Geisha beauty

Geisha women are perceived to be the ultimate in beauty, poise, and elegance in feudal Japan. When I was approached by the folks at Tatcha, they sent me samples of their star products. I've had a couple months to try out the products since they were samples and easy to travel with.
My favorite items include: Classic Rice Enzyme Powder, Deep Brightening Serum, and the Moisture Silk Cream

Classic Rice Enzyme Powder

This is one of their bestsellers and I can see why. The powder is mixed in with a bit of water in your palm and it becomes a silky creamy exfoliator!  Since moving to the tropics, my skin has gone haywire and became fairly sensitive to the environment. All the grime from walking around in a hot/humid (translation: ALWAYS sweating!) urban climate has made my skin look less than ideal. I have to keep up with a skincare regime of exfoliation 1-2 times a week so I don't get clogged pores. I tried this powder out and like how gentle and soft it feels against my sensitive skin. I'm always on the lookout for exfoliators that are super gentle on sensitive skin but also clears the skin of dead skin cells.

Deep Brightening Serum
I've always been a fan of serums. I think its because I like the texture of most serums. It just melts into the skin without feeling sticky or heavy like moisturizers and creams. This serum is no different. The lightweight texture and the fact that it does indeed brighten up my dull complexion (especially if I haven't gotten enough sleep!). This didn't irritate my sensitive skin so its good for all skin types. Whats different about this serum though is the fact that it does moisturize well for a serum. You could probably get away with using this serum without layering moisturizer on top of it if you have really oily skin or on a super hot/humid summer day.

According to the Tatcha website: Non-irritating. Non-sensitizing. Dermatologist tested. Formulated without mineral oil, synthetic fragrances, sulfate detergents, parabens, PEGs, PPGs, urea, DEA, TEA or phthalates.

Moisture Silk Cream
As mentioned above, I'm not a big fan of heavy creams/moisturizer. I was a little skeptical about trying this moisturizer out because of its name. When I opened the little container, I was surprised to find that its surprisingly light! I've been using it as my day moisturizer for the past couple months and noticed my fave becoming less splotchy from the environmental changes.  According to the Tatcha website, this product contains silk extract, ginseng root, green tea, red algae, and Japanese rice bran extracts. Silk extract acts as moisturizer and binding element so the skin is able to retain moisture. Ginseng root is an antioxidant that promotes elasticity and prevents premature aging. Green tea, red algae, and rice are soothing to the skin. No wonder my skin is repairing itself from all the environmental changes.





The only downside I have about this skincare is that its fairly expensive and I'm not sure if its available in Singapore!
If you're not ready to commit and want to try it out or traveling quite a bit, Tatcha has a sampler set for sale at $49. It contains quite a generous amount of product to last you at least 3-4 weeks.




Disclaimer: Products in this blog post were received by the skincare company Tatcha, however I did not receive any monetary compensation nor incentive to write a positive review of their products. All opinions and reviews are entirely my own and based on my own experiences with the products given to me. I only reviewed products that I was excited about and worked for me.

Winter beauty tips

The weather is getting colder and the chilly winter weather is going to creep in faster than we can sing "Auld Lang Syne". I have been getting compliments on my skin lately. I think its partly being able to keep up w/ my facial appointments, cleaning my skin before I go to bed at night, eating healthier and switching to more organic and vegetarian diet.

Here are my skincare tips:

1. Exfoliate 2-3 times a week. I like LaRocca's exfoliating cleanser. I also like Dermalogica's daily Microfoliant. Both of them are not stripping the skin of its natural moisture and gently exfoliates to reveal more beautiful and brighter skin. I alternate between these two exfoliators each week depending on my mood.
























2. Face Mask 1-2 times a week. On days when I am going out or just trying to make a good impression but don't want to wear any make up. I put on a face mask for about 10-15 minutes. I like LaRocca's 24k Cocoa Gold Vitamin Mask and C.O. Bigelow's Brown Sugar Crystal.

















3. Drink Naked Juice Green Machine or have 2 servings of green vegetables everyday. I'm serious. I've been drinking Green Machine and or having 2 servings of green vegetables everyday for six months now. Not only is it good for your health. It boosts your immunity. It also helps your skin achieve a certain vitality.

Nude Skin

Right before the holidays, I stopped into Barneys and discovered this UK skincare line that is all-natural and soothing for the skin, especially in harsh weather climates. I was about to go on a long distance flight and go to a place where it was tropical climates and my skin was going to take a beating from the dry cold windy air of NY to the recycled air on the plane to humidity and heat from Singapore. I was in the market for a new facial scrub so I picked up the facial scrub offered by Nude Skincare because the granules were so tiny and it didn't seem harsh on the skin at all. Exfoliators are tough to purchase because you have to make sure it won't strip your skin of natural oils but rather the dead skin cell build up on the surface of your skin. I do have to say that this little jar is awesome. My skin feels soft and looks radiant after using this product. I use it about twice a week or more when I've been rolling around alot in the dance studio. Another great product I tried of the Nude line is the hydrating water. Its a nice spritzer to keep in your purse/office drawer as a little perk-me-up in the middle of the day. Keeps your skin moisturized and dewy, you can even put it on with make up on! Its apparently their best-seller. Definitely check out this skincare line.

UPDATE: Check out Nude Skincare's latest exfoliator. Detox Brightening Fizzy Powder