#5 Good Skin Food

Another secret to good-looking skin is having a proper diet that is packed with lots of nutrients. Below are the top 10 skin food you should look out for:

Whole Grains

The whole grain buckwheat is a good source for the antioxidant rutin, which helps combat inflammation-related skin damage. Wheat germ provides the B-vitamin biotin, which assists cells in processing fats. If you don't have enough biotin in your body, your skin can become dry and scaly. 

In general, whole grains instead of processed carbohydrates can improve your complexion. Processed (or refined) flours can cause an insulin spike, which in turn can encourage acne.

Grapes

Grapes have medical properties as they are known to heal and smooth your skin. The extract from grapes is said to protect against skin inflammation. It is highly concentrated in vitamin E, flavonoids and linoleic acid, all powerful free radical fighters. This helps to prevent all signs of ageing, as well as soothe sun-damaged and acne-prone skin.


Tomatoes

Tomatoes are natural antioxidants. They are rich in vitamin C and lycopene. It has inflammatory and antioxidant properties that boosts skin healing and collagen production. The combination of vitamin C and lycopene is great for skin regeneration.


Cherries

Look no more if you are looking to brighten your skin. A single cherry can pack more vitamin C than an orange. Hence, it speeds up collagen production, accelerates healing, eliminates free radicals and is said to reverse skin damage.


Organic Green Tea

This drink contains polyphenols which have anti-inflammatory characteristics.  And despite what they say, a good tea will not dehydrate your body, it will only work as an anti-oxidant and an anti-inflammatory agent that’ll keep bacteria at bay and will fight off those free radicals that make our skin age early.


Olive Oil 

They are one of the top sources of beta carotene, a powerful antioxidant that helps repair and renew your skin to give it a youthful glow.


Walnuts

Walnut is high in fiber, in heart-healthy essential fatty acids, and in certain vitamins and minerals. If you want a healthy, glowing complexion, these walnuts are good additions to your diet. Consider eating walnuts as part of your overall skincare regimen. 


Dark Leafy Green

Leafy green are full of vitamins, minerals, and disease-fighting phytochemicals. Leafy greens also contain a lot of water, which helps keep you hydrated and contributes to beautiful skin and hair. Leafy greens that contain beta-carotene, such as collard greens, spinach, and Swiss chard, contribute to the growth and repair of the body's tissues. Beta-carotene may also protect your skin against sun damage. 

Salmon

Add luster and softness to your complexion by feasting on salmon, a fish with one of the richest concentrations of omega-3 fatty acids. These healthy fats nourish the skin by reducing the body's production of inflammatory substances, decreasing clogged pores, and averting fine lines and wrinkles.


Mangoes

Mangoes are rich in vitamin A which  can give glow to the skin. Vitamin A deficiency can cause dull skin, open pores, acnes as well as horny eruptions on arms, elbows and knees. Mango pulp is useful to treat pimples and acnes. Simply apply the pulp on your skin for 10 minutes before washing it off.


Referenced from Her World Special, July 2012 and various other sources. 
Disclaimer: These information is strictly taken for academic purpose. No infringement is intended. 

#4 My Skincare Routines Revealed

I mentioned earlier that I don't usually have a skincare routine. At present, however, I do try to follow some of the necessary steps. The basic skincare routines I follow are as described below. The critical ones are marked with an *.


*Wake up 
Apply eye cream, wash face with warm/cold water, [rinse off face with warm water if sleeping mask is applied the day before] - you will feel more refreshed.


