Imagine this scenario: You woke up in the arms of your new beau and instead of waking him up lovingly with a morning kiss, he was awakened by your dragon breath. Not cool, yeah?

Credit: AHD Wallpaper

Morning breath is as common as the bed-head and it is nothing to be ashamed of. However, if the shift in your oral aroma after sleeping for eight hours is making you nervous when you wake up beside your darling, it is time to take action.

What are the steps we can take to say goodbye to our morning breath?

1. Practice good oral hygiene

Credit: The Times of India

This is almost a no-brainer you should be already doing this. Brush twice a day and don’t skip the floss. Invest in an electric toothbrush for thorough cleaning as it helps to remove plaque more efficiently. Last but not least, remember to choose a good toothpaste that gives you round the clock protection.

2. Do not skip your nightly brush

Credit: Reader’s Digest

The morning brush is for a minty fresh breath for the day ahead. But your night brushing session is equally important because it helps to get rid of the food particles left in your mouth before you go to bed. Without that, bacteria will accumulate in your mouth feeding on the food particles, and you are going to regret it come sunrise.

3. Use mouthwash correctly

Credit: Al Malak Dental and Orthodontic Polyclinic

It is good to use a mouthwash in the morning or after a meal for dental health and sweet smelling breath. However, we do recommend skipping the mouthwash at night, because it dries out our mouth (especially those that contains alcohol) and a dry mouth is the main cause of morning breath.

4. Breath through your nose at night

Credit: Ask Your Mind

Morning breath is caused by a lack of saliva in our mouth when we sleep and breathing through your mouth at night will worsen the problem. It can be difficult to control, but do try to breathe through your nose at night to reduce the problem.

5. Reduce coffee and alcohol intake

Credit: Lifestyle Crunchy

Did I just hear screams of protest? Yes, that is hard for most of us (I mean the coffee!) but coffee and alcohol have the same drying effect on our mouth and that results in bad breath. Not buying it? Check your breath in the morning after your Friday night alcohol binge.

6. Reduce intake of garlic and onions

Credit: The Organic Momma 

Garlic and onions have strong smells. The potent sulphur compounds are absorbed into your body and are released as you exhale, causing the bad breath. If you can’t avoid them totally, try to at least take them in moderation.

7. Drink lots of water

Credit: Style Caster

Stay hydrated since bacteria needs a dry mouth to thrive. Drinking water also flushes away food particles and bacteria in our mouth, and not to mention, cleanses our body from the toxin build up. You may want to leave a glass of water by your nightstand to flush your bad breath away the first thing in the morning.

Here are some of our favourite oral care products for good dental health and help us get rid of that morning breath.

Fluocaril Gum Care Toothpaste 100g, $8

Colgate Optic White Toothpaste 100g, $8 - $8.50 each

Sensodyne Repair & Protect Toothpaste 100g, $8.90 - $9.90 each

Darlie All Shiny White Toothpaste 140g, $3.45 each

Oral B Pro-Health 7 Toothbrush, $18.60 each

Guardian Ultra Fine Toothbrush, $6.90 each

Guardian Maxpower Plus Toothbrush, $13.90

Listerine Mouthwash 1l, $8.90

Fluocaril 0% Alcohol Mouthwash Double Mint 500ml, $5.90

Guardian Dental Floss, $2.35 

All products featured can be found at Guardian. 

Giveaway

Guardian is giving away one Listerine Total Care Zero Mouthwash (1000ml) which contains 6 benefits in 1 so you can greet your loved one with sweet-smelling breath. Simply share and answer the question in the Facebook post below and 1 lucky reader will stand a chance to win the product. Good luck! 

A search on YouTube will bring you to many videos showing you the ideal body types across time and space. From the boyish figures of the 1920s' flapper girls to the curvy 2010s' of the Kim Kardashian-body types, which is your favourite?

We did a poll on our site on 4 different body types and here are the results from our readers:

Stefanie Sun (14.9%)

Lean and boyish /Credit: JS China 

Kim Kardashian (16.3%)

Celebration of curves /Credit: In Style 

Suzy (57.4%)

Slim and feminine /Credit: Koreaboo 

Michelle Yeoh (11.4%)

Fit is the new sexy /Credit: chrisereneta

The poll had Suzy came out tops with a good 57.4% of the votes, followed by Kim Kardashian with 16.3%, Stefanie Sun with 14.9%, and lastly Michelle Yeoh with 11.4%. With the K-wave sweeping the globe, it is no surprise that Suzy had the looks and body that many would want. 

Achieve the body you want with CoolSculpting

You can always exercise and maintain a healthy diet to achieve the body weight that you desire. But do you know that when you lose weight, it is just the existing fat cells in your body getting smaller? That is why there are areas of stubborn fats on your body that will never go away. Areas like the tummy, arms, chin, and thighs are always the bugbear of people, who often think that spot exercises will help trim those excess fats away.

But spot toning doesn’t work as the fat cells in those areas are still there, getting bigger as you put on weight. Liposuction is an effective way of getting rid of excess fats but it is an invasive treatment, which will not appeal to everyone. A non-invasive alternative is CoolSculpting, which removes unwanted fat cells by freezing them. The damaged fat cells are then passed out of the body.

If there is some loose skin that you’ll like to tighten up, consider high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU), which uses focused ultrasound energy to tighten and firm loose skin. Similar to CoolSculpting, there is no downtime with HIFU, which means you can get back to what you need to do straight away after treatment. Find out more about CoolSculpting or HIFU, and how they can work for you here.

We are coming to the end of the year and we are going to be doubly sure that we can fit into those party dresses. 

Credit: Ir Darbs Iv

When it comes to weight loss and achieving the body we want, the first step to take is to watch our diet and work out regularly. Eat less and burn more calories, that sounds pretty fool-proof isn't it? Apparently, the conversation doesn't end there.

Besides having a healthy diet and getting into your fitness regime, a search on Google will give you another ten thousand tips and tricks on the best ways to lose weight. There are so many "quick fixes" but which are the ones that really works?

