When it comes to our skin, we all know how important it is to treat it well. Whether that’s through using the products made with the highest quality ingredients or looking back to tried and true methods to fix our skincare woes. Let your skincare routine take a trip around the world with these foolproof products inspired by major cities. From Hawaii all the way to Cairo, watch as your skin transforms when you incorporate products formulated with powerhouse ingredients from across the globe.
Hawaii, USA
Honey has long been regarded as a healing ingredient, with its natural antibacterial and antioxidant-dense qualities. And if you know anything at all about the Paris-based skincare label Guerlain, you’ll know that the company adores nature’s mightiest pollinators: bees, and their honey. But not all honey is created equal. Guerlain’s Abeille Royale Double Clarify &Repair Essence contains white honey, exclusively derived from the nectar of Kiawe flowers on Hawaii island. White honey is renowned for its excellent clarifying abilities, and makes the natural ingredient comparable to niacinamide, so for all you clean beauty girls, this is one product you should definitely add to your skincare regime.
New York, USA
For the co-founders of New York-based skincare brand Estée Lauder, the brand has always been focused on knowing what women want. Inspired by the skin creams introduced to her in her childhood by her uncle, Estée Lauder and her husband Joseph Lauder adopted the luxurious sensibilities of New York City and incorporated them into their products. With the Re-Nutriv Ultimate Diamond Transformative Brilliance Soft Creme, your skin is poised to reach peak performance, strengthened by the natural energy from black diamond truffle extract. What’s more, this intense hydrating moisturiser also helps enhance the radiance and firmness of the skin, while lightening dark spots and acne scars for a more even complexion.
Kyoto, Japan
When it comes to a cleansing routine, you naturally need the best of the best. In the world of green tea, the cream of the crop (quite literally) is matcha made from tea leaves grown in Uji, Kyoto. This high-grade green tea, regarded as “the princess of green tea”, is grown under a parasol for several weeks before harvest, increasing the leaves’s theanine levels. An amino acid that naturally occurs in green tea, theanine helps to improve mood and reduce stress. With The Matcha Cleanse from Tatcha, those benefits transform into emollient and soothing properties that unclog without stripping the essential moisture and oils that keep your skin healthy and glowy.
Brittany, France
A treasure trove of wellness properties, the Dutchman’s pipe cactus, also known as the queen of the night, is the star of the show in Clarins’s Precious Anti-Ageing Serum. The cactus’s rare flower blooms only at night, and wilts before dawn; to ensure the highest quality of its key ingredient French-founded beauty brand Clarins grows the special blossom in Brittany, a coastal region in western France. Beyond the flower’s medicinal benefits, the anti-ageing serum from Clarins also taps into the lifting goodness of organic oat sugars for a firming effect that lasts. With just three drops, you’ll find that your facial contours appear more lifted. Trust us when we say that this product is French girl-approved!
Geumsan, South Korea
If there’s one thing K-beauty is known for, it’s clear and dewy skin. With Sulwhasoo’s Ginseng Renewal Cream, attaining the famed glass skin look is no longer a pipe dream. A beloved ingredient in Korean culture, ginseng is treasured for its anti-inflammatory properties for both overall health—hence the popularity of ginseng chicken soup—and the skin. In the case of skincare, ginseng, which is most commonly sourced from South Korea’s Geumsan region, is a powerhouse of anti-ageing compounds, by way of its concentrated vitamin D and B12 supply. This cult favourite from Sulwhasoo taps these compounds to amp up collagen production so your skin is left feeling bouncy and ever more youthful-looking.
Paris, France
Nothing says effortless like waking up with flawless skin, and you’ll be able to achieve just that with the new Sisleÿa L’Intégral Anti-Âge Fresh Gel Cream. Relish in your skin’s renewed glow, which will be enhanced by protective active ingredients like lindera and Persian silk tree extract that help to improve cellular rhythm and energy. Plus, with the help of apple pip extract—which nurtures the skin’s regenerative abilities—you will be able to protect your skin against damage from external stressors and free radicals for along-lasting youthful appearance.
Cairo, Egypt
The ancient Egyptians believed that chamomile had restorative and protective qualities, and used the crushed flowers to heal dry and dehydrated skin. Now, the precious flower that represents calmness and rest finds its way into Aesop’s Blue Chamomile Facial Hydrating Masque, formulated to deeply hydrate and replenish your skin’s moisture. This face masque is also loaded with lavender and rosemary oil to soften and soothe tired complexions. The best part about the dewy formula is its discreet finish so that you can rejuvenate your skin while flying—the air on flights is notorious for being nearly devoid of moisture—without giving your seatmate a scare.
The story first appeared in the May issue of GRAZIA Singapore.
PHOTOGRAPHY JAYA KHIDIR
ART DIRECTION MARISA XIN
PHOTOGRAPHY ASSISTANT NOWO KASTURI
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