I followed Jeanette Aw’s skincare routine for 2 weeks and my skin has never looked clearer

It’s easy to think that genetics have granted our favourite celebrities flawless-looking skin. While that may be true to some extent, it isn’t always the case.

The actors and actresses in Singapore have a host of beauty essentials that keep their complexions glowing, youthful, and protected. And if there’s one actress whose skin always appears immaculate both on- and off-screen, it has to be Jeanette Aw.

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The 41-year-old hasn’t aged a day since she first stepped into the spotlight two decades ago. Thankfully, the actress has publicly shared a few of her top skincare tips that keep her skin in tip-top shape. In a bid to cop her natural glow, I decided to adopt these beauty tips for two weeks to see if they could transform my skin.

Spoiler alert: One of Jeanette Aw’s biggest skincare secrets is using the Lancôme Clarifique Dual Essence! Keep reading to see my full review of the product.

Trying Jeanette Aw’s skincare routine for two weeks

Tip #1: Skip the makeup where possible

When we asked Jeanette Aw about her beauty philosophy in an interview, she immediately answered, “Less is more.” Her trick is to wear as little makeup as possible. In fact, she sometimes skips foundation altogether when she’s filming. Not only has this resulted in fewer touch-ups on set by makeup artists, but it has also helped to keep her complexion clear through the years.

With all the mask-wearing we’ve been doing lately, it’s a great idea to go barefaced whenever we can. Since the pandemic started, I’ve definitely been cutting back on foundation and concealer. And even though I’m obsessed with cream blushes, I’ve stowed them away for fear of clogging my pores with a mix of dirt, sweat, and pollutants accumulated on my skin.

Tip #2: Cleanse your skin every night, no matter how tired you are

Besides going easy on the makeup, Jeanette has also mentioned that the one step she never fails to neglect is cleansing her face at the end of the day. “Cleansing ranks top of the priority list for me,” she shared.

Giving your skin a deep cleanse is of utmost importance, and it goes beyond removing post-work makeup and sunscreen. Throughout the day, airborne bacteria can latch on to your skin, and if they aren’t washed away properly, they could potentially contribute to ageing, pigmentation, and blemishes.

The best way to stop this from happening is to double-cleanse every night. For the uninitiated, double-cleansing involves using a cleansing balm, oil, or micellar water to break down makeup, SPF, and sebum on the surface of your skin first, then following it with a water-based cleanser.

I’ll admit, I fell off the double-cleansing wagon a couple of months ago because I grew a little lazy, sticking to a single cleanse at night. Lately, however, I’ve started to see the consequences show up on my face in the form of dullness and blemishes. So, I jumpstarted my skincare routine with an oil cleanser, followed by a water-based cleanser.

Tip #3: Lancôme Clarifique Dual Essence – the key to Jeanette Aw’s glow

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There are a few reasons why the Lancôme Clarifique Dual Essence caught my eye. Its high rating of 4.8 out of 5 stars as well as its glowing customer reviews makes this essence stand out from the crowd. What’s more, the essence counts Jeanette Aw as a fan, which ultimately made me want to try the product out.

Housed in an elegant glass bottle, the Lancôme Clarifique Dual Essence comes with a patented in-bottle whisk that instantly gives the essence a leg up above the rest. The innovative formula contains 97% Clear Essence with French beech bud extract, along with 3% bi-phase essence with grapeseed oil, which work together to gently exfoliate, clarify, and hydrate the skin.

The brand advised me to shake the bottle seven times until the essence turns into a milky-white concoction. When I shook the bottle, I noticed that the in-bottle whisk helped to mix the two phases well and produced microbubbles (shown above).

Lightweight yet nourishing, the essence absorbed quickly into my skin after patting it on my face and neck with my hands. It didn’t feel heavy or greasy too, just hydrating and refreshing. My skin can often feel tight and dehydrated after cleansing, but this essence was able to provide immediate comfort and hydration to my skin.

