Due to my anti aging website, ReviewAntiAging.com, I am constantly inundated by anti aging products from aesthetic doctors and skincare companies. My vanity table looks like a science lab full of bottles, serums, lotions and what-nots. Sometimes, I stand in front of it and spend five minutes deciding what to use. But, hey, I’m not complaining though! Here’s a breakdown of my favourite anti aging products.
What I like:
georgialee facial scrub
georgialee Facial Scrub – It boasts bigger than normal granules, but does not feel abrasive and I love how squeaky clean it makes my skin feel.
Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour cream
Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream – Ultra-nourishing lotion with an addictive lemongrass scent.
georgialee facial wash
georgialee Lightening Face Wash – This cleanser does a great job of cleaning without any suds. It also has lightening benefits!
Can’t Live Without:
Viscontour Serum
Viscontour Serum – Only available from the doctors, this is a dream come true for my oily skin. Imagine a moisturizer without the grease. Made from Hyaluronic Acid, it forms a barrier similar to how skin naturally holds water in the intercellular matrix.
Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Gold Ultra-lift & Strengthening Eye Serum
Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Gold Ultra-lift & Strengthening Eye Serum - Love its individually packed serum capsules which is great for travelling. This is an effective remedy for undereye wrinkles and its light texture is quickly absorbed into skin.
Proactiv Repairing Lotion
Proactiv Repairing Lotion – This has been my staple for the last 10 years and it helps keep pimples at bay.
Most people think that they should only start using anti aging products when they are in their 40s or when they get wrinkles and saggy skin. That is a myth.
In fact, anti aging is all about “freezing” your face when it is still in a good condition, not when it falls apart then do something about it. Maintanence is better than cure so we should start using anti aging products when we are in our early 20s.
Start with easy-to-use products like eye creams and a night moisturiser. The area around the eye is thin so extra care should be taken early to prevent wrinkles from appearing there. A good moisturiser is essential at night to rejuvenate and hydrate skin, especially when you sleep in an air-conditioned room. Sun block is also a must even if the weather outside is overcast.
Aging younger is a possibility if you start an anti aging regime early!
I attended Elizabeth Arden’s Prevage workshop where I, together with 14 other online influencers, were treated to a preview of its latest anti aging treatment – Prevage. I felt really privileged as we are amongst the first few in Asia to be able to test out the product.
Bloggers posing for the camera
It was really fun to meet all the online influencers – bloggers, youtube stars and active forumers – everyone an avid beauty fan…and so young! Most were in their early 20s and I felt like an aunty. They were also incredibly professional, immediately whipping out their cameras and snapping away for their blogs.
Elizabeth Arden’s presentation was very informative and I learnt many new words – namely idebenone and EPF.
Idebenone: The key ingredient in Prevage, it is one of the most powerful and effective antioxidants in the market today and is the bio-engineered version of co-enzyme, Q10, our body’s own free radical quencher. It is used to treat Alzheimer’s disease as well as preserve organs for transplant. It is now used in Prevage to preserve the cells on our face!
EPF: This stands for Environmental Protection Factor and is the first ever protocol, developed by a group of scientists, to measure the oxidative stress protection efficacy. Prevage received an EPF rating of 95 out of 100.
Prevage Night cream
Review:
I tried the Prevage night cream which smelt slightly medicinal and was orange in colour, thanks to the idebenone. The cream felt very rich and luxurious on my skin . However, as I already have oily skin, it felt slightly heavy. The trick is to apply it just before I sleep in my aircon room and let it work its magic as I slept. I woke up with softer skin and the fine lines under my eyes were smoothened out.
Thanks to my anti aging website, ReviewAntiAging.com, I have been invited by Elizabeth Arden to be an Online Influencer or “Efluencer” to work together with them to launch their anti aging treatment, Prevage.
Traditional media is losing its appeal these days and most people would rather listen to their best friend’s recommendations than an ad in the papers or magazine. For eg, if a blog has 100 readers (conservative number), 10 people blogging will give you 1000 readers finding out about your services FROM SOURCES THAT THEY TRUST (that is the magic ingredient).
As part of this exclusive network, I will be invited to preview workshops and given product samples so that I can review them online. How cool is that?
