At GRAZIA Singapore HQ, the old excites us as much as the new and in this weekly column, we ask our fellow friends, industry-goers and beauty aficionados about the last thing they loved be it trends, products, or even the image they looked at when it came to inspiring themselves.
Here, content strategist and entrepreneur Ng Yi Lian (@yilianng) lists down some of her lasts.
The last beauty product I finished was the Rationale #3 The Tinted Serum SPF50+ ($197). I’m very fussy when it comes to my sunscreens because my criteria include it being a minimum of SPF50, not having a white cast after application, and most importantly, being sheer and light enough so that it’s also suitable for my eye area and skin shade.
This ticks all the boxes and the cherry on the cake is that it gives me a luminous tint. The glowy effect is not an oily shine but a glowing-from-beneath kind of effect.
The last viral makeup/skincare trend I tried was Naiian’s Hyaluronic Acid Microneedle System ($209). I’ve always been intrigued by home microneedles and I really like Naiian’s hygienic disposable refills. Each refill is meant for one use and that’s important because you want to make sure that the tools are as clean as possible.
Each microneedle of the product contains 3,600 0.25mm needles containing hyaluronic acid and is totally painless. If anything, they feel like gentle massagers for my face. After every use of the microneedles, my skin feels more plump and lifted because of the rolling action.
The last beauty product I bought was the Jung Beauty 7 Second Instant Nourish Water Treatment for Hair and Scalp ($45). I’ve been using this for years now and while it’s not the most affordable hair care product out there, it deeply moisturises my hair and gives my scalp an amazingly clean and minty feeling which is priceless to me.
I’m so thoroughly impressed by the results of this water treatment as it can help with hair that is dry and oily or has scalp sensitivity and flakiness. I’m actually reluctant to share this favourite of mine here because this product is always on a preorder waitlist so this probably now means that the waitlist will get even longer now!
The last beauty product I bought again was the RE:ERTH Multi-Targeted Elixir ($102) and Clarifying Cleanser ($56). I got both products together so I guess that counts as one repurchase? Cleansing is one of my favourite skincare steps because I love the feeling of being clean! And the RE:ERTH Clarifying Cleanser has this really lovely botanical scent that always brings a small smile to my face every time I use it. My sensitive skin never feels dry and itchy after because it’s so gentle.
I also use the brand’s Multi-Targeted Elixir right after the cleanser and before a toner. The elixir is super fast absorbing and its signature Japanese white turmeric ingredient is supposed to have multiple skin benefits such as brightening, firming and pore reduction.
The last beauty product I made a holy grail was Elemis’s Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Pads ($90). I think you’ve realised by now that I’m obsessed with that clean feeling after I’ve showered and cleansed my face and that will also explain why I love these toning pads.
I use it day and night after using the RE:ERTH Multi-Targeted Elixir and I love how it does really clean up the remaining gunk on my face and neck, judging from the slightly yellowish pads after I’m done using them!
The texturised surface on the pads allows for a more thorough exfoliation and after three weeks of use, the pores around my nose area have become noticeably smaller.
The last beauty product I gifted someone was Nodspark nail wraps ($16.50). My stepdaughter and nieces are enjoying their school holidays now and being girls, they want to be able to enjoy some short-term beauty pampering so I gifted them some really cute nail wraps.
They loved it because they can mix and match all their different favourite designs and it’s also better for their young skin and nails as the wraps don’t contain toxins.
The last beauty product that truly impressed me was the Naiian Eye & Face Serum ($299). Having been exposed to beauty trends and launches from my two-decade career in media, I’d become a skincare maximalist who loves double cleansing, layering at least three serums and using up to 12 products in the morning and night. I’m totally up for it so I didn’t gravitate towards two-in-one products.
When Naiian recently launched in Singapore, I learnt that their ingredients are pluripotent, which means they have shape-shifting abilities that upon application, the science in the ingredients would come to understand your skin’s needs and issues and shape-shift themselves so they address your needs directly. This is a one-size-fits-all serum that doesn’t indicate whether it’s suitable for oily, normal or dry skin as it’s a product that suits all skin types and needs.
After using it for two weeks, I noticed my eyes are significantly more lifted and my skin tone is even and brighter. I’m not a brand loyalist but I do hate it when this product finishes because I wish my supply can last forever!
The last beauty indulgence I treated myself to was Profhilo from my go-to aesthetic doctor Dr Melvin Tan at Epion Clinic. I’m a huge advocate for injectable tweakments and definitely don’t shy from any newfangled aesthetic treatments. Eight weeks after my Profhilo treatment, I noticed that both my skin’s texture and tone are more even.
It’s more hydrated and I notice that makeup on my face doesn’t flake off as fast as it used to. I didn’t experience bruising immediately and there’s no downtime for me at all.
The last image I looked at for beauty inspiration was of French actress Audrey Taotou’s pixie hairstyles as it’s been a decade-long dream of mine despite me having natural hair with no volume. I recently learnt about root perms from Suchehwa by Ted, a Korean luxury salon that specialises in all the different types of Korean hair perms. I was very intrigued by it because I’ve always disliked how flat my hair is.
The last makeup/skincare trick I taught someone wasn’t really one because it’s not a shortcut or a hack. As I got older, I noticed that my jawline was not as sharp and I’d often caught sight of my double chin because of unflattering angles. I was honestly self-conscious about it and I’d tried Ultherapy which worked.
But I also decided to keep the look consistent by persistently using facial rollers to massage my cheekbones and jawlines every other night with 50 strokes per area. I do it when I’m watching Netflix in bed and even have my Refa or Mount Lai rollers at my bedside so I don’t feel like I’m carving time out just to do this. My hands are free anyway while watching TV!