Sep
01
It’s been a weird week for patterns. The universe is colliding all around me and I have to say it’s been pretty cool.
I’ve gotten several emails from friends and readers this week asking about my favorite eye products. Specifically, any products that conceal, deflate, yell at, or otherwise eliminate dark circles.
Here’s a quick roundup of my favorites, but I have to say, no matter what you decide to try, you have to use it at least 1-2 times daily for a couple of weeks before you’ll notice any difference. If you use it once and nothing happens… it’s because you’ve only used it once. Good skin is like exercise- it requires consistency.
Okay enough nagging– here are my recommendations!
Etude House Collagen Eye Patches
I know topical collagen doesn’t do much for anti-aging, but these patches definitely help me with any puffiness due to weird sleep, lack of sleep, or too much shoyu. I use a daily serum, then use these before shoots as back up. They’re really inexpensive and available all over Tokyo at Etude House (there’s one in Ginza Station) or online here.
Boots Time Delay De-Puffing Roller
This is the daily serum. It’s a title cheat but it’s too good not to put down. I bought this in Bangkok and use it every single day and it has made a huge difference. The first few days, honestly, I didn’t really notice, but after about a week I just plain looked better. We can’t buy it in Japan so I’m hoping to do a beauty swap with someone who can ship me a supply. Addicted.
HANSKIN Premium Magic BB Cream
I got a luxe sample of this in a Glossybox. Most BB creams are WAY too light for my complexion but wow it makes a great concealer prep! I take my flat concealer brush and verrrry lightly pat a triangle under each eye. I layer a bit of Missha Style Perfect concealer on top and blend it with feather-light strokes. I don’t like powder under my eyes so I usually just use a blotting paper to tap in it. I think the key to concealer is very light building. If you smear it on and blend it with a sponge like you do with your foundation it’s going to basically just get wiped off. Don’t use a lot of product and blend it super lightly… it works for me anyway.
Other wellness tips to reduce puffiness and darkness:
- Stay hydrated. (It’s a duh, but it makes a huge difference).
- Acupressure massage. A lot of Asian beauty routines focus on facial massage. It feels great and really does make a difference in how your skin looks and feels. There are loads of gadgets and compression masks you can buy in Tokyo for this purpose too, but I think just making a little extra time to work out any stress in your facial muscles is a good call. I use NuFace almost every night and my face loves it.
- Sleep right. Elevate your head a bit so you’re not super flat when you sleep. This definitely helps with puffiness, especially if you like soy sauce or salty stuff like I do.
Hope this helps you guys. Thanks for the notes and let me know if you find any other cool stuff to try!
Aug
23
Tokyo is the undisputed beauty champion of the world. Every week I see game-changing products at the counters and in the speciality shops, and especially, and somewhat surprisingly, at the drugstore. There’s a reason SO many beauty blogs are dedicated to Japanese drugstore loot– it’s inexpensive and generally pretty awesome. Because the market is so saturated here (seriously you can buy BB cream at the convenience store) the big beauty companies know they have to give up the goods.
Anyway– that’s a long intro just to say here are a few new finds I’m playing with, from fancy shops to the corner Matsumoto.
Shiseido Pore Smoothing Corrector
Shiseido is one of my favorite brands even before I moved to Japan. I picked this up at the amazing Shiseido the Ginza store a couple weeks ago. LOVE. I’m a primer and BB cream fanatic– I’ve tried at least 20 types in the past 12 months. This primer is matte, goes on silky, and doesn’t do that weird cakey thing when you apply foundation afterward. PS? Shiseido the Ginza is amazing– it’s been described as a “Beauty Theme Park” and I totally agree. If you’re in Tokyo you have to check it out. The displays are so cute and they have every product under the Shiseido sun at every price point… I could spend hours there. If you’re in the States, you can get the primer here.
Tuberose on the rock please….The perfume bar at Shiseido the Ginza.
Now. Onto to some of the drugstore finds:
The Konjac Sponge
I was chatting with a reader the other day about the konjac– it’s been a big buzz product in the US market for a while now, and after picking one up at Tokyu Hands the other day, I think I see why, but the jury is still out. Konjac sponges have been around in Japan forever– it’s a 100% natural, super gentle exfoliator and facial sponge. Surprisingly, they come moist in the package, and have a really interesting texture. Soft and spongy like you’d expect, but also kind of like foam rubber? I just started using it and can definitely say it leaves my skin squeaky clean without stripping or being too abrasive, which is nice since I’m microderming like a nut after all the sun I got in Vietnam last week. It’s more gentle than my Clarisonic and more effective than a wash cloth, so my guess it that it’s great for sensitive skin or for anyone doing a peel series or any kind of med-spa treatments. At 700 yen (15 bucks at Sephora), I say give it a try and tell me what you think.
