Richard Yap is careful with his skin

With his charisma and good looks, Richard Yap has been likened to Hollywood actor George Clooney. Both are mature — Richard is 47, George is 53 — and the similarity ends there.

While George made his first TV appearance at 5 years old, Richard started in showbiz only three years ago as Papa Chen to Kim Chiu in My Binondo Girl. The businessman-turned-actor rose to superstar status as Ser Chief in Please Be Careful With My Heart, the record-breaking soap opera of ABS-CBN. With his handsome and respectable persona, he has become a most favored endorser for food, banking, and retail.

And now, Richard Yap is Bench Skin Expert’s latest endorser. Not a surprising choice because Richard has very good skin. Did we see Jodi Sta. Maria looking so kilig and secretly wanting to pinch his cheeks during their pre-courtship period in  PBCWMH? Did we hear that fans actually pinch Richard on his cheeks — and his butt?

Age has been kind to Richard, but then he knows that inevitably he has to take extra care of his skin. “Looking mature with character is different from looking aged, tired and stressed,” says Bench Skin Expert which offers services from facials to non-surgical cosmetic remedies for people on the go. Visiting Bench Skin Expert is now part of Richard’s weekly routine.

What services can guys like Richard avail themselves of at Bench Skin Expert? There’s Revlite Laser Therapy for treating dark spots and rejuvenating the skin; the Q-switched laser technology is proven to smoothen and lighten immediate signs of ageing such as finer lines, as well as relieve acne scars and stimulate the development of collagen to reduce pore size. Thermage CPT is for instant but long-lasting tightening and contouring of sagging areas all over the body. INtensiv Rejuvenation treatment professionally relieves skin of wrinkles caused by photo-aging and sun damage — a must for men and women who do not regularly put on sun protection lotions. There's also the Ultimate Contour for quick fat removal. For instant relief against ageing, Botox Infusion is one of the most popular treatments at Bench Skin Expert. For a skin quickie, there is the Dermal Filler Infusion which helps reduce unwanted lines on the forehead, mouth and nose and sagging areas around the face.

Here, Richard Yap talks about how careful he is with his skin:

Philippine STAR: How do you feel about being the newest endorser for Bench Skin Expert?

RICHARD YAP: Of course I feel honored to be part of the Bench family. Everyone wants to be a part of Bench, but not all are chosen.

How was the meeting between you and Ben Chan? Did he have to convince you?

We met while I was doing the pictorial for them, and it was very casual. I didn’t need any convincing at all. We know the reputation of Bench. We all know Bench is a very strong brand known not only here but abroad as well.

You have naturally good skin. What do you do to take care of it? Do you use any skin care product? Are there foods you avoid that you think are not good for the skin?

We all need a good facial soap to cleanse our skin. In our line of work, we in show business need to make sure we remove the day’s makeup or else it will clog our pores. So having a facial once in a while is part of keeping my skin healthy. Usually I avoid oily foods to prevent breakouts.

At what age did you first become conscious of skin care?

I guess I’ve always been conscious of my skin since way back. Living with six sisters has taught me a lot about taking care of my skin.

Do you think Filipino men are not vain enough? Do they feel it’s not macho to be too fussy about one’s looks? Do Filipino men take their looks for granted?

I think right now, a lot of men are really conscious about their appearance, because they know it’s not just about vanity. It’s their well-being and confidence as well that’s affected. The days when Filipino men didn’t care about their skin are slowly fading away.

What was the best compliment you’ve received about your looks?

When someone said that I have  flawless skin.

What services of Bench Skin Expert have you tried? What has been the effect?

I mostly have facials and I’ve been using Revlite. Since I wasn’t using sunblock before, I used to have sun spots on my face. Revlite lightens and helps eliminate the sun spots.

Who are the people, foreign or local, that you admire for their looks?

Anne Hathaway, Angelina Jolie, Jennifer Lopez, Claire Forlani, Demi Moore, Dawn Zulueta, Jodi Sta. Maria, and of course my wife Melody.

What would you advise men regarding taking care of their looks?

Having clean skin is a must. Always use sunblock to avoid premature aging and skin cancer which can lead to death.

What is the best beauty advice you have ever received?

Never have your skin pricked unless needed.

For your shoots/tapings/travels, what do you usually have in your grooming kit or bag?

A brush or comb, hair wax, toothbrush,  toothpaste, breath spray, deodorant, facial soap or cleanser, eye cream and BB cream among others.

What would you consider your best physical asset?

I guess it would  have to be my smile.

If you could change something about your features, what would it be?

Maybe my eyes, I’d like them to be the same size, haha.

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Bench Skin Expert is located at Glorietta 4 (625-0012 to 13) and SM Mall of Asia (823-0356). Visit www.benchskinexpert.com for more info.

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Many thanks to Olivia Zarate.

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