3 Reasons Why You Should Try an Organic Facial Treatment

Hi!

There are times when it is worthwhile to try something different, and in this case, a facial treatment that specialises in the use of only organic products combined with machinery to deliver the best results to rescue tired dull skin. And yesterday I got the chance to try out the Ultra Facial Treatment at Pure Tincture (located at 68 Tras St). Pure Tincture has been around for over 10 years, previously at Aldephi before moving over to its current location in the CBD area. The place is tucked in the midst of offices, bars and restaurants, and besides offering treatments they also stock a selection of specially sourced organic beauty products from around the world. But more on that later. Here are three reasons why I enjoyed my experience and you should try a facial at Pure Tincture.

1: The Treatment is fully customised according to your skin needs. I told Helen, who is the founder of Pure Tincture, that I am always looking to enhance the glow and hydration level of my complexion. She proceed to select a range of products from various brands that they carry and got started. Being a product junkie, I felt like I had the chance to test out several products throughout the course of this treatment, and some of them really stood out to me. Allow me to share a few with you:

– Soap & Paper Factory – I am thoroughly attracted to this brand! Helen used one of their massage oils on my neck and shoulders during the session, and I just want to smell like that all the time! The oil she used is the Sakura Blossom massage oil.

– PAI Skincare – Helen used the Pai Camellia and Rose Hydrating Cleanser on me to remove the light makeup I had on my face. It felt really soothing, and, yes, you guessed it, smelled awesome too.

– PAI intensive conditioning mask – this is a salon professional use only product which was used as a second mask. It is a balmy creamy face mask which seemed to soak my skin in all its nourishing goodness.

– OSEA white algae mask – The first mask used is a more of a glow enhancing deep cleansing step which detoxed my skin.

2: Helen’s knowledge and passion for organic beauty is really impressive and admirable. She shared with me how she sources for organic brands and incorporates them into her facials. I love the fact that she really believes in what she uses for her treatments and only uses products created by companies that are genuinely passionate about their ingredients and doing good instead of focusing just commercial benefits.

3: There is more to an Organic Facial Treatment than just organic products and massage techniques.
Throughout the 1.5 hour treatment, I experienced the best of both technology and the skillful work carried out by Helen. The steaming machine helped open my pores before she did extraction mainly around my nose, and the LED light therapy towards the end of the treatment helped to boost the glow and took care of the uneven tone in my skin. There was also an eye treatment included, which involved the use of a RF machine to lift and tone my eye area – and this is one treatment that Helen said is always highly requested by her clients.
I also enjoyed the facial massage that she did using the PAI intensive conditioning mask, I think that step along with the LED glow treatment made my skin look extra extra soft and brightened today. She also used essential oils at the start of treatment (by lightly pressing on the accu points of my face I think) which really help me to settle into the treatment for the next 2 hours or so. And in addition to all the facial treatments going on, she also added shoulder, head and neck massage. These details are certainly thoughtful and ensure that you are totally relaxed.

Just to recap the steps of the entire treatment which I went through – you might not get the same exact products combination, but here’s an idea of what to expect for an Signature Facial Treatment:

– Double cleanse

– Special skin peel or ampule (I had a fruit acid peel done)

– Extraction (Helen trimmed my brow stray hairs too)

– Cryotherapy or eyes treatment (this is awesome!)

– Face massage (yes yes yes!)

– 2 special customized mask (one after the peel and one after the face massage)

– LED light immersion

They also do provide a menu of their facial treatments, but I do recommend that you have a chat with Helen about your skin concerns and she will know what to do from there. She has another therapist working there too, and I am very thankful that I had the pleasure of spending the 120 minutes with her as we chatted about organic skincare, her work and even our health-care routines (yoga, running, clean-ish eating…).

Overall, I think this has been a really refreshing experience. I might not turn into a green beauty junkie or go all organic, but I do feel more aware of the benefits of using these products in my routine. I often get people asking me product/ treatment recommendations for sensitive skin, and I think you just might find the right treatments and products at Pure Tincture.

Find out more here Pure Tincture

I hope that my sharing has been helpful and thank you for reading!!

Pictures below, some products that caught my eyes and that were used during my treatment, and a post treatment pic.

The Sulwhasoo Facial: Four Reasons to Indulge

Hihi!  Today, I will share with you a facial treatment I just tried out at the new Sulwhasoo boutique at ION Orchard.  I experienced the 80 minute Concentrated Ginseng Renewing Treatment – one that consisted of jade massage, masks and their Ginseng Renewing Cream Ex range.  I can go into details of the whole treatment that left my face so firm and glowy, but let me just highlight the four main points that will make your time and money worthwhile.

