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Just a little over 2 weeks to go before the start of the Lunar New Year. Sure, you’ve stocked up on Chinese New Year goodies, made a trip to the bank to change for new currency and maybe even started on springcleaning your home, all ready to welcome the Year of the Pig. But what you done to “springclean” your beauty routine? As something that you need to do on a daily basis, it’s worthwhile investing in these beauty tips – a little goes a long way.
1. Breath of fresh air
Try to lay off on the foundation and give your skin a chance to breathe. While foundations are great in their job, if not cleaned off properly, they tend to lead to clog pores and acne. It can also exacerbate fine lines and wrinkles, giving an even older appearance. Why not leave foundation for really special occasions and use a light concealer instead to cover up any uneven areas. Not only will your skin breathe easier, your skin be sure to thank you for it. In time, you might even notice a healthier, more dewy complexion.
2. Sunscreen is a must
If you haven’t been using sunscreen on a daily basis, stop everything you are doing and start right now! A good sunscreen should have around 20% micronized zinc oxide that filters out both UVA and UVB rays. For our climate, it would be a plus if you could find one that’s also light weight and non-greasy. A good sunscreen not only protects your skin from sunburns, it also prevents it from premature aging (think wrinkles and pigmentation) and lowers the risk of skin cancer.
3. Double Cleansing
We are referring to the popular 2-step cleansing method from Korea. This involves using an oil cleanser to remove any oil-based impurities such as makeup and sunscreen, followed by a water-based cleanser. This ensures your face is sufficiently well cleansed. Not only does skin feel clean and fresh, you have now created a perfect canvas for nutrients and vitamins from face serums and lotions to be better absorbed by your skin.
4. Exfoliate
Regular exfoliation allows you to effectively dead skin cells residing on your face, so your skin appears brighter. There are various types of exfoliants though, chemical or mechanical. Chemical exfoliants use either an acid- or enzyme-based formula such as alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA) such as glycolic acid or beta-hydroxy acid (BHA) such as salicylic acid. Mechanical exfoliants use beads or an abrasive-style substance to literally help buff dead skin cells and impurities away.
It’s important to understand your skin type in order to help you choose the exfoliant for your skin. If you have acne or clogged pores, then chemical ones would be recommended for your skin. Exfoliating 2 – 3 times a week would be great but do not over- exfoliate as this can do more harm than good, damaging the skin’s barrier and causing sensitivity.
5. Out with the old
Very much like how you would spring clean your home every year, you should take some time to spring clean your makeup and applicators. Any makeup or skincare product that’s more than six months old should be thrown out. You may not be able to see it with your naked eye, but old products can host a plague of invisible bacteria which can cause dull skin and clogged pores.
As for your makeup brushes, be sure to clean them as they can harbour germs and viruses. It’s advisable to wash your brushes at least once a week with a gentle soap, rinse thoroughly and dry overnight or with a blow dryer.
