“Mask twice a day.”

That’s the advice I got from Nicolas Travis, whose flawless, luminous skin I couldn’t help but ogle throughout our photo shoot.

Nicolas is the founder of the local cult beauty label Allies of Skin. Chances are, you have already heard of it or seen it on Instagram. All the cool kids, it seems, are allies of Allies of Skin. Among them are Rachel Lim, Aarika Lee, Nejla Matam-Finn and Charmaine Harn. But mask twice a day? I mean, I really want a flawless, luminous complexion like Nicolas’ (and that of Korean actress’, for that matter), but I can barely scare up enough time for one mask a week, let alone twice a day.

If you’re thinking the same thing, well, here’s the awesome news: We can, and it doesn’t take an extra moment of our time. (Excited yet?)

The 1A™ All-Day Mask and the 1A™ Overnight Mask make up two of three products in Allies of Skin’s 24/7 kit. These are not your regular masks which you apply and rinse/peel/massage off after an episode of The Mindy Project. Just apply, and leave it on — yes, like a moisturiser. That’s it!

You know that thing Don Draper said about making it simple but significant? That’s Allies of Skin for you. Three products, a minimalist packaging design and a souped-up cocktail of nutrients to help us battle our skin’s greatest nemeses — fatigue, stress, pollution, age. They’re like The Avengers of skincare. Reviews have been rave. But I had to experience it for myself.

Whenever I try a new skincare product, the biggest worry is, what if we’re not compatible and before we break up, my skin breaks out? After spending about a week with my new Allies, I’m happy to report that we

are compatible and everything is hunky dory — yay.

In fact, the masks are so efficient* I swear you’ll notice smoother, brighter skin with in a day. Now I get why the kit — or the line, for that matter — needs only three items, including the Molecular Saviour™ Toner Mist (I’ll get to that in a bit).

When it comes to beauty these days, there’s really no hard and fast rules anymore. No two persons’ skin are the same, so no one can really dictate what’s right or wrong for you, not even Michelle Phan. The fun is in figuring it out for yourself — with every season and every birthday. This is how my AOS products work best for me: I use the 1A™ All-Day Mask in the morning in lieu of my moisturiser after my regular skincare routine. If you’ll bear with the initial sticky feeling (it goes away once your skin absorbs the goodness), you will very likely see a visibly brighter and remarkably dewy complexion like I did. I could actually do without my trusty BB Cushion 😱 . You could basically just slap on some sunscreen and concealer, fill in your brows, and you’re good to go. It’s a total game-changer.

The 1A™ Overnight Mask is recommended for use at night, so that it can work its magic while you sleep. “Its intelligent formula syncs with your skin’s sleep cycle to erase the effects of all manners of debauchery,” says the literature on AOS’ website. It even has a gentle, calming aroma that soothes your senses. Love it. I use this three times a week. Find your own rhythm if you, too, feel that it’s too rich for a nightly application.

And finally, the Molecular Saviour™ Toner Mist — a must-have! This works wonders as an all-day pick-me-up, for break-outs and jet-lagged skin. You can also use it on top of the masks for that extra boost. Don’t even get me started on its divine rose scent 🌹 ! Thank you, Nicolas Travis, for making our lives one big happy mask-querade.