5 Asian Skincare Products You MUST Try

Oh hey there, long time no see.

So I'm finally settled in, and getting a chance to work on my own brand. AKA the mszjackiechu- with a "z". Believe it or not, not a day goes by that I don't think about Youtube in some way. And since I haven't chopped down my welcome back video (yet, that's coming this weekend), I figured I'd do a quick blog rounding up my favorite Asian skincare products.

I've always been such a huge proponent of skincare. Since moving to LA, I've been breaking out quite a bit so I've started religiously applying all of my serums and potions once again. I think my renewed love for skincare is partially due in part to an interview I saw featuring Pharrell, where he confessed everything he knew about skincare came from supermodel Naomi Campbell (another ageless vampire). The most important take away? She stressed the skin you have now, is the skin you'll have later in life. I'm not old by any means...but I definitely wouldn't mind aging a bit better would you? That made me take a hard look in the mirror where I had to admit, my skin wasn't looking so hot these days.

Look at his baby soft skin- at FOURTY-ONE. Oh. Em. Gee. 

Besides Proactive and Queen Helene's Mint Julep Masque (ahh-mazing) I use exclusively Asian skincare products. Asian skincare is a kind of weird, funny and expensive realm. To help navigate it for you, I'll show you my MUST have products I use to keep my skin looking bright, even and beautiful.

Sheet Face Masks

I LOVE face masks. Seriously. Love this stuff.   Sheet masks are individually wrapped packs of cotton masks drenched in facial serum that you wear over a freshly washed face for about 10-15 minutes. After I take the mask off I spend another 2-3 minutes rubbing it in, to make sure I get all of it's chemical goodness and then wash my face promptly after. Some people just let it air dry and leave it be- but this clogs my pores so I make it a point to always wash my face. My favorites are My Beauty Diary's Arbutin-A and black pearl masks. Image via Yesstyle

Whitening Products

Woah woah woah, not that kind of lightening. There's a lot of misconception with skin whitening that I always try and clear. It's true- there's products in Asia that help people achieve a lighter hue of skin, but for the most part these can be pretty dangerous and aren't legal in the states. The term "whitening" can also be used to describe products that even skin's tone and texture. I have a lot of discoloration from sun damage as I'm genetically prone to freckles and sunspots, so these help keep my skin looking clean and even. They also give it a bit of translucency, that makes my skin look young and fresh and gets rid of that "weathered" look socal sun can cause. My favorite is Shiseido's White Lucent line.

NexCare Acne Dressing

These are literally one of the biggest Asian skincare secrets that no one ever talks about. These small, unassuming round bandages are God's gift to whiteheads and troubled skin. You stick one of these babies on a pimple with a head, and it sucks out all the disgusting insides. No popping necessary! For pimples that don't have a head, I'll sometimes take a (clean!) needle, poke it through and leave it on overnight. Just note these need at least 8 hours to work, and may need multiple tries until the pimple is flat. Not going to lie- I LOVE seeing them filled with pus in the morning. Makes my entire day. If you're buying them in the states, try Amazon or Ebay.

So. Epic.

Shiseido's Water In Lip Chapstick

This is the most amazing chapstick you will ever try in your life. All my friends think I'm nuts to pay almost $10 for a rinky dink little chapstick but it's worth every cent. It literally melts as you apply it, and instantly you'll have a super kissable, soft pout. You'll know from the second you apply it that you'll never be able to use another chopstick again. The only pain? They're really hard to find, so I usually default to Ebay. My personal favorite flavor is pear- you'll love it.

CURE - Aqua Peeling Gel

I first heard about this product through Bubbi, and was super curious because, in case you haven't noticed, her skin is gorgeous. CURE is a cult beauty product in Japan, and it's basically a peeling gel / mild chemical exfoliator. You smooth it on a clean face, let it sit for 30 seconds, and then rub off all your old, yucky skin. Not only will regular exfoliation keep your skin looking younger, it will also help all your pricey serums and moisturizers absorb better.  Only caveat- it is pretty pricey at almost $50 a bottle. I'm also a fan of Laneige's peeling gels as well, which are about half that price. They're just as good but a bit heavy on the fragrance. You can buy CURE on Amazon

And that's all! Expect a video soon :) and have a wonderful weekend!

Shiseido White Lucent Review

Some of you guys may remember an older post I did reviewing Shiseido's Pureness line- Shiseido's line addressing acne-prone and troubled skin. It's been a long time since I've used it and for the past 3-4 years I've been enjoying White Lucent-  Shiseido's whitening (brightening) skincare line. As with any expensive skincare line the big question is, "Does it work?" I think, in order to not be disappointed with skincare you have to have manage your expectations. To clarify: whitening skincare lines that are distributed in the U.S. are not meant to actually lighten the color of the skin. Whitening products that aggressively lighten the color of your skin usually contain illegal substances that are damaging in the long-term, and i'd discourage anyone from buying them here or overseas. Legitimate "whitening" products are meant to improve the skin's clarity by helping to break up melanin and hyper-pigmentation, the things that cause sun spots, acne scarring and discoloration. They also make the skin appear to be more "translucent".

Because a lot of this discoloration is caused by the sun, many people who purchase whitening products are naturally discouraged from extended sun exposure without sunscreen. For anyone who suffers from acne scarring or hyperpigmentation (sun spots, freckles etc.) wearing sunscreen will actually reduce damage to the skin caused by scarring. Sun damage inhibits your skin's ability to heal AND ages/weathers the appearance of skin, so stay out of the sun for nice skin! This is why people who use whitening skincare are usually fairer, not only to reduce sun damage but also to get the maximum benefit from these costly skincare regimens.

Below I break down the White Lucent products I've tried and give each a mini review.

