'Get The Skinny' on Skin

HOW can I 'get the skinny' on true skin shades? Do I fit into the tan, medium or olive skin group; or neither? I have been told from a very young age that 'I looked a little yellow' and can clearly recall this one funny (so I thought) statement from a med physician who suggested that I could be eating too much carrots or papaya!'. Seriously, I kid you not; it ain't a joke! Fact here - lycopenemia and carotenemia. So that sort of stuck with me (co-incidentally, I was quite a banana - yellow on the outside, white inside) until my teenage years when a 16 y/o male friend shot me a snide remark calling me a 'walking french fry' as I had deep tan skin (tans easily too on the count of 1, 2, 3!). And so, I became the walking yellow, tan french fry... Being the tough (kampung) cookie - or maybe kerepek ubi kayu would be more suited - that I was, the remarks didn't bother me as I stubbornly continued my playtime under the scorching hot sun. Tennis tryouts at 2PM, athletic track sports at 3PM, walking across the 3KM river bridge at 1.30PM to catch a missed bus and the affordable family vacays for six ie. berkelah di tepi pantai Morib! Mind you, sunscreen or sunblock was UNHEARD of (at least for me then), what more claims of holes in our Ozone layer and that we required SPF Protection against skin cancer. It didn't end there as I ran my first (and last!) half marathon - sans sunscreen - at age 18 y/o with no experience nor preparation whatsoever, so it was not surprising that I was one of the last few to hit the finish in the baking heat! I went up the shade scale though qualifying as a salted caramel brownie!

Fast forward to current times, no one would expect my 360 deg roundabout turn of obsessiveness with skincare now as I wasn't one to fuss with matters like freckles, acne, under eye circles and never worn so much as a lip balm to work even in my 20s! I have been tipping the vanity scale over the years thanks to the countless Youtubers' show of (supposed) mastery in make-up and camouflaging techniques that I've begun to notice flaws that I never even knew existed. Sigh... social media influence spares no one; the seed of doubt has been planted and I was my own worst critic. Getting dolled up was beginning to be a chore; it is no longer fun to do. Instead, I am faced with dismay and frustration each time a puzzled, aggravated expression in the mirror stares back at me - for the 100th time - in deep scrutiny for 'defect's along with my unresolved mystery surrounding 'warm, cool or neutral' undertones! It has been one super confusing journey and daunting experience, that I finally conclude my case to be INSOLUBLE. In fact, I have given up on earlier aims of achieving the purr-fectly structured, delicately traced, supple, toned and impeccable complexion like that of our Korean or Japanese sisters. My take is, regardless of the categories medium, tan, olive or kuning langsat, I am celup brown from heritage, period. Forget about being labelled 'Cool, Warm or Neutral' as some days I look bright and sunny in Yellow, while other days I look fabulously fine in black as opposed to what the experts say. So what do I do without turning to the extremities of expensive products, treatments and procedures that include synthetic enhancements and cosmetic surgery? I refocused instead on just looking 'pleasant to MY eyes'; not necessarily PERFECT :-)

After exploring the works of numerous fashion, skincare and beauty Gurus plus infinite attempts, not just at perfecting skills or techniques but more importantly grasping the science (of why, how) and art (sense, sight) of using colours, shades and tones, I finally figured out my own game-plan (for now)!

1. TREAT (example, Vitamin C serums, Ceramide based serums or creams)

2. MOISTURISE (hyaluronic acid helps with skin hydration)

3. PROTECT ! (APPLY SUNBLOCK; EVEN INFANTS. Minimum SPF 30++++)

4. CAMOUFLAGE (using a peachy / orangey colour corrector for dark undereye area if any and other visible darker 'spots' like pigmentation. Even peach based lipstick can be used as a corrector. BUT leave those cute freckles alone! It's youthful!)

5. CONCEAL (dab on concealer creams lightly with finger tip 'pads' )

6. SET & SMILE (light dab of fine translucent (nude) powder; THEN SMILE TO CHECK FOR SPINACH BITS IN TEETH)

7. FRAME! Never forget EYEBROWS

Just to name a few of my fav GURUs:

Lisa Eldridge

Wayne Goss

Chriselle Lim

Michelle Phan

Sobong Official

NOTE : ITEMS / BRANDS CURRENTLY TESTED:

Peripera Ink Corrector in Dark Thief

Bourjouis healthy mix concealer #52

Shiseido Sunblock Stick wetforce spf 50

Supergoop everyday sunblock body & face

Kate eyebrow pencil & powder (FLAT lead)

#skindoctors #beetox #supermoist #eyetuck