Recently, I got the chance to drop by The Skin Pharmacy and had a lovely and informative chat with the owner and their in-house pharmacist. I’ve always seen their shops around but have never really tried their products nor seen many ads about them. So this was perfect timing.
Skin pharmacy is a local brand and was set up by 2 pharmacists who have more than 15 years experience in the beauty and pharmaceutical industry (and they are still running the company now). Dedicated to creating formulations to suit various skin types and to target different skin problems, The Skin Pharmacy has 3 main ranges – one for sensitive skin, one to treat acne and another for treating pigmentation. As their stores would have a trained pharmacist present, customized formulations can be mixed up then and there.
I had the pleasure to meet Michelle, the pharmacist at the Wheelock branch. Firstly, we did a quick skin analysis to see which products would be suitable for my skin type and to tackle my skin issues. From this skin analysis, Michelle could inform me about my wrinkles, pigmentation, pores and sebum production. She explained to me my skin condition and I’ve learnt a lot more regarding my skin and how to take care of it! This helps greatly when it comes to choosing skin care products as to each its own, skin care products and its effectiveness will differ among individuals.
As I do have certain issues such as over production of sebum, large pores and acne scarring, Michelle suggested a range of products for me, which I will share with you here.
Firstly, as I walked around their store, I noticed that every product has a simple leaf rating – one leaf being non-natural based ingredients, two being a mix of natural and non-natural ingredients and three leaves being 100% natural, naturally-derived or organic ingredients. Stated clearly at the front of the store, their products do not contain alcohol, parabens, SLS and other harmful ingredients as well.
One factor that I really enjoy while walking around and swatching the products in the store was the formulation and texture was extremely lightweight and absorbed really quickly into the skin. As the texture is like a watery gel, the skin does not feel heavy and there is not one bit of tackiness left behind after. This is perfect as they took into account Singapore’s hot and humid weather. There is nothing I detest more than a heavy cream suffocating my skin as I go through my day.
The packaging of the products is very clean and simple – so you know that you are not wasting any money on fancy packaging and you are getting your money’s worth on the product itself. Another plus point to note is that the packaging is opaque (and thus, stable), as this ensures that the beneficial ingredients are not compromised as they can break down due to the presence of light (aka jar packaging). These opaque tubes come with a pump as well, definitely a plus, as it makes dispensing the product much more convenient and hygienic. The pump can be locked (by twisting it clockwise) so I am confident that these will do well in my travel bag too! Overall, the packaging gets a huge thumbs up from me!
As I do require some brightening (due to uneven skintones) and hydration (my skin is dehydrated – thus the over production of sebum), Michelle suggested the anniversary serum no. 4 for hydration but she customized it by adding arbutin to it for the added brightening effect. It was pretty cool to watch her weigh, grind and mix the arbutin into the serum bottle. Customisation right infront of my eyes! This took less than 5 minutes as well, quick and efficient!
This does remind me of a similar brand that does customization of serums. However, that requires the mixing of 2 or more serums serums and combining them into another larger bottle. Apparently, this dilutes the serums and tones down its effectiveness. I actually never thought about this before, but it actually makes a lot of sense. If you think about the concentration of the skin care ingredients, a one time application would have a much lower concentration due to the same volume dispensed (if that even makes sense, I tried). Thus, when Michelle mixed in the arbutin into my serum, it would result in added benefit of whitening rather than the toning down of both concentrations and subsequently, their effectiveness.
The products that I got were:
Amino Deep Cleansing Powder (SGD 32.90 for 60g)
Amino Deep Cleansing Powder (SGD 32.90 for 60g)
This is a powder cleanser, which foams up upon contact with water. Pretty cool concept and this was my first time trying something like this out! I can immediately see this as a great travel companion (no liquid, no spills!).
I do like this cleanser as my skin does feel fresh and clean, but not tight. I always smile widely after washing my face to test and I did not experience any tightness after cleansing with this.
Sebum Reducing Anti-Acne Treatment Toner (SGD 45.90 for 220g)
I know this might be frivolous, but I love anything with a spray. A toner that come in a spray? Yes please. This toner is very lightweight and I usually use about 2 sprays to cover my entire face. After which, I simply use a cotton pad and wipe gently across my skin. This toner contains salicylic acid which is great for exfoliation and Zinc PCA to reduce sebum production! No alcohol is used in this, which is great as alcohols in toners really tend to dry out the skin, and defeats the purpose of skincare, really.
