Yes, the title says it all, CNP Laboratory (CNP Lab), the brainchild of 50 dermatologists, is here in Singapore! CNP Laboratory subjects its products to a stringent verification system and years of research and testing on actual skin conditions, in order to formulate for the delivery of effective clinical results. Skin safety, efficacy and quality is paramount and the basis for product development, and you can be sure that each and every product is of high quality and safety.

Earlier in January, I attended the press event for CNP Lab and was given an opportunity to try out some of their star products, including the Anti-pore Blackhead Clear Kit and Propolis Energy Ampule as well as some of their masks with ampules. I’m back to revert on my thoughts and experience with these products!

The Propolis Energy Ampule is a serum that contains concentrated Propolis extract (honey essence) known for anti-oxidant and moisturising benefits. Together with Hyaluronic Acid, the serum helps to replenish the moisture in your skin, maintaining its healthy glow. Although the product comes from a cosmeceutical brand, it is lightly honey-scented so don’t worry about it smelling all medicinal or clinical!

I’ve incorporated this serum into my daily skincare routine for about 2 weeks now, using it before my hydrating essence and after toner. The texture of it is very light and watery, thus gets absorbed into the skin very quickly, leaving your skin slightly sticky before drying down to a smoother texture. I find that it plumps up my dry skin, making it hydrated and fresh. After using it day and night for 3 days, I found that my skin is a little more hydrated and the peeling on my skin stopped. This serum mainly moisturises and helps maintain firmness. It is priced at $40.90 for 15ml.

In our hot Asian climate, we tend to have more blackheads on our nose as a result of excess sebum being produced. Many of us love squeezing them out ourselves (I’m guilty of that sometimes), leaving immediate red marks, open pores or even causing the area to bleed if not careful. With the Anti-pore Blackhead Clear Kit, you can now safely remove your blackheads without causing physical stress to your skin! This product has won the In Style “Style Beauty Awards 2014”.

This kit is a 2-step process for removing blackheads on the nose and the areas around it.

The first step would be to place the Hypoallergenic Black Head Clear Mask (labelled 1) on the nose for 10-15 minutes. The mask contains patented active ingredients that gently dissolve blackheads and sebum, helping to lift the sebum within to the surface of the skin through maceration (softening/breaking into pieces with liquid). Step 2 requires you to remove the mask and gently roll a cotton bud over the surfaced blackheads to remove them. Since it’s black, you’ll be to clearly detect the blackheads you remove.

The last step is to place the Pore Tightening Mask (labelled 2) on the nose area for 5-10 minutes. The pore tightening mask contains Witch Hazel extract for strong astringent pore tightening and an anti-irritant complex is present to soothe skin sensitivity after Step 1. The active ingredient in the mask, Zinc PCA (Zinc Pyrrolidone Carboxylic Acid), seeks to control sebum manufacturing and improve the appearance of pores after the blackhead removal process.

I find that this is a very easy and non-invasive way to remove blackheads. However, perhaps due to the significantly large sizes of my pores, they do not get tightened much as you can see from the before and after photos. The peeling skin on my nose disappeared though, showing that the mask does serve to moisturise a little as well. I’ve heard that this is either a hit or miss, depending on your skin condition so perhaps you’d like to try it out once to see if it works in clearing most of your blackheads for you. This retails for $14.10 for 3 sets of 2 masks and 6 black cotton buds.

I was also given some masks with ampules to try out and I must say they are really very moisturising, especially when you use them cold (I usually place my masks in the fridge before using)! The ampule serves to either soothe or brighten your complexion after you are done with the masks. Just tear the sachet open and apply it to the skin. You don’t have to wash off because it acts like a concentrated serum to further condition your skin. These masks retail for $6.80 (single)/$30.10 (5 sheets).