Here, we are going to do some myth busting to help us lose weight the right way.

Myth 1: Avoid carbohydrates at all cost

Credit: New Health Advisor

A low carb and high protein diet will definitely lead to weight loss, yes. However, carbohydrates equal weight gain is definitely untrue. Refined carbs like refined grains and sugar will lead to weight gain but whole foods, even if they are high in carbohydrates, can be very healthy. Therefore, it is not true that we need to avoid carbohydrates at all cost. You just need to choose the right kind.

Myth 2: Slimming pills will help you lose weight

Credit: Muscle Mind Motivation

First things first, always buy slimming pills from doctors, or from reliable sources like a pharmacy or an established retail store. We really want to be careful with the drugs that we consume. That said, yes, slimming pills may help you lose weight. But that alone will not keep your weight off in the long run. Long term weight loss is best combined with a healthy and active lifestyle.

Myth 3: No snacking 

Credit: Ezy Health

It is ok to snack but we need to choose the right type of snacks. Potato chips and chocolates are big no-nos. If you are really starving or need to keep your energy level up in-between meals, opt for snacks like fruits or vegetables instead of those that are high in sugar or saturated fat.

Myth 4: Start with a detox diet

Credit: The Jakarta Post

Detox and start on a clean slate. Sounds good, but detox diets can also deprive your body of calories and nutrition. When you start to reintroduce different kinds of food to your body, your body will gain more weight for fear of another detox diet. It is your body's way of protecting itself. Therefore, it is advisable to check with a doctor before going ahead with a detox diet.

Myth 5: Work out real hard

Credit: Huffington Post

Exercising is important to stay healthy but do not start a rigorous or high-intensity regime too suddenly. An overnight rigorous workout routine can cause injuries and stop you from doing any more exercises. It is more advisable to start slow and work your way up to more intensive or rigorous routines, and enjoy exercising for long term benefits to show.

However, many a times, no matter how much we watch our diets and how hard we work out, we somehow reached a plateau during our weight loss journey. There may also be stubborn fat pockets that refuse to go away, like those on our hips, thighs or tummies. 

London Weight Management

Fret no more. London Weight Management is here to help women who want to lose weight and reshape their silhouettes. They identified the 9 most common weight concerns among women in Singapore as genetic obesity, sagging buttocks, water retention/toxins, cellulite, bulky thighs, flabby arms, bulging tummy, post-natal weight gain, and overall weight gain. Raise your hands if you can identify with these problems!

A detailed body fat analysis and a series of customized slimming techniques at London Weight Management to help you achieve that trim and womanly figure you desire. 

London Weight Management New PowerSlim Treatment

Safe, effective, and non-surgical, London Weight Management New POWERSLIM™  Treatment is formulated with lavender and a special blend of botanical ingredients to eliminates stubborn fat cells on problem areas by increasing cm and kg loss successfully. It helps to break down our body fats in specific regions for a well-sculpted and more define figure you desire. Let London Weight Management review your weight condition today.

How POWERSLIM™ works?

Before POWERSLIM™ Treatment:

• Thickness of the fat layer varies greatly from one person to another.

• Analyse and customised a treatment, suitable for your needs.

POWERSLIM™ Treatment progress:

• Breaking down localised fat and cellulite on targeted body areas.

After POWERSLIM™ Treatment:

• Fat layer is significantly reduced.

• Cm/Kg loss and body contouring results*.

• Well-sculpted, more defined feminine figure.

GUARANTEED - Lose 8-22cm and up to 2kg in just 1 session*

*Refers to full-body weight loss. Individual results may vary.

Make an appointment with London Weight Management to get the body you covet.

Tel: 62221234
Website: www.londonweight.com.sg
Business Hours:
Monday to Saturday - 11am to 9pm
Sunday – 11am to 8pm
Public Holidays – 11am to 7pm

Outlets:
Yew Tee Point
Tampines One
NEX
Woodlands Civic Centre
Paya Lebar Square
Jubilee Square
Suntec City
Novena Square
Tiong Bahru Plaza
The Clementi Mall
Ngee Ann City Tower B

Using anti-aging skin care products is no doubt important, but I swear by facial massages and lymphatic drainage when it comes to talks of anti-aging. 

We are all familiar with the post-facial glow. The facial massage our therapist spent an hour on works wonders to lift and firm our skin, while at the same time, helped our skin absorb all the nutrients from the skin care products she applied on our face. Now, imagine the benefits your skin will reap if you DIY a facial massage for yourself daily. It's not that hard, really. All you have to do is to get yourself the right tools.

There are many massage tools in the market that can help us achieve maximum efficacy for our facial massages but my personal favourite has got to be ReFa CARAT. No longer a sweet young thing, I use my good old ReFa Carat nightly to keep my face firm and radiant and to combat any signs of sagging.

But guess what, ReFa just announced a great news for us vain pots when we attended their media preview -- They are launching the ReFa CARAT RAY, an upgraded version of the ReFa CARAT. Not just that, the ReFa Face-Up Cream is also launched to work hand-in-hand with ReFa CARAT RAY. Am I hearing screams of joy? Anti-aging FTW.

What's exciting about the new ReFa CARAT RAY?

The new ReFa CARAT RAY has everything its predecessor has but has definitely improved leaps and bounds to ensure maximum comfort and efficiency for our facial massages. It now sports a sleeker and more streamlined design, making it easier for us to hold. It also has a larger in-built solar panel as compared to ReFa CARAT, and is, therefore, able to generate more microcurrents than other ReFa products, giving us a radiant, youthful glow in a shorter period of time as well as a natural lifting effect. 

We tried the ReFa CARAT RAY and we love the kneading sensation on our skin. It kind of felt like how a masseur massages your tired muscles after a long and tiring day. I don’t see how I can say no to it when massaging myself helps me combat all the signs of ageing!

Why is the ReFa Face-Up Cream a must-have?