[Optional] Apply day cream as well


Before going out
1. Apply moisturizer (Especially before wearing make up)
2. Apply sunscreen (I choose to ignore this step though - I don't do outdoor activities much)


Outside
1. Use a face mist spray (I don't do this unless I stay in an air-conditioned room for more than 10 hours)
2. Use oil absorbing sheet if you have oily face (I don't recommend it though. Rumour has it that it contains chemicals that make you produce more oil and thus clog more pores - Not for me anyway since my skin doesn't belong to the oily type)


During shower 

For face:
1. Remove make up (I'm using Hada Labo make-up remover and Loreal lip + eye make-up remover with cotton wool pads - I seldom make up though)
*2. Apply cleanser (I'm using Organature, Herb Day 365 and White Tree Snow exfoliating (twice per week only because it has whitening effects) foam cleansers interchangeably)
3. Toner (Optional. I skip this step though. Toner is usually high in alcohol or other ingredients which can leave your skin feeling dry. After applying the toner, it burns and stings and I find that my breakouts have somehow become worse. Since then I never use a toner anymore even hough toners are said to remove traces of dirt, makeup, cleanser residue and excess oil. It is not true that toners help to close pores. Experts say it is not a skincare necessity. They are more suitable for those with oily skin.)
4. Apply mask 3 or 4 times per week (I'm using Real Nature mask pack and pore care pack. I only apply mask once or twice per week though)
5. Serum (I never follow this step)
6. Apply moisturizer (Optional; I'm using Arsainte Eco-Therapy daily moisturizer - It's still better to use lotion-based rather than cream-based)
7. Apply night cream [Optional]

For body:
1. Wash your body (I'm using Dove body wash) 
2. Exfoliate (I'm using Sake clarifying gel body scrub once or twice per week)

Before going to bed
*1. Apply eye cream
*2. Put on sleeping mask and leave it till next day (I'm using Raspberry roots sleeping mask - love it as the smell is fragrant)

Basically that's about it.  

Description of Raspberry roots sleeping mask taken from the packaging:

Skin problems? Try sleeping on it with this overnight beauty mask and wake up to porcelain smooth skin. Humalayan Raspberry Roots and Grains Extracts optimize elasticity and tighten pores while thoroughly hydrating and replenishing skin of lost nutrients. Additions of plant extracts in the formulation promote the natural secretion of pleasure-inducing beta endorphins and stimulate the formation of collagen for more youthful skin.

I really love this sleeping mask. It has since done wonders to my face :) 

#3 Common Skin Diseases

This short post will discuss top 3 common skin diseases, their signs and symptoms, causes and treatment.

1. Skin Cancer

Skin cancer is the most common skin diseases among all human cancers. Every human carries billions of cancerous cells in their body. Cancer occurs when the cells grow and multiply without any form of control. As they multiply, they form a mass called Tumor. Tumor found on the skin is called lesion. Tumors are considered fatal if they are spread to other remote organs via bloodstream or lymphatic system.

Causes:

• Ultraviolet light exposure
• Use of tanning lotions 
• High x-rays exposure
• Contact with chemicals such as soot, hydrocarbons in tar, oils
• Fair skin that freckles and sunburns easily

Go to a dermatologist for a check-up if you have suspicious mole or lesion. Biopsy will be done to determine whether you have malignant melanoma. 

 2. Viral Skin Disease

This type of disease is caused by viral infections. It is usually temporary but highly contagious. Chicken pox, measles, herpes 1, herpes 2 are examples of viral skin diseases. Patients will experience fever, blisters, cold symptoms, rash and cold sores. Vaccines are available for measles and chicken pox. 

3,. Fungal Skin Disease

Fungal infections are caused by microscopic fungi. The fungi live on the dead skin cells which are commonly found on athlete's foot and ringworm. Patients will experience rash, redness and burning. If not treated, these fungal infections may be spread to other parts of the body. It is advised to wash all linens, towels and clothes regularly to avoid fungal infections. 

Gardens by the bay (Night View)

I will skip the posts about Skincare for a while. Yesterday went to Gardens by the Bay at Marina at night. I like every bit of the walk - it was serene and all that, but the timing was wrong. It is better to go during morning where all the plants can be clearly seen. It was too dark to see anything >.< Still the night has its own beauty - the lights! ^^ Actually I did come for the purpose of admiring the lights more than the plants LOL. Didn't visit Flower of Dome, Cloud Forest and OCBC Skyway though. I will probably save for next visit, and in the MORNING of course :)

Generator

Mushroom Seats

Log

Supertree

Trojan Horse

Most decent picture of all lol

Chinese Garden

Lions 

Would be better if they put some marine life in there...

