[Review] ClearSK V-face Shaper- Relaxing Method to achieve a V-face

ClearSK Medi + Skincare

I'm obsessed with the elusive V-line that after the effects of another V-line face treatment product I reviewed previously wore off, I wanted a treatment that would give me a longer-lasting V-line. Of course, the same conditions apply. No pain, needles, surgery or downtime. Old habits die hard and my tolerance to pain is negligible. =(

Luckily for me, ClearSK has offered SampleStore Beauty Panelists the chance to try their signature V-Face Shaper treatment that achieving the desired celebrity's V-line face shape is now possible! This treatment targets sagging cheeks, double chins/jowls, and crowfeet near the eyes. It is quick with no fuss, pain, needles, surgery or downtime.
 

ClearSK @ Novena

Before I go off about the treatments, let me tell you a bit about ClearSK. ClearSK Medi-Aesthetics ("ClearSK") was founded in 2008 to offer aesthetic treatments powered by medical technology. Their niche areas lie with their wide selection of skincare and slimming treatments that are personalized and prescribed by aesthetic experts. Currently, they are located at Novena Medical Center, Velocity, Orchard,Toa Payoh,  Tampines, Jurong East and they have 6 more upcoming outlets.



Interior

Welcome treatment

The reason why I mentioned their locations so early in the post is because I want to highlight their Novena Medical Center and Velocity outlets. Remember when I mentioned aesthetic experts earlier? ClearSK has a group of qualified doctors at the Novena Medical Center branch to administer medical-grade aesthetic treatments using medical-grade technology and they are assisted by the nurses there. Located close by is the Velocity outlet which is manned by nurses and therapists who administer salon-grade aesthetic treatments using medical grade technology as well. Now, can you tell me how many salons in Singapore offer treatments administered by qualified nurses?



Nurse Joyce administering the treatment for me. By the way, congratulations on your wedding!

Needless to say, I was suitably impressed because I was attended by the beautiful and knowledgeable nurses Joyce and Siti during my first and second visits respectively.


The bed which I fell asleep on--it is very comfy.

When you first enter, you will be showed into a clean room with a comfy single bed. The nurse or therapist (whoever you get that day) will start by cleansing your face (and remove your makeup if necessary). They used a cleansing milk which smelt divine and instantly relaxed me. I asked if I could buy it but it wasn't for sale. Boo.

Then it is time for the treatment! This treatment is called the Accent Ultra V Face and it combines ultrasound waves and radio frequency ("RF") technologies into one non-invasive procedure. You will start with the Ultrasound treatment so wax will be applied to the target areas of treatment for the easy manoeuvring of the machine head. There is no specific reason why wax was chosen sans the fact that it was specified by the manufacturers as the chosen medium.

Ultrasound treatment

The Ultrasound treatment uses both cold and hot ultrasound waves to selectively shear off the fat layers and break up the fat cells at the epidermal layer of our skin (i.e. the top most layer). It does not damage the other surrounding tissue types. During each treatment, the therapist or nurse will determine the target areas so they may focus on different parts of your face during different visits. For example, during my first session, the focus was on my jawline and it slowly went up to my cheeks and cheekbones during consequent visits.

After that, the wax will be removed and a floral smelling oil will be applied to the entire face. Correct me if I am wrong but I think it could be a Moringa Flower-based oil. The scent was subtle and relaxing... Ahhh...

Following which, the RF treatment would commence. The RF treatment consists of unipolar RF technology which generates alternating electromagnetic fields that cause friction and heating in the deeper tissues to improve the overall shaping, firmness and new collagen formulation.

Okay, if I were to be picky, the RF treatment would be my least favourite part of the entire treatment because the sounds from the RF machine can be quite annoying. There is also heat involved so those who are sensitive to heat have to be extra careful and communicate with their therapist/nurse if it gets too hot. For me, the heat was bearable for the most part though it did get a bit too hot for comfort at one point. Luckily, the heat was quickly turned down so it was okay.

The last part of the treatment is my favourite part of the entire treatment. FACE MASK TIME!


My favourite part: Face MASK TIME!

At the end of every facial treatment at ClearSK, a paper mask will be applied. There are 5 types to choose from and they are:-

1. Aloe Vera Hydro Mask;
2. Sensitive Calming Hydro Mask;
3. Pure Whitening White Mask;
4. Acne Control Mask; and
5. Age Delaying Essence Mask.

The type of mask used for you will depend on your skin condition and what your skin concerns are. The Aloe Vera Hydro and Sensitive Calming Hydro Masks have hydrating properties in addition to whatever is claimed in their names. The Pure Whitening White Mask contains milk- lactic acid for whitening purposes. The Acne Control Mask is self-explanatory while the Age Delaying Essence Mask is for collagen building to treat severely aging skin.

Since I have sensitive skin, the nurses have chosen the Sensitive Calming Hydro Masks for me on both occasions. When they say it is calming, they are spot on. I feel calm and relaxed that it was time for me to nap. Best 20 minutes of my day: 20 minutes of nap time with dimmed lights and soothing music... I just want to continue napping!

After 20 minutes, they will come in to remove the mask and massage the remaining essence into the skin. Since it is essence from the essence mask, it is intended to be left on your skin and NOT TO BE WASHED AWAY!

I would highly recommend ClearSK for the effectiveness of the V-face Shaper treatments, the soothing and relaxing ambience, and the knowledgeable staff. To see the effectiveness of the treatments, let's have a look at the photos from Week 1 and Week 4:

Week 1:

 

 

Week 4:

 



Things to note:-

1. On my last visit, the therapist chose to use the Acne Control Mask on me because I said I was stressed. At first the methol effect of the Acne Control Mask was refreshing but slowly, it started to sting with increasing intensity that I couldn't take it and asked for it to be removed. The reason I brought this up is not because the Acne Control Mask isn't good but perhaps it isn't suitable for those with sensitive skin; and

2. All the above pictures are unedited, have no filters applied etc. except the addition of the Miss Bon Viveur stamps.

Disclaimer: The treatments were sponsored by ClearSK in collaboration with The SampleStore but this is not an advertorial or a paid blog post. My views on ClearSK, their products and services are not influenced by ClearSK and are completely my own.