Smile Cosmetique
Cheap, effective, available at any drugstore in Tokyo… these kind of blew me away. I’m kind of addicted to tooth whiteners and wanted to try a Japanese brand, and let me tell you, these seriously work. Totally gentle, they’re kind of like Crest Whitestrips but they’re padded so they stay in place really well and the formula foams up nicely. These are really only available in Japan as far as I know, so for my expat peoples, these are worth checking out.
You don’t have to leave them on too long– the online translation says a few minutes, but I left them on for like an hour? My teeth are flipping WHITE. Maybe too white? I’ll back off for a while… in this shot they’re whiter than my pearls… whoops.
Wishing you smooth skin and pearly (but not TOO pearly) whites. 
Aug
15
Hello Summer. You sexy thing you. I’m still a bit drunk from all of the beach and sea love from Vietnam. Seriously the people and the beaches were so lovely it makes me want to pack a bag and wander Southeast Asia for a few weeks. That said, when I got back to Tokyo, I did a full beauty inventory and realized that even slathered in sunscreen and limiting my exposure I got quite a bit of sun. Yikes!
In Japan, tan skin is a big no-no, especially for modeling and commercial work (read: my agent is gonna kill me). No one wants to shoots dry hair or peeling skin. So right now I’m in full-on replenish mode to keep my skin glowing and hair shiny. Here’s the plan for the next week or so:
1) Take it off. This means getting my ends trimmed and exfoliating EVERYTHING. My hair is ombre and my afternoons at the beach have turned the tips of my hair white blond. Kind of cool looking, but also a bit fried. I’m getting a half inch chopped off across the board for a fresh edge.
I’m also using Shiseido’s Tsubaki Treatment Mask on the lower half of my head every other night for a next few days. I alternate with a purple conditioner so my blonde doesn’t turn brassy. Tsubaki gets mixed reviews on some of the JP beauty blogs but I have to say for my texture (fine hair, color-treated, and and lots of it) it totally works. And at less than 1000 yen, it’s a steal.
I’m also using my home-grown coffee and brown sugar scrub every day in the shower to slough off dead skin, and moisturizing heavily with coconut oil both in the morning and at night.
Here’s my recipe for the scrub- it’s super easy and always in my shower:
- Day old coffee grounds (about a cup)
- Brown sugar (about half a cup)
- Lemon juice: it’s a natural toner and skin brightener (about 2 TBSP)
- Almond Oil: Enough to bind the mixture
2) Shed a layer. As far as my complexion– I’m going hard core. Sun is a major ager, and while I didn’t burn, I could tell right away it was a bit too much sun love. I’ve been dermaplaning (the Japanese technique of facial fuzz and skin removal– LOVE– and wrote about it and the coffee scrub here.) and will microderm tomorrow night. I’m also breaking out the big guns and slathering Cle De Peau’s Le Creme all over my face at night. It makes a major difference and as cleared up the dry weirdness around my nose. This stuff is insanely expensive (525.00 USD an ounce!!), but after using my sample size from Shiseido the Ginza, it’s no question the best moisturizer I’ve ever used– and that’s saying something. Another luxe cream I adore is La Prairie’s Anti-Stress Cream. At 142.00USD for 1.7 ounces, it’s still super expensive, but at least attainably so. And it’s a major transformer as well.
So help is on the way. And even though tan isn’t popular in Tokyo, I personally love having a little glow. I feel like it looks healthier and I’m a bit more body confident.
You can take the girl out of California… 
Jul
15
If you’ve read any of my stuff about getting into modeling, you know having range is super key. Being able to show a variety of looks grows your chances of booking work exponentially, and this makes your agency super happy, because they can submit you for a ton of jobs. Here’s the math:
Looks/Jobs=Range= Happy Agent
Anyway– I’ve used extensions in shoots, pretty much from the beginning. In L.A., actresses always bring a “big bag of hair” to set for the stylist to play with, if they need them. They’re just a good thing to have in your set bag arsenal.