I’ve just returned from a wonderful holiday in Tokyo. What an awesome city – stylish and polite people, fabulous food, clean city full of creative retail ideas…I could go on forever!
While there, I realised that the Japanese are leaders when it comes to anti aging. Most of the older folks have great skin, a full head of hair and are sprightly. It doesn’t help that they are savvy dressers too!
Anti Aging Secrets of the Japanese
So what is their anti aging secret? I think it boils down to these factors:
1. Physical exercise – Most young people prefer bicycles to cars and walk everywhere. Dishwashers and dryers are also non-existent probably due to space contraints so they have to do these chores manually.
2. Mental exercise – Japanese are avid readers, they are one of the largest consumers of printed material and seldom watch TV. They also enjoy puzzles like Sodoku.
3. Fresh foods – Their food is centred around freshness and they seldom eat processed foods. Meat consumption is low and they eat mostly beans, fish and vegetables. Servings are also small and desserts are kept for special occasions. Not to mention, they down copious amounts of green tea which is full of anti-oxidants.
I’m heading to the grocery store to stock up on green tea tomorrow…
Just came back from a great run up Mt Faber with my puppy. Doing cardio not only keeps your body strong and young, it can also improve your complexion. Blood starts pumping in your face, drawing oxygen to your skin, giving you an instant radiant complexion. And, it’s free!
Even though I am a big believer in laser treatments, I also believe in being holistic. Doing thousand-dollar caviar facials and laser treatments every month will not help you if you smoke, are stressed and eat rubbish. Your skin is your body’s largest organ. When your internal organs are working well, your skin glows and is taut.
Yoga for relaxation
I started looking after myself better in my late 20s. I quit smoking and began an exercise regime – pilates and yoga to relax and running for cardio, ate more fruits and vegetables – choosing food with high omega like salmon for its skin loving properties. I cut back on sugar as too much of it ages skin. I also tried to relax more – to be more aware of the present, less worrying and being content. Having a balanced nervous system not only does wonders for your skin, but also makes you a more fun person to be around!
I think that all my efforts have paid well (on top of the laser treatments I try for my work) as I often get mistaken for my younger sister
How about you? Do you have any skin care tips to share?
I was invited by Dr Georgia Lee to attend a Louis Vuitton party at the Ion today.
Dr Georgia Lee and I
I’ve known Dr Georgia Lee for more than 10 years. Back when she was a General Practitioner and when I was living near Holland Village. She’s always looked great and I would look forward to seeing what she’d wear – be it a Vietnamese dao or a chic dress.
We’ve kept in touch and she’s remained my gynae, even though she does not do gynae services for patients now.
It’s wonderful to see how successful she’s become as an aesthetic doctor, but it is not at all surprising. Dr Georgia Lee is one of the warmest and most helpful people I know. She takes the time to attend to you and when I got married four years ago, she gave me a complimentary IPL session. She’s also been extremely supportive of all my business ventures and I am very grateful for all her help!
If you are not aware, she’s started her own skincare line, which I received today in my goodie bag. Inside, there is a cleaner, scrub, toner, moisturiser and blotting paper, and I can’t wait to try them out! In fact, I will probably review them here. Watch this space!
p.s. It’s been a month of cancelled appointments and clashing schedules, hence the lack of reviews. Thanks for your patience. I am currently working on an exciting Anti Aging section featuring one of the most innovative products I came across at the Aesthetics Asia Exhibition and Convention
Surprising ways to get healthier, calmer, stronger & happier:
1. Follow the two-bites principle – Have two bites of anything you want that’s unhealthy and pass it on. Those first nibbles have the most flavour and give you the most pleasure – you’ll often find they’re enough to satisfy a craving.
2. Breathe right – Take five minutes to energise yourself with this simple aroma-therapeutic breathing technique. Hold your favourite tea bag (dry, not brewed) near your nose (try cinnamon, apple spice, ginger or peppermint), then inhale through your nose for a count of four, holding your breath for eight, and finally exhaling for a count of four. Repeat 10 times and you’ll feel instantly more revved.