If you have ever looked into your skin care cabinet trying to pick a product to go together with your nightly facial massage, fret no more. Designed to be used in conjunction with the ReFa facial rollers, the ReFa Face-Up Cream comprises of a unique oil that spreads over the skin easily and protects it while ensuring smooth application of the rollers; a moisturising gel that contains over 80% of water-soluble agents that allows for conductivity of microcurrents to permeate the epidermis effectively; and lastly, three key nano beauty ingredients that gently penetrate deep into the dermis, providing it with tautness and suppleness. 

Well, if that is too much scientific jargon for you to digest, just keep in mind that ReFa Face-Up Cream is created to work together with ReFa facial rollers for the best results!

The ReFa CARAT RAY (priced at S$359) and ReFa Face-Up Cream (priced at S$72) are available at Takashimaya Department Store and MTG Singapore's E-boutique, www.mtg-sg.com, from 16^th November onwards.

Find ReFa online and on social media:
Website: www.mtg-sg.com/en/
E-Boutique: www.mtg-sg.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/RefaSingapore
Instagram: @refasingapore

With the K-wave taking the world by storm, many of us want to achieve that Korean look. However, invasive cosmetics surgery may be too extreme for most of us.

Our very own MyFatPocket blogger, Jacelyn, interviewed Dr. Terence Tan from Halley Medical Aesthetics to find out how we can achieve that coveted Korean look. Dr. Tan also shares with us on the facial features that make up a beautiful face and how aesthetic doctors can help us achieve facial features of our favourite K-Pop stars with no downtime treatments. Watch the video below to find out more.

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From BB creams to foundations and cushion makeup, there are so many to choose from that sometimes we start to wonder if more is better. From sheer to full coverage, matte to dewy finishes. Which one should we pick? Which one suits us better?

We choose different types of foundations depending on different preferences and the different makeup styles that we are going for. However, most of us have got that one go-to foundation that we use almost every day. 

We were interviewing the Korean ladies who were shopping at K-Beauty Expo and we asked them for their best buys. Many of them mentioned Make Me Lovely Cushion by COSRX that was featured on the Korean beauty show "Get It Beauty". We popped by the booth to take a better look at the product and boy, we were pleasantly surprised!

What's sets Make Me Lovely Cushion apart from the other cushions that we've used is its colour. Instead of the usual shade number 21, 22, and 23 that were seen commonly on Korean base makeups, Make Me Lovely Cushion has the shade number 21.5.

However, one shade doesn't fit all. This cushion has a great texture and it gives us a nice dewy finish which I really love. W are hoping that they can come up with more shades to fit our darker tropical climate skin tones!

For the fairer ones amongst us, you will be happy to know that Make Me Lovely Cushion has got a great coverage and is very long-lasting. Containing whitening, moisturizing, anti-wrinkle properties, and SPF 50++, it acts as a skin protection for us too. 

Watch the video below to find out more about the products.

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*Apologies for the bad audio due to technical fault*

COSRX is available at their online store and they will be launched in Watsons soon.

Less is best. That’s how multiple Grammy-award winner Alicia Keys feels; she no longer wears make-up. Not as a judge on the musical reality show “The Voice” nor at the Video Music Awards (VMAs) show.

“Not my face, not my mind, not my soul, not my thoughts, not my dreams, not my struggles, not my emotional growth. Nothing,” she wrote in a letter in May to explain the move. The singer-songwriter who used to hide her freckles with make-up has had it, and she doesn’t want to cover up any more.

Being comfortable in your skin and going without make-up is not a new phenomenon. The trend has, however, resurfaced recently in magazines and on Instagram. Just do a search with the hashtag “#nomakeup” and the 12 million related results will leave you amazed, if not inspired. Gwyneth Paltrow, Adele, Cindy Crawford, Lady Gaga, and Beyoncé are among the host of celebrities who are not afraid to tell the world, “I woke up like this.”

Sunblock

Being make-up free is liberating but that doesn’t mean you should step out of your house bare-faced. Never skip the sunblock. Our skin is sensitive and highly vulnerable to pigmentation, age spots, and melasma to name a few. The sun’s rays, specifically its ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) rays, can cause photoaging and other severe damage.

Skincare

Good skincare with the right ingredients can keep skin firm and give it a natural glow and . Some of the important ingredients in skincare products that you should take note of are:

• Retinoids like Differin because they increase skin renewal and repair sun damaged skin.

• Peptides, collagen, and vitamin C for firming and wrinkle care.

• Arbutin, vitamin C, licorice, co-enzyme Q10, and niacinamide for evening out skin tone and pigment care.

• Vitamins A, C, and E, centella asiatica, and ginseng extract for age defence and anti-photoaging.

• Hyaluronic acid, ceramide, squalane, and aloe vera for hydration and fullness.

All these ingredients and more can be found in Halley Medical Aesthetics’ Brilliance skincare products that are dedicated to facial firming.

Projected facial features

Using make-up to contour our appearances is, for most women, a daily practise. But did you know that medical aesthetic treatments can do a far more efficient job with longer-lasting results? 3D projection uses a combination of techniques involving aesthetic technology, threads, and fillers to enhance and sculpt the appearance. It’s effective for the nose, cheek, chin, and other parts of the face as well.

Taut Skin

A highly-efficient treatment that helps to restore youth and elasticity in skin is Ultherapy. It is the only non-surgical and non-invasive procedure approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (US FDA) to lift, tighten, and tone skin. It uses ultrasound technology and the body’s natural healing capabilities to achieve results. Collagen, as we know, is responsible for that youthful appearance and Ultherapy treatment stimulates the growth of this important protein to add elasticity back into skin.

Skin toning

Uneven skin tone is perhaps a common reason why many women cover up with concealers and foundation. But do you know that a fairer complexion can be achieved with laser and facial treatments, serums, and oral medications or supplements such as Crystal Tomato.

Congested Pores

Just like how traffic or plumbing congestion can cause frustration in our lives, it’s the same with skin congestion. Clogged pores are caused by a multitude of factors, making them difficult to avoid. They tend to appear on the nose, forehead, cheek, chin, and even on our back area. They can result in blemishes, white and blackheads, and most depressing of all – acne breakouts. Facials like Pore Cleansing Deep Extraction provide thorough cleansing needed to effectively address clogged pores issues. It also paves the way to better skin care habits and health. A truly healthy skin is free of congestion.