Mine were BEAT UP– I’ve washed, dyed, and torn through my old set for years, and was due for replacements, when Irresistible Me approached me and asked if I’d like to test theirs out. I am so lucky to get review samples, but if I’m seriously going to write about a product, I always have a few questions.
Q: Are they human hair?
Because synthetic extensions are no bueno. You can’t dye, curl, or flat iron them, which, for a model, means they’re not really helpful.
A: Yep! 100% Remy human hair.
Q: Can I see the weft clips?
Weft clips are super important. If you’re investing a couple bucks in good extensions, the clips have to be heavy duty– you’re going to be putting them in and taking them out a lot, so details like weight, stitching, and hardware all add up to quality and durability. IM’s clips are the good ones… like the ones MUAS get at the cosme supply.
Here’s my real head, no editing or retouching. No idea what I’m looking at.
I’m wearing #4 Royal Medium Brown, 200 grams weight. These are no joke– a serious luxe set of wefts, and the color matched my hair perfectly! The cool part for me is my hair is ombre right now, so when I put these in, my actual hair just blended into natural highlights.
Overall, I’m really impressed with these extensions— I’m going to wear them out this week to a couple of events and see how they hold up. As of now… I’m so ready to shoot!
Jun
23
June brings a fifth season to Japan (and a many parts of Asia actually…)– rainy season. It’s pretty warm out most days but the rain cools things off and makes this time of year really pleasant. There’s something kind of romantic about warm, wet weather… a messy, sundresses and rainboots kind of thing. I like warm weather so summer in Japan doesn’t really bother me (I can hear the groans from my fellow expats now…).
Anyway– I’ve been out and about and picked up a few summer beauty finds for glowy skin and a chill vibe.
Missha Super Aqua Snail Hydro-gel Mask
You know how much I love Missha, and their snail line is really the gem of this brand. I put my sheet masks in the fridge and slide one on at night… soft, bright skin and a nice way to chill at the end of a hot day. Snail slime extract is known for its regenerative effects on the skin, and the Baobab and green tea extracts fight free radicals– key for any anti-aging products. Plus it just feels good.
Obagi Vitamin C Serum (Japan Line)
Obagi is different in Japan than in the US and they sell it everywhere. This might be one of my favorite things about the country. I loved the line in SF, but had to buy it through a med spa and it was super expensive. I’ve already written about the benefits of topical vitamin C, and this stuff delivers in a big way. Darkness under my eyes is fading, and my overall skintone is tight and smooth. I bought the 5% to test it and use it nightly after toner and before moisturizer. Seriously– this is a product that delivers real results in just a few days. Obagi does have a pro-line available in the States… you can try it here.
Kobako Finishing Puff and Multi-use Sponge
My Laura Mercier puff was toast and it was time to upgrade. I went to Isetan in Oimachi and found this little cosme tool line out of Gifu called Kobako. I’m not a huge fan of powdering during the summer and I try to wear as little face makeup as possible– I apply foundation only wear I need it (chin, nose, anything red) and blend lightly with the sponge. Then I take the tiniest amount of pressed transparent powder (right now I’m using Chanel, but I need to find a good mineral alternative!) and buff it down with the puff. The result is a polished but slightly unfinished look. I try to avoid looking to “done” in hot weather… feels weird!
The Body Shop Smells Like Summer
I was in Ginza getting my computer fixed (it EXPLODED) and I found a Body Shop! I picked up their Body, Linen, and room spray in Sandalwood and Ginger, and a Green Tea and Lemon essential oil for my diffuser. Right now I’m obsessed with my apartment smelling like a spa at all times, and usually this stuff is pretty expensive… but the prices at BS are super reasonable.
And again– being a bit anti-lipstick for summer, this Born Lippy tinted lip balm is beeswax based, makes your lips super soft, and tastes like strawberries. And the color is subtle and sheer, but adds enough oomph so I’m not washed out. LOVE.
If you have any summer beauty finds (especially mineral powders!) let me know– I’m doing a major cosme edit and looking to pick up some new, preferably natural go-toos!
Jun
03
One of the biggest benefits to working Beautyworld Tokyo was that I could shop like a vendor. Yep- salon-size, all-natural products, brands I can’t normally buy in Tokyo… all wholesale.
I didn’t go nuts (I was working, after all) but I did pick up a few things I really did need, and a couple of things I’ve been meaning to try.
