5 skin checks to help you get to know your skin better

Knowing your skin is the best way to be able to give it what it needs, which is why it's important to routinely attend skin checks to gain a better understanding of your skin health. From specialised home devices to professional skin consultations, here are five ways you can get your skin assessed.

Five skin checks to help you get to know your skin better

Rationale Signature Skin Consultation 

What it is: A two-phase comprehensive skin consultation that incorporates manual skin scanning, questionnaires and UV diagnostic imaging.

How it works: The consultation starts with a skin and lifestyle questionnaire. The Rationale skin consultant then proceeds to double cleanse your face to remove makeup and dirt. This is followed by a skin analysis using UV Diagnostic Images to reveal your skin issues layer by layer.

What it tracks: The machine looks at different aspects of your skin's health, including its texture, hydration levels, sub-surface melanin, and sun damage to give a multidimensional profile of your skin. Bonus: This skin consultation also comes with a pampering facial.

How it helps: By gaining a much deeper understanding of your skin's needs, the consultant is able to share tips on how to care for and future-proof your skin, as well as prescribe and tailor an at-home skincare routine for your skin goals.

$100 for 60 minutes, available at #01-19 Raffles City Shopping Centre and Tangs at Tang Plaza

Skin Inc +SABI AI App 

What it is: An app that acts as your personal wellness and skin health coach, allowing you to know what's going on with your skin any time, anywhere.

How it works: The computer vision technology analyses the millions of pixels in your uploaded selfie pic, comparing it to 200,000 face scans to provide a very precise analysis of the eight markers that determine your skin health. At the same time, the app assesses the more than a million profiles from the wellness and Skin ID check, along with its series of algorithms, to predict your wellness and skincare needs.

It does so by looking at your lifestyle and environment contributors, making it perfect even when you're travelling. To give you an insight into your skin concerns, it uses a range of functions, from quizzes that analyse lifestyle behaviours, sleep patterns, stress levels and blue light exposure, to uploaded face scans that provide assessment on areas such as skin texture (pores and acne), pigmentation and skin barrier, as well considering the UV and pollution indexes of your location.

What it tracks: The quizzes and selfie will help assess your skin's firmness, acne-prone areas, pigmentation and even dark under-eye circles. And when paired with the new Tri-Light smart IoT device, you can even find out your skin's hydration levels thanks to the Hydro-Sensor located at the bottom of the device.

How it helps: Based on your results, the app provides skincare recommendations and lifestyle changes - increase daily movement and water consumption, to help you along your wellness and skin health journey. Combine it with the Tri-Light device, and you can set your own skin goals. The app will help guide you towards achieving it through customised self-care treatments.

What's also interesting is that the app allows you to share your skin concerns and goals with friends, connecting you with your #skintwin - someone who might be undergoing similar skin issues.

The +SABI AI app is available to download on Apple and Google Play stores. The Tri-Light smart IoT device ($458) is available at all Skin Inc stores and at Iloveskininc.com.sg.

Sequential Skin Test 

What it is: A skin patch test that analyses skin's key microbiome (both the good and bad) that makes up the health of the skin, while taking into consideration how the environment is affecting it.

How it works: It starts with ordering a test kit from the Sequential Skin website. The kit comprises of a test patch, test tube and instruction card.

The process is pretty straightforward: Register your kit upon receiving it, open it and stick the test patch on your forehead to collect a skin sample, and then mail it back to the team. At the Sequential Skin lab, your skin sample undergoes the brand's next-generation sequencing technology, which gives the team a better understanding of your skin's genetic make-up and the DNA of your skin's microbiome.

After a week, you'll receive your complete skin analysis, as well as three skincare recommendations for a cleanser, a day treatment and a night treatment that have been carefully curated by Sequential Skin's skincare director.

What it tracks: The skin sample allows for an in-depth assessment of your skin's hydration, sensitivity response, firmness, sun protection and antioxidant capacity. These five traits are said to have the most impact on skin health.

How it helps; The report you receive is essentially an in-depth look at how your genetics and microbiome are working hand-in-hand to give you the skin you currently have, and what you can do to make it better. At the same time, you can also create an account on the Sequential Skin app to get curated product recommendations, skincare and lifestyle tips.

The Sequential Skin Test is available at sequentialskin.com.

Kiehl's Derma-Reader Pro Deep-Skin Analysis 

What it is: An elevated skincare consultation featuring an advanced in-store diagnostic tool that allows you to better understand your skin's issues and overall skin health.

How it works: The device uses an advanced skin-imaging tool to provide real-time, in-depth analysis of your skin at the surface and sub-surface.

What it tracks: The photo-analysis identifies up to eight skin concerns, including wrinkles and fine lines, skin texture, surface spots, enlarged pores, red areas, emerging brown spots, UV damage and clogged pores.

How it helps: The images allow the Kiehl's Skin Expert to formulate a personalised skincare plan, share insights on the lifestyle and environmental impacts on your skin, as well as product usage tips and techniques to help you achieve a healthier and younger-looking complexion.

Kiehl's Derma-Reader Pro Deep-Skin Analysis is available exclusively at #B1-33 Ngee Ann City.

Lancome Skin Screen 

What it is: A 20-minute in-depth skin analysis and consultation.

How it works: It uses a one-of-a-kind combination of tri-polar light technology together with advanced algorithm to measure and assess skin.

What it tracks: The device is able to analyse eight key skin parameters: skin texture, redness, brown spots, hydration levels, skin firmness, wrinkles and fine lines, clogged pores, and sun damage.

How it helps: The results allow the Lancome beauty adviser to tailor a skincare routine to address your skin concerns and help you achieve your skin goals.

Lancome Skin Screen is available at Lancome counters.

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This article was first published in Her World Online.