When you think about it, less is indeed better. Take the necessary precautions, seek appropriate help when it comes to your skin’s health, and you’ll be smiling everyday. After all, haven’t you heard that the most beautiful curve on a woman is her smile?

If you are still sticking to neutrals and browns, it is time to move on to shades of maple reds this Fall/Winter 2016. 3CE launched their Mood Recipe earlier this month with shades of maple browns and reds, featuring lipsticks, eyeshadows, nail polishes, and gel eyeliners.

Take a closer look at 3CE's models' makeup for the Mood Recipe collection and you can see that the tonal blending of eyeshadows over a bigger area on the eyelids, and full matte lips are on trend this season.

Here's what are in store for you from 3CE Mood Recipe:

Lips

With a total of 5 shades to choose from, there will definitely be one that suits you. The lipsticks have a creamy, matte texture and have promised to be long-lasting and non-drying.

Eyes

Triple Shadow

Our pick has got to be #Swoon, for that perfect maple red eyes.

Gel Crayon Eyeliner

Nails

All images credit: Stylenanda 

If you answered no to the above question, you are not alone. Many women find going out without any makeup a bigger cause for panic than public-speaking. 

Credit: Playbuzz

For many of us, we have grown up watching our mother and even an older sister or cousin prep themselves every morning before heading out. Makeup has become such an intrinsic part of our life that we won’t feel comfortable leaving the house with perhaps a little BB cream and blusher—just the bare necessities in order to feel presentable. Some ladies even go to the extreme, testing out and buying a smudge proof mascara that will allow them to look glamorous even when engaging in a water sport like surfing or wakeboarding.

Credit: Hush Dotti

Therefore, it didn't surprise us when we found out that 70% of our readers were uncomfortable being in public with no makeup at all. 

This is despite the #NoMakeup movement that has got celebrities sharing photos of their bare-faced look on Instagram, which are inspiring some to bare our face—blemishes and all—for the world to see. But not everyone is blessed with a flawless complexion. What’s more, do we really dare to go out without concealing the dark eye circles which are the result of our busy lifestyle and aging? The last thing we want is to head out looking tired and aged.

K-pop idols with no makeup. /Credit: Kpop Music

Getting ready for a bare-faced look

Yet there are lots of pluses for getting on board the bare-faced look. It is healthier for the skin in the long run and you can channel the money usually spent on makeup on other things. It also means you can get more beauty sleep as you don’t have to wake up earlier to prep your face. So if the bare-faced look is what you desire, it is time to start taking care of your skin to let your natural beauty shine through. It is all about getting your foundation right.

Skincare and facials

Credit: Endless Beauty

Besides having a good skincare regime for daily maintenance, invest in monthly facials to clear up congestion and treat acne prone skin. It is always better to prevent aging as early as possible since prevention is better than trying to reverse the effects of aging. Other than avoiding the damaging effects of the sun as much as possible and wearing sunblock all the time, try Halley Medical Aesthetics Signature Firm It Up Facial to firm and tighten skin, or their Signature Rejuvenation Facial to treat sun-damaged skin and smoothen wrinkles.

Laser treatments

Credit: Mint Med Aesthetics

Going a little deeper than facials are laser treatments. Lasers are popular amongst the celebrities as they are very targeted and are designed to address specific issues. Different types of lasers are used to target different skin problems like aging, skin pigmentation, acne scars, enlarged pores by tightening the skin, evening out the skin tone, smoothening fine lines, and rejuvenating the skin. Always consult a medical expert to check your suitability.

Fillers and Botox

Credit: Digital Flipbook

As we age, we tend to look more sunken and gaunt. This is due to bone resorption and the lost of volume on our face. Dermal fillers can help to plump up our facial volume and give us a more refreshed look. On the other hand, if facial lines are affecting your looks, making you look worried and older than you really are, look to Botox to treat frown lines, forehead lines, or crow's feet. It is also effective in reducing our jaw muscles to achieve a slimming effecting of our face, creating the desired v-shaped face.

Ultherapy

Credit: Kamala

A treatment that is non-invasive and has no downtime, Ultherapy is effective in skin tightening to lift droopy eyelids, fill in wrinkles, reduce the appearance of eye bags, and tighten sagging skin on the cheeks and neck area. It triggers the body's regenerative response to produce collagen for firmer skin and a more radiant appearance.

Credit: Youtube KOCFtv

Now that you know it is possible to achieve that celebrity-worthy bare-faced look with medical treatments that can give you an au-natural lift as well as glowing, youthful skin without relying on heavy foundation or BB cream, It is perhaps time to junk those foundations, BB creams, contouring make-up, and step out with full confidence.

Halley Medical Aesthetics
277 Orchard Road #03-15 
Orchard Gateway 
Singapore 238858

Opening Hours 
10:00 am - 9:00 pm Daily

Contact 
Tel: +65 6737 8233

For more information, please go to: 
www.facebook.com/halleymedicalaesthetics
www.halley.com.sg
www.instagram.com/halleymedicalaesthetics
blog.halleymedicalaesthetics.com

As much as we love our little red dot, one of the biggest complaints we have is the hot and humid weather. Besides being sticky and sweaty most of the time, being near the equator also means having a higher percentage of UV rays shining down on us and that is definitely bad news for our skin. 

Credit: Love Sun Beauty

Too much sun exposure causes pigmentation and aging, and melasma is one of the common skin problems that many Singaporean women face. For the uninitiated, melasma is a tan or dark skin discolouration that is usually found at the upper cheek area. Sun exposure is the primary cause of melasma, but hormonal changes during pregnancy and genetics can play a part too. All these factors may cause our melanocytes, which are the colour-making cells in our skin, to become overactive causing discolouration on our skin.

