| Hot enough for you?: Take care of your skin before and after you go for a dip in the pool. Lycra monokini by CC Swimwear from Egg3, 33 Erksine Road, 01-10/11 | | | We're constantly barraged by warnings about how going out in the sun is damaging to our skin. But let's face it, we live in the tropics. Short of turning ourselves into hermits, there is just no way of escaping the sun. Summer in Singapore is all year round, and it gets hotter in the middle of the year. But you can take it all in your stride. We've summed up the golden rules for every tropical babe to live by: - For skin, moisturise, moisturise, moisturise. - For complexion, load up on protection when you go outdoors. - For hair, work with your natural texture, don't fight it. - For make-up, pare down to basics - less gunk to clean up and less to touch up. Urban brings you the beauty essentials and cheat tricks from the experts to conquer the hot weather. neosta@sph.com.sg
SUN DAYS Unless you're set on being cooped up indoors until night falls, there's no escaping the sun. Dr David Orientreich, American skincare brand Clinique's guiding dermatologist, says: 'The sun accounts for approximately 90 per cent of our aged appearance, and only 10 per cent is due to the actual number of years we've lived.' So minimising your daily dose of incidental sun exposure would help you reduce the largest cause of ageing. Dr J.J. Chua, a plastic surgeon in private practice from Mount Elizabeth Hospital, says he sees an increase of at least 10 per cent more patients each year with premature ageing due to harmful UV rays. While it's true that you need vitamin D for healthy bones, he says you need only a little sun exposure to get your daily dose. He says: 'Just sitting by the window for a few minutes is enough. Vitamin D can also be found in many dairy products and eggs. This fat-soluble vitamin can be accumulated so there's no need for a daily dose too, unlike vitamin C.' The only safe way to tan, he stresses, is a fake one - produced with bronzing make-up, self- tanners or tanning mists. How real it looks, says freelance make-up artist Lynette Leong, depends on the formula. She recommends using powder bronzers on the face as it tends to look less blotchy than cream ones. Another tip: Go for golden brown shades as these flatter Asian skin more with their yellow pigments. | SKIN: Today’s sunscreens are lighter, more comfortable on the skin and don’t clog pores. Some even offer DNA protection or whitening functions |  |  |  |  |  | Offers sun protection, whitening and hydration, so you can stay out in the sun without baking your skin. Bonus: This absorbs fast with no sticky residue or oiliness.
Nivea Sun Whitening Sun Lotion SPF50, $17.90 and $23.90, from Guardian and Watsons pharmacies | Allows you to tan without wreaking UV havoc on skin.
Sisley Age Minimizing Sun Protection SPF15, $220, from Metro Paragon | Disappears fast into skin and promises to minimise redness and irritation.
Clarins Sunscreen Cream High Protection SPF30, $45, from Level 1 Tangs Orchard | Light and translucent, this sebum- and water-resistant sunscreen also promises to prevent DNA damage in cells and doubles as a make-up base.
Shiseido Anessa Perfect UV Sunscreen EX SPF50 PA+++, $57, from Level 1 Takashimaya | For fuss-free application, these individually packed sunscreen sheets for face and body are great to take along anywhere.
Daily Sun Protection Wipes SPF30+, $19 for five wipes, from Apothecary + Co., B1-21 Robinsons Raffles City | More damage control tips to stay safe in the heat - Schedule outdoor sports before 9am and after 5pm. UV rays are at work even on a cloudy day. - Wear hats and sunglasses and use umbrellas, which offer more protection than sun blocks. Look for sunglasses with UV coating, not just dark lenses. - Reapply sun block every four hours. If you’re beach- or pool-side, do it every two hours or every time you come out of the water. - Use sunscreens of at least SPF30 (indicative of UVB protection) and PA+++ (indicative of UVA buffer). | SKIN: The only safe tan is a fake one. Use a self-tanner or bronzing make-up to get yourself beach-ready |  |  |  | This liquid highlighter is sheer and can be applied on the cheekbones or all over for a healthy sheen.
Clinique Up-lighting Liquid Illuminator, $50 (available at counters later this month) | The American make-up brand’s best-selling bronzing powder now has sun filters in it.
Stila Sun Bronzing Powder SPF15, $40, from Level 1 Tangs Orchard | So easy to use, it works like a moisturiser and turns skin golden, evenly.