Rock Structures

Skin Care - Issue #2

2. Top 3 Common Skin Conditions 

In this post, we will look at top 3 common skin conditions, causes and the treatments available.

Acne

Acne is a skin condition which causes pimples, cysts and clogged pores such as blackheads and whiteheads. They are mostly found on face and shoulders. It affects teenagers and adults who are into their 20s, 30s or 40s. Although acnes pose no risk to your health, they can leave permanent scars on your face in severe cases. It occurs when hair follicles are congested with oil and dead skin cells. When combined with excessive sebum, the follicle wall is open to bacteria. Acne is developed as a result of these build-ups. 

Likely Causes:

• Hormones
• Medication
• Food such as bread, bagels, chocolates, chips which increase blood sugar
• Cosmetics (water-based products are safer)

Whenever I encounter acnes, my instant solution is to use my favourite acne pimple medication - OXY Vanishing Formula (highly recommended!). Oxy-5 or Oxy-10 (the number indicates the strength) contains benzoyl peroxide that helps to clear up oily layers and unclog pores. The cream works deep within the skin to kill bacteria causing the breakouts. Oxy 10, as its strength implies, is only used if breakouts still persist after a week. Oxy 10 can easily dry up your skin - which is why you should only use the smallest amount as possible. Initially I use Oxy 5 (as it's milder in strength) to test whether it works. Now I like to use Oxy 10 as my skin has gotten used to it. I don't apply it regularly though, even if I'm having breakouts. My acnes usually disappear after first or second usage; if not, they usually diminish after a few days without application. But of course, new acnes will soon pop up because of sleep deprivation.        

Small tube like this only costs around $3. Highly affordable and effective :)

Although I am not so prone to having acnes, I always try to avoid food that are greasy or fried - simply because my acnes appear whenever I do take them. Diets play a bigger role in your skin than you realise - we will discuss that in Issue #5. 

Dark Eye Circles

Dark circles comprise of dark eye rings, dark eye circles and eye bags. They are dark blemishes caused by lack of sleep, heredity or bruises. They occur when the remaining elements of red blood cells are not broken down by enzymes, making the blood vessels visible. 

Treatments:

• Drink plenty of water
• Have enough sleep! (I know right, it's super hard for me too)
• Wear sunscreen with min. SPF 30 to prevent sun from damaging the skin
• Apply cucumber slices over the eyes for 15 minutes
• Reduce sodium intake
• Get enough vitamin C
• Take more antioxidants

What I usually do is I will apply night cream to my eyes every night before I sleep. I'm using this eye cream from The Face Shop. This is actually a free sample I got by making some other purchases from the shop. I have been using it from March till now.

Large Pores

When pores are opened, enlarged, infected and clogged up, the pores become prominent. It is impossible to reduce the size of large pores but there are several ways to make them less obvious.


Genetics and age are two chief reasons for the existence of large pores. If one has thick and oily skin, he will have larger pores naturally. In addition, aging that leads to reduced skin elasticity and sun damage can cause pores to enlarge. When the skin thickens, tiny cells will gather adjacent to the pores and thus make the pores look bigger. Large pores can be a cause of blackheads too as pores are clogged with bacteria or dirt, the oil will build up within the pore causing the pore to dilate.


Treatments include:

• Exfoliation
• Chemical peels
• Cleanse the debris with face wash that contains vitamin C and retinol
• Take more vitamin A
• Deep pore cleansing treatment
• Tightening masks

Large pores definition taken from http://www.dermatologist.sg/large-pores.php.

I'm using this mud mask from The Face Shop. I only use it when I feel like it lol. But after every usage, I feel that my pores are more tightened and visibly reduced. It's just that I don't have a habit of using mask regularly :P

You can also reduce blackheads instantly by using this strip from Watsons:

Different forms of skin diseases coming up in Issue #3 before finally moving on to your skincare routines.

