If you’ve been having a very Chinese time in your life, you might already have made apple beauty tea, snow fungus desserts and had your daily glass of hot water. Perhaps you’ve already noticed improvements in digestion and energy levels. Your skin is glowing differently. More than just a passing fad, these wellness practices are just the tip of the iceberg—Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has been here for centuries.
But what exactly makes it different from other systems, like Ayurveda? Both TCM and Ayurveda treat the skin as a reflection of the internal workings of the body, but the types of practices and ingredients used are different. While Ayurveda classifies the skin by the three doshas, or the elemental energies of vata (wind), pitta (fire) and kapha (water and earth), TCM traces skin concerns to disruptions in the internal balance of the body. More specifically, TCM strives to achieve an optimal balance between yin (a cool, nourishing force) and yang (a warm, active force) in the organs. Depending on your lifestyle and diet, upsetting this balance, especially in the lungs, spleen and liver, can lead to anything from dull complexion to psoriasis.
To remedy these conditions, TCM advocates the restoration of this balance. Through diet, ingredients like jujubes, goji berries and white fungus provide nourishment from within. Externally, beyond guasha, there are clinical cosmetic procedures—bojin, moxibustion and facial acupuncture—that can stimulate one’s vital energy (Qi) and promote blood circulation and collagen production in the face. As for what you can add to your vanity or bathroom shelf to achieve that rosy glow, TCM herbs now come in powerhouse skincare formulations too. Below, spy Vogue Singapore’s line-up of TCM skincare brands and products to try right now.
1 / 4
BEDA
Launched in 2021, the Singapore-based skincare brand sought to prioritise skin health over trends. In an industry where fragrance and other irritants remain present in ingredient lists, BEDA’s founder Rachel Poon looked to naturally-derived alternatives instead. Hailing from Hong Kong herself, TCM extracts are the hero ingredients in her formulations, specifically in the Multi-Active Treatment Essence. The 6-in-1 serum features salicylic acid and niacinamide, alongside chrysanthemum, ginseng and green tea extracts to soothe irritated skin and brighten the complexion.
2 / 4
Herbar
It was in Berlin that founders Rui Liu and Catarina Oliveira discovered a shared passion for TCM. Liu, a plant nutrition scientist, and Oliveira, a TCM doctor, were set on incorporating their medical research into everyday rituals—leading to the fungi and adaptogenic formulations that best define Herbar. The bestselling Barrier Cream combines a 5-ceramide complex with three types of medicinal mushrooms to deliver deep hydration and repair to the skin. If lymphatic drainage was also on the agenda, target the meridian points of the face and neck with the Gua-Shroom and a few drops of Face Oil. The fungi-like form of the Gua-Shroom also makes a pleasing adornment.
3 / 4
Muihood
With its vibrant and travel-friendly packaging, Muihood is finding a way to make TCM accessible to everyone, everywhere. British-born Chinese founder Charlotte Yau founded the brand as a way to reconnect with her roots and tap into centuries-old wellness wisdom. The hero of it all is the Good Chi Cleansing Balm, which not only dissolves and removes make-up, but also nourishes the skin barrier with the anti-inflammatory properties of ginseng root, goji berry and soybean. Also of note are their body care products, which includes moxibustion patches for period cramps and a calming mugwort bath soak.
4 / 4
Dermatology M
After seeing patients with severe atopic eczema in a clinical trial, founder Mazin Al-Khafaji tapped into his expertise as a doctor of Chinese Medicine to make an ointment with Chinese herbs. As novel as it was at the time—the late 1980s—Dermatology M continues to devote itself to TCM herbs and gentle formulations. Zi cao (or redroot extract) cools inflammation and safflower seed oil moisturises intensely in the Nourishing Cream, making it a long-time favourite for anyone dealing with chronic skin dryness, eczema or topical steroid withdrawal. In the hair department, the Softening Scalp Tincture harnesses the tingling sensation of a surprising ingredient—sichuan pepper—to relieve itch and sensitivity.