Credit: MTS Derma Rollers

Although there is technically no cure for melasma, there are treatments available to helps us minimise it. What are some of the dos and don'ts to prevent or the minimise melasma?

1. DO NOT skip sunscreen

 Credit: Expert Beacon

Whether you are trying to prevent pigmentation, or are already plagued by it, it is recommended that you wear sunscreen everyday, even when you are indoors. Make sure that the sunscreen you are using is a broad-spectrum sunscreen that can protect you against both UVA and UVB rays. Remember to reapply sunscreen after every 3 to 4 hours, especially if you are outdoors.

2. DO put on a hat

Credit: HD Wall Source 

If you know that you will be under direct sunlight for the day, it is advisable to put on a sun hat for that extra protection.

3. DO buy an umbrella that comes with UV protection

Credit: Ali Express

That short walk out from the office to the coffee shop for lunch don't matter? Yes, it does! The sun at 12pm is the strongest so always remember to protect yourself from the merciless sun rays. Most office ladies use umbrellas to hide from the sun but do you know that the type of umbrella matters too? To be well-protected from the UV rays, get an umbrella that has got UV protection. Look out for the labels on the umbrella before you make your next purchase.

4. DO get topical creams from your doctor

Credit: Ali Express 

See your doctor to get a prescription for topical creams that help diminish  skin discolouration. Creams containing hydroxy quinone, tretinoin, topical steroids, alpha hydroxy acid creams, azelic acid or kojic acid are effective in fighting against melasma but do note that you should only use them at night. 

5. DO NOT continue with the pill

Credit: Make Your Life Healthier

Continuing with your birth control pill will undo any effects of melasma treatments that you are undergoing as the rise in female hormones is one of the causes of melasma.

6. DO check out chemical peels

 Credit: Belvoir Aesthetics

A light chemical peel can help to alleviate the condition of your melasma. Try Astique Clinic's chemical peel which helps to inhibit tyrosinase, a critical enzyme in the melanin (pigment) production process. The peel is designed to lighten blemishes and resistant pigmentation, and brighten our complexion quickly and effectively. However, it is recommended that you see the doctor first to find out whether it is suitable for you.

7. DO try a Dual Yellow Laser

Credit: Amarin Baby and Kids

Dual Yellow laser is effective for treating and clearing melasma and it does so by reducing the production of melanoncytes that causes discolouration in the skin. The treatment is fast and targeted, and most importantly, it has got no downtime. Another perk of Dual Yellow Laser is that while it treats our melasma, it also stimulates the production of collagen in our skin to keep our skin supple and radiant.

Book an appointment with Astique Clinic and check your suitability for the treatments with the medical experts to get the best results.

Astique. The Aesthetic Clinic
350 Orchard Road
#08-00 Shaw House
Singapore 238868

Opening Hours
Mon to Fri: 11 am to 8 pm
Sat: 11 am to 4 pm
Sun and PH: Closed

Tel: 6732 3801 Hp: 9857 7892 Fax: 6235 0966

For bookings & general enquiries: enquiry at astiqueclinic.com.sg

Website: Astique Clinic

Weight loss should be about making small, effective changes that are perpetuated over a longer period of time, and still have fun along the way. So here are five life hacks that could help you in the battle against the bulge.

Weight loss is often associated by many people with pain and suffering. But it should not be the case nor does it have to be the case. If losing weight is making you unhappy because you are eating food you don’t enjoy or you are hungry all the time, then perhaps it is time to consult experts who can make your weight loss journey feel less like a chore. Here are five life hacks that could help you win the battle against the bulge.

Life hack #1: Stepping up to the plate

When you stand next to someone who’s bigger than you, you look smaller. The same theory applies to your dinnerware. Using smaller plates give the impression that you’re having a big serving and this will encourage you to have smaller portions. It’s called the Delboeuf Illusion. The colour of your plates matter too, according to researchers from Georgia Tech and Cornell University. Having a colour contrast between your plate and food can help you eat less. Give it a try with your next meal.

Life hack #2: Say no to binge eating

Credit: Effectividad

A grave mistake that anyone can make is to starve yourself only to binge during that one meal. It’s not healthy and it can be detrimental to your health as well. Instead, eat when you’re hungry. You need energy throughout the day and the different meal times are meant for consumption of the much-needed energy boost – food. Take smaller bites and chew properly and slowly as this can lead to improved satiety, meaning it will make you feel fuller.

Life hack #3: Put that dressing aside

Salads are healthy but you can make your serving of greens even healthier by keeping the dressing and other sauces on the side. This allows you to control the amount you consume which not only helps to cut down calorie, it will also help in your effort to lose the extra kilos too.

Life hack #4: Repel the snack attack

Why do we snack? Well at times, they act as fillers in-between meals and sometimes, admittedly, it’s because we are bored. Although there are healthy snack options you can opt for, it’s still best if you can totally avoid them. If you’re having the munchies and you succumb to it, you’re actually programming your body to a habit. Most of the things that cause us harm are the result of habits anyway. So if you find yourself besieged by the urge to snack, take slow deep breaths or down a glass of water instead.

Life hack #5: Calorie counting

Credit: Skinny Fitalicious

The basic idea of calorie counting is to consume what you need based on your daily activities but it can get confusing and challenging. There are, however, available fitness and health apps that can do the job for you. Still, it’s good to have some basic knowledge of the numbers involved. According to Dr. Terence Tan of Halley Medical Aesthetic (Halley), “It is hard to know exactly the calories  you are eating. To calculate your meals based on calories each time can be stressful. So a simple and easy-to-remember guideline would be to allocate 150 kcal for snacks, 300 kcal for a small meal, 600 kcal for a medium-sized one, and 900 kcal for a big one.”

Halley’s latest Total Slim Programme is a slimming and weight management programme that is monitored and managed by both a nutritionist and doctor. It comprises consultations with a nutritionist who will work with the patient to come up with a tailored nutrition and diet plan as well as consultations with the doctor who will oversee your weight loss journey.