Secrets to a healthy-looking face! (Issue #1)

Many women desire a healthy and good-looking face. Who doesn't want a face that is smooth, beautiful and free of skin problems? After all, face is an indication of what's going on inside your body. I'm not a beauty guru like Bubz (she's famous for makeup, skincare, fashion tips on Youtube), but since people have been telling me how okay my face is, I'm here to share some tips with you on taking good care of your face! I do have my own rules in maintaining it. It will just be a general and brief guide but that's all you need to understand and hopefully it helps just like what it has helped me :)

*This post will only cover the fundamental knowledge. Subsequent posts will include more details, so keep following! 

Honestly I don't really have a strict guide on taking care of my face. Nobody tells me why and how I should take care of it. I only bothered to care for it when I was 10 years old! That's when I was given a Dove facial wash from my school during a girls sharing session! So that was when I began using facial products! But I continued using a product for very long before I actually changed it. After using Dove, I used Hazeline facial foam and other cheap ones got from Watsons and Guardians. I only used them once a day or every other days or when I feel like it. Luckily I did! Sometimes these products can be harsh on your skin. Well I always believe in letting my face go natural at all times when I'm young - that's the best I can take care of it!

But as I grow older, I lost that porcelain face of mine due to environments and late-night sleeping. I know every woman hates that to happen. Just washing it is never enough. It has lost its elasticity and shine. So it's time to do something about it! If it happens to you, that's when you know you must learn to take care of it - IMMEDIATELY! It's never too late to restore that beautiful face of yours if you really know what to do. It takes patience and resilience to do that. I'm also trying - just that I always have a habit of sleeping late! ):

*Don't just hope that it will go away - unless you do something about it!*

So what is Skin Care?

Skin care is basically all about hydrating your face and not clogging your pores. Natural oil (sebum) is essential for your skin! It is an oily substance secreted from the glands with the effect of lubricating it. However, too much of it can cause clogged pores, acne and blackheads. You must learn how not to dehydrate your face and also at the same time, balance those oils for fear of not getting enough shine or getting skin problems! 

There are only SIX things you need to know (or at least that's what I do now):

• Know your skin type (Covered in this post)
• Skin problems (Coming up)
• Skin diseases (Coming up)
• Skincare Routine (Coming up)
• Diets (Wanted to include this as part of the section below but there's many good skin food out there you should know - Coming up)
• Do's and don's (Coming up)

These are basic knowledge you should acquire. Nothing can go wrong if you know them!

1. Know your skin type

Before you do anything to your skin, you must KNOW what is your skin condition and the factors that affect it.

There are basically 4 common skin types:

• Normal 
• Oily
• Dry 
• Combination (Oily & dry etc)

For me, I belong to the combination group (my skin is quite dry but my face is normal). If you are wondering why I don't put sensitive as being one of the skin types, that is because everyone has sensitive skin. Believe it or not, most of us have some degree of irritated skin caused by internal or external factors. They can be caused by weather, hormonal changes or skincare products you use. Hence, the possibility of us developing sensitive skin is always there.

Know your skin type already? Whether your skin is normal or not, you still must start taking care of it. Everyone needs some form of protection and antioxidants for skin because at any point in time you can experience breakouts. 

Look out for next issue #2! I will cover the various skin problems commonly faced by people (including me!) and how you can avoid them. Again, I'm not expert in this, but I'm sharing all these based on my experience and what I think it's good because it has worked for me :] Everyone's skin condition is different, so if you think other methods may work as well, go ahead and try them! 

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter

Went to catch 3D Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter on its first release yesterday. Won't spoil it for you, but I would say if you like drama, go for this. I got a shock at first when the vampires showed up suddenly onto the screens with their ghastly looks. Not cool - not that it matters much anyway. And the main weapon used to hack vampires? The axe instead of silver stake.