Natural Oil Free Moisturising Gel (SGD 44.90 for 50g)
This is probably my favourite of the bunch. I do have dehydrated skin and working in an air conditioned environment does not help. I do get dry patches around my nose and my forehead occasionally too. This moisturizing gel is extremely lightweight and absorbs into the skin in a matter of seconds. No tackiness is left behind and yet, my skin feels hydrated and comfortable. I also noticed that my dry patches have not been coming out to play recently too, so a huge plus.
Despite this being a water-based moisturizer, my makeup sits atop of it nicely with no separation (which can tend to happen if you use a silicon-based foundation atop a water-based moisturizer).
Natural Whitening Hydrating Face Mask (SGD 54.90 for 50g)
On nights that I really want to pamper myself or if my skin is feeling particularly parched, I will add a thin layer of this overnight mask as an extra step after moisturizing. Due to its lightweight texture, this additional layering does not make it heavy on the skin at all. Of course, there are nights where I just use this alone. This really does give a hydration boost to the skin and I like how plump and glowy my skin looks when I wake up the next morning.
 |
| This is slightly more viscous than the Oil Free Moisturising Gel but still light and watery nonetheless |
Total Care Intensive Eye Gel (SGD59.90 for 15ml)
Like everything else I mentioned, this is a lightweight eye gel that is really hydrating. Usually, my concealer does crease under my eyes (can’t help it, wrinkles are wrinkles, and concealers are creepers that love fine lines) – no matter which concealer I use. I do notice that my concealer creases less with this eye gel and this is a major win for me. Safe to say, this quenches my under eyes well! There is no risk of getting milia seeds as well!
Customised Serum (Serum No. 4 The Super Hydrating Serum mixed with 8% Arbutin)
(SGD139.90 for 30ml – there might be additional charges for customisation)
(SGD139.90 for 30ml – there might be additional charges for customisation)
This serum is probably the heaviest in texture out of all the products mentioned here. That being said, it is still considered lightweight when compared to other products out there in the market. I do find that this serum takes a tad longer to get absorbed into the skin. But other than that, it doesn’t bother me much as I usually move on to the next step, which is to apply the moisturizer. I have been using this religiously for the past 2 – 3 weeks or so, and I am not sure if I can attribute it to solely this serum, but I did notice that my acne scars on my cheek has lightened a bit. Everything takes time and like my dad always says, slow and steady. I will keep using this and will update here if I see any astounding changes.
Silky Sooth Sunscreen SPF 30 (SGD49.90 for 50g)
This sunscreen is great for everyday use as unlike some typical sunscreens, this one is lighter in texture and consistency (how many times can I say lightweight??). It blends nicely into the skin and leaves no white cast behind. What I really enjoy about this sunscreen is that it does not feel heavy on the skin (many sunscreens feel like a mask and it is downright uncomfortable) and the skin does not feel really sticky after application. I had no problems putting on my makeup right after either. Everything blended and stayed where it should, with no patchiness nor streaking.
Overall, I really did enjoy the personalized service where there is a professional pharmacist to consult and the skin care products being made to match the needs of my skin. The products really do cater to Singapore’s humid weather and personally, it broke the myth (for me, at least) that cream products are more hydrating than water-based ones!
All the products are made in Singapore and I do find that the price is definitely decent considering the thought that goes into the ingredients and products. I definitely recommend dropping by and getting your skin analysed! The products do not break the bank and it is always good to support a local brand, in my opinion.
If I had to recommend just one product, I’d say try out the Natural Oil-Free Moisturising Gel as it is provides all the hydration we need without the uncomfortable tacky feel after!
Hope this review was helpful and thanks for dropping by! Xo.
All the products are made in Singapore and I do find that the price is definitely decent considering the thought that goes into the ingredients and products. I definitely recommend dropping by and getting your skin analysed! The products do not break the bank and it is always good to support a local brand, in my opinion.
If I had to recommend just one product, I’d say try out the Natural Oil-Free Moisturising Gel as it is provides all the hydration we need without the uncomfortable tacky feel after!
Hope this review was helpful and thanks for dropping by! Xo.