Achieving a healthy and functional body should always be your primary goal when it comes to weight loss. At the end of the day, looking and feeling good can motivate you to achieve other life goals. Just remember to go about it the safe way and always be good to your body.

Halley Medical Aesthetics
277 Orchard Road #03-15 
Orchard Gateway 
Singapore 238858

Opening Hours 
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Contact 
Tel: +65 6737 8233

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Imagine this: You are putting on your cute little dress, applying your sexiness red lipstick and getting ready for your next party. However, you just looked like you worked a 15-hour shift with dehydrated skin and fine lines on your face. You aren’t exactly keen to hear all your friends asking you why you are looking so haggard tired. What should you do? Has age really caught up, and have you lost all that precious collagen that makes you looked youthful and radiant?

Credit: Simple Most

We definitely believe that age is just a number when you see celebrities like Cindy Crawford, Halle Berry, and Gong Li, who turned 50 this year, looking like they never aged since their 30s. How can we achieve that too?

Credit: Sizling People/Lainey Gossip/ Hawt Celebs

It is recommended that we start our anti-aging skincare as early as when we are in our twenties because maintenance is definitely easier than reversal. However, if you are already seeing dull skin with fine lines forming, fret not. There are many ways to bring back your youthful and luminous skin. In this age of technology and advances in non-invasive aesthetic treatments, there are many alternative methods to restore your youthful and luminous skin, other than going under the knife to bring back your youth.

1. Restylane Skinboosters

Credit: Marie Claire

Restylane skinboosters involves using a micro-injection machine to inject hyaluronic acid under the surface of the skin to improve our skin quality. A relatively new but highly popular treatment, restylane skinboosters helps to restore hydration, refine our uneven skin tone and improve fine lines, giving us an overall youthful and radiant appearance.

Expect to see dewy and plumped-up skin that can last from months. You will be glad to know that discomfort is minimal with numbing cream applied prior to the treatment.

2. Sculptra

Credit: Daniel Volpato

Sculptra increases facial volume that was lost due to aging, and yet unlike your usual dermal fillers, it helps to stimulate your own collagen production in your skin. In case you think that Sculptra is only suitable for deep wrinkles and folds, it is also suitable for fine lines treatment. Results are not immediate, though. It takes a few sessions to see visible results that last for up to two years. 

3. Thread-lifting

Credit: Docteur Vasse

Not exactly new in the market, thread-lifting is gaining popularity, and even celebrities by Meg Matthews loved it. 

Threads are inserted into the skin and pulled tight to lift underlying muscles and hence, tightening and reducing the appearance of sagging skin. The threads in your skin will dissolve natural over time and stimulate collagen production under your skin

However, before rushing into doing any form of treatments, it is best to consult a doctor to check your suitability. Charismata Aesthetics team of aesthetic consultants and therapists specializes in non-surgical aesthetic treatment for intense skin rejuvenation, anti-aging, face lifting and facial contouring with minimum side effect and downtime. Do call and book an appointment with the doctor to check on your suitability for the above treatments.

Email:
info@charismata-aesthetics.com

Website:
www.charismata-aesthetics.com

Facebook : Charismata Aesthetics

Address:
10 Anson Road, #02-89
International Plaza
Singapore 079903
Phone: +(65) 6225 5580

Business Hours:
Mon-Fri: 10am to 7pm
Sat      : 10am to 2pm
Sun/PH: Closed

I have never understood the REAL problem of being over weight in Singapore until recently. Is there a big problem in Singapore? Surely we have fewer obese individuals in Singapore as compared to the west. Yet in spite of that, weight is an ever-growing concern here. Why is that so?

This is what I think. In almost every facet of our lives, things have improved over the years. No just improved, but in the case of Singapore, leapt forward at an incredible pace. From effectively a monolingual, basic needs society one generation ago, we now have a first world society. Having met our basic needs, society is hungry for more in life.

Weight management, however, is something that has not improved in tandem with Singapore’s rapid advancements. Most of us are heavier than our parents and I am not referring to just being taller. I am quite sure I do not need to pull up fancy statistics to substantiate that or to convince most people that this is so.

I remember when I was in school. It was always much harder to do well in local exams than foreign ones. Whether it was for GCE ‘O’ levels or my exams for Membership into the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, scoring well has always been easier overseas. We Singaporeans have always been more demanding of ourselves than others demand of us or more demanding of ourselves than we need to be.

So after this long dissertation, I have come to the point that I am trying to make. The body weight that society considers to be acceptable in Singapore has become more stringent with time while most people have gone the other way by becoming heavier. Singapore’s society as a whole has gone beyond needing to be slimmer to decrease the risk of disease or because some important doctor or researcher says we need to. It needs to go lower because society demands of it. How have we done so far? Not very well, I am afraid.

So we have not been very good at maintaining our weight. So, where can we go for help and how effective are these sources of assistance?

Firstly, there are beauty salons specialised to provide a range of services from wraps to machine treatments, herbs, meal replacements, and counseling. Then there are clinics, which prescribe medications that curb appetite or block fat. Then there are aesthetic and plastic surgery clinics, which do invasive or non-invasive fat reduction treatments.

What are my thoughts on the current weight management services? I think that there are many good clinics and salons, which do a great job at what they do. However, not many offer comprehensive services to address all aspects of slimming. Frankly, slimming is difficult and we need to attack it in more ways than one.

Let me illustrate. When I talk to patients, there are a couple of concerns that I hear all the time. Firstly, most patients want it fast, then they want it easy and they want it to be safe. Those who want it fast would go to beauty salons. Those who want it safe would go to GP clinics for medications and those who want it easy would go to aesthetic doctors or plastic surgeons. What about those who want all three? There are not many places that they can go.

This is my approach to weight management and its pretty different from what other people think. So if you think otherwise, I fully understand.

Firstly, go big and fast or go home. We are all emotional beings. Motivation is very important. We need to see rapid weight loss to motivate us to continue to go harder at it. Therefore, I feel short-term medications are important. Singapore guidelines state that it is better to give medications to people whose BMI are above 30. What are these guidelines based on? Disease risk as studied in big medical trials. How about societal concerns? Nobody measures that stuff.

