Tag: Asian beauty

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Top Korean Beauty YouTube Channels

In no particular order, below are my personal favorites that I’ve come across for keeping up with Korean beauty products and trends (good reviews and swatches, frequent posting, well produced). My method for discovering Korean beauty gurus on YouTube is quite haphazard, so I welcome your comments on your faves.

I did briefly consider posting everyone’s “My Love from Another Star”/Cheon Song Yi tutorials, but instead I picked some of my favorite videos spanning different looks and topics.

Updated March 2015

1. Meejmuse (English)

Jen used to live in Australia and teach children but is now a K-style reporter for Arirang TV in Korea. Blogger turned TV personality? An inspiration to us all.

Her TV segments (also in English) are assembled in a playlist under her username. For example, care to learn about men’s makeup?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GdytMEOnJhU

2. So Young’s Beauty Room (Korean w/ English subtitles)

So Young’s videos showcase a lot of the latest trends in makeup. Continue reading “Top Korean Beauty YouTube Channels”

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You Go, Curl! Best Lash-Curling Mascaras for Hooded/Asian Eyes

After extensive (and expensive) trial and error, I’ve narrowed down the universe of mascaras that hold a curl the best. Hint: They’re not Chanel, Dior, Lancôme, Fiberwig, Josie Maran, Revlon, . . . I could go on. Even mascaras that specifically claim to hold a curl cannot always pass my stringent test.

01 Non Lash Curling Mascaras
All no go! Actually, the Fairydrops and Fiberwig might have been OK at curling but not consistently enough to warrant a recommendation

Maybe I’m asking for too much. I rely on my mascara to lift my hooded eyelids, which sliiiightly enlarges my eyes (relatively speaking; no one’s going to mistake me for a tarsier).

01a Best Lash Curling Mascara
A great mascara can hold up hooded eyelids, creating a (small) faux crease. My real crease is tucked underneath my eyelids.

Well anyway, if these work for me, they will surely work for ordinary lash-glamming needs. Continue reading “You Go, Curl! Best Lash-Curling Mascaras for Hooded/Asian Eyes”

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They See Me Haulin’ Part 2: Haul Revealed

01 Psy Sheet Masks
Sheet masks that transform you into Psy. Heh, psyyy-ch!

Part 1 is here.

Ah, I bought too much in LA.  Some are gifts.  But let’s be real, most of it is for me.

02 Full Haul
Haul-la! The full haul+free samples

First, I bought some cotton pads to remove eye makeup.  After Costco stopped offering my favorite Denon cotton pads (cheap and didn’t disintegrate or shed lint), I’ve been trying out different drugstore offerings and some Asian ones that I had lying around.  They’ve all been meh.  Here’s hoping these are better. Continue reading “They See Me Haulin’ Part 2: Haul Revealed”

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They See Me Haulin’ Part 1: Shopping in LA

In LA, I shopped my way across the city for Asian beauty products. All for you! I’m sorry, I meant me. All for me. By no means is this list meant to be extensive. I only listed places that I already knew of or came across. I hope, however, that this is useful to someone interested in shopping for Asian makeup and skincare. My faves: Image, Beauty Tips, and Takashima–all in the San Gabriel Valley.  Read on for info about stores there and in Koreatown and West LA. Some things to note:

  • Testers for makeup and skincare were common.
  • Prices across stores were basically the same (e.g., $18 for Clio Gelspresso eyeliner), so comparison shopping wasn’t as important as I thought it would be. Now whether those prices beat online prices, I don’t know.  Update: I’ve noticed some wildly disparate prices on some skincare items.  As in some items being 2x higher at one store versus another.  So comparison shopping is important.
  • Pretty much every store that sold Korean makeup sold Clio Gelspresso eyeliners and the full range of Peripera lip products and It’s Skin Babyface makeup.

SAN GABRIEL VALLEY–ATLANTIC SQUARE

1. Beauty Tips/Tips Beauty (Taiwanese, Korean, Japanese) 500 N. Atlantic Blvd., Suite 177, Monterey Park, CA 91754 The entrance is on Atlantic. Although small, it is crammed with products from Taiwanese, Korean, and Japanese brands, including brands that I didn’t see anywhere else. Also carries a healthy selection of American/Western brands, some of which are not commonly found in stores (such as Avene, La Roche Posay, Klorane, Eve Lom). Great for: Continue reading “They See Me Haulin’ Part 1: Shopping in LA”

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Misty-watered color memories – Hadanomy Aquaplacenta Mist and Shiseido Hadasui Skin Body Lotion

In the nasty aftermath of my various sunburns, I used to grab for the OTC aloe lotions and such. And while those aloe lotions and potions are ok, these facial/body mists from the Japanese cosmetic stores kick it up a notch.

(My) Uses include: after-sun care spray, toner for my body before moisturizer, moisturizer alone for super hot and humid days.

If you want stripper-soft skin, you must religiously apply lotion all over the body right after a shower. Every Day! These toners will give you major catch up.

I got this beauty tip from a girl at the Image beauty store in Alhambra, CA. I owe my soft body skin to her. And to my moisturizing rituals since 12 years old.

Below are the two that I have been switching up. One is for the face which I use for my body. One is specifically designed as a body toner (these Japanese cosmetic firms think of everything). And why not? The rest of your skin needs toner just as much as your face does. And you can experiment with various cheap toners without sacrificing the face first! WIN WIN!

