As I mentioned previously, I have started incorporating the SK-II Stempower Essence and the SK-II Facial Treatment Essence into my skincare routine. I thought I'd share a little update, since it's been about 3 weeks since I started using this skincare (already?!).

So when I started, I already had minor breakouts, and very congested skin particularly on my forehead, cheeks and chin. Three weeks in, I have to say that I see:

 A boost in the radiance of my skin

My skin looks much healthier and seems to shine from within, even when I'm not using foundation. It feels more plump and I can see that the SK-II products have done some good, hydrating my skin a little bit more than my regular skincare products.

Fine lines are slightly less obvious

I don't expect miracles within 3 short weeks, so I wasn't expecting much here, but I can see that the fine lines around my nose have lessened in appearance. For just 3 weeks of use, that is quite impressive!

What I still hope to see (but haven't seen yet):

For my breakouts to go away

Bear in mind that I already had minor breakouts when I started, so I don't expect a crystal clear face! What I do hope will go away though, are the cystic pimples (these are deep under the skin pimples that take weeks to heal, and mostly come to the surface in large pus-filled bumps) that came with the use of this product.

A plus side that I must mention is that with the use of these products, my cystic pimples never 'come to head', which means that I never had to deal with messy pus-filled pimples. The cystic pimples that have healed seemed to just dry up and disappear. Yay!

The lessened appearance of fine lines under my eyes

I haven't seen an improvement here yet, but as I mentioned - I have high hopes!

Track my updates on the SK-II skincare on my Dayre blog: www.dayre.me/emilyquak. I will be updating it over the course of this week, when I find some time to take the (absolutely free, thankfully) SK-II Magic Ring test at an SK-II counter, so that the beauty consultant may help me understand my skin a little bit better.

I am excited to have you all follow my progress! x

In the meantime, here is the SK-II Facebook page and website for more information on their products.

There is only one way of avoiding the morning after - don't have the big night. But for those of us who can't help ourselves, or indulge in the occasional big night, here are a few important skincare basics, for both the big night and the morning after.

Always, ALWAYS remove your makeup

I know the last thing you want to do when you're stumbling home at 4AM is to hover above a sink and fuss over your face and teeth, but trust me, it will be worth it in the morning. Makeup left on overnight can clog up the skin and interrupt the skin's renewal, so it is absolutely essential to remove every little bit of makeup before you go to bed. 

Some brands have made it exceedingly simple and quick to remove your makeup, so you can do what you really want to do - just collapse onto your bed and close out the rest of the world!

Bioderma Créaline H20 (pink cap) and Sébium H20 (green cap)

These cleansers are an absolute godsend - they cleanse thoroughly and effectively, and yet, are gentle on the skin. What's better - you don't need to rinse them off with water! Just pour the product onto a cotton pad, and wipe it off. Pat dry, and you are done! Remember that the Sébium H20 is not meant to be used on the eyes, but it does a fabulous job and ridding the skin of grease and regulating the sebum production.

For more information, read my review on the Créaline H20 here (250mL, AUD 39.95) and the Sébium H20 here (200mL, AUD 29.95).

These makeup wipes remove even the most stubborn waterproof mascara, and leave your skin feeling tingly fresh after you're done. They are formulated with Tea Tree, which is great for preventing breakouts, and they smell divine! A no-fuss essential for getting rid of makeup after a big night out.

Moisturise your skin

Alcohol and/or lack of sleep can have a very detrimental effect on your skin, the most common of which is dehydration. This can cause dull skin and premature wrinkles, and affects the skin's overall health as well. It is crucial to try and replace the lost moisture in your skin with a good moisturiser or moisturising serum. Some fantastic ones to try are:

Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream (50mL, AUD 34)

This is an intensely hydrating, very rich cream (oilier skins may want respond better to the Ultra Facial Moisturiser) that offers round-the-clock hydration in addition to preventing further moisture loss. It is packaged in two sizes, a 50mL and a 125mL, and doesn't feel greasy on the skin, which can be a bother especially when you're probably going to do the face-plant onto your pillow 5 minutes later.

Kiehl's Rosa Arctica Youth Regenerating Cream (50mL, AUD 84)

Another amazing moisturiser by Kiehl's, this cream utilises the regenerative qualities of the Haberlea Rhodopensis (otherwise known as the Resurrection Flower) to prevent ageing and boost the skin's radiance. It is also highly moisturising and very rich. The best way to apply this is to warm it up between your fingers, then pat it onto your face.

Ella Baché Hydra-Revitalising Crème de la Crème (50mL, AUD 105)

This gorgeous moisturiser is lightweight, yet delivers amazing results. It keeps your skin moisturised and plump, without the greasiness and thickness often associated with deeply hydrating products. It is perfect for more oily skins, because it does the job without adding unnecessary oil to the skin.