Despite being fragrance-free, the Lancôme Clarifique Dual Essence had a pleasant, subtle scent too, which helped to soothe my senses. On top of that, it’s also paraben-free and silicone-free – perfect for my sensitive, acne-prone skin.

I couldn’t wait to keep using it for the next couple of weeks.

Tip #4: Treat your skin to a hydrating sheet mask

“I always stock up on masks as well, to keep my skin well hydrated always,” Jeanette mentioned. Although the actress was referring to what she would do to relieve her skin from the dry environment of long-haul flights, treating our skin to a hydrating sheet mask once in a while might just be what it needs.

After all, long hours under an air-conditioner can dry out your skin’s moisture barrier and cause dehydration, which can trigger redness, tightness, and irritation. Some may even experience a series of breakouts on top of that.

Since I’ve resumed work at the office, my skin has been feeling taut and dehydrated due to the cold air that blows directly at me. So, I decided to pamper my skin by using a hydrating sheet mask on days where it needs a little TLC.

Tip #5: Sunscreen is an absolute must

In an interview with CNA Lifestyle, Jeanette mentioned that sunscreen is a non-negotiable part of her beauty routine – and I completely agree.

You may think that skimping on SPF while you’re indoors is totally okay, but it’s still an absolute necessity, even when you’re staying home all day. That’s because standard glass windows are only able to block out ultraviolet B (UVB) rays and not ultraviolet A (UVA) rays. The latter have longer wavelengths that can penetrate deeper into the skin. UVA rays are also the main culprit of photo-ageing, which include dark spots, textured skin, fine lines, and wrinkles.

Since masks shield the lower half of our faces, you might argue that it’s okay to forgo the SPF too. However, most masks are not made with proper UV filtering material and are unable to provide adequate UV protection, so it’s best to slather on sunscreen before you head out.

I’m guilty of using an insufficient amount of sunscreen daily, until I found an easy hack from beauty blogger Jude Chao (@fiddysnails). She recommends dispensing sunscreen on the lengths of your fingers first before applying it on your face. Her personal rule of thumb is three finger lengths for the face, and three for the neck and upper chest.

Lancôme Clarifique Dual Essence review: Results after two weeks

After trying out Jeanette Aw’s skincare routine for two weeks, my complexion gained a dewy, moist sheen. The dark spots on my skin were visibly lighter, and my overall complexion looked more radiant too. Besides that, my cheeks looked a lot less red and congested.

The light exfoliating action that the Lancôme Clarifique Dual Essence provides helps to slough away dead skin cells, which is why my skin looked clearer and brighter after two weeks. My large pores looked visibly smaller too. At first, I was worried about the formula being too harsh on my sensitive skin, but it’s actually gentle enough to be used daily.

I may not have any momentous occasions coming up – considering how I still work from home sometimes and wear a mask outdoors – but it still feels great to have clearer, more radiant-looking skin.

These tips were incredibly easy to implement and I looked forward to each step during my two-week trial. These tips taught me to take care of my skin better and give it the hydration it needs to thrive. But if I had to narrow it down, I’d say the thing that made the biggest difference to my skin was the Lancôme Clarifique Dual Essence.

From its nourishing, lightweight texture to its refreshing scent, the Lancôme Clarifique Dual Essence was an absolute pleasure to use. It definitely played a huge part in contributing to my skin’s overall glow.

What I also learned is that the French beech bud extract found in the formula acts on the skin’s enzymes to promote cell renewal. So this ingredient gently exfoliates the skin to reveal a brighter, clearer complexion.

Like Jeanette Aw, my skin can be quite sensitive at times, but this essence didn’t irritate my skin in the slightest. Instead, it was able to soothe redness and irritation, right from the first use. After two weeks, I saw a fresher complexion that could have only been the result of using the Lancôme Clarifique Dual Essence. Looks like the essence has found a permanent home on my bathroom shelf.

Lancôme Clarifique Dual Essence retails for S$98, S$148, S$205 (90ml/ 150ml/ 250ml) at all Lancôme stores, Sephora, and Lazada (Lazmall). 

This article is brought to you by Lancôme.