20140628-120732-43652938.jpg Continue reading “Misty-watered color memories – Hadanomy Aquaplacenta Mist and Shiseido Hadasui Skin Body Lotion”

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Ooh La La-neige Water Drop Tints: Review of Peach Coral, Neon Pink, and Scarlet Red

01 Laneige Water Drop Tints Peach Coral Neon Pink Scarlet Red

Laneige Water Drop Tints are glossy, creamy, moisturizing lip stains.

02 Laneige Water Drop Tints Peach Coral Neon Pink Scarlet Red

Without eating or drinking, they last 5 or 6 hours.  Scarlet Red probably lasts even longer than that.  The lighter colors fade in intensity after an hour or two and are buildable to medium but not full coverage; even after fading however, you can still feel them on your lips providing some moisture.  The colors leave a slight stain.  Even though I was disappointed with the sheerness and subtlety of the lighter colors, I still use them a lot because they’re very convenient, long-lasting lip colors. Continue reading “Ooh La La-neige Water Drop Tints: Review of Peach Coral, Neon Pink, and Scarlet Red”

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Mi Amore: AmorePacific Color Control Cushion Compact SPF 50+ Review – 104 Tan Blush

For the second summer in a row, the AmorePacific Color Control Cushion SPF 50 is a staple in my routine.  (The product link goes to QVC, which has a video demonstration and shade guidance.  No longer available on QVC.)  In Asia, cushion foundations have been around for several years, but they are just now hitting the U.S.  (It Cosmetics just released one.  Actually my friend told me that Stila and Almay came out with cushion makeup years and years ago and lo and behold my Googling turned up Stila Pivotal Makeup.)

Continue reading “Mi Amore: AmorePacific Color Control Cushion Compact SPF 50+ Review – 104 Tan Blush”

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PSA (Pretty Service Announcement): Where to Buy Asian Makeup and Skincare

Renee’s Asian cosmetics haul was from Alhambra/Monterey Park in the Los Angeles area.  But thankfully Asian cosmetics are increasingly available online from international sellers and even in regular American stores and websites.

First, check out Skin & Tonics’ guide on specialized Asian websites and Amazon and eBay sellers that sell Asian cosmetics.  I’ve also successfully bought from TGIWholesale.  These sellers tend to be generous with random free samples, but shipping from Asia can take 2-4 weeks and be expensive.

Second, the four American stores/websites below carry various Asian brands, which might come as a surprise.  Compared to purchasing from an international seller, they might offer these benefits (of course, it varies by store): Continue reading “PSA (Pretty Service Announcement): Where to Buy Asian Makeup and Skincare”

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Snow Water & Sleeping Beauty – Laneige Snow Water Sleeping Pack_EX

So on my cross-country flight back from LAX-JFK, I merrily dove into experimentation with Laneige Water Sleeping Pack_EX. I had seen this advertised in Asian malls and supermarkets before but the name never stirred excitement until now. Phoebe from Image Cosmetics (inside that Asian plaza on 500 N. Atlantic) said it is awesome, and I tend to believe and like her as a salesgirl. For those unfamiliar, the term “pack” means a mask. Not all masks are made alike. Some are wash-off, some are peel-off, some are actually leave-in moisturizers. Laneige Water Sleeping Pack_EX is pretty much a light moisturizer made to be left on overnight.

It has over a thousand reviews on Amazon at 4.5 stars. This is a significant achievement for a beauty product due to the vast degree of variance between different people’s skin. Also, bad skin can be like obesity. Few products will cure it completely and the afflicted have a tendency to blame their troubles on anything they try, unless it delivers a miracle like the birth of Jesus.

So I had the luck & pleasure of spreading out across three plane seats with my Squadew mist and Laneige jar. I washed off all makeup, sunblock, and moisturizer before misting with Squadew and applying the Laneige Water Sleeping Pack_EX.

Continue reading “Snow Water & Sleeping Beauty – Laneige Snow Water Sleeping Pack_EX”

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My Lips from the Star Tutorial a la Cheon Song-Yi / Jun Ji-Hyun (Using Laneige Serum Intense Lipstick in LR07 Love Me Pink and TonyMoly Tint in Cherry Pink)

While Renee works her way through the animal kingdom, let me share some lip looks that I’m drawn to lately.

I was briefly am still obsessed with the Korean drama “My Love from the Star” (also known as “My Love from Another Star” and free on Hulu and DramaFever).

Story aside, I loved taking in the characters’ makeup looks.  Cheon Song-Yi (played by Jun Ji-Hyun), Korea’s sweetheart, sported full-on bright lips in a rainbow of feminine colors: cherry red, deep red, orange, hot pink, violet pink, coral pink, . . . gawgeous.  Her best friend/proverbial bridesmaid, Yoo Se-Mi (played by Yoo In-Na), sported the very-popular-in-Korea gradient lip, usually in orange or peach tones.

Here I show you three different lip looks inspired by “My Love from the Star” and all those beautiful Korean stars with hateably glowy and clear skin.

*Note: Today was overcast so all of the photos came out dull and cool-toned.  I edited them to try to show the true color, but I don’t think I captured the brightness and richness of the colors.

1. Over lightly moisturized lips, pat on a suuuuper light layer of foundation (I used a BB cushion).  Stop here if you like corpse lips.

Continue reading “My Lips from the Star Tutorial a la Cheon Song-Yi / Jun Ji-Hyun (Using Laneige Serum Intense Lipstick in LR07 Love Me Pink and TonyMoly Tint in Cherry Pink)”