Pagi Sore- Indonesian Halal Food- Sedap!

A feast.

Working in a multi-racial society like Singapore means that I have to take into account each and every colleague's dietary requirement when thinking of venues for our office lunches. Luckily, I have my best friend Google who did the job for me and I chanced upon Pagi Sore, a Halal Indonesian restaurant.

The outlet at 100AM is an open set-up near the escalator on Level 2. The place is hard to miss and reservations are recommended especially during weekday lunch hours. 

Sambal Balachan and Keropok Barinjau

Each table is decked with small plates of piquant sambal balachan and baskets of crispy keropok barinjau. Despite being set out in the open for however long it has been left there, the keropok barinjau was shatteringly crisp and went brilliantly well with the sambal. Do note that they are not free.

We considered ordering dishes to share but eventually succumbed to the charming maitre'd's suggestion to go for a set lunch for 3-4 pax. For 4 office ladies, a set lunch for 3-4pax was more than sufficient for us. Part of the advantages of having the set lunch is the free flow of rice which came wrapped in the banana leaf. 

Steamed white rice wrapped in banana leaf

The smell of freshly steamed white rice in a banana leaf is heavenly.

Tahu Telor (Deep-Fried Tower of Beancurd & Egg) (not part of the set lunch menu)

The Tahu Telor was not part of the set menu but we couldn't resist ordering it. It was a towering heap of fried tofu and egg nets with a sweet peanut studded sauce and julienned carrots. The crisp outerior housed the egg tofu which broke apart to reveal a steaming hot interior that wobbled and slid down the throats like a kid on a slide. The egg nets soaked up the sweet savoury sauce and when eaten together with the tofu, the egg nets gave the subtle egg tofu bursts of flavour. (7.5/10)

Ayam Bali (Bali Styled Barbeque Chicken)

The smell was incredible when the Ayam Bali arrived at our table. The burnished caramelized skin beckoned and resistance was futile as we sank our teeth into slices of juicy and succulent chicken thigh. The marinade reminded me a lot of satay with its sweet and savoury nuances. (7.5/10)

Tumis KangKong Balachan (Stir-Fried Kangkong Balachan)

I like to think I'm more carnivorous than herbivorous but when you dine with ladies with more lady-like dietary inclinations, vegetables are bound to creep onto your dining table. Not that I minded in this instance because this Stir-Fried Kangkong Balachan provided a welcome distraction from all the meats on our table. While it was not the best I have ever tried, Pagi Sore serves a decent rendition of this famed dish. I think this dish lacked a certain wok-hei (the kiss of the wok's breath) to make it a stellar rendition. (6.5/10)

Ikan Ota Kukus (Steamed Whole Leather Jacket Fish in Ota Gravy)

The star item of our meal was the Ikan Ota Kukus. We marvelled at the uniqueness of the dish and I don't think I have ever come across this dish at other Indonesian restaurants before. The sizealso amazed us because it came with a whole fish and a whole fish usually costs a lot at a restaurant. I think we were expecting just a portion of the fish or a really small fish but this was a sizeable fresh and meaty fish that was steamed to perfection. The accompanying Ota gravy was lemak (coconut milk-like) without being overwhelming. The essence of this dish is that it borrows its concept and flavours from a fish otah but served in a deconstructed and steamed version instead. I would highly recommend ordering this dish and I'm salivating as I type. (8.5/10)

Alpukat Gula Melaka (Fresh Blended Avocado topped with Gula Melaka)

Nothing ends the meal better than with dessert. All of us wanted the Alpukat Gula Melaka instead of the Chendol because we all love avocadoes. However, upon ordering, we were told that they sold out. As we ate our meals and were ready for dessert, the waiter informed us that they went to buy more avocadoes so we could have the Alpukat Gula Melaka if we wanted. Needless to say, we were stoked and said yes! I've tried many avocado blends with gula melaka and/or chocolate sauce that I know it would taste fabulous but the coarsely shaved ice knocked off points off this dessert. The coarse ice made me feel like I was constantly biting into ice and towards the end, it diluted the creaminess of the avocado. Had the ice been fine or if the avocado blend been chilled instead of topping the avocado blend with coarse ice, it would have been a well executed dessert. (6/10)

Not shown but included in the set meal is the Lime Juice (one glass per guest). You have a choice between Refreshing Lime Juice and Homemade Barley Water in case you were wondering.

We paid approximately $30 after taxes per person. While it ain't cheap, we felt like it was every penny well spent. I must say that any criticisms written here is because I'm being picky for the purposes of reviewing the food but if you are after good Indonesian food in general, Pagi Sore is one to check out especially if you are in the CBD area. I liked the dishes I ate that day. I just feel that there is always room for improvement because cooking is an art that can always be improved upon and never perfected.

Pagi Sore Indonesian Restaurant
Address: 100 Tras Street, #02-28, 100AM (Amara Shopping Center), Singapore 079027

Opening hours:
11am-9.30pm
Nearest MRT: Tanjong Pagar

Another outlet:
Far East Square Outlet
Address: 88/90 Telok Ayer Street, Fast East Square, Singapore 048470

Opening Hours: 11am-2.30pm and 6pm- 9.30am
Nearest MRT Station: Raffles Place: 11am-2.30pm and 6pm-9pm.