Synopsis:
Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter explores the secret life of one of the greatest US presidents, and the untold story that shaped a nation. Visionary filmmakers Tim Burton and Timur Bekmambetov (director of Wanted) bring a fresh and visceral voice to the bloodthirsty lore of the vampire, imagining Lincoln as history's greatest hunter of the undead.

Barcook Bakery

Hey guys, I'm back! :) Wanted to post yesterday but didn't get a chance. Haha! Today is a lucky day for me! ^^ Found back my NRIC! So thankful to that kind soul who returned it to me after 2 weeks! Ah, but there's no way to find that person >.< I'm so happy right now :DD

Well recently don't you notice that a lot of people are carrying the same stuff - bread from Barcook Bakery? It seems to be popular! I'm so curious! Okay call me sua gu or what, but I really never heard before LOL. So I went to check out the outlet at Hong Lim Complex! True enough, people keep coming to buy the bread! The shop is quite small, surprisingly. Oh and they also sell mini cakes! I got back home German Muesli loaf, Bailey Custard and Pork Floss. I overheard a lady behind saying, "Their bread is good. Made hot and fresh daily! " Something along that line. So should be good I think uh! Haven't tried them yet. My dad tried the pork floss and said it is nice and soft though! 

Mini cakes

Cranberry and multi-grain loaf

Long queue! Okay lah, considerably long. Lol.

Looks nutritious ^^

Some coffee cream bun I guess? :o

Pork floss! Very common. Nothing special :)

Had I not noticed this, I wldn't have known its existence! Lol. 

Close to you

Made this video long ago. All credits go to the singer and original photos contributors!

Cards and Gimmicks!

Introducing you to CardMagicLink! 


CardMagicLink is an online business managed by Christine and Joseph since 2010 that sells quality cards, gimmicks and more. They carry a range of items and everything is at a reasonable price. They are also having store-wide promotions now!


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They have cards such as those from Bicycle, Big Blind Media, Dan and Dave, De'vo, Ellusionist and Theory11. 


New Arrivals


Blades (Blood Edition) I like this design the most!

Description: 

The first run of De’vo’s Blood Edition Blades sold out injust over 1 day.  De’vo has decided to do another small run of this deck but worked with the USPC to make small improvements to the handling.  This second run of the Blood Edition is among the best handling cards. This deck was designed for manipulators and card players and is a must for your collection.  The bold back design, white borders, and unbelievable stock and finish make this Blades deck one of our favorite decks of all time.

Price: S$ 12.00
Status: Available

Steampunk Playing Cards

Description: 

Theory11 made the bronze paper from scratch in order to perfectly print the ink that covers its surface in 19th century Victorian machinery. The boldly stamped, debossed elements cast shadows of illusion and create a perspective of depth and weight. The vents on top of the box invite you to take a look inside. Opening the box, One will discover 52 pieces of machinery. The depth of the playing cards is fittingly unreal. Designed by Alex Beltechi and constructed of 12 million 3D polygons. The Jokers are morphed into jet turbines of steel. The Ace of Spades is a window of opportunity to witness the gears of intricate beauty and complexity.

Price: S$ 9.00
Status: Available

Blades (Blood Metal Edition)

Description: 

This could possibly be the most bad-ass deck ever made!  This collector’s version of the Blood deck features dual foil embossed tucks, and silver gilded edges.  No photos can do this deck justice!  The foil tucks are simple incredible to hold as the light dances around the box reflecting surfaces.  The Silver gilded edges of the cards themselves are also highly reflective and make them stand out from every other deck in your collection.  There will be less than 4000 of these incredible decks sold!  Don’t miss your chance on owning one of the most amazing looking decks ever created!

Price: S$ 15.00
Status: Available

Blue Crown Deck v2

Description:

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Price: S$ 10.00
Status: Available

Visit their website to find out more! Card Magic Link  

 Remember to quote 'MyElaine' to redeem your free cards!