Beauty Tips from The Body Shop’s Global Skincare Expert Dr. Terry Loong

Dr. Terry Loong, The Body Shop’s Global Skincare Expert

I had the pleasure this week of spending some quality time with Dr. Terry Loong, The Body Shop’s Global Skincare Expert. She has been a doctor for the last 11 years and was voted one of the Rising Stars in the Aesthetic Industry and winner of the Best New Clinic in 2013. She was charismatic, exceedingly knowledgeable, and what I appreciated about her most was that she shared my heartfelt, culturally driven, familial passion for skincare.

Three notable tips I took away from her expert talk:

1) You can test the amount of hydration you have/or are lacking in your skin by doing a pinch, pucker and grab test. Meaning you can gently pinch the area underneath your eyes and see how much they bounce back -- if they take too much time you are either dehydrated or may need to start using anti-aging cream. You can pucker your lips for a kiss and see if there are fine lines forming around your lips -- if so, it's again the same, time to use anti-aging skincare and/or drink more fluids. Lastly, grab your cheeks as you would a child's and see how resilient the skin is. Is it saggy? Is there enough of it? You should have something to grab. Again, hydration is key, but around the age of 30, we start to lose our natural ability to hydrate so starting to use an anti-aging skin cream is beneficial. Try Body Shop's New Drops of Youth Sleeping Mask before you go to bed. Rub a teaspoonful between your hands until it warms up and massage it into your face and neck. I've been using it the last two nights and my face has been feeling dewy and bouncy in the mornings! It has hyaluronic acid, edelweiss extract and Edelweiss stem cells, a naturally developed anti-aging ingredient.

The Body Shop Drops of Youth™ Bouncy Sleeping Mask ($30)

2) Having sex three times a week according to a study in Denmark for a year will make you look up to ten years younger. Now how's that for awesome?

3) Going to sleep by 10 p.m. will enhance your beauty sleep. Your body needs its time to rejuvenate its cells, turn them over and replenish. Staying up too late can cause stress, a hormone called cortisol, which can assist in prematurely aging you. Don't fight sleep. Get your beauty rest.

--N.C.

Disclaimer: Nuy Cho has no affiliation to any of the beauty companies mentioned on www.nuybeauty.com.

Korean Skincare and Cleansing: The Ultimate Guide, Pt. 1

Korean Celebrity, Jun Ji-Hyun, known for her immaculate, glowing skin. Image by Hanyul

Skincare never seemed like a big deal to me growing up because it was instilled in me from birth. It was a big part of my daily ritual, like family dinners or chores. Everyday we took long baths/showers (bathing is a huge part of Asian culture) and we were to always wash our face morning and night. Before bedtime in particular, my mother would wag her finger and warn, if I didn't wash my face thoroughly my facial pores would turn over "dirty cells" while I slept and I'd wake up with dirty skin that had reproduced on top of the old. YIKES and NO THANKS! Now, that's skin some sort of skin training! Face cloths, face washes, moisturizers and sunscreens (since we lived in Hawaii) were as necessary as our toothbrushes, and if something odd turned up on my face like a bump, we went straight to the dermatologist.

This is a vastly simplified, but telling view of Korean skin parenting. It is intense, but results in good skin if the care is taken seriously. This post is one of a series where I'll introduce you to all the essentials of excellent Korean skin care to get your skin in the best shape possible. Age-defying, dewy and healthy.

The Primary

 Tonymoly Egg Pore Deep Cleansing Foam, $12

Washing: You've got to wash your face twice a day. Try warm water to wash, and cool water at the end, to rinse, to tighten the appearance of pores. You can even try the double-wash method, which I like, where you start by taking off makeup with a good foaming cleanser (try Tonymoly Egg Pore Deep Cleansing Foam, $12) then follow up with an oil-based cleanser (try The Face Shop Rice Water Bright Cleansing Light Oil, $13) to soften and moisturize, while still cleaning your face. This eliminates the drying effects of cleaning.

Try massaging your face daily. I like to gently tap or pat my face after washing, from bottom to top, to promote circulation.

Drying Off: Use a nice towel of your choice -- I prefer ones that have a bit of nubby texture to them (I like these Japanese gingham print ones, they're cute AND effective). Pat your face dry and if you need to rub, rub upwards. You don't want to help gravity in anyway ;-). If you have a lot of dry skin, use a warm washcloth in the shower to gently slough away any dead skin particles. This works really well, and feels awesome as well.

