Tag: japan
Thursday, July 15th, 2010
With summer here, there is no time like NOW to begin the practice of masking to give your skin that extra ‘oomph’ of hydration and radiance that it needs with the warm weather and sunshine.
Sure, it takes a bit of an effort on your part, but if you just try it once, I guarantee that you’ll convert. You will see that an effort of just 30 minutes/ week (15-minute sessions, 2 times a week) can make ALL the difference in the world for your skin, especially if you mask on a regular basis.
Biocellulose Sheet Mask vs. Paper Sheet Mask
Any mask– mud, cream, hydrating– can revitalize your skin, but for those of you who are more limited on time (or just lazy!), I highly recommend sheet masks. Sheet masks and its usage, are all the rage in Asia, and has been a trend for many years already, but it is still a new concept in the US market. It is essentially a sheet of paper, woven cotton, or gel-masks are now created, cuz out in the shape of your face, with holes punched out for your eyes, nose and mouth. Personally, I prefer a new generation of sheet masks made with the material called ‘biocellulose’ that molds to the shape of your face, and has a much more effective delivery system.
These masks save you the messiness of mud masks, but delivers the same results. Each are one-time use, and the steps are as follows:
Step 1: Take mask out of package.
Step 2: Place mask on your face.
Step 3: Leave on for 15-20 minutes.
Step 4: Dispose mask– no need to wash anything off.
That’s it. Do you STILL think you don’t have time for this? Come on… it can’t get easier than this. And another reason to convert? Pamper yourself. Can you argue with that? Just think about the money (and time) you’ll save in giving yourself a mini spa session at home instead of going into a spa. Give it a try, and post us a message to let us know what you think!
TIPS: Double up the results, and mask after a quick exfoliation with a gentle gel exfoliator like Restoration Clear Gel, and you’ll see even BETTER results. Don’t know where to purchase sheet masks? Google it, or email us, I can send recommendations. Or, if you’re already a Marie Louise fan, you can also use our Creme a-VC as a mask by applying a thin layer all over your face, leaving it on for about 15-20 minutes, and then massaging the product in.
Tags: Asia, biocellulose, cream mask, exfoliate, hydrate, hydration, japan, Mask, moisture mask, moisturization, moisturize, moisturizer, mud mask, pack, pamper, paper, radiant, revitalize, skin, skin care, skincare, steam, summer, Yourself
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Thursday, July 8th, 2010
Recently, a few colleagues and I just got back from a business trip to Tokyo, Japan. Aside from trying to squeeze if fantastic meals between work, our primary reason to trek across the globe was to visit the largest beauty show in Japan, Beauty World, and to go through an intense 3-day training with Marie Louise, whose home base is located in Yokohama, Japan.
Beauty World, Japan
From being in Asia, speaking with estheticians and makeup artists there, as well as looking around at the trade show, shops and simply people-watching, we wanted to share some of the makeup tips and beauty trends that we found– some we can use in our daily lives, some are just… interesting.
The Power of Brown. Globally, women are becoming stronger, more independent professionals, successful in their respective careers. But despite our ‘strong’ capabilities, we don’t necessary want to look like women who will eat men alive all the time. In Asia especially, I was advised to ’soften’ my look by swapping out the black eyebrow pencil, black eyeliner, and black mascara I use, to only brown. Since then, I have actually gotten several compliments– give it a try.
BB = Blemish Balm. BB = Blemish Balm. If you are ‘in the know’ of Asian trends, you have probably heard of the new fad of “bb creams” by now. For those who are not familiar, become familiar! Varying from brand to brand, this cream will be your new BBF since it generally moisturizes, has SPF protection, brightening/ whitening benefits, and sometimes anti-aging properties as a bonus– all the while it covers up all your–surprise surprise– blemishes. Slightly thicker than a tinted moisturizer, if you should the right shade, this goes on much more naturally, giving you a finished look without looking like you caked on makeup. While I have been using BB creams since a couple years back, I had never known that this cream originated in Korea, with Korean celebrities who needed to cover their scars from the ever-so-common plastic surgery and invasive procedures.
“Doey” Eyes. This is not a new concept—if anything, in Social Psych 101, we learn that it is people are generally attracted to facial features that resemble that of a baby. Eyes are no different; it seems the bigger the eyes, the more attractive. This is no different in Asia, despite the infamous stereotype of “Asian” eyes. If anything, it’s all the more impressive out there. It’s no longer just about one layer of double eye-lid tape, or even fake eyelashes; girls out there have perfected techniques using even THREE layers of fake eyelashes to complete their look or using the power of colored contacts or pupil-enlarging contacts.
The 'after' make up half of this girls' face (the other side is the 'before')...
Check out this video of a variety show in Taiwan: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3ImaaS2-MY&feature=player_embedded. The show is in Chinese, but trust me, you won’t need to understand what is said to be able to appreciate the comparison of half of a made up face compared to their ‘natural’ look. To skip the intro, scroll to about 3 min 18 seconds… and prepare to be amazed.
Stay tuned for more Asian beauty trends!
