Beauty New-In & Highlights

Clarins Hydra-Essentiel Range

Clarins Hydra-Essentiel for thirsty skin – The skincare brand synonymous with 50 years of plant-based skincare and botanicals zoom in on the task of proper skin hydration for all skin types to combat external stressors and maintain optimal plumpness to skin. This new range focuses on giving a three-fold delivery of plumping and hydration thanks to plant-based active ingredients including the succulent harvested in Madagascar dubbed the ‘leaf of life’. The organic leaf of life extract helps skin stimulate the production of its own hyaluronic acid and retain moisture effectively.

Clarins believe that not one product fits all skin types, so the range sensibly caters to different skin types with tailor-made formulas centred around different skin concerns with the ultimate end goal of moisturising thirsty skin.

Mainly used in the morning, Light Cream is a lightweight moisturiser enriched with organic manioc powder and hyaluronic power complex that hydrates yet controls shine. For intense bedtime hydration, Night Care tasks plant squalene to strengthen the skin barrier and smoothen fine lines. Matte Gel contains organic alpine willowherb extracts that soothe, hydrate and control shine. 

Also in this range are the Intensive Moisture Quenching Bi-phase Serum, Hydrating Multi-Protection Mist, and the Moisture Replenishing Lip Balm.

Clarins Hydra-Essentiel Range is available online at www.clarins.com.sg with prices starting from SGD39 and up till SGD96. 

Dior Capture Totale Le Sérum

Capture Totale Serum gets new formula – When it comes to concocting anti-ageing potions, Dior believes the magic lies in the science of how the various skin layers regenerate. After more than 20 years of stem cell research, 10 patents, and more than a 100 scientific articles published, the Capture Totale Serum is the beneficiary of the latest formula which works on the premise that the potential for skin cells to renew depends on the ability of mother cells staying anchored.

The technical explanation for this serum is lengthy, but to summarise: in order to counteract the effects of ageing, which is caused by loss of firmness, this serum directly targets skin’s mother cells, or stem cells, by converting ageing cells back into alpha-cells (presumably this means newer or younger skin cells) by re-anchoring them to the deeper layer of the epidermis), and in doing so, reduces sagging and firms up skin. The skin loses its ability to anchor these stem cells in its basement membrane due to a loss of proteins including integrin and collagen.

In short, a lot of research and effort has been poured into this serum to ensure a formula that will ensure your skin stays firm and plump. This new formula has three key ingredients: its star extract the Longoza, plus two new actives – the Tuscan Iris extract which protects skin from UVA rays, and the newly-developed hyaluronic poly-filler, which is designed to penetrate deeper into skin. Another nice-to-know is that Dior has utilised a universal testing protocol, a first in the world of skincare, to test and ensure the efficacy of its serum for every gender, age group, skin type and skin tone. Big promises have been given by Dior for this new serum – 4 hours for smoother skin texture, and just 7 days to skin that is twice as firm. 

Capture Totale Le Sérum (30ml for $177, 50ml for $250) is now available at all Dior Beauty Boutiques and Counters, on the Dior Beauty Online Boutique, Sephora stores islandwide and Sephora Online.

Chanel Beauty Rouge Allure Velvet

A New Red for 2023 – Chanel Makeup ushers in the new year with red as its star shade of the Spring-Summer 2023 look, ensuring the bunny year stays feisty with a fresh twist on vampy with not just vibrant lips but also boldly flushed cheeks that extends to eyes and temples. Too much you say? 

Not so as Chanel responds with buildable, blendable and easy-to-harmonise makeup for moments when you fancy just a sexy accent to the brazen mood for a complete halo of rosy flush. Either way, the latest makeup palettes (Les 4 Rouges Yeux Et Joues) feature reds in matte and satin shades that can be applied beyond cheeks – as blush, contour, highlighter, eyeshadow, eyeliner for subtle to striking looks. Paired with Baume Essentiel Rouge Frais for a cheeky blush. Also look out for the latest Noir Allure mascara in a Rouge Grenat shade that can be applied just to the lash tips for a touch of two-tone drama as well as the eye liner in Rouge Noir (Le Liner de Chanel).

For lips – soft mauve beige, delicate dusty orange, deep sienna red and iconic and bold dusty red shades of red form the basis of the Rouge Allure Velvet range. Notable lippies to try include the Rouge Charnel, a “true red” and the La Favorite which is a coral red with fuchsia accents. And to round off the 2023 collection are new nail polish hues in Watermelon and Rouge Cuir.

Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet (SGD62) is available now online at sg-eshop.chanel.com and at Chanel Fragrance and Beauty boutiques, and at all counters from 9 January.

Sulwhasoo First Care Activating Serum Limited Edition

First Care Activating Serum…with rabbits – Korean skincare brand, Sulwhasoo has dressed up its global bestseller, the First Care Activating Serum, in a festive bunny design for the lunar year. This limited edition porcelain bottle features a pair of rabbits  amidst plum flowers in bloom, captured in the dreamy style of ‘Minhwa’ –  a traditional style of Korean folk art. Since its debut in 1997, Sulwhasoo has reportedly sold more than 35 million bottles and this skin priming solution continues to boast anti-ageing ingredients of Korean medicinal herbs and the potent Korean ginseng. 

Priced SGD210, the First Care Activating Serum Limited Edition 2023 Lunar New Year will be available from 1 January 2023 at all Sulwhasoo boutiques and counters, and online on the official Sulwhasoo Lazada and Shopee websites.

Kiehl’s Lunar New Year 2023 Limited Edition Coffret

Kiehl’s x Shan Jiang for CNY 2023 – Kiehl’s has partnered with Shanghai illustrator, Shan Jiang, to design its limited edition Lunar New Year gift set for 2023. The skincare coffret of Kiehl’s best selling Ultra Facial Cream together with the Calendula Toner, Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Mask, Super Multi Corrective Cream and the Clearly Corrective Dark Spot Solution have been given an auspicious wash of ‘angpow’ rouge. Shan has introduced a disarmingly dashing character who sports floppy ears, loves motorcycles and travels the world in bunny-eared trains. It is, after all, the year of the Rabbit. 

With a Master of Design from Edinburgh College of Art under his belt, Shan honed his art at leading design studio ILoveDust for 7 years before joining London-based animation studio Shotopop as creative director and partner in 2012.

Kiehl’s will be partnering with TANGS to have an exclusive first preview of the limited edition collection from now till the end of December.  Specially curated sets will be available for purchase online at Tangs.com as well as at all TANGS stores from 1 January 2023.