Last Friday, we sat down with SK-II Men Global Brand Ambassador, Godfrey Gao. The Taiwanese-Canadian hunk was in town to officiate the first SK-II #ChangeDestiny Museum at 1 Utama Shopping Center that takes visitors through a historical journey of the iconic Japanese brand and how it’s never too late to change one’s skin destiny. As the Global Brand Ambassador, Godfrey spoke to us about how SK-II transformed his bad skin and why men shouldn’t be afraid of starting a skincare regime.
Hi Godfrey, how are you?
I’m very good! Just a little under the weather with a nasally voice.
How does it feel being the first Asian model for Louis Vuitton?
It feels great. It was a couple of years ago and I still hold the name for the first Asian male that’s been on the global campaign. It’s an honour to be on such a luxury brand’s eye, it was kind of like a miracle for me. I didn’t know what to expect – it was really awesome to become one of the faces and I’ve been working very closely with Louis Vuitton ever since.
Some people find that their skin stops responding to certain products after a long period of usage – what do you think of the products?
It works fine with me and I love it. I’ve been with SK-II Men for about almost four years now and ever since the first time I tried it, the SK-II Men’s product has brought my on-screen camera or even for photo shoots, movies and dramas up to another level because before SK-II Men, I had no idea what the proper grooming procedure really was until I followed up with the products that SK-II gave me. It really helped me change my skin condition on-screen because before when I was shooting dramas in China, I had to reapply a lot of makeup throughout the day, maybe fifteen, sixteen hours a day. I probably have to reapply maybe 20-30 times because I sweat a lot and my face just gets really oily and the makeup would brush off when I wipe something off.
My skin condition wasn’t really a hundred percent, I had a lot of blemishes and pimples and after a month, my face would be clogged up with makeup. I had a lot of blackheads and it was really bad up until I had the SK-II Men offer. I started using SK-II Men during that same film and I’ve notice the difference after two weeks and the makeup artist said the same thing – ‘What are you doing differently and what are you using?’. My skin is more balanced, the condition is way better, I have a less oily face so I don’t have to reapply makeup as much. Everything was smoother and it has been great ever since and I have been using it everyday with the same regiment – I wake up, have a shower and clean my face with the facial cleanser, put on the Facial Treatment Essence, the toner to balance out your skin, and the anti-aging moisturizer is great and I do the same thing before I go to bed.
What’s your favourite SK-II Men product?
My favourite would be the Facial Treatment Essence – that’s probably the only product that has brought my skin to a really balanced condition. I love everything! There’s a new product called the Brightening Serum if you’re going to a photo shoot, it will make your skin glow. The UV Protect Moisturizer is great for when you’re having a day outside.
How do you take care of your inner health?
When I go to sleep, I take care of it. Let’s say I’m in production for two, three months and I’m really stressed by the producers and the directors and I’m under a lot of pressure – after the production I like to have a vacation. A beach or a tropical island to relax and ease off my mind and not to think about anything else.
When it comes to men’s skincare, some men can get a little intimidated by the term – what’s your advice for men who are looking to start a skincare regime?
I would say don’t be afraid. Men do think that skincare products are a big no-no – I’m fine, I play sports, I eat well but they’re going to start noticing when they turn a certain age so time would definitely come up and hunt them in the future. I would suggest to them to them, don’t be afraid, start early – start right now. Have your regular skin regimens and stick to it and just be positive and it wouldn’t hurt to try – I would suggest that to every guy who’s scared of skin products.
If you could describe SK-II Men in one word, what would it be?
Perfect!
With your busy schedule and lack of sleep, do you have any tips for men out there?
Besides skin care products, I would say if you’re travelling a lot, if you have late schedules and off schedules, jet lagged, you can’t really do much except your intake of food and beverages. I think that’s pretty much the most important thing, I mean you don’t even have time to exercise. I would suggest just by drinking a lot of water, eating a lot of fruit, have a good diet so you feel good. Not a lot of red meat, maybe stick to chicken or fish. It starts from a diet and it would definitely pay off when you’re feeling down or tired but red meat does give you tiredness and stress – if you stick to what I said, it would be alright.