Biotherm Aquasource Nuit High Density Hydrating Jelly (50mL, AUD 59)

This night serum is amazing at providing intense hydration to your skin. It absorbs instantly and works wonderfully overnight to give you plump, soft skin in the morning. It also smells so beautifully light and refreshing. Apply one pump and pat into your skin. It absorbs very quickly and feels velvety smooth on the skin. No greasy film! Face-plant WIN.

De-Puff, Brighten, and Hydrate!

Formulated with the healing qualities of the thermal springs in France, Uriage skincare both heals and moisturises the skin. Due to the make-up of the thermal water (I won't bore/confuse you with the science here), the skin more readily absorbs this eye cream. This eye cream brightens the eyes and provides continuous moisture, and is oil free, fragrance free, paraben free, and hypoallergenic. 

emerginC Scientific Organics Eyelight Cream (15ml, AUD 65)

This cream is rich and moisturising, and contains antioxidants designed to fight the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, puffiness and under-eye circles, while hydrating and brightening. If you've got a bit of cash to spend, then this is a great night eye cream to splurge on, because it does wonders to hydrate and reduce fine lines and puffiness around the eyes.

After the big night, your skin is definitely going to need some TLC. It is most likely dehydrated, and will look ruddy and dull. The best you can do for it is to use gentle, hydrating skincare, and follow that up with a hydrating mask to replenish moisture and calm the skin.

Guinot Instant Radiance Moisturising Mask (50mL, AUD 69)

This mask is the perfect one-two-punch all rolled into one little tube. The essential oils in the mask provide excellent hydration, and stimulates the blood so that the skin looks more energised and radiant. It also smells beautiful, which can't be bad for that hangover :)

Dermalogica Skin Hydrating Masque (75mL, AUD 61.50)

If it's instant, intense hydration you're after, you can't get much better than this mask. It only needs 10 minutes to work its magic, and your skin emerges smooth, plump, and moisturised after!

Caudalie Moisturising Cream Mask (50mL, AUD 32.90)

This is a multi-purpose, cheaper alternative that performs just as well as the more high-end products. Apply for 15 minutes and once you wash it off, your skin will look and feel soft and supple. You can even use this around the eyes and as an overnight mask - perfect for re-hydrating overnight!

Morning After Makeup

As it is with skincare, the morning-after makeup also needs to be nourishing and hydrating. Some great base products to apply before your makeup are:

Dermalogica Skin Perfect Primer SPF30 (22mL, AUD 79)

You all know I love my multi-tasking products. How can you go past makeup that also functions as skincare?! It's genius! The Dermalogica Skin Perfect Primer just launched this September 2012, and can - *inhales* - even out your skin tone, provide sun protection, enhance the skin's luminosity, fill in surface irregularites (i.e. pores and fine lines), absorb excess oil, stimulate collagen replenishment (anti-ageing YES!), moisturise the skin, stimulate cell renewal, and help your makeup stick to your skin. How's that for multi-tasking?!

This is the perfect product to both prep and protect your skin for the long day ahead. You can even wear it on its own.

Uriage Bariederm Reconstructive Barrier Lip Balm (15mL, AUD 19.95)

This lip balm is great for repairing chapped lips, and as a bonus, also provides a protective barrier to shield the lips from whatever lip product you want to apply. It lasts for up to four hours on the lips, providing continuous hydration.

L'Oreal Paris Youth Code Luminosity Hydrating Day Cream (AUD 29.95)

Infused with L'Oreal Paris' patented Lumi-Gen technology, this day cream offers both moisture and illumination. The cream contains pearly, illuminating particles, and instantly brightens and illuminates your skin upon application. It also works to even and correct your skin tone, and create more luminous-looking skin.

L'Oreal Paris Nude Magique BB Cream (AUD 26.95)

BB creams are perfect for the morning after, because they offer hydration and have beneficial effects on the skin. This BB cream also corrects dull and uneven skin, and contain pigments that adapt to your natural skin tone. Though moisturising, this BB cream doesn't feel at all heavy on the skin, and gives you a natural, healthy glow to your skin.

Most Importantly

Remember to HYDRATE! Drink lots of water whilst you are out and after you get home, before you go to bed. Keep a bottle of water beside you so that if you wake up at night for whatever reason, you can drink more. And once you wake up in the morning, drink some more!

I hope this post helps! It might seem like a lot of work, but your skin will thank you for this! x

Being from a hot, humid, tropical country like Malaysia, I never really had to pay much thought to luminous skin. There was shine everywhere on my face, and if I put a powder over it, it still looked moisturised and dewy.