Shiseido White Lucent Brightening Cleansing Foam - $35 USD

A little of the White Lucent Cleansing Foam goes a long way. You really only need a pea-sized amount and it'll lather up in to a rich, dense (think shaving cream) white foam that will cover your entire face and neck easily. It feels very luxurious and leaves the skin feeling squeaky clean- albeit maybe TOO clean. It's almost a little drying and stripping on its own. It has a slight perfume but nothing overpoweringly stinky. Of all the pieces in the line I don't think this is necessary, I think you can really use any cleanser you want. Because cleansers come right off, as long as your skin is left clean is what matters. There is a slight brightening effect but it's temporary.

White Lucent Brightening Moisturizing Emulsion - $59.50

Since I have oily skin, I opted for the moisturizing emulsion since it's much lighter than the cream. It doesn't smell particularly good, but not bad either. Slightly sweet but you catch whiffs of something acrid here and there. I only need a tiny bit and it moisturizes my skin well and gives it a dewy finish. During the summers I end up SUPER oily though come morning time. However I do feel that my skin looks duller and "rougher" without it. Out of the whole line, this is my takeaway absolute favorite, closely followed by the intensive targeting serum.  Shiseido does offer a daytime version with spf 18 but I just mix the lotion with some sunscreen and that works just fine for me.

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White Lucent Spot Targeting Serum

White Lucent's Spot Targeting Serum gets a lot of mixed reviews. My personal experience is that it's one of the better spot treatments out there- but you can't expect miracles out of it. It will only give moderate improvements to the appearance of skin, and no improvement whatsoever to the texture. So if you have "ice pick" type acne scars, I wouldn't invest in this since it's more than $150 a bottle! I think The Face Shop's whitening treatments are truly comparable in the beginning stages of scarring, and a lot cheaper. I think the trick is, if you're using whitening spot treatments to mitigate acne scarring you NEED to apply this regularly during the initial stages of healing. I like to massage the whitening serum in as I think it helps increase circulation to the area and expedites healing. However if you are past the initial scar development, I find that Shiseido's works better than The Face Shop's. Hands down Shiseido's spot serum works better for sun damage like freckles and sun spots, but I'd use it in conjunction with a physical exfoliator such as microdermabrasion treatments.

White Lucent Power Brightening Masks - $68 for 6 masks

Hands down these are the best whitening face masks I have ever, ever tried. They're uncomfortably big but the fabric is just SO thick, plush and luxurious. It feels like those pricey napkins you get at fine dining establishments in their restroom (I've definitely stolen a few of those heh heh).  The masks smell slightly sweet in their normal Shiseido fashion. If they weren't $11 a pop I'd use them more often but these are fantastic before a big event or occasion. Also...I suppose its cheaper than a facial? Much better than comparable My Beauty Diary masks. My skin felt incredibly hydrated and plump after.

Because Shiseido skincare is an investment, I suggest purchasing the products from Nordstrom or Sephora.com - both of which offer generous return policies if you're not satisfied. However take note that it usually takes a few months to see any noticeable results. It took me about two months until I saw any kind of measurable difference in my skin, and it wasn't dramatic in any way. For really dramatic immediate results, I think the only realistic and safe option is laser resurfacing.

Hope you guys found that helpful :)!

PS. If this doesn't work for you, you can always take self-gratuitious photos in front of a great lighting source in a fancy hotel. That works too. Example below:

Acne skincare tips

Hi everyone,

I promised I'd make an effort to blog more, so here I am :) I want to talk about skincare and acne tips today because I think having healthy skin is far more important than any makeup or foundation routine.

As I mentioned I'd give you guys an update on my Bikram yoga! I am 110% sure its helped me bring my skin back to its original state. Ever since I tried BB creams 18 months ago my skin has never been the same. To be quite honest I've harbored a bit of resentment towards Asian makeup and skincare since then. My skin tone wasn't as even and I still had a bit of scarring left. Bikram has REALLY helped, its been a long time since my mother's complimented my skin- she has a very critical eye! So I know that I'm not imagining the improvement. So here are some things that I know help to improve skin's appearance and texture.

1. Sweat- a LOT! I really think working up a sweat helps to open up congested pores. Just make sure to wash your face after and don't work out with face makeup on

2. Improve your diet- I feel like a broken record saying this but even my friends with very severe acne noticed significant improvement in the appearance and frequency of their breakouts. It can't hurt to try, and it'll help you shed stubborn belly fat and improve your hair, nails and skin.

3. Remove dairy from your diet- so this is one I don't personally follow because I have no adverse side effects from it. However a lot of people will actually break out from the hormones in dairy products.  I notice this is mostly a problem with my friends who struggle with moderate-severe acne. Try cutting out dairy products completely and see if this helps you. All the nutrients of dairy can be found in other products as well :) so its not necessary by any means

4. Clean the surfaces that touch your face. Pillow cases, cell phones etc harbor hoards of bacteria. Did you know that about 70% of cell phones have traces of fecal matter on them? I have a clear protector screen on mine and clean it every few days with hand sanitizer or windex sprayed on to a piece of paper and then rubbed on. Don't put it directly on to the device, put a small amount on paper so that you're not drenching your phone.

5. Drink lots of water! This really truly helps your skin be more vibrant and gives you great energy. It also helps you be LESS bloated. How much water should you drink a day? Don't go by the 8 cups of water rule, this is way too general. Multiply your weight in kg by .033 to find a good amount and drink more if you're particularly active.

So that's it! I'm confident that making these simple changes truly help to improve the appearance of your skin. Also remember to wear sunscreen religiously if you're acne prone, sun damage inhibits the skins ability to regenerate and encourages scarring. So wear sunscreen to help prevent scars from being too severe.

Take care and see you ladies next week :D