Mong Chin shares her top 5 tips for glowing skin

Mong Chin (@mongabong) is the beauty influencer that beauty lovers follow. And she’s also the newly minted mentor for The Face Shop’s #EcoBeautySquad Campaign.

Her appointment shouldn’t come as a surprise because 1) she’s known for her glowing skin, and 2) she is a successful influencer.

We caught up with her to find out how she keeps her skin condition in tip-top condition, how it has changed since the circuit breaker and how her beauty routine has evolved.

What’s your daily skincare regime like?

One thing I do very thoroughly is cleanse. I make sure I remove all traces of makeup at the end of the day, and when I wake up, I cleanse as well.

Depending on the day I have, it can be as quick as cleanse, top off with a booster, toner, serum, and a hydrating moisturiser. Or if I have a full day out and wearing more makeup, I could layer on additional serums, ampoules, and primers.

Favourite item to use? Current raves?

I have many! But one of my absolute favourites is The Face Shop Dr Belmeur Cica Peptite Ampoule. It’s calming, which is great for sensitive skin. I also found that it moisturises my dry skin.

Tell us what drew you to work with The Face Shop on this campaign.

I saw the #EcoBeautySquad by The Face Shop as a rare chance to be a mentor for a huge campaign. This is what I wish I had when I started out six years ago.

There weren’t many influences in Singapore then, so I followed the Korean-American and other Asian-American ones who shared similar content. I still follow some of them today, like Jenn Im (@imjennim) and Youtuber Chriselle Lim (@chrisellelim) . They are as relevant to me today, as they were then.

What do you hope to do as a campaign mentor?

I will be sharing tips, and secrets, what I’ve learned since going full-time four years ago: the technical aspects, metrice, analytic and what’s goes on behind-the-scenes. For example, what are the conversations we must have with our followers, and how to be as “real” as possible.

Share your top 5 tips for maintaining glowing skin.
 

No. 1: There’s nothing more important than cleansing, cleansing, and cleansing!

That is my number one tip: Remove all your makeup every day. I start with micellar water to remove face makeup, then an oil-based eye makeup remover for eyes.

After that, I do facial wash twice – first time to wash off any residue from the makeup. The second wash, I concentrate on outer areas like the hairline so there’s no residue there, and for the forehead to be clean.

No. 2: Exfoliate at least once a week.

So, whatever you apply after that, your skin is able to absorb everything because the dead skin cells have been removed.

No. 3: Don’t forget about sunscreen.

Even if you’re at home, apply it because you don’t know how much UV exposure you’re getting. If you have a day out in the sun, layer on products with sunscreen. I may put on a mattifying primer over my skincare and then foundation with SPF as well.

So, if I get sweaty throughout the day, there’s still sunscreen protection.

No. 4: Sleep enough!

I did not appreciate this earlier but sleeping and resting is really important for skin cells to repair. It was during the circuit breaker that I caught up on my sleep, getting seven or eight hours’ of sleep nightly. It does make a difference to your skin.

No. 5: Hydrate.

Drink enough water – it has a knock-on effect on your skin. Moisturise your skin with moisturiser. Personally, I find the moisturisers which are oil-free and suitable for sensitive skin the best for me.

And makeup – what are your must-haves?

I love to use The Face Shop Ink Lasting Foundation Slim Fit EX. I think I have been raving about this since 2018! It’s long-lasting and the formulation doesn’t streak or settle on my skin like other foundations, even if I wear it from morning to night. At the end of the day, my skin still looks smooth, and not matte or patchy.

There’s even a cushion version, called Ink Lasting Cushion, which is super handy if I need to touch up midday. This dispenses the same foundation for the area I need to touch up. I pat it down and it gives me the medium-full coverage for the rest of the day.

This article was first published in Her World Online.