ONE – The use of cold jade and hot stones

As you can see in the picture above, the treatment makes use of cold jade pieces and hot stones that activate and stimulate your accu-points for an invigorating and  rejuvenating effect. My therapist, Elyn, was so skilful with the jade rings, I think I fell asleep at one point.  With the hot stones (which aren’t directly applied to your skin, but the warmth is transferred to your face, neck and shoulders with her hands), I enjoyed the warmth and slight pressure applied. I found the juxtaposition of the cool jade and gentle heat very soothing.  There is also something very natural and organic about using just the therapist’s hands, and these stones and jade to do the treatment.  In fact, at one point, I can’t tell when she is using her hands, or the jade pieces.It is a different ‘school’ of treatment from other facials that employ the use of gadgets and machines to do the work (which you know I also enjoy  very much too).  It is a very tactile and olfactory experience – the good hands of the therapist enhance the product application and the scents (I choose First Peace, my FAVE) made everything so enjoyable.

TWO – The Space 

The ION store is rather harshly lit, I must say – if only the interior lighting is more cosy and ambient.  But once I stepped into the treatment cabin area, separated from the retail space by a large swinging door, a much more tranquil place welcomed me. There is a makeup area furnished with Sulwhasoo makeup cushions, lip balms, hair brush, marble and steel framed mirrors for you to do up your face & hair if need be post facial.  The treatment room itself is spacious, the bed is heated and set up in the middle of the room, the cupboard to keep your personal belongings is clearly labelled and well-designed (no cramped lockers that smell funny).  There is an area to do your foot scrub (I will get to that next) and the music played throughout is calming, right down to the subtle cricket sounds just barely discernible, making you feel like you are at some outdoor spa at one point in time.

THREE – the foot scrub before the facial treatment

And not just any soak in the tub affair.  It seems almost ritualistic. And it is not a generic tub with a tap attached nor one of those bubbling foot-soak contraption. The set-up consists of  the warm water AND GINSENG WATER (!!), the metal basic and the sticks that lay across the basin that you rest your foot on when you are done. The therapist will bathe your feet using a gentle scrub (that smelled so good and felt so amazing, that I, like many others before me, immediately asked if the scrub is for sale – answer–no, not in SG yet).  This is definitely one of the highlights of the whole experience!

FOUR – The Results

This is the kind of treatment that you would do a day or two before a big day, or whenever your skin is tired and needing some nourishment.  As you can see from my (crappy handphone selfie) pic, my skin is indeed glowy and smoother after all the products and massage – though to be honest, my skin has been pretty well maintained lately (I have been doing facials almost weekly prior to today’s treatment and you will read more about it soon).  My therapist, Elyn was in action almost all 80min of the treatment, from the foot scrub to the end of the session. Even while the second mask was on, she did not leave the room.  She was busy massaging my hands, and also my scalp. During the first mask, she was massaging my neck and shoulders using the white porcelain (I think?) pieces.  Needless to say, I left the spa all glowy and happy, went for my dinner gathering sans makeup except for my brows which I cannot do without.

All in all, a truly indulgent facial treatment – you can check out the other treatments that are available at the Sulwhasoo Spa – click here.

I hope you found my sharing helpful and thank you for reading!

Experiencing Estetica’s Skinjexion Facial

 

Hi hi

In this entry, I will share with you a new facial treatment I got to try out a few weeks ago at Estetica.  I tried their new Skinjexion Facial – a multi-step facial treatment targeting lines and signs of aging.   The treatment is a high performance line reducer which is safe and yet affordable as compared to other more invasion methods.

By fusing three active substances, SKINJEXION is a skin therapy treatment representing a genuine substitute for medical-aesthetic injections. This efficacious treatment produces immediate results, working on three different levels to slow wrinkle formation in the skin, smooth wrinkles by relaxing and attenuating skin contraction, and fill wrinkles to reduce wrinkle depth through hydration and restoring the skin’s elasticity.

The three active substances to fight the wrinkles are:

Imudilin, SNAP-8, and High Molecular Weight Hyaluronic Acid.

Imudilin plays a critical role in slowing down the process of skin tissue aging – it is supposed to stimulate the skin’s immune cells, which is essential for cell communication, a trait that decreases within the skin tissues as ageing occurs.

SNAP-8 smoothes wrinkles by relaxing and attenuating skin contraction – think of this as a botx effect, and SNAP-8 is ideal for anyone searching for a milder, safe yet effective anti-wrinkle treatment. It acts as a gentle and efficient alternative to Botulinum Toxin (botox), mimicking the effect of injections while targeting the same wrinkle formation mechanism.

High Molecular Weight Hyaluronic Acid fills in wrinkle through hydration  and facilitates the formation of a structure at the skin’s surface to hold in water, preventing dehydration of the skin and reinforcing the skin barrier. This allows the restoration of the skin’s elastic properties, increases hydration levels, while plumping and smoothening the skin’s surface and texture.

