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For the full interview with Niuer Lao Shi, please refer to the following:

Q1. What are the characteristics of healthy skin?
Niuer: A. Skin that is well-hydrated, is soft and radiant
B. Refined skin, pores that are not visible
C. Balance of oil and water level, skin that’s naturally hydrated

Niuer: I have been traveling the world for the past few years and notice that “climate” can cause instability in skin condition. Therefore, paying close attention to hydration and anti-oxidant is an important step in skincare. Keeping skin hydrated is the secret to maintaining youthful skin. Consistent daily skincare is important, so I will always carry along with me products with hyaluronic acid because the skin around the eye area tends to be dry and dehydrated. Hyaluronic acid can help to enhance hydration.

For basic skincare, I regularly use the “3+1 regime” to prolong the time moisture stays on skin so hydration in skin can be prolonged.

The “3+1 regime”, simply put, is using the toner, moisturizer, serum and then night gelly (you can use night gelly just for the night regime). This is a unique regime by using moisturizer before serum to enhance penetration. First, soak cotton pad with toner and pat it onto the entire face for 30 seconds to help replenish moisture in skin. Next, apply a layer of easily-absorbed moisturizer that has the ability to speed up nutrient absorption. Once it’s fully-absorbed, apply serum. Make sure that each product is fully absorbed before you proceed to the next step. After the regime, you’d notice that you skin looks more supple and hydrated.

At night, complete the regime with a moderate amount of night gelly. Apply a thin layer of it on the skin before you sleep to help with skin repair and to lock in moisture.

Niuer: In warm climate, skin tends to secrete more sebum in both day and night. Here are cleansing tips to keep your skin feeling soothed and comfortable all the time:
1. Create foam with your cleanser
To achieve effective cleansing, foam cleanser is more ideal. This is because foam cleansers make use of bubbles to create a surfactant effect. Bubbles are made of water and air and the cleansing effect of the surface of bubbles are able to remove sebum. Therefore, the more refined and greater amount the bubbles, the more they are able to get in touch with every part of your skin and pores for better cleansing ability. So, if you use foam cleanser, I’d recommend you to lather till there is foam to increase cleansing efficacy.

2. Don’t over-cleanse
Under normal circumstance, human skin won’t get really dirty. Therefore, the habit of over-cleansing is unnecessary and can strip off moisture from skin. Instead, go for a gentle cleanser that will not irritate skin.

3. Varied formulations
Also, some cleansing mud and cleansing milk make use of kaolin clay or bentonite to physically absorb sebum or the surfactant effect of cleansing milk to remove sebum with water. Such products have excellent cleansing abilities too and you don’t have to create form with it for it to work.

4. Hydrating effect
Cleansers that include glycerol, betaine and amino acids are good for hydration and can keep skin feeling smooth and hydrated after cleansing because they can lock in moisture. However, this does not mean that you don’t have to follow up with hydrating products. I’d recommend application of hydrating face cream or night gelly after cleansing because the moisture from cleansing can be lost after a while.

5. Water temperature
An important factor to take note of in skincare is water temperature. You have to choose water temperature according to skin type. Oily skin needs to be cleansed with water that’s slightly higher than body temperature to increase the ability to remove sebum and dirt. Normal skin can be cleansed with water that’s approximately as warm as body temperature such that you can’t feel warmth or coolness when you cleanse. Finally, dry or sensitive skin needs to be cleansed with cool water to prevent heat from over-cleansing skin or causing additional damage to skin.

Q4. What are the top 6 bad habits to avoid to ensure great skin?
Niuer: 1. Do not let cleansing product stay on skin for too long. Even if you have oily skin, you should only cleanse oilier parts for 30-60 seconds. Cleansing for over 1 minute can cause skin to dry out and skin will compensate by excreting more sebum, causing the problem of dehydrated oily skin.

2. You don’t necessarily need water to cleanse. In fact, it is more effective to use toner with cleansing properties. Soak cotton pad with toner to apply on skin to remove sebum and dirt instead of using water. For regions with little water resources, this cleansing method is also more eco-friendly.

3. Do not use water of poor quality. Water in several regions contains excessive levels of hard minerals such as calcium carbonate and magnesium carbonate, and will affect the foaming effect of cleansing products, and also leave traces of product on the skin to irritate it, causing skin to inflame. If you’re in a region where water quality is poor, consider fixing a filter on the tap to reduce the damage of water on skin.

4. Do not have an over-complicated sincare regime. Some people apply 7-8 products for different skincare effects, including hydration, anti-ageing and brightening all at once, in the hope of improving all skin care concerns. However, this isn’t just ineffective, but is also damaging to skin due to clashes of products and cause irritation. Pick your greatest concern and address it directly instead. You can also have a different regime for day and night to resolve a few concerns at the same time.

5. Do not think that high price equals high quality. Some people believe that only expensive products are effective. This is not necessarily true. “Recessionista” is a global buzzword in fashion, and also in the beauty industry. Products’ efficacy is dependent on its ingredients and concentration, instead of its packaging and advertising. So, instead of buying products based on their prices, make sure its contents are concentrated so you can see positive effects on your skin.

6. Do not be lazy. It’s a busy society and stress has caused different illnesses. At the same time, people have the habit of sloth. They are too lazy to take care of their skin, to exercise and to maintain a balanced, healthy lifestyle. It’s hard to live beautifully and healthily if you’re lazy. So, quit being lazy! It’s difficult to attain beauty if you rely only on products to help you.

Q5. What are the basic skincare products women should have?
Niuer: A Chinese saying goes: To perfect your work, you have to perfect your tools. If you want healthier and more beautiful skin, you’d need the following products:

1. Makeup cleanser – To remove makeup and oil-soluble dirt
2. Facial cleanser – To remove water-soluble dirt
3. Exfoliator – To remove dead skin cells and dirt trapped within them every week
4. Toner + Emulsion – Basic skincare to keep skin nourished and moisturized
5. Serum + Moisturizer – Intensive care to renew and repair skin
6. Night Gelly – Increase skin’s ability to lock in moisture while you sleep
7. Health drink/supplement – Protection from inside out
8. Sunscreen – Prevent UV damage

Q6. Any other secrets you can impart to maintain healthy skin?
Niuer: If you want to improve your skincare regime’s efficacy, I suggest facial massage and beauty gadgets to improve skin’s ability to absorb products. The sequence and time of product application is also important.

If you want to enhance the activity of the ingredients in your products, you can place a warm towel on your face after cleansing, before you apply the products. Following which, cover your face with plastic wrap for 3-5 minutes to improve the renewal of your skin cells.  If you wish to calm and soothe your skin, you can apply your products, cover with plastic wrap, and then place a cool tower on your face.