3. Rearrange your desk – It will save you time and will establish a visual path for the workflow through your office. Create three areas: “In, In-process and Out”. The In area should be at the corner of your desk closest to the door and should contain only things that are brand-new. Once you’ve started work on something, it goes into the In Process area (the largest in the system) which should be within arm’s reach. The farthest end of your desk is the Out area, this includes letters and packages to mail or hand in. Taking just half an hour to create this simple system will help you stay calm and controlled.
4. Schedule a fitness wake up call – Make a pact with a friend to phone each other for your morning workouts. It may just be the extra push you need to get out of bed and into your workout clothes. Use the same tactic to lure your workaholic friend out of the office and into your favourite Spinning class.
5. Visualise success – Before, say giving a presentation, take three minutes to visualize things turning out wonderful. A calm feeling will come over you that prepares and sets your body in the right tone.
6. Declare an email-free zone for an hour – For many businesspeople, email has become a terrible addiction that interrupts their thinking and their ability to concentrate. If, instead you spend the first hour of your day doing your most critical task, you will feel a sense of accomplishment.
7. Select a stretch of the day – Write the stretch on a Post-it note and place it on your keyboard, then do the stretch for 20-30 seconds (no bouncing) everytime you think of it (aim for two or three times a day). Stretch these five areas to get your through your first workweek: wrists, neck, shoulders, calves, back.
8. B energised – Supplement with a B-vitamin complex formula that includes B6, especially when you are on oral contraceptives which interfere with the absorption of B vitamins, which may make you feel sluggish, depressed or tired.
9. Follow the 10 per cent per week rule – Working out at too intense a pace for too long increases your chance of injury, and wreck havoc on your digestive system, causing constipation, diarrhoea or even vomiting. Aim to keep your workout time and resistance by no more than 10 per cent per week.
10. Stop a snack attack – Eliminate a taste trigger to a snack you can’t stop nibbling by eating something that is the exact opposite. For instance, if you are craving something sweet, sip something tart such as water with lemon in it. When chips or nuts are tempting, reach for an apple or a piece of cheddar to counter the salty, crunchy taste trigger.
One piece of advice experts love to give to anyone contemplating a major life change is: “Take baby steps”. By focusing instead on meeting one simple goal at a time, you might find that you have dropped a size, deepened your relationships, improved your 5km time – or that you simply smiled more often.
As I network and make my rounds in the aesthetics industry, I always get asked this question – Why did you start ReviewAntiAging.com? Yes, number one reason is vanity, because I would like to know and try anti aging treatments, but there is another more noble cause behind it.
IPL burns
I’ve had friends who have been burnt by IPL treatments or had suffered hyperpigmentation after laser treatments. Most of them did their treatments at beauty salons, not at aesthetic doctors. Aesthetic treatments when done with the right accredited doctors can really enhance your complexion and solve a magnitude of skin problems, not make things worse!
So, ReviewAntiAging.com was started to educate people on the proper procedures as well as point them in the right direction of aesthetic doctors who have been tested and approved. Everyone should have great skin, yet there are people walking around with acne, pitted scars, pigmentation, etc.
Hopefully, ReviewAntiAging.com will be the antidote to all that
Find out the solutions to all your skin problems here:
I just came back from the Aesthetics Asia Exhibition and Congress where I was invited to cover the event. This is a massive annual event that features anti aging and aesthetic companies all over the world!
Dr Priya Sen's talk
Held at The Fairmont Hotel, it started with the launch of Sculptura – a natural collagen stimulator. I saw pretty amazing results, especially of a 63-year-old lady who looks 50! What I learnt from the introduction talk by Dr Priya Sen, a consultant dermatologist at The Singapore National Skin Centre:
How we age depends on these 4 factors:
Genetics – look at your mom to see how you will age
Gender – men age faster than women
Race – Caucasians age faster than Asians
Environment – stress, smoking, sun, etc
Difference between how Caucasians and Asians age:
Caucasians have more wrinkles
Asians have more pigmentation and saggy skin
Caucasians age 10 years earlier than Asians
The moral of the story taken from the talk: It is easier to maintain good skin than restore bad skin (that’s why I have started my laser treatments now!).
Sculptra booth
I’m really excited about all the products and machines I saw at The Aesthetics Asia Exhibition and Congress – it was truly eye-opening and over the next few months, I will be picking the best of what I saw at the convention and sharing them on ReviewAntiAging.com. Look out for it!
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