In Singapore, we take city living to the extreme; we pull ten-hour shifts (and then some), we party past midnight (and then some) and we’re constantly on the move (the city is far too accessible to turn down a glamorous invite). Because we don’t do things by halves, it’s safe to say that our bodies take a battering at times. In particular, our eyes. Whatever we’re going through – we could be melting at a rooftop bar or freezing at ION Orchard – you’ll have a pretty good idea about how we’re coping based on our eyes. And what are the eye care struggles that we all deal with here in Singapore? Read on, friends…
1. The only type of bags us girls don’t want
Remember when we used to feel ‘stressed’ in our teens? Pah! We knew nothing. We’ve hit that part of life (essentially the phase between university and retirement) where stressed out days and sleepless nights are de rigueur. The result? The muscles around our eyelids become weak and puffy, and tired skin starts to discolour. This is particularly true of Asian women, whose higher melanin levels make them more prone to dark circles… darn.
2. Eyes drier than the Sahara Desert
Sure, the sub-zero temperature at work gives us the opportunity to wear our cosy knits, but woah this air conditioning lark takes its toll on our eyes. The lack of moisture is an issue, because not only are there fewer sweat glands around the eyes, but the skin produces less sebum in this area (sebum lubricates the skin). The result of persistent dryness? Discomfort, redness, and in extreme cases, impaired vision. Not a pretty picture.
3. The downside of year-round summer
We know, we know; the endless sunshine is glorious, but leaving your sunglasses at home during a bright day? The worst. Not only does it bring on a headache, but squinting the sun is one of the biggest culprits when it comes to crow’s feet. The motion breaks down our collagen and elastic fibres – resulting in permanent creases and wrinkles. It this a good time to tell you that the fact we blink 20,000 times a day isn’t helping the situation? Rainclouds please, Mother Nature!
4. Put the technology down, and walk away
It’s the Singaporean way; our faces are in our phones on the move, we gaze at a computer all day, and we flick the television on by night. Eye fatigue is both serious and common; affecting over 90 per cent of those who work on a computer. If left unchecked, eye fatigue can cause irritated eyes, blurry vision, and acute sensitivity to light. It’s no wonder, then, that by bedtime, it feels like our eyes have run a marathon (if only blinking burned off a few more cals).
5. Did someone call for Bobo the Clown?
Oh sure, heaps of brands claim to be “smear-proof” but let’s be real; those testers probably didn’t hit the streets of Singapore and dash around in its formidable humidity. Wax and cream-based beauty products tend to melt in extreme heat, plus piling on extra layers will only cause clogged pores and acne breakouts. So you’ve got a choice; acne or panda eyes. Hmph.
6. Battles with waterproof mascara
When you can’t deal with chimney sweep chic, waterproof make-up has your back. But woah there! Try not to rip off your eyelashes and outer layers of skin in the process. The skin around our eyes is very sensitive, plus it’s just a third of the thickness of normal skin at 0.6mm wide (the same thickness as an egg membrane!). With this in mind, it’s no huge surprise that our eyes start aging first. Delicacy is key; any tugging, pulling, or excessive force (like when removing hard-to-budge mascara) is a definite no-no. Gently removing your makeup before bed is a skincare must-do.
7. What are those bobbly things under our eyes?
A lot of beauty writers will tell you that eye cream is important, nay, crucial when it comes to skincare. But did you know that slapping on products that are too heavy results in unsightly milia seeds under your eyes? Not ideal. Milia seeds are keratin-filled bumps that typically develop around the cheek and eye area and they’re generally brought on by excessive oil from overly-rich skin products that clog up the pores and sweat ducts.
So it’s pretty clear that you can tell when we’ve had a rough day based on how our eyes are faring – but you want to know the really scary part? It’s actually the skin around our eyes that really gives the game away over time. Dark circles, wrinkles, eye bags; they’re all the result of neglecting our skincare routine.
But with the battle between smudged vs waterproof, heat vs cold, dry skin vs milia seeds; we can’t win. Or can we…?
Sure we can! (This was always going to lead to a glorious solution; you know much we love to help our readers after all.) Presenting your new best friend; who will push you to win the war against premature aging. Shiseido’s brand new Ultimune Eye Power Infusing Eye Concentrate – hitting stores to a fanfare of excitement and anticipation in September ‘15.
Boasting over 20 years of research and 63 international beauty awards, Shiseido’s popular Ultimune line boosts your skin’s immunity to the next level. The famous lighter-than-light serum equips your skin with the powerful ability to protect itself from the inside out, thanks to the perfect blend of natural botanicals and revolutionary science.
After introducing Shiseido’s new Ultimune Eye Power Infusing Eye Concentrate to your skincare routine in Singapore, culprits like age, sun exposure, and stress don’t stand a chance against your skin’s new and improved immunity. Whoop!
How can you trust that this splendid new beauty buy will work wonders for your eyes? Not only are the Honeycombers team in the midst of a four-week Ultimune Eye trial (yup, and we’re filming the whole skincare experiment!), but we’re giving away unlimited free samples between now and 31 December 2015! Simply hit the big shiny button to revolutionise your skincare routine. You are so welcome.