
Your skin could do with a little clean-up too
Do you know that the skin is the largest organ of our body and has millions of pores and follicles on it? Now, imagine each follicle to be a straw and each pore to be an opening where this straw is inserted. It is through these openings that sebum (oil) from the glands underneath your skin comes to the surface of our skin.

Many reasons contribute to the clogging of pores: excessive sebum production, buildup of dead skin cells, hormones, excessive sweating, environmental pollution, genetics, poor hygiene, allergic reactions and improper cleansing. Basically, when all the gooey gunk is left untreated and trapped in these ‘straws’, your pores become clogged.

Keeping your pores clear is a prerequisite to healthy, glowing skin. When your pores are clogged, your skin is unable to breathe or absorb the required amount of moisture and nutrients to keep it healthy. By the way, clogged pores usually lead to acne and result in acne scars; so it is crucial that you keep your pores free from congestion.

Here are 5 tips to clean and healthy pores:
1) Practise good hygiene
Clean your phones/tablets/computer keyboards as often as you possibly can. Refrain from touching your face all the time. Do wash your make-up bag, brushes and applicators often. Also, change your pillowcases at least twice a week.

2) Proper cleansing
Cleansing your face is one of the most important steps in a daily skincare routine as it removes impurities from your skin. Make sure to use a gentle face wash, that is most importantly, suitable for your skin type. Excessive washing can irritate your skin so cleanse your skin no more than twice a day, once in the morning and once at night to remove bacteria and dirt build-up.

Use a gentle cleanser such as ést.lab’s ActivCalm Gentle Cleansing Hydrating Mousse, which is a dense water-to-foam cleanser with a soap-free formulation that gently removes impurities from your skin, without stripping the skin of moisture.

3) Make sure you get adequate hydration
Moisturisers are very important in your skincare regimen. Do you know that when your skin is too dry, it will overcompensate for the loss of moisture by producing more oil, thereby clogging your pores? Optimal hydration is the key to achieving a blemish-free appearance. Besides replenishing your skin with water throughout the day, a good moisturiser is essential to prevent the external environment from robbing your skin of moisture.

Try èst.lab’s newly reformulated ActivCalm Anti-Stress Hydra Cream, which is now enhanced with anti-pollution benefit, to provide double the defence against fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and heavy metals, which can cause skin irritation, dryness and dullness. The soothing powers of this lightweight moisturiser is now amplified with its quick desensitising action that is able to reduce skin redness and discomfort in just 7 days. Coupled with its strong antioxidant effect to limit oxidative stress and prevent premature skin ageing, this moisturiser deeply hydrates, strengthens skin barrier and repairs hyper-sensitive, fragile skin effectively.

4) Maintaining a well-rounded diet
Besides having sufficient sleep, it is essential to have a varied and balanced diet. To avoid acne, cut back on saturated and hydrogenated fats in margarine and processed foods. Also cut down on junk food as well as foods with high sugar content, such as cakes and biscuits. Eat more raw vegetables, whole grains, fresh fruits and fish. Try to include selenium-rich foods, such as Brazil nuts, cashew nuts, fresh tuna, sunflower seeds, walnuts and wholemeal bread.

5) “Spring-clean” your skin
While regular cleansing and exfoliation will help to eliminate excess sebum on the top layer of your skin, this will only clean your skin superficially and not remove all of the debris that has built up over time, resulting in clogged pores. Instead, you need a good facial treatment that can penetrate deep down into these ‘straws’ and prevent the build-up of oil and dead skin cells before they degenerate into blocked pores. As Chinese New Year draws near, it’s time for some facial ‘spring-cleaning’! Oooh Yeah!

Estetica’s Signature Customised Facial is a premium bespoke experience based on an advanced AI SkinTech Analysis that determines your skin’s current condition including sebum/moisture levels, amount of pigmentation, degree of skin elasticity and skin sensitivity. Our experienced therapists will be able to customise the facial down to the minute details for your unique skin type, and you can also opt for an detoxifying pore extraction to be done.

For first time customers to Estetica, you are entitled to enjoy this skin-pampering treatment at a special trial rate of $68, down from the usual price of $200. Reach out to us via our social media channels, or call your preferred outlet to secure a slot soon before we get fully booked prior to the CNY festivities! We hope to see you soon! ?
In good hands,
Estetica