Tags: beauty trends, Beauty World, Blemish Balm, japan, Japanese trends, tokyo, Yokohoma
Posted in Asian Products, News, Techniques | 1 Comment »
Tuesday, April 13th, 2010
Packaging of eye patch from Biore (front view)
If steam heated eye masks are not your thing and you prefer something cooler for your eyes, then I think I might just have the right product for you. These individual packaged gel like eye patches from Biore, a large cosmetics company in Japan, offers a great alternative.
Instructions on the back of the eye patch packaging is self explanatory. The picture tells you where to place your eye patches.
I normally put these eye patches under my eyes like shown on the packaging (see picture) after I put on my eye cream at night. Then I sleep with it on for 6-8 hours and I really see a difference in the morning. Somehow the coolness of the eye patches make my eyes look smoother and hydrated in the morning. It maximizes the absorption of my eye cream too.
The top side is felt material and the bottom side is gel material.
It’s a shame that Biore only sells this product in Japan. I went on their website, www.biore.com and could not find this product except on their Japanese website. I wish these Japanese companies would share more of their beauty secrets and products with the rest of the world. I really love the coolness of the gel patch under my eyes and how great I look the next day!
Tags: Asia, asian, attractive, beautiful eyes, beauty secrets, beauty tool, beneficial, cosmetics, effective, eye, eye mask, eye patches, eyes, instrument, japan, Japanese, maximize, new products, oily, popular, prevention, skin, skin care, skincare, technology, tips, wrinkle free, wrinkle free eyes, young, young looking eyes
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Thursday, March 25th, 2010
I don’t know if you are like me but I’ve been having a hard time going to bed before midnight these days. My dark circles are becoming more apparent and my eyes look puffy and often dehydrated in the morning. Therefore, I was so happy to discover these STEAM HEATED EYE MASKS on my recent trip to Tokyo.
Steam Heated Eye Masks come in a box of 5
These Steam Heated Eye Masks come in unscented and lavender scent. I bought the lavender scent to try.
Individual packaging makes it good for traveling.
According to the packaging, I could use this eye mask any time from sleeping to taking a break or traveling. It is suppose to relax your tired eyes. It should have the effects of having a steam sauna on your eyes. Sounds amazing, right?
Directions on the back of the package.
This eye mask is very easy to use. See the pictures below for demonstration.
Lavender Scented Eye Masks
Pooh Bear demonstrating the eye masks.
Side view of the mask. The ear loops are very comfortable and should fit any face shape and size.
The two purple squares warm up once it is exposed to air, but not too hot and at a very comfortable temperature. The steam is released slowly so that I could actually feel it on my eyes and the lavender scent is so soothing and calming. I tried this eye masks right before going to bed and after applying my eye cream. The scent and the heat made me really sleepy and I fell asleep within a few minutes.
Conclusion: The skin around my eyes looked refreshed and hydrated the next day. I’m definitely buying some more when I go back to Japan again.
Tags: Asia, asian, beauty, beauty products, beauty tool, beneficial, effective, eye mask, eye masks, eyes, hydrated, hydration, japan, Japanese, learning, looking young, maximize, moisturizer, new eye masks, new products, popular, puffy eyes, skin, skin care, skincare, sparkle, steam eye masks, tips, tired eyes, tokyo, tool, wrinkle free eyes
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Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010
On my most recent trip to Tokyo, I noticed these delightful BLACK Q-tips everywhere. I love how they have both a smooth end and a spiral end. Black seems to be the “IN” color for a lot of items including blotting tissues, toilet paper, facial masks, shampoo, toothbrush, and even their chopping boards.
Black Q-tips
Notice how they are individually packed, so I can carry them everywhere with me to retouch my makeup or on a weekend getaway. The spiral end is perfect for combing through my eyelashes and smoothing out the clumps of mascara.
Individually packed
Here’s a close up:
Normal and Spiral Ends
If anyone is interested in trying this, you can buy it online here for only USD 2.99.
Tags: Asia, asian, beauty, beauty products, beauty tool, instrument, japan, Japanese, new products, new tools, prevention, skin, skin care, tips, tool
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Thursday, December 3rd, 2009
The best way to rejuvenate skin, according to my boss- a 50 something year-old woman, who barely looks a day over 35 – is exfoliation. Her skin is plump, bright, glowing, with very little lines. Not an ounce of flake!
I asked her what her secret was…. Good genes? Foreign products made in silence by monks? Nope: “I scrub my face like crazy with a loofah every morning under the hot shower. Scrubbing dead skin away is the key!”
So I tried it. The results? Well, lets just say I didn’t feel like going out that night. Not all of us have thick skin! But it got me thinking: there’s got to be a better way to shed the dead skin cells that are clogging my pores. And that’s when my desperate search to properly exfoliate my skin started!
Remember that whole at-home-microdermabrasion-craze? Sure, massaging my skin with pea-size beads made out of walnuts shells and ingredients I could not pronounce exfoliated dead skin. In fact, it exfoliated most of my skin away, leaving it blotchy, red and sensitized. NOT what I was looking for. Neither were all the scrubs, peels, serums and magic washcloths that followed: the chemicals in most of the products only managed to assault my skin, causing it to flare-up!
