Lauded for her customised facials, Joanna has 30 years of experience and she believes that the key to beautiful skin incorporates a seasonal regimen with a healthy lifestyle.

When it comes to her philosophy on skincare, she narrows it down to “Respect, support, and protect. That’s the most important.” On her skincare secrets, she shares,: “I don’t jump into trends. I believe in clean science and amazing ingredients. [You have to remember that] your face starts with the nipples and ends with the hairline. You don’t need to use specific neck creams as long as you always treat the whole area.”

Though she’s particular about the products she uses, she raves that she likes to use Dior’s Capture Totale because of its ingredients. “One of them is the Longoza plant, and it grows in Dior’s gardens in Madagascar. [It has the] nickname of ‘eternal plant’ because of its ability to grow on scorched earth.” It also uses acetylated hyaluronic acid to help lock moisture in the skin for longer.

Her recommendation is to massage it into the skin to experience its full effects. “Massage stimulates blood flow. Always treat [your] muscle like dough and skin like a sponge,” she says.

Founder and Medical Director of Singapore’s TWL Specialist Skin and Laser Centre, Dr Teo Wan Lin is a Ministry of Health-accredited dermatologist.

And when it comes to the Dior serum, Dr Teo shares: “The focus on the physiology of skin stem cells sets the stage for future of anti-ageing skincare. I think it is very relevant that Dior has created a serum for all skin types this is very consistent with dermatological science because the requirements of healthy skin are universal.”

With a background in homoeopathic and complementary medicine, Rose believes in making healthy living achievable.

She says: “What you put in your body is what you show on the outside. I really believe that. But it’s also about what you’re absorbing. You can put in really great food and supplements but if you’re stressed, or you’re not getting enough sleep, or your gut’s not working very well, then you’re not absorbing it. And if you’re not absorbing it, it’s not working for you.”

When it comes to skincare and nutrition, Rose shares: “I’m very keen on good fats. They really help the membrane of your cells look plumper. Which is what we want. Especially when you’re 45.”

With a holistic approach to healthcare, Valerie is a specialist in phytotherapy and naturopathy. She also specialised in dietary intolerances for years and acquired significant expertise in intestinal microbiota and its effects on human health.

“To have the best diet and to have glowing and healthy skin, we need seasonal food like fruits vegetables with different colours to bring different kind of antioxidant that prevents ageing,” she says. “We need to eat every day: fatty acids from vegetable plants like olive oil, seeds like chia seeds, nuts like almonds. and we need to be drinking water. We need to have the best level of water in the skin.”

A prominent art collector, curator, and founder of M Woods. Wan Wan’s skincare routine begins with hydration. She says: “I guess it’s a boring thing to say but I think hydration is the key to everything. Hydration hydration hydration. I usually start my day with a huge jar of hot water, it’s almost like having a spa with your system. A clean base is also really important to absorb all the good stuff in our skincare.”

“No matter how late I get home, I clean my face thoroughly and I would put a hydration mask first,” she says. One of the practices that she’s recently adopted is face yoga.

If you want to try it for yourself, simply “look to the ceiling”. She adds: “Stick out the tongue as far as you can and then move your tongue side to side, and feel the underpart of your chin. You should feel it get together [tighter] and you do it day and night for two weeks and you’ll see results.”

A model that’s been cast to walk for names like Marc Jacobs, Gucci, Loewe, Miu Miu, and Valentino, Melodie knows the ins and outs of taking care of her skin for her job. She says: “The idea of perfection and the pressure that the industry brings to you is complicated to deal with. But you can come up with coping mechanisms. Skincare is self-care and if I take care of myself I feel good. And if I feel good – I’m confident.”

“When it comes to my skincare, I plan everything. I make sure I have travel-sized products on hand and I think about the environment setting. All of these factors are super important to be able to take care of my skin properly,” she adds.

“Recently I was going from Miami to LA, LA to Capetown, and back to LA. I remember being in the airport bathroom doing my skincare, washing my face with women passing by. Putting my mask on,” she shares. “I had absolutely no shame. I was respecting each step religiously of my skincare routine. That’s just an investment.”

Gabriella is the Fashion Director of Garage Magazine and when it comes to skincare, she says: “It has not been easy or a priority for the majority of my life to really take care of my skin. It’s something that I just started investing in. The way that I kind of created a system that worked for me, especially when we’re always on the go, is that I was a minimalist and purist about the whole process.”

She goes on: “It’s like I have the capacity really for like a three-step process. and that’s where I’m maxing out. I really like the basic cleansing. then I have the wow phase, then my third step is moisturising. So finding a product that can kind of do a lot of the legwork was important for me.”

This article first appeared in The Singapore Women’s Weekly