IDS Skincare

Truth be told, I’m a late bloomer when it comes to skincare. I’ve only taken my skincare seriously probably a year after moving to Singapore. Prior to that, I never really invested in facials and serums and whatnot (mostly because I’d rather use that money for trips!). When I was still living in the Philippines, I spent a lot of time in the under the sun, so sunblock was really the only item I carried around…that, and eyeliner.

Maybe it was the change in the air, temperature, and humidity (not to mention, increased stress levels) upon moving to Singapore, which compelled me to take my skincare seriously. I started doing research on what ingredients to look out for, and I started watching a lot of YouTube videos. Eventually, I settled on a Korean/Japanese hybrid of a routine, where most of my key products were either from Korean or Japanese brands. They are the ones that also seem to work best on me.  

My skin eventually adjusted in time, but when I turned 29, I started noticing some spots and pimples that grew from the inside out. Again, I tried using spot correctors and acne healing ointments like Retin-A and stuff from The Ordinary, but to no avail.

This is what my current skin condition looks like (no filter!).

In case you’re curious, here are the current skincare products I use:

My current skincare products!

Morning Skincare Routine

1. Innisfree Jeju Volcanic Pore Cleansing Foam EX
2. COSRX Aloe Soothing Sun Cream

Evening Skincare Routine

1. Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water
2. Fresh Soy Face Cleanser
3. Caudalie Vinopure Toner
4. Jart Cicapair Serum
5. Estée Lauder Advance Night Repair Eye Cream
6. CeraVe PM Cream
7. Laniege Lip Sleeping Mask
8. Throughout the week: Laniege Water Sleeping Mask, Innisfree Jeju Volcanic Pore Clay Mask, and Some By Mi Super Matcha Pore Clean Clay Mask

Growing up, my Mom always told me never to pop my pimples and to just let them go away naturally. I always followed her advice because she has the best skin ever (she also never used facial wash her entire life; just water), but now that I’m in my thirties, I think that it’s about time I stopped taking matters into my own hands and sought a professional’s advice regarding this.

The IDS Clinic I visited was the one at Novena Specialist Center, Singapore

With that said, I’m really grateful to be partnering with IDS (Innovative Dermatological Solutions) Singapore in exploring a more holistic and targeted way of taking care of my specific skin conditions. This journey will be divided into three parts: (1) Consultation with an IDS skincare specialist and my custom IDS Skincare Kit (2) Second consultation and an aesthetic treatment and (3) Final consultation, updated IDS Skincare Kit, and a clinical treatment if needed.

Last Thursday, I visited the IDS Clinic located at the Novena Specialist Center here in Singapore, and I had my consultation with Dr. Ian Tan YS. He was very knowledgeable, professional, and patient (haha!) with how he answered all my skincare-related questions (trust me, I had A LOT). Here’s what we talked about:

• I have combination skin. I told him that my skin has been oilier than usual, and he said that most of the time, the culprit of our skincare issues is the SUN (and hormones).

• What IDS offers is customized, medical-grade products that are higher in concentration compared to the ones sold in the market.

• The sun is really common cause of skin pigmentation and expanding of pores that lead to oily skin, sebum buildup, and inflammation. Oil glands are also stimulated by hormones.

• Acne is not really about age, but more about hormones. If you’re looking for an all-rounder product, Vitamin C reduces inflammation, acne, pigmentation, and is also anti-aging.

• The myth of Eye Cream—a lot of people say that eye cream is just some form of fancy moisturizer, but apparently, it has different properties and purposes depending on the formulation. Some have retinoids while others have whitening properties. Eye Cream is definitely not just “another moisturizer”, but it is also not magic. It’s just there to support, but it does not directly treat the problem (which could be hormonal).

• Did you know that the ideal amount of sunblock to use on your face for optimum protection is half a teaspoon? I use half a pea-size (LOLLLL), so now I learned something new. You also need to reapply frequently (which I don’t, but I will from now on).