Shiseido Daily Bronze Moisturizing Emulsion For Face/Body, $49 |
REHYDRATE, REBALANCE The sun is out and so are the zits. Heat and humidity guarantee that oil glands on your face shift into high gear - the perfect environment for bacterial growth, clogged pores and unsightly pimples. One mistake people make is to wash their faces more often, says freelance facialist Cheryl Oh. 'They think by washing frequently, they're getting rid of the grease. But more often than not, it dries up the skin,' she says. She recommends cleansing the face no more than twice a day, and using blotting paper and oil-control products to keep faces grease-free in between. If you really must wash often, switch to a gentle moisturing cleanser formulated for sensitive skin as they are milder. Oil-control products are also a must-have. These usually have mattifying powders or mild astringents to squelch the grease. It's important not to let grease levels get out of hand as it could cause pores to swell up, making skin look coarser and prone to blackheads. She recommends using a gentle scrub to get rid of dead skin cells and dirt, so pores stay clean and small. Dr J.J. Chua, a plastic surgeon in private practice, also recommends the use of products with fruit acids, vitamin A derivatives and vitamin C to help keep pore sizes healthy and refined. Damage control Plastic surgeon J.J. Chua from Mount Elizabeth Hospital gives tips for sunburnt skin: - Take aspirin or a painkiller immediately - this will bring down the inflammation. - Use only soothing moisturisers. Forget intensive treatment products such as whitening masks or products with alpha hydroxy. 'It's like applying lemon to an open wound - it will smart,' he says. | SKIN: These wonders help to quench skin, purge impurities and return conditions to normal |  |  |  |  | Deep moisturising for tired and wrinkled peepers, this is the French brand’s first eye product to have sun filters.
Dior HydraAction Visible Defence Hydra-Protective Eye Cream SPF20, $72, from Level 1 Robinsons Raffles City | This non-greasy oil-based cleanser takes off make-up in a jiffy, gets the gunk out of pores and supposedly tightens them too.
Kose Seikisho Cool Cleansing Gel, $34, from Level 1 Isetan Scotts and Robinsons Raffles City | Non-comedogenic and free of mineral oil and lanolin (all potentially skin irritants), this uses bamboo powder and papain to exfoliate gently.
Clinelle Professional Care Skin Smoothing Scrub, $15.55, from Watsons and National University Hospital Pharmacy | Dries up the zit, calms inflammation and redness in skin and tightens pores too.
Clarins Stop Blemish Control, $35 for two roll-on sticks, from Level 1 Tangs Orchard |
KEYS TO TAMED LOCKS For great hair that beats the heat and humidity, work with your hair texture, not against it, says Dennis Seah, a freelance hairstylist from Mosche Grand at Grand Hyatt hotel. That means if you have straight hair, slick on a little leave-in conditioner and wear it loose and down. If you have curly hair, use a curl-enhancing product to give your locks more definition. Think Brooke Shields in Blue Lagoon or Daryl Hannah's cascading balmy waves in Splash. Eugene Ong, creative director of Urban Hair by Ginrich at The Heeren, says the fastest five-minute hair is to wear it up in a ponytail or loose chignon, or if it's short, just slick it back with styling lotion or gel. 'It's out of your face and off your shoulders, which will help you keep cool in the heat,' he says. Heat and humidity can wreak havoc on hair, says Seah. It's worse if you have naturally dry hair or if it's coloured. 'Your locks are in a more porous state and even more likely to kink,' he adds. So, just as you would moisturise dry skin, condition your dry hair too. Ong says that on top of your regular conditioner, use a leave-in conditioning product, especially on hair tips where drying-out is most obvious. 'You'll find that you spend less time trying to fix your hair, which gives you more play time in the sun,' he says. Running colour The sun, sea and chlorine water don't just dry out your hair, they also make your dye job fade faster. Chlorine turns brown or red tresses brassy, and leaves a green cast on dyed blonde or ash tones. Eugene Ong, director of Urban Hair by Ginrich, explains that sunlight oxidises the pigments in colour-treated hair, 'bleaching' its intensity. - Use shampoos and conditioners that are formulated for coloured hair. You can also look for hair products boosted with UV filters to fade-proof your dye job. - If you're taking a dip in the sea or pool, wet your hair first with fresh water. This is to soak the cuticle so it absorbs less salt or chlorine water. Next, coat your hair with a 50-cent-size amount of conditioner before diving in. - The minute you get out, rinse hair well to get rid of salt or chlorine. Gently squeeze all the water out, and apply more conditioner. | HAIR: Look for products with amino acids and ceramides to smooth over frazzled locks |  |  |  |  | Has a UV filter and natural antioxidants that supposedly buffer hair from colour fading and damage.
The Body Shop Bilberry Colour Protect Shampoo, $16.90, from B1-34 Ngee Ann City | Restores shine and silkiness to frizzy tresses in just five minutes.
Matrix Biolage Intensive Smoothing Treatment, $28, for nearest salon stockists, call 6233-0346 | Good for porous and dry hair, this leave-in conditioner makes locks shiny and new again without weighing them down.
Phyto 9 Daily Ultra Nourishing Cream, $32, from Watsons | This heat-activated lightweight balm keeps hair straight for up to 18 hours. Its formula supposedly forms a film around hair fibres to detangle them and reduce humidity-induced moisture loss.
The Body Shop Macadamia Straightening Balm, $20.90 | |