Sweet Gingham Print Japanese Face Washcloths. They'll look great in your bathroom and feel amazing on your face!

Massage: My aunt, who has the most quintessentially perfect "milky rice cake" skin, even near age 70, massages her face daily. You can do this by patting your facing, or gently tapping it for a few minutes to stimulate circulation.

Stay tuned for more essential Korean beauty secrets soon. And if you try any of these steps, please let me know what you think, and if they worked for you or not. I'd love to hear!

-- N.C.
Disclaimer: Nuy Cho has no affiliation to any of the beauty companies mentioned on www.nuybeauty.com. 

Is Kimchee Good for Your Skin?

KIMCHEE: Fermented Korean pickled cabbage

Growing up in a Korean family, kimchee (Korean fermented pickled cabbage) was always in the fridge and served with dinner main dishes. It's true, Koreans do consume a lot of kimchee. The average Korean consumes about 40kg of kimchee a year. And even my not so average Korean parents whom have all kinds of self-imposed dietary restrictions -- no-spice, practically vegan -- for hopes of long-life, eat kimchee everyday. Being an obsessively minded beauty writer, the question I asked myself recently was: is kimchee good for your skin?

This question came about because Koreans are absolutely obsessed with good skin. I was always encouraged, err... forced (the threat being that I would GASP! have tragically BAD skin) to eat all kinds of fruits and vegetables and foods on the pure basis that it was good for my complexion from as far back as I can remember. "Eat tomatoes because it's good for your skin!" urged my mother. "Eat that tofu because it's good for your complexion!" "You better finish that cucumber because it's (you got it, readers...) good for your skin!" And kimchee was always there for the eating.

Good skin is just exceedingly important in Korean culture. Historically, a woman's skin was really the essence of their beauty, and if you think about the more minimalistic features of Korean faces, it makes sense on a purely aesthetic sense: skin is the more prominent feature, other than bone structure.

Example of what would be considered beauitful skin in Korea on Korean Model in Traditional Korean Clothing. Repost from http://newmodernhanbok.tumblr.com

My research showed that kimchee is high in vitamins A and C. Both these vitamins are antioxidants, which help your body fight against free radicals. Vitamin C, in particular helps with the body's production of collagen, which helps keeps skin more elastic. Hmmmm, sounding like a very strong case for kimchee = great skin. But, then again, kimchee has a very high sodium count, one serving having about roughly 45-65 percent of an individuals recommended intake. And, the average Korean eats kimchee three times a day. A high salt diet causes bloating, and puffiness. Puffy face, um, no thanks.

So the results of my study? Maybe kimchee does provide some nutritional value that is good for skin, but I think it's more about how Korean culture takes such pride in caring for skin from the inside out -- through food and dietary knowledge, and passion. Anything flourishes with that much care -- as skin, is an organ, and needs a lot of TLC. Koreans just think skincare is serious business and start the skin education and care, from birth.

Hey, maybe you'll choose to try a kimchee grilled cheese sandwich at your next meal, who knows? But good skin, starts from great nutrition and from being good to your body as a whole.

-- N.C.

Disclaimer: I have no affiliation with the companies I write and vlog about. My picks and decisions are always editorially and artistically-based and independent.

References:
http://www.livestrong.com/article/478382-health-benefits-of-kimchi/

Starting New Chapters in #Life

Starting a new chapter with NuyBeauty

#tbt - 5 yrs ago I created NuyBeauty.com. I had a new baby, lost my job & my mom was diagnosed with stage iv cancer- so I reinvented my #life and started providing beauty service for moms online. 172 posts and videos later lots has changed! Thanks for all the support! I couldn't have done it without all your help and support. special thanks to the advice of @jey_cho ( Jeremy Cho) and @raylaswol ( Ray Cho) - and MOM - ( Eun-Ja Cho), @nywnorbsenrab ( Bronwyn Barnes ), @hoffwego ( Jason Hoffman @michanntan ( Michelle Tan)

-N.C.

Disclaimer: Nuy Cho has no affiliation to any of the beauty companies mentioned on www.nuybeauty.com. 

