I attended SK-II's 'A New Paradigm in Skincare: High Definition Skin' Event back in February and wrote about it here. At the event, I was fortunate to be able to attend a presentation by Mr. Taro Yamaguchi. And I was even more fortunate when I was given a chance to interview him! :D
I have divided the interview into 2 parts because it is pretty long so check back tomorrow for part 2! I hope this will answer some of your enquiries about whitening and will be helpful to you!
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1. Hi, Mr. Yamaguchi! You have been in the industry for many years. Why do you think Asian ladies are always looking to be fairer, when their Western counterparts like to be tanned?
The importance of having fair, spotless skin resonates particularly amongst Asian women as skin tone used to be a representation of social standing. People who had to work outdoors had darker skin as a result of long hours of exposure to the sun. Meanwhile, others who held ‘indoor jobs' were generally less exposed to the sun, and thus had fairer skin. In modern society, quality of skin condition, in which fairness or spotless clarity is one of the measures, could thus also be an indication of the individual being in a (good) state beyond just beauty.
On the contrary, in western countries, tanned skin is a sign of disposable income and time, so women are able to afford beach vacations especially during winter. Apart from this, they also have the luxury of taking time off work to develop a tan.
2. What are some of the toughest issues that hinder Asian ladies from their dreams of being Snow White?
Many women tend to disregard the importance of including a sunblock in their daily skincare regimen. It is important that as long as you’re exposed to sunlight (especially in a sunny climate like Singapore), this includes sitting in the office by the window, that your skin is protected with a sufficient amount of SPF.
3. What are the basic ways in which ladies can do to prevent and tackle them?
Sunblock is a must in a daily skincare regimen. Spots or freckles can appear at random as diverse environmental stimuli cause uneven stress on skin, and it is often difficult to predict which ones will become stubborn spots and where future problem areas may arise. This is why we stress that UV protection is extremely important in your daily skin care routine as it protects your skin from the damages of the sun. Besides using sun-protection, it is essential to incorporate a beauty serum that helps to achieve not only spotless skin, but also that radiant glow like the Cellumination Essence Ex.
Beyond that, there are plenty of good habits that should be picked up and implemented daily to further improve your skin. Watching your diet plays an important role in the condition of your skin. Consuming healthier foods guarantees sufficient intake of vitamins and minerals in your body and skin.
Drinking plenty of water daily is always an essential as water will help rehydrate your system and skin. Do drink a glass of water before heading to bed too as it keeps your skin hydrated and flushes out harmful toxin in your system.
The health of your skin can also be affected by your exercise habits. Lack of exercise will likely to result in poor blood circulation which prevents sufficient oxygen to be channeled to the skin.
Apart from that, not getting the right amount of sleep can be detrimental to your skin. The lack of sleep results in the appearance of superficial symptoms such as dark eye circles and breakouts. While we sleep, skin undergoes a cell regeneration process where old cells are replaced with new ones. The lack of sufficient sleep then, impedes the efficiency of this process, leaving behind dark eye circles and puffy eye bags. With inadequate rest, skin also becomes dull and sallow.
Always remember to find time to pamper your skin. A demanding work schedule can take a toll on your skin. As such, plan ahead to ensure that your skin receives the much-needed pampering experience. If you simply cannot find the time to indulge your skin on for a facial, I’d recommend the Cellumination Mask-in Lotion which delivers a mask-like experience on top of its skin conditioning function, providing intensive moisturisation while boosting skin’s inner glow. This unique everyday lotion works almost like a day and night ‘mask’ for your skin, by delivering mask-like hydration and whitening benefits – both immediate and long-lasting. Within 15 seconds of application, it delivers the same amount of whitening actives as that of using a mask for 15 minutes. It also offers sustained penetration of whitening actives to skin similar to that of a whitening mask.
4. SK-II recently launched their latest whitening innovations, the New Cellumination Essence EX and Whitening Spots Specialist Concentrate in Singapore. What are the specific areas in which these products are targeting at?
The new Cellumination Essence EX presents women with the opportunity to reach a new standard in beauty: highly defined aura skin that is discernible even up-close at 20cm. Designed to act on micro-level unevenness of tone and texture, the SK-II Cellumination Essence EX refines the skin’s countenance from a micro level, and illuminates the skin cell by cell to give users visible aura and crystal clear skin.
SK-II’s new Whitening Spots Specialist Concentrate on the other hand, helps to eliminate the most stubborn of spots by loosening and removing them. The efficacy of Whitening Spots Specialist Concentrate is driven by the new Rich Melano-Discharge complex that loosens and removes the spots.