Secondly, treatments need to be scientific and safe. Even with well studied, FDA-approved medications, side effects can and infrequently do occur. Every now and then, we hear of complications resulting in people consuming off-the-counter slimming medications landing up in hospital. Treatments need to be supervised by trained personnel. Period.

Thirdly, treatments need to be sustainable… but most people are scared to commit to hard work when advised to do so. Buy-in to a healthy lifestyle must come slowly. After seeing great initial results, people get hungry for more and that is when people commit to work hard. Commitment to change and results must go hand in hand. Once commitment to change is there, the doctor’s help is rarely needed.

Lastly, do not forget about body contouring. I see many people fanatical about slimming but forget entirely about looking good. You can be skinny and have bad body shape or be slim with great body shape. Which would you choose? Technology has advanced to a point where there are great machines and methods to non-invasively reduce fat over troublesome places. Looking good is not just about being skinny.

So that is my approach to slimming. Would it not be great if services provided by the beauty salon can be backed up by safe and effective slimming provided by GP clinics, complemented by body contouring at aesthetic clinics, all rolled into one place?

Cheers!
Dr Terence Tan

Do visit Dr. Terence Tan's blog to find out more about his entire weight loss journey and pick up some weight loss tips! 

Hello 2017! It's time to take a look at what's hot and what's not in the beauty world for S/S 2017. 

Credit: Harper's Bazaar

Expect brights and bold for the Spring/Summer looks, and start getting ready to refresh your beauty routines for the brand new year. Here's what we picked up from the runways and we are guessing that these will be the looks those It girls are wearing for the next few months.

1. 2 Tone Lips

From ombre effects to add on glitters on the lips, lips in 2017 are all about dimensions. We are expecting the orange-red ombre to be huge everywhere, and in fact, especially so in Asia with the popularity of Korean beauty, since coral and red lips have been dominating K-Beauty looks for quite a while anyway.

Credit: Glamour

Credit: Shilpa Ahuja

2. Glossy eyes

If there's a key word to remember for beauty looks in 2017, it is going to be "glossy". Bid farewells to the mattes of 2016, not just on the lips, but also on our eyes. Get ready for all the effortless chic glossy eyes that makeup artist sent the models down the S/S 2017 runways with.

Credit: Let Her Glow

3. Pastel eyes

Seems like pastel shades always rule the Spring runways. Update 2017's pastels with a touch of frost or glitter, or even the above-mentioned gloss, to draw the line between the old and the new. 

Credit: Fashioniser 

Credit: Fashion Network

4. Pink all over

One of the easiest and prettiest shades to work if you are conservative with colours. Try draping as a new way to contour with your blush.

Credit: Dior

Credit: Pop Sugar

Credit: Pop Sugar

5. Deep side part

One way to update your new look without much fuss is to change your hair parting. And if you are doing that, opt for a deep side part for 2017, and wear them with straight hair or waves. 

Credit: Fashioniser

Credit: VICTOR VIRGILE/GAMMA-RAPHO/GETTY IMAGES

6. Bangs

Blunt, shaggy, full, wispy, side-swept, and almost any other variations you can think of. If you prefer to have some bangs to cover your forehead, beauty police say go ahead for this 2017. 

Credit: Pretty Hairstyles

Credit: Fashionisers

7. Sleek Straight Hair

After having voluminous waves on the runways for the past seasons, it seems only natural that the sleek and straight is taking over this year. Wear yours clean and flat-ironed, and wet looks are welcomed too. Tip: Want to look like a supermodel instantly? Pull back your sleek and straight hair into a high ponytail and put on a pair of shades. Trust me.

Credit: Bella Hadid Instagram

Ariana Grande /Credit: Celebuzz

8. Bold graphic nails

Mix black with bold primary colours and brights for a stark contrast to stand out in the crowd this year, and keep all designs graphical.

Credit: Refinery29

Credit: Pinterest 

From clown contouring to baking to strobing and nontouring, every now and then, there seems to be some new trend for us to contour our face with. It's no surprise that a new technique has been picking up momentum since last year and that is none other than the new contouring trick, draping.

Credit: Instagram marcbeauty

Credit: Beauty in Boring

Draping, in short, means contouring with your blushers. It is, in fact, nothing new and your mums or grannies may be familiar with that. The grandmaster of contouring, Way Bandy, a makeup artist who was active in the '60s and '70s working with the likes of Cher and Farrah Fawcett, favoured this technique a lot. Draping contours and sculpt your face with the radiance of a blush rather than using the dark contouring products, resulting in a fresher and more radiant look. 

 

Dance-floor flush, fool-proof blush. Recreate the Lifting Glow look by makeup artist #RobinBlack of @beautyisboring_ using #AirBlush Soft Glow Duo in Lines & Last Night. This simple draping technique achieves a youthful glow and contour with blush. #MarcJacobsBeauty

A video posted by Marc Jacobs Beauty (@marcbeauty) on Oct 10, 2016 at 8:54am PDT

Still not too sure how to do it after all these talk? There's no better way to learn it than to watch a demonstration. Here's Tina Yong showing us the very simple technique of draping, and let us know if you are going to let draping take over your usual contouring this 2017 in the comments below!

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Always hearing about SkinBoosters and 水光针 but not too sure what they are? 

Blogger Maybeline interviews Dr Celine Leong from Astique Clinic to find out what exactly DermaShine Skin Booster is and how it can help to solve our skin woes. Watch the video below to find out more about SkinBoosters and its benefits.

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From romantic to modern to sensual, Make Up Store launches 3 collections for Spring 2017 and you can be sure that the colours and pigments are definitely going to blow us away. Makeup artist Ellinore Johansson flew in from Sweden to do a makeup demonstration and of course, we had to grab the opportunity to find out from her what the latest makeup trends are.

Makeup artist Ellinore Johansson (left) with her model during the makeup demonstration.