Best Smart Phone Apps for a Glamorous New Year's Selfie

Tired of struggling to add 10+ filters and way too much lighting to your ill-taken selfie before posting it with a half shrug? Well, here are a few awesome android/iPhone apps to make the selfie experience a one-take post.

Now, I'm not saying that we have to share a totally foreign version of ourselves unrecognizable to our friends -- but many of us can't afford a $100,000 Hollywood photo shoot and just want to feel good for a moment, so there's no harm in putting your best face forward. Why not remove a few pimples, blemish, and make your teeth whiter in a swipe? I say go for it.

Happy New Year. Look and be the beautiful person you are, even if it's for a silly selfie and embracing the social media moment. Happy Posing!

1. WonderCam: I've been having great fun with app because it gives you the choice to take your pic with the "wonder" filters built in to blast all your blemishes away. Amazing! (Free for iPhone)

2. Beauty Booth Pro: If you don't need the whole face blast effect, this app lets you just fix blemishes and play up your eyelashes (very popular in Asian beauty culture where we so often lack thick lashes!). You can even add cute stickers. ($1.99 for Android and iPhone)

3. Facetune: Need instantly whiter teeth? Want to remove a stray hair? Facetune is like a light photoshop for your phone and very easy to use. ($3.99 for Android and iPhone)

-N.C.

Disclaimer: Nuy Cho has no affiliation to any of the beauty companies mentioned on www.nuybeauty.com.

Soft Coral Lips: Barbra Streisand in Funny Girl

Barbra Streisand in her opening scene of Funny Girl (1968). Her first line: "Hello Gorgeous!"

My daughter and I watched Funny Girl the other evening and we adored all the fashion. But I was personally struck by Barbra's amazing soft, coral lips in her opening scene. What a great lip color that's thoroughly timeless and subtle yet striking. Try this shade from my new favorite range of the Korean Amore Pacific Brand by IOPE, no. 14  Angel Orange ($25). 

If you haven't seen the movie, it streams as part of Amazon Prime's subscription, or rent it if you can! It's funny, great for kids who like humor and fashion and a good, old classic.

-- N.C.

Disclaimer: Nuy Cho has no affiliation to any of the beauty companies mentioned on www.nuybeauty.com.

Getting ready for Winter Skin: Happy Skin!

Snowy Days, Happy Skin and Warmth

Originally posted Wednesday, February 2, 2011 

Hi! I know it's been awhile since I've written in, but life's been throwing me a bunch of curve balls and I have a few changes in the works here at NuyBeauty ;-). Meanwhile, here's a #repost of how to treat #dryskin and keep your precious #kiddos and yourselves (#mommies #takecare!) #healthy and #warm. Enjoy and by the by, my newest rediscovery from my past for moisturizing: COCONUT OIL! What a wonderful, #natural emollient! Try it out and tell me what you think. It works head to toe!

xoxo - Nuy

My daughter, some of our dear friends, and I built a snowman after a big snow fall.
I felt that perhaps he needed a little color amidst all the white.

It has been snowy day after snowy day here in New York City. Every week we seem to get a new, crazier blizzard or storm, and the salt stains on my favorite pair of weather-proof boots rise up like the layers you see in a canyon.

BRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!

Both my daughter's skin and mine have been drier than ever as the heater's have been cranked up to their hottest temperatures to keep us warm. For this I've been moisturizing us, sometimes twice daily, with Aveeno Baby Daily Moisture Lotion ($8.00 for 18 oz.), and I've also recently introduced a new humidifier into the home, the Walgreen's Warm Steam Vaporizer ($16). It's got a fantastic price, and is great for those like me who suffer from sinus issues. For soothing those really rough, super dry and itchy patches of skin, I still depend on Vanicream Moisturizing Skin Cream ($14.00 for 16 oz.), for both of us.

And, to digress slightly, when I can, I've been making the occasional stew to warm up my family's tummies from the inside. The newest dish I introduced into the dinner rotation was a rendition of Chicken Adobo, after being inspired by a New York Times article. And, I've been roasting lots of veggies (loving brussel sprouts). The way the high heat softens and sweetens everything that gets cooked, I barely have to coax my daughter to eat her daily greens!

After all, happy skin isn't just about adequate hydration. It's about healthy, wholesome eating too.

-N.C.

Disclaimer: Nuy Cho has no affiliation to any of the beauty companies mentioned on www.nuybeauty.com.