Little did I know that over-exfoliating, just like hard water, weather and pollution, is actually harmful to your skin. So what’s a girl to do?
Please meet Marie Louise’s Restoration Clear Gel. First of all and most important, this exfoliating gel is actually hydrating and nourishing, thanks to ingredients such as desalted deep sea water, glycerin and algae extracts, known to help the skin retain moisture. It literally melts as your skin absorbs it, dry grains gently (and that’s the key word one should look for in all products) lifting away impurities and dead skin. Once they have ceased to appear and have been rinsed off with warm water you are left with a bright and pure complexion. Since it’s gentle enough, you can use it more often; this regular regimen will allow your skin to absorb all the benefits your moisturizers, masks and serums have to offer, thus making them more effective! It will also reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles- after all, it’s no secret that the cleaner your skin is, the younger and healthier it looks!
Just remember: you shouldn’t need sandpaper to get results!
Tags: Asia, asian, attractive, beauty products, beauty tool, beneficial, cosmetics, effective, ingredients, japan, learning, maximize, new, new products, new tools, oil, oily, oily skin in the afternoon, popular, prevention, Santa Monica Daily, serum, shine, shiny skin, skin, skin care, skincare, sparkle, sunscreen, technology, tips, tool
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Friday, November 20th, 2009
Toners are considered to be one of the most basic products in most Asians’ skin care regimen. In the US, we are trained by marketing and commercials to think that this is an unnecessary step in the skin regimen when using a proper toner can completely affect your skin condition. There are all types of toners that will cleanse, tighten, brighten or moisturize your skin. From a recent study by Japan’s TV station, NHK, they discovered that the way you apply your toner not only makes a huge difference on how effective your toners are, but one should also realize the importance of toners and its application to make the rest of your skin regimen more effective.
Japan’s NHK recently interviewed 30 people off the streets and discovered that more than half of them apply their toners by lightly patting on the product using their hands. Only less than half of the consumers gently pressed their toners onto their skin. In order to discover which method is better, Japan’s NHK TV Station gently patted on toner the right side of a model’s face with their hands, and then in contrast gently pressed the toner onto the left side of the model’s face with hands. Then the research team used high tech equipment including a microscope to take a picture of the model’s face to detect the moisture level of the model’s right and left side’s face.
The results were incredible and shocking. NHK discovered that even though they used the same toner on both sides of the model’s face the application process made a significant difference: the moisture level of the right side of the model’s face did not go up but the constant patting actually caused stress to the model’s face. Compared to the left side, the right side of the model’s face appeared darker, and had thin white lines which indicated damage of some skin cells.
Conclusion: I’m definitely pressing my toners onto my skin from now on. I really love these experiments!
Tags: Asia, asian, beauty, beauty products, cleanse, compare skincare study, damaged skin, difference, effective, japan, Japanese, learning, looking young, maximize, microscope, model, moisturize, moisturizer, NHK, NHK skincare, NHK study, pat, popular, press, pressed, skin care, skincare, skincare toner, technology, tighten, tips, toners
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Wednesday, November 11th, 2009
There’s always a popular diet going on in different places at different times. Asia is no different and sometimes trends are the most obvious in Japan, where the hype around an item or diet goes off the charts. For example, last year, the most popular diet in Japan was the Morning Banana Diet which actually caused a shortage of bananas in Japan for a while!
Now the latest diet in Japan is the Tororo Konbu Diet. Tororo Konbu is basically shredded kelp or seaweed that is soaked in vinegar. Tororo Konbu can be added into soup, egg rolls and different savory dishes. This diet was first introduced in a book in July, but became really popular last month according to Japan’s Yomiuri Online. The hype around this diet grew as a result of a Japanese female star’s successful Tororo Konbu diet story aired on Oct. 13th on a Japanese TV program. Since the airing of this TV program, there has been a shortage of supply of Tororo Konbu in Japan especially in the Tokyo area. It’s one of the hardest items to find in a grocery store right now!
I’m not sure if I’m running out to buy a pack yet, since many experts still believe that it is the long term usage of vinegar and seaweed that keeps you looking slim. But I guess when you are desperate, anything is possible. If you want to try it, you can buy it in the U.S. at Mitsuwa Market or online grocery stores like Asian Food Grocer.
Tags: Asia, asian, Asian diet, Asian diets, Asian trends, banana diet, diet, healthy, japan, Japan diet, Japan TV, Japanese, Japanese star, Japanese star diet, Japanese star's diet, Konbu, Konbu diet, seaweed, seaweed diet, shortage of bananas, skinny, slim, Tororo Konbu, vinegar
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Wednesday, October 28th, 2009
California extends deadline for reporting cancer chemicals in cosmetics: http://bit.ly/2EI015
4 Home Beauty Tips Using Epsom Salt: http://tinyurl.com/ykuwnzc
Tags: Asia, asian, beauty, beauty tool, beneficial, eyes, ingredients, japan, learning, maximize, mid-day shine, moisturizer, new products, new tools, oily, oily skin in the afternoon, popular, prevention, serum, shine, shiny skin, skin, skin care, skincare, sunscreen, technology, tips, tool
Posted in Did You Know... | No Comments »