
Working It For Inner Radiance
Working It For Inner Radiance
Beauty is more than just skin deep. We sit down with the experts at Porcelain to talk beauty tips, ideal skincare regimes and the importance of communication.
The beauticians from Porcelain at Guoco Tower share their knowledge on how to achieve beautiful skin.
If you’ve always envied the flawless complexion of pop stars and Korean movie starlets, rest assured that it’s well within your grasp.
Take your first step towards beautiful skin, as the experts at Porcelain share invaluable tips, painless regimes and all-natural solutions to help you on your journey.

What’s the philosophy behind Porcelain? What motivates your team?
We believe that healthy skin doesn’t require foundation. Instead, we focus on using natural ingredients, advanced technology and state-of-the-art diagnosis to achieve radiant results.
We don’t follow trends—instead, we tackle the root of the problem in dealing with skin issues. Our aestheticians are selected based on skills and passion, and all undergo a minimum of 500 in-house training hours. So besides state-of-the-art equipment, we have discerning, experienced eyes to analyse your skin.
Listening also plays a big part in what we do.
I had no idea that listening was so important to your profession. Could you tell me more?
Listening allows us to better understand the needs and challenges unique to each client. We customise every single treatment plan for each customer that walks through our doors—after all, every individual’s skin type is unique.
We want to understand everything from their genetics (e.g.family history of acne/pigmentation) and lifestyle (stress, water intake etc) to their travel schedules. For women, there are also personal issues to consider, such as taking contraceptives or medication.
Rather than a one-off “prescription”, we curate a holistic, step-by-step regime that combines both professional treatments and homecare products around you—and this can evolve along the way as your skin changes and improves.

That’s fascinating. While we now understand that every individual’s skin is different, are there any general misconceptions that you could share with our readers?
1. Dry versus dehydrated skin
Dry skin is actually a skin type while dehydrated skin is something that anyone, no matter their skin type, can experience.
Dry skin means that your skin is not producing an adequate amount of natural oils. The results of dry skin include flaking, itching, and an overall dull appearance.
Dehydrated skin, on the other hand, is caused by a lack of water. This means that even oily skin types can suffer from dehydration. As the water content of your skin is depleted, the results become visible on your skin, leaving it less supple and elastic.
Just remember: Dehydrated skin lacks water and needs to be hydrated with hydrating products, while dry skin lacks oil and needs to be moisturized with moisturizing products.
2. When to hydrate
People often think that hydration begins only at the end of their cleansing regimes, i.e. the “moisturiser” stage. In reality, hydration should be a part of every step of your skincare routine, including the first: pre-cleansing.
3. Soaking up the sun safely
Many of us tend to look at the SPF rating as indication of its effectiveness. In reality, SPF is a simply a way that manufacturers calculate the time it takes for the skin to burn after applying the sunscreen.
It’s actually more important to ensure that you choose a broad-spectrum sunscreen, that protects your skin from both UV(B) and UV(A) rays. The latter is the cause of aging, spots and wrinkles.

What’s a basic, easy-to-implement skincare routine for go-getting female executives who’re strapped for time?
The most important thing is to double cleanse. This takes about 2-3 minutes and helps get rid of the day’s grime and impurities. Of all the skin “must-dos” that we strongly advocate, this is definitely one of them. Without a clean, fresh base, you will not reap the maximum benefits of serums and moisturisers.
Next, tone! This only takes 30 – 60 seconds tops. This gets rid of any remaining dirt and preps your skin for further hydration. It’s even better if it comes with hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid, rose and jojoba seed oil extracts.
If you don’t have room for serums and essences, you still need to make time for a hydrating moisturiser. It only takes a minute or so—find moisturizers that are lightweight, water-based, oil-free, non-comedogenic, and contain ingredients that hydrate and seal the hydration in.
Finally, if you’re on your way out, don’t forget your sunscreen!

What about guys (like us!) who tend to neglect skin care?
This is something we get asked often! To be honest, men are increasingly sophisticated with their skincare routine. Men who cleanse their faces with body soap are few and far between today, although they do still prefer simplicity and convenience.
The first tip is: Please don’t use 3-in-1s off the shelves for your facial routine! Often, regular soap contains harsh ingredients that do more harm than good to your skin.
A basic routine of cleanse and moisturise is still essential. Always cleanse your face— especially after a rigorous gym session— with a hydrating cleanser, which helps keep post-workout, acne-causing bacteria at bay.
Follow up with a good moisturiser. As mentioned, a common misconception is that only dry skin requires additional moisture. But all skin types need moisture—even oily ones. Each time you use a cleanser, you clear away not just the oil, but also the moisture of your skin.
Dry skin is even more prevalent in older individuals as our skin tends to produce diminished amounts of natural skin oils and lubricants as we age, don’t skip this step!
We understand that attaining beautiful skin is a holistic process. Do you have one pro-tip on health and general lifestyle for our readers?
Yes, drink up! Drinking water is one of the easiest ways to flush your skin back into plumpness, which helps to “fill in” fine lines and pores for a smoother-looking complexion. Water also helps to fight off breakouts, as sebum levels are reduced when the body is sufficiently hydrated.
If you aren’t the kind to drink your water, eat it! Vegetables and fruits are great sources of hydration and is actually twice as effective as a glass of water.

Working at Guoco Tower? The good folk at Porcelain have a great offer in store for you. Purchase their Urbanite Skincare Kit at just S$100 (U.P $170) and experience newfound radiance.
The items in the skincare kit are as follows:
• Hydro Cleanser (30ml)
• Deep Hydrating Lotion (30ml)
• Aloe Recovery Gel (10ml)
• Porcelain Travel Pouch
Or book your appointment here.
Porcelain Signatures at Guoco Tower
7 Wallich Street #01-02
Singapore 078884
Monday – Friday 11am-10pm
Saturday 10am-pm
Sunday 10am-7pm
+65 6386 5388