Farm-to-skin beauty
Greek beauty brand Korres is finally in the Philippines. For those who don’t know, Korres was started in 1996 by husband-and-wife team Lena Philippou and Giorgos Korres as a beauty brand that stood for Greece, nature, science, balance, poetry, and ethos — all principles valued today but these pioneers were doing it way back in the ’90s.
Then and now, Korres supports organic farming and looks for zero-waste sourcing. For example, they source grapes from Santorini, olive oil from Crete, and thyme from Naxos, where Giorgos is from. These handpicked ingredients go into products inspired by traditional Greek homeopathic remedies.
My absolute favorite is Korres’ Pure Greek Olive bath and body range. The Olive Blossom shower gel becomes a creamy lather that smells like you’re in the middle of an olive grove. If you want more moisture after bathing try the Olive Blossom Body Balsam, a rich lotion for dry skin. I just love the Olive Anti-aging Body Oil, a dry body oil that boosts elasticity and gives your skin a sexy sheen as well.
Korres is also known for its facial cleansers. The one suited to our hot weather and oily skin is the Pore Refining Cleansing Gel, a vegan blend of pomegranate, green tea and salicylic acid.
Another great product for maskne sufferers is Korres’ AHAs & Enzymes Resurfacing Mask for oily and combination skin, a facial peel with glycolic and salicylic acids that you can use three times a week to exfoliate, minimize the appearance of pores and reveal new, velvety-smooth skin.
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Korres is available at Beauty Bar, Trunc.ph and Lazada.
Organic, anti-pollution face washes
After a long day at work the first thing I do is rip off my mask and wash my face. Lately my favorite cleansers have been from Clarins.
The natural French brand recently released a range of three new and improved Gentle Foaming Cleansers and a Gentle Renewing Cleansing Mousse to address all skin types. All of them are enriched with alpine herbs from “Domaine Clarins,” their 10-hectare, all-organic “living laboratory” high up in the French Alps that grows pesticide-free botanicals and produces the anti-pollution complex of golden gentian and lemon balm that goes into the cleansers.
Clarins Gentle Renewing Cleansing Mousse for all skin types comes as a liquid in a clear gold recycled plastic bottle but dispenses as rich foam and has a delicate, refreshing fragrance.
Those with normal to dry skin can try Clarins Hydrating Gentle Foaming Cleanser, which comes in a golden tube, dispenses as a custard-like cream, smells wonderful and has aloe vera extracts to moisturize skin.
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Clarins is available at Rustan’s The Beauty Source.
Your skin but better, at a discount
We’re all looking for “this is me, but better” products. Enter Nars Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer, which is glowy perfection in a tube. Its texture is light and easy to apply, but it has so much pigment just a small dollop will erase all your imperfections (you can easily build it up to full coverage), and the glow it gives is just incomparable, as if it’s emanating from within.
This is your skin, but so much better! And it comes in 16 shades, is oil-free, infused with SPF 30 and has ingredients like exotic French Polynesian Kopara, which helps to hydrate, condition and refine the look of skin; and antioxidant vitamin C to protect against environmental aggressors, even out skin tone and brighten your complexion in just four weeks.
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You can enjoy 15 percent off your first purchase at https://nars-beauty-butler.myshopify.com/ when you use my code, NARSTHERESE.
J-beauty for ‘Mochi’ skin
Hada Labo’s Hydrating Lotion has been Japan’s No. 1 face lotion for 13 years because it gives mochi skin (plump, bouncy and milky like the snack).
They now have a premium whitening line called Shirojyun Premium, the main active of the line is Tranexamic acid, which lightens pigmentation, dark spots and brightens skin. It also reduces inflammation, restores the skin barrier, and decreases the skin’s sensitivity to UV.
Hada Labo combines this wonder ingredient with its proven hyaluronic acid formula. The three-step range includes Premium Whitening face wash, which improves the appearance of acne marks and foams up nicely; Premium Whitening Lotion in a Light formula suited to our weather; and Premium Whitening Water Cream, with antioxidant vitamins C and E to help fight free radicals, and Meadowfoam seed oil and shea butter to deliver deep nourishment.
The best way to try the complete range is via the Crystal Bright kit, which costs P465 for three travel sizes.
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Hada Labo Premium Whitening is available at Watsons online and Watsons stores nationwide.
After skincare comes oral beauty care
Normally we’re so busy with facial beauty that we forget about oral beauty, and how a white smile can instantly make us look (and feel) more beautiful. Flossing and brushing are necessary chores, not something to get excited about.
But Sparkle, an oral beauty brand from Thailand, wants to shake up our daily routines with high-tech products that boast “next-gen” ingredients to give us whiter teeth, healthier gums and fresher breath, and it’s gentle enough for those experiencing sensitivity.
The No. 1 whitening toothpaste in Thailand, Sparkle recommends a three-step routine to oral beauty: first, floss. Sparkle White dental floss expands to remove more plaque and is gentler on gums; it won’t make them bleed.
Next, brush for two minutes. One of Sparkle’s biggest innovations is its ionic toothbrush, which has a built-in battery good for one to two years. Pressing a button on the handle releases negative ions that make it easier to dislodge and remove plaque without harsh brushing.
Sparkle toothpaste offers gentler whitening with Micro White Silica instead of hydrogen peroxide. While it’s strong enough to lift stains, it won’t make your teeth and gums sensitive, and prevents future stains.
Variants include Fresh White, Double White Lemon Soda, and Triple White.
The final step is rinsing. Most mouthwashes just mask the smell of bad breath, but don’t address the underlying issues. When you shake Sparkle’s Fresh & Cool mouthwash, it activates negative ions to dislodge plaque, has Organic White to fight the bacteria that causes gingivitis and bad breath, and helps whiten teeth with PVP to remove stains and prevent future stains.
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Sparkle is available at Watsons, Lazada and Shopee.
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Follow the author on Instagram @thebeautytraveler_ph.