But then I came to Australia, where the weather just sucked my skin and hair dry (why is it that my hair has more bounce and volume when I'm in Malaysia, where it's hot and humid?!) and my face started showing signs of moisture loss. My skin became dull and lacklustre, and the one thing I focused on with constant devotion was getting luminous skin.

If you're from a country that is pretty dry in general, or if you are in the cold, or even if you are in a tropical country and have dry skin (yes, it happens!), here are a couple of makeup products that will really boost the luminosity in your skin!

Illuminating Primers



Illuminating primers fill in any crevices you may have in your skin, and provide a smooth canvas for your makeup to adhere to. There are tons of illuminising primers on the market that also add luminosity to the skin.  The above primers - the JK Jemma Kidd Mannequin Skin Complexion Enhancer and the L'Oreal Paris Lumi Magique Pure Light primer - are some great options. You don't have to worry about obvious shimmer or oily-looking skin - these are subtle enough just so your skin has a 'glow' about it, without looking like a disco ball. Here they are swatched below:


Both these primers are subtle enough to work on any skin tone, but if you love a pastel, cool-toned look then go for the L'Oreal Pure Light Primer, and if you love that warm golden tint then the Jemma Kidd is perfect.

Illuminators


You can also add an illuminator on top of your makeup to add that glow and luminosity to your skin. The Bloom Illuminiser in Glow, Face of Australia Mineral Therapy Liquid Illuminator in Angel Flame, and the INIKA Light Reflect Highlighting Creme are all illuminators with a subtle shimmer running through them without being too obvious. They suit almost every skin tone because the shimmer in them is multicoloured and therefore doesn't lean too far either way on the warm/cool scale. Again, I've swatched them below:


The Face of Australia product should be used with a very light hand because it is extremely pigmented and is more suited to be used as a blush instead of an all-over highlighter. All three illuminators posses very fine shimmer pigments so you won't look glitter-crazy.
Illuminators look particularly lovely in the winter when the light is very subtle. It brings out a gorgeous glow in your skin.

Shimmer Infused Blush


If you don't like the added step of putting on an illuminator, you might want to try a shimmer-infused blush. Depending on what products you use, shimmer-blushes are very versatile and can give you anything from a healthy, glowing daytime look to a more glamorous nighttime shine.

I highly recommend the Clinique Fresh Bloom Allover Color for a subtle daytime sheen. If you're a fan of pigmented blushes, definitely try the Sleek MakeUP blushes in Pomegranate and Rose Gold - the Pomegranate has a more subtle shimmer whilst the Rose Gold is very glamorous without going over-the-top with shimmer. A huge plus is that they are extremely affordable. The Bobbi Brown Shimmerbrick needs no introduction - this cult product is gorgeous and subtle enough for day, but can be layered to create a more intense evening look. Here they are swatched on my arm:


Eyeshadow Colours and Textures




Eyeshadows used to be plain, powder pigments that added colour to your skin. With the latest technologies, you can now add texture to your eyeshadows and create an eye makeup that adds to the overall moisturised, polished look of your skin. Use the Too Faced Intense Eyeshadow in Poison Orchid in the daytime as a liner or at night as an all-over eyeshadow - purple eyeshadow is perfect for adding a gorgeous glow to both cool and warm-toned skins.
If you have more mature skin, stay away from glitter. Instead, play around with texture with the Clinique Lid Smoothie in Imprompt-blue (the perfect everyday colour for winter!) and the new Bobbi Brown Long Wear Cream Shadow in Nude Beach (launching in August 2012). Here are swatches:


Balm-textured Lipsticks




Hate the stickiness of a lipgloss? These new hybrid lipsticks are perfect for winter. Your hair doesn't stick to them, and you don't have too much shine on your lips, which can look a little bit unprofessional. The pinky tones of all three lipsticks - the L'Oreal Color Riche Nutri Shine in Rose Guava (AUD 22.95), the Bloom Princess (AUD 28) and the Clinique Almost Lipstick in Shy Honey (AUD 36) - all add a subtle glow to the skin. The balmy shine also makes the lips look more moisturised and plump.

Brighten Your Décolletage




Spray the Bobbi Brown Shimmering Fragrance Oil on your décolletage and on the tops of your arms to add to your overall glow. The oils (essential oils of olive, sesame, avocado and jojoba) plump and moisturise your skin, and the shimmer is undetectable, yet so effective, it's insane. The Beach Fragrance (which smells of frangipani) might be a little out of place right now in winter, but you all know I never believed that a fragrance has to be season-appropriate anyway.
This fragrance is available from August 12 at Bobbi Brown counters.

I hope you found this post helpful! Do you have any special tips that you use to enhance your glow?