.
Our plans have always been to become a global brand and we are now shipping internationally. We have also done a pop up in New York City last year. We are now going back to basics to ensure that we serve each client well, develop more of our talents so as to elevate the standards of our service and while doing so, serve the environment better. One example is that every order placed online through our .com store, we plant a tree!
We are also completely digital and eliminate 90% of paper in our daily work. Our uniforms are made from recycled polyester, running a recycling program with SembCorp, and our ecommerce packaging are also bio-degradable. We believe in constantly improving ourselves and #DoWellDoGood at the same time.
Go foundation-free and allow your skin to breathe – less is more. Exfoliate and mask at home at least once a week if you don’t have time for a facial. Don’t over-do it with the lasers and peels, they are great but if over-done can cause skin sensitivity.
For sensitivity, tiredness, dehydration, breakouts, my go-to product would be the Bio-Cellulose Mask always works wonders.
Hyperpigmentation and acne scars are skin issues that require more care and consistency to effectively minimise their appearance. Sun protection is a must. A lot of hyperpigmentation issues could be reduced/mitigated by sun protection.
Our Natural Skin Refiner help to remove dead skin cells and stimulate the renewal of new skin cells to brighten the skin tone. Regular exfoliation also minimises breakouts and improve the appearance of acne scars.
In-spa treatments like the Cryotherapy Facial that incorporates medi-technology to lighten hyperpigmentation and encourage collagen and elastin production to help minimise the appearance of acne scars.
It has deepened significantly. Understanding the complexities of how the skin changes as we journey through life has and personally going through it has been the greatest reward. The most important thing I’ve uncovered is that it is so important to start taking care of yourself when you are younger – your older self will thank you for it.
One piece of advice I’d share with my younger self is, don’t use your skin as a testing ground – but it is difficult as I want to be able to sell things which I personally have tested.
I have dry and sensitive skin hence the products that I choose to use are curated to address these key skin concerns. The first step to my morning skincare routine always begins with a refreshing cleanse. I use Porcelain’s Hydro Cleanser. For toning, I would spritz the Deep Hydrating Lotion. This is followed by application of HA+ Hydrating Serum layered with pH Balancing Essence.
Finally, I apply a generous amount of Deep Recovery Gel or the Soothing Gel (mixed together) as a moisturiser and the Skin Perfecting Moisturiser SPF 30 to end off my morning routine. A definite must-have for your daily routine!
I spend most of my time in an air-conditioned room, so the Deep Hydrating Lotion is a must-have for me. Not only does it give my skin a refreshing layer of hydration, but its light rose scent also never fails to perk me up!
The first step to my nightly skincare routine always begins with double-cleansing. It’s a staple step regardless of if I have makeup on or not. I use Porcelain’s Pre-Cleansing Milk followed by Hydro Cleanser.
For toning, I would apply our Botanical Sensitive Care Toner followed by application of HA+ Hydrating Serum layered with pH Balancing Essence.
Finally, I apply a generous amount of Deep Recovery Gel mixed with Botanical Soothing Gel on my entire face and Hydraclear Gel on my T-Zone to rebalance its pH.
Once a week, or whenever my skin is feeling stressed, I’d do a gentle exfoliation with our Natural Skin Refiner and rehydrate with our Bio-Cellulose Mask.
As for wellness rituals, I try to listen to some music and read a book if possible. Sometimes, I start my day slow, like taking my time to drink my breakfast coffee. I also try to eat lunches on my own at least once a week so I could just space out. These things don’t take much time, and you have to do them anyway, so it doesn’t really affect my productivity or work hours, but it keeps my mind clear and calm.