You'd think that in a humid environment such as Singapore, there is no need for additional hydration on the face because most of the time, your face is already hydrated by the humidity. I know my face gets grossly shiny during mid-day and I swear this does not happen anywhere else. Not in Bali, not in Thailand (these two places are so much more polluted too in comparison, what gives?!?), so I don't really think it's a tropical-country-near-the-equator factor. What I want is MATTE, MATTE, MATTE! SHINE FREE, SHINE FREE! But I feel like my pores are flaring open all the time and my face looks awful with the mix of shine and sweat. Ickiness max. I might have overdone the blotter paper business on my face because I was told that this causes a very vicious cycle with negative effects. Say whaaattt!!???!?!?! O_o Here's why:
DRY ☞ SKIN OVERCOMPENSATES BY BECOMING SEBACEOUS (ie. oily) ☞ BLOT AWAY OIL ☞ DRY ☞ SKIN OVERCOMPENSATES AGAIN BY SECRETING OIL ☞ BLOT ☞ DRY ☞ OIL ☞ BLOT ☞ DRY ☞ .... and so on and so forth.
I guess blotting isn't the way to go and I need alternatives. I recently got to try some hydrating products from Heme. The products are from the
Rose 24hr Hydrating range and let me introduce you to each item:
24hr Hydrating Instant Recovery Serum
This is an intensive hydrating and brightening serum for dehydrated skin. It helps prevent fine lines, wrinkles and repairs skin imperfections and discolorations while moisturizing the skin at the same time. It also gives the skin a luminous glow. This serum may be used to target certain spots instead of the entire face. To be used before putting on moisturizer.
24hr Hydrating Face Moisturizer
This aqua-based moisturizer delivers skin-essential elements to maintain the skin’s moisturizing and brightening qualities. It also helps the skin to maintain its optimum moisture balance. It is absorbed immediately by the skin and keeps it hydrated for 24 hours. This moisturizer is slightly different from others as it gives a matte feel. It doesn't feel sticky on the face. It glides on fluidly on the face and feels quite light-weight.
24hr Hydrating Detox-White Night Jelly
This moisture-rich night jelly, one of Heme's top-selling products, is specially formulated to instantly hydrate skin. It also improves the skin’s ability to retain water overnight for a more intense treatment and repair. It allows one to wake up the next morning with brighter and smoother skin. This is used in the last step of your daily skin care routine. It helps to lock the moisture in your face and helps hydrate your skin throughout the night when you're asleep. I put this inside the fridge and it feels like a special treat when it apply it on my face before I go to bed. And the fragrance.... oh, the fragrance is dreamy and intoxicating. I can definitely drift to sleep comfortably lulled by this sweet rose fragrance. It should be renamed as The Sleeping Beauty Jelly. :9
Sparkling Diamond Instant Lift & Whitening Eye Mask
Another top-selling Heme product and my personal favorite, this innovative eye mask gives one refreshed and radiant looking eyes. It is specially formulated with patented active ingredients to brighten, de-puff and hydrate the skin around the eyes. As we all know, the skin around our eye area is thinner than the rest of our skin and very delicate. This eye mask is specially formulated for the delicate skin around our eyes and the mask itself is also thin so that moisture can be absorbed more effectively.
24hr Hydrating Sparkling White Mask
This contoured 10-minute facial mask slips on luxuriously to bring concentrated hydrating and brightening benefits to one’s skin. It is infused with an intensive treatment that rapidly penetrates skin and helps fight darks pots, freckles and uneven skin tones. Good to slip on before a special date or when your face needs a quick moisture treatment in a jiffy.
24hr Hydrating Ultra-White Lift V-Mask
Also a top seller, this unique double mask comes with a pair of ear loops which physically offers the ability to firm and lift your face. It gives skin a fresh radiance and firming benefit by delivering nutrients and antioxidants which hydrates and whitens skin. The ear loops are of high resilience for perfect adherence to face, chin and neck, and promotes tightening at the same time. It also contains peptides and collagen that help redefine face contours.
There you have it:
The complete Heme Rose 24hr Hydrating product range, plus Sparkling Diamond Eye Mask.
I think this range is nice because it is affordable and feels luxurious on the skin. The packaging is not tacky while the products themselves have a lovely rose fragrance. The gentle-sweet-girlish kind, not the headache-inducing kind. I read the ingredients list on every product, they include peppermint leaf extract, chamomile flower extract, hydrolyzed collagen, arbutin and algae extract. I want to make a special note that one of the ingredients in the Ultra White Lift V-Mask is
ROSE DAMASCENA FLOWER WATER aka damask rose water.
1. Rose water is used in cosmetics for its lovely scent, but also because it has light astringent properties. As the gentlest of all astringents, rose water is often used as toner for fair and dry skin.
[source]
2. Mainly, rose water benefits are used to treat skin infections and this natural product is an important agent for many skin care techniques. It has excellent soothing effects, can improve the condition of dry and aging skin, as well as cleanse, purify and tone skin, reduce swelling and redness, assists in getting rid of black dots and so on.
[source]
Good stuff, peeps. Good stuff. Adequately hydrated skin is so much nicer to look at and to the touch. Make-up goes on much easier and smoother; it also lasts longer. Face doesn't secrete so much oil, thus less shiny overall. Clogged pores, acne breakouts also occur less. And of course, fine lines are less visible.
These Heme products are available at Watsons and Sasa, but before you head to the stores be sure to check out
Heme Singapore's Facebook page first because it is loaded with promotions, discounts on their products and contests to win freebies.
Looking rosy.
Dress by Marc by Marc Jacobs
Lip Polish by Buxom Buxom Lips (Sugar)
Hair by Milly's
xoxo,
-MB.