1. Hi Ellinore, what are some of the must-know makeup trends for Spring/Summer 2017? 

Natural glowy skin is one of the biggest makeup trends for 2017 and you can be sure to see a lot of that. Forget those perfect Instagram brows that you have been seeing in 2016, and make sure that your eyebrows are also kept natural this year. If you have bushy brows, all you have to do is to brush them over with some brow fix. However, with our complexions and eyebrows natural, be sure to add colour to your lips. You are going to see bolder lip colours on the runways with more orange and reds for Spring/Summer, and we are predicting that we will be seeing more purples and blood red during the Fall/Winter runway shows.

Make Up Store Spring 2017 - Pearl

2. Are there any makeup styles that you think we should ditch this year?

We really need to ditch those overly-lined lips where the lip liners go onto the outer corners of our lips. Next, we should also say goodbye to excessive highlighter! We can always mix some highlighter with our foundation to achieve a healthy glow, and there is no need to apply too much highlighter till you see that distinct line on your cheekbones. 

3. Any makeup advice for Singapore girls?

I guess Singapore girls can really explore a little more and be more adventurous with colours. You need more makeup! Even when I'm training the local makeup artists here, I realized that the looks they created are more on the natural side too. The new Steamy collection from the Make Up Store Spring/Summer collection will be perfect for a start for Singapore girls to get creative.

4. If you can only pick 3 makeup items to bring along in your makeup pouch, what will they be?

They would be, number one, Make Up Store Foundation Sculpt Excellence, because it is long lasting and versatile. You can sheer it down, and if you need more coverage, you can also build it up. Next, I'll also need my Make Up Store Premium Tri Brow, because my eyebrows are really sparse and I need to fill them in. Lastly, I'll need my volume mascara to open up my eyes. These three will be sufficient for me to feel pretty and confident!

5. Can you share some of your favourite makeup products with us?

I love mixing highlighters with my foundation to achieve a radiant glow and my favourite highlighter is Make Up Store Gleam Dream in Rose. I also love lipsticks and my favourite shade is Make Up Store Burgundy. I have to mention Make Up Store Premium Tri Brow again too because that is another one of my must-haves!

Make Up Store Spring collections to help you achieve the makeup looks for 2017

Pearl

Pearl collection is going to bring out all the romance in the city. A stunning collection in a unique packaging and the colour palette is carefully chosen to enhance, instead of to transform. A great choice for the those who prefer a more natural and romantic look, and its perfect even for the bride-to-be.

Exposed

Exposed is for the modern woman who is daring, yet embraces simplicity. Use minimal base products and let your natural glow shine through, and enhance your radiance with an ounce of High Tech Lighter over cheekbones and eyelids. Mocha Sorbet and Smog eyeshadow add depth and precision, and the nude lip shade will complete the entire look that shouts modernity.

Steamy

A sensual collection inspired by the '90s hot summer nights, Steamy is a colourful collection presented in a unique metallic green packaging with an eye-catching combination of bright and pastel colours. For the adventurous lady, try covering your eyelids with the mint green shade and use the turquoise shade on the crease. Create dimension with the highly pigmented bronzing powder, Amazone, and finish off with the berry lip colour, Pink Bliss Eden. 

K-drama Goblin ended with a bang over the weekend. We are going to miss all the bromance moments between the goblin and the grim reaper, and of course, the sweet romance between the two cute couples.

Credit: Soda 

While we ogle and the handsome men and all their impressive outfits in every episode, our dear goblin's bride isn't forgotten. Kim Go Eun isn't the typical Korean hot babe but that's exactly what puts her in the spotlight. Her clean and natural image catapulted her into one of the most sought-after K-drama actress she is today. That said, don't we love Kim Go Eun's natural makeup in the drama? 

Credit: Vogue

Today, we are going to give you the exact shade of the lip colour that she wore in the drama. You would have seen her using it in episode 12 of the drama.

Lancome L'absolu Rouge #264

Credit: Vogue

Now get your wallets ready already, and pray hard that you can still get your hands on one, although this colour isn't available in Singapore when we last checked. Anyway, we heard that it was sold out in Korea and Taiwan!

Remember the people who came up with the bracelet nails last year? Unistella nail salon sets the nail trend again this year with their latest innovation, wire nails.

Credit: Unistella

 

A photo posted by 유니스텔라 네일_박은경 (@nail_unistella) on Jan 20, 2017 at 10:00am PST

Founder of Unistella, Park Eun Kyung, impressed us once again with her wire nail art masterpiece. Tiny pieces of wire are sculpted into the desired designs and placed on the nails. If you prefer it, you can also choose minimalist designs with the wires placed as the nail outline, or just on the edges or your cuticles. Our favourite? The Picasso-inspired human faces!

 

A photo posted by 유니스텔라 네일_박은경 (@nail_unistella) on Jan 11, 2017 at 10:06am PST

According to Marie Claire, Park Eun Kyung said that her designs were inspired by neon signs.  "When you make neon signs, you have to bend the wires to make certain lettering," she mentioned. "It's one long wire that's bent to create and connect the letters. I thought this was really cool and since nails are an accessory, I wanted it to be used for expression. Like rings."

 

A photo posted by 유니스텔라 네일_박은경 (@nail_unistella) on Jan 24, 2017 at 5:46pm PST

If you are looking to have this nail art done, make sure that your nail artists are mindful of the sharp ends of the wire and sculpt them into a smooth finish. As much as we want to have beautiful nails, it is important not to let the sharp wires get caught in your clothes or injure you.

 

A photo posted by 유니스텔라 네일_박은경 (@nail_unistella) on Jan 7, 2017 at 4:29am PST

Laser treatments are gaining popularity in recent years, promising great results in skin rejuvenation and pigmentation removal.

However, with so many myths flying around on the net, many of us do have pressing questions regarding laser treatments. Are laser treatments suitable for sensitive skin? And will it thin our skin in the long-term? Blogger Jacelyn took our queries up to Dr Terence Tan from Halley Medical Aesthetics, and Dr Tan clarifies six most commonly asked questions about laser treatments in this episode of "A Walk With Halley".

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