My IDS Skincare Kit. Formulation is potent and mild enough even for sensitive skin.

Based on his diagnosis of my skin, I’ll be swapping out my current skincare for the one above. I’ll be trying it out for a month, and then I’ll be coming back to the clinic for another consultation and an aesthetic treatment. Honestly, these are A LOT of products, but I’m going to commit to it.

What I’ll be using for my morning skincare routine!

IDS Morning Skincare Routine

1. C1 Refreshing Cleanser – A non-drying cleanser for oily and blemish-prone skin. Contains Witch Hazel that helps reduce skin inflammation and fight acne.
2. T1 Refreshing Toner – Aids with skin refinement for oily, sensitive, and blemish-prone skin. Contains Centella Asiatica that calms inflammation and speeds up skin repair.
3. PF Pore Formula – An ultra-light pore refining solution that contains Tea Tree Oil and Lilac Extract to reduce excessive sebum and control inflammation.
4. C+ Vitamin C Serum – This will help brighten up the skin tone and improve skin texture.
5. AA Acetic Acid – This will be specific for my marks in order to reduce acne breakouts as it contains antimicrobial properties.
6. ER Eye Rescue – Contains Zinc and Magnesium that encourage the production of elastin to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines. This more preventive for me since I spend so much time in front of a screen.
7. SC Spot Control – This is to target the blemishes I have on my skin, especially that big nasty spot on my left cheek. Begone!
8. S2 Non-tinted Sunscreen SPF50+ PA+++ – This formula contains no chemicals, is made with 100% mineral actives and is water and sweat resistant. What’s great about this is that it’s hydrating and rich in antioxidants, with added protection against infrared, blue light, and pollution.

…and my evening skincare routing products.

IDS Evening Skincare Routine

My evening skincare routine will be the same as above (minus the sunscreen), but with the addition of two products that I will use after the AA and before the ER.

IDS Recovery Serum and Moisture Boost

• RS Recovery Serum – Contains hyaluronic acid to help reduce redness and irritation, stabilizing skin immunity and capillary integrity.
• MB Moisture Boost – An all-in-one moisturizer that rehydrates, restores, and repairs the skin through the active ingredient of Saccharide Isomerate (it’s my first time to encounter this product, and based on my research, it binds the skin stronger and longer than most moisturizing ingredients and keeps the skin hydrated longer than usual).

Okay, wew, that’s a lot.

I love how the packaging of some of their products doubles as a wrap-around with all the product information!

I sometimes get overwhelmed looking at the list (HAHA), but I think I’ll get the hang of it soon enough. So, am I ready??? Well, I should be. I think I’m pretty good at following skincare routines because I am super particular about my skin’s condition. I am also quite lucky, I guess, that I got my Mom’s and Grandma’s good skin genes, and there’s no harm in improving what’s already good, right?

Oh, by the way! One thing I’m really particular about is how well my skin absorbs the products, and so far, so good. They get absorbed pretty quick and do not leave an oily, greasy feeling.

Use the slider to see how well the C+ Vitamin Serum absorbs!

Okay, truth be told, I’m excited to use these. The products are made from either Singapore, Korea, or America. I thought of starting the month of February fresh with a new skincare repertoire that’s customized (and professionally prescribed!) especially for my personal skincare needs.  

I’ll write about the results after a month, so do stay tuned for Part 2 & Part 3!

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A skincare consultation set and a personalized IDS kit costs roughly around SG$400-SG$500.

IDS Clinic has two outlets located at International Building and at Novena Specialist Center.

Again, this is a sponsored post by IDS Skincare but all opinions expressed are my own. Thanks, IDS!

You can visit http://www.idsskincare.com for more about their products or http://www.idsclinic.com/ if you wish to know more about your skin!

• What IDS offers is customized, medical-grade products that are higher in concentration compared to the ones sold in the market.

*Credits to Mikka

Visit Mikka's blog post here.