 

The Process (and click on my pics which shows every step of the treatment) 

1. Like every facial treatment, we started with cleansing of the face with a cleansing milk and lotion.
2. Next, is the SCRUB, which peeling cream that is applied to the lines (mainly around the sides of my mouth, frown lines between my brows and on my neck) A brush is used to literally scrub this cream into my lines a couple of times, and then over the whole face lightly. The scrub is then rinsed off, and the same lotion from step 1 is applied.
3. After the scrub, comes the serum application, using a syringe like applicator. The skinjector device is used to allow the serum to penetrate into my skin for ten minutes.  The remaining half of the serum is then applied onto my face, and this time, a mcropick is used to ‘roll’ and ‘prick’ my skin to stimulate the surface and boost absorption of the serum.  (You can see a close up of the mcropick in one of the pictures.)  The prickly sensation from the mcropick rolling on your skin takes a short while to get used to, but it is not painful by any means.
4. After this intensive serum application, a richer cream is applied and massaged onto my face (by then I think I dozed off).
5. After the cream massage, is the masque step – this is a bright red paste which is mixed just before use.  The masque is applied liberally over my face, and left on for 20 minutes.  As you can see in the collage, the mask sets and lifts off easily during the removal.
6. After everything a ‘matte’ cream is applied to the lines area and lightly over the whole face.  Then a ‘filler’ cream is applied to the lines, filling in any wrinkles to ensure a smooth and firm surface.  This filler cream (shown in one of the close up pictures) is something you can use a base for special events, if you really want a instant wrinkle filler. The effect, I was told, last for about 5 hours.

All the skincare products that are used in this treatment are all formulated just for this Skinjexion facial and they are available individually for sale at the salon.

The entire treatment lasts for 75 minutes, and it is recommended to for a 4 session course, once a week. The cost of the treatment is S$350 and available at all Estetica outlets.

My thoughts: 

The treatment is soothing and comfortable.  I noticed smoother skin instantly post treatment, the lines around my mouth definitely diminished while I think those on my neck need more work (but anyway, I don’t think the lines around my neck are due to aging, they have been there since I was a kid – think of them as more of fat folds hahahaa).

Over the next couple of weeks, I must say I enjoyed a very smooth and even skin texture which was noted by people at work (no kidding, when more than two people ask me how I maintain my skin, I know something is showing – having a good facial, good skincare, clean makeup base all help to enhance the look of anyone’s skin).

I think that this treatment is beneficial for those in their late 30s to early 40s.. if you are starting to show signs of wrinkles/ lines.. and you want to treat them without doing anything too drastic.. this facial will definitely help – maybe one session might be enough to boost your skin, but a couple more will yield more obvious results for sure.

SKINJEXION TREATMENT

SKINJEXION Facial Treatment (90 minutes, $350) is available at all Estetica Beauty Studios islandwide. It is recommended the SKINJEXION sessions are done once a week for at least four consecutive weeks.

I hope that my sharing is useful, and do share with me what are your tried and tested anti-aging methods!

Thanks for reading!

 

 

Skincare Chat: SkinInc Power Fix Mask Treatment

 

Hi hi!

 

Today I am sharing my experience with SkinInc’s Power Fix Mask Treatment which I tried a month back at the brand’s pop-up space at Scotts Square – they will be opening a new store in the location, so that’s one more branch that you can go for your SkinInc treatments.

This is not my first time trying out SkinInc’s facials (you can read more here on my old blog) and what is new in this latest one I have tried is the Power Fix Mask which uses NASA technology and LED light intensity to boost skin’s collagen production and get rid of lines, wrinkles, acne scarring and minimise pores.

The mask itself is a robot-like mask which is placed over your face.   It looks intimidating, but I think I dozed off during the actual part of this treatment – it is totally painless, and you don’t feel anything at all.

The power mask contains Red and Blue LED light – for my treatment, I was given the BLUE LED Light treatment – this has cleansing effects, reducing inflammation, and because I had a spot on my face at that time of treatment —- it can prevent further breakouts too. On top of that, the BLUE LED light can reduce the size of skin pores and smooth the texture of the skin.

Prior to using the Power Fix Mask, I did the OxyMiracle Peel – which I have described in detail in the blog entry linked above – I really really love this step.. it blasts my skin clean and super smooth.

The Results

I wasn’t surprised to see immediate results – after your skin is so thoroughly cleaned and treated, there will tend to be a natural glow. However, and more importantly, I do think the effects of the Power Fix Mask lasts on me for a couple of weeks – and no kidding, it is always in the days post-facial that I legit get compliments from most random people about my skin.  I can liken this ‘new skin’ feeling to a post dental cleaning job… you know how your teeth feel extra clean and strong and all the gaps between your teeth is totally cleaned out… (ok maybe not the most appropriate analogy, but you get what I mean).

Extras

I have also been incorporating SkinInc’s serums into my skincare routine.  They are all so fuss-free, I checked with my facial therapist, if the serums are compatible with my skincare products from other brands and she said it is perfectly fine to mix and match as the serums contain such pure ingredients, they won’t react with other products you layer on.  I love how quickly the serums get absorbed into my skin, and they do play a part (along with the 2082490234 other products that I switch up in my routine) in keeping my skin as young, firm and smooth as possible.

 

I hope my post facial pictures speak for themselves, and if you have any questions about the treatment, do leave them in the comments below! 🙂

Links to other SkinInc related entries here and here.

 

Thank you SkinInc for another wonderful experience!

 

The Power Fix Mask treatment first trial is at S$94, and available at SkinInc Concept Stores.