Thai Herbal Compress Balls (made in Thailand, distributed through Cier Etbella, Korea)
I learned about these on my recent trip to Bangkok and was thrilled to pick up a few. You steam them and use them in massage– kaffir limes leaves, ginger, tumeric are often used and thought to soothe soreness and improve circulation. Plus they smell lovely and provide a less intense option to hot stone work. I bought sesame, black pepper, and sage. Can’t wait to try them!
Essential Oils by Cier Etbella
This company is tough to research because all of the information is in Korean, but these super high quality oils were too good to pass up. The May Chang in particular is really nice for soreness after yoga or dropping into my diffuser to make my apartment smell like a spa. May Chang is a Chinese evergreen so it has sort of a pine scent with soft citrus notes. Clean, refreshing, earthy. LOVE.
Another tricky brand to look up, Monaco Argan Oil is a Korean-based company and is sort of the knock off of the US Morrocan Hair Oil. I’ve been using this hair pack as an overnight treatment (I comb it through and braid my hair, then sleep on a towel. So soft. Doesn’t seem to deliver the shine coconut oil does, but I’m going to keep on it as a twice-weekly and see what’s what. One thing it does seem to help with is color balance on my ombre. As most brunettes know, ombre turns orangey if you don’t tone the color with purple shampoo or conditioner– for whatever reason– this pack seems to keep my ends blonde. Weird huh? Whatever- going with it…
This is a GIANT, salon-sized vessel of all-natural keratin shamp00 by Erba Classico. You already know sulfate-free and keratin defrizz, but I bought this giant thing for next to nothing. I haven’t cracked it yet– but if it’s mind blowing, you’ll hear about it.
I can’t stop smelling myself right now. Organia is another Korean skincare line that is reasonable and all-natural. This olive body wash is in my shower and almost half gone already because I’m addicted to it and the smell. Of course, I naturally smell like vanilla and joy, but this stuff is just so lovely. It smells creamy (what?) and sweet and slightly botanical. It’s pure bliss after a coffee scrub. Yes, my bathtub room is my personal spa.
The sunscreen was an impulse buy, but what a good one, right? It’s heavy duty– too thick for under makeup, but perfect for a day at the beach when you want to keep your face from frying. I’ll be hitting Endoshima very soon, so this will come in super handy.
One photo I didn’t single out was the 1000 ml bottle of sweet organic almond oil, which I use for everything pretty much every day. Eye makeup remover, moisturizer, cuticle remover, foot treatment, you name it. Yeah that giant bottle was 2000 yen (less than 20 bucks), just to give you an idea of how good the deals were. As you can imagine, it was packed with buyers, and a little exhausting, but considering the goods, I’m pretty happy with my haul.
Okay audition prep awaits. Tell me to break a leg!
May
27
The biggest beauty and spa show in Japan. Every year, Beauty World showcases the hottest trends in skincare products and gadgets– thousands of people descend on Tokyo Big Sight to check out what’s going to be on the shelves next year.
The biggest trend? Natural everything. Organic, all-natural products. YAY. I’ll do a product post later this week after I’ve tried some of these goodies out.
I did double duty at the show: I went to write a roundup article for GaijinPot so expats could check out the beauty buzz, and I worked as a model for my makeup artist pal Yuki Haba, hair master Asuka Higa, and rockstar photographer Ryo Onodera. It was way too much fun.
Here are a few shots from the work we did for Atelier Raison– a professional makeup artist product company in Tokyo.
Asuka is a hair genius. I want her to come over to my house every morning and braid my hair.
Yuki used stencils and a Temptu airbrush for the effects. I love the way Temptu feels!
Next week I’m shooting with Yuki and Ryo for a creative test— both of these guys are absolute masters. So excited to see what we come up with! Oh! And you can check out more behind-the-scenes shots on my FB page.
Post by Cynthia Popper.
Next post: The Beauty World Haul!
May
13
In my quest to perfect the “No Makeup Look” for summer, I’ve tried several combos of foundations, BB’s primers, and concealers and figured out a few things that work on me. This is an unedited photo after I did my makeup this morning… which took me about ten minutes since the only eye makeup I’m wearing is brown mascara (Loreal Voluminous… MUAs love this stuff!)
NML Rule #1 Less Product, Better Product
Makeup, it turns out, often looks like makeup when you put it on. Shocker, I know! But if you cover every little discoloration and spot, as tempting as it may be, you might as well go all the way with the eyes and lips too because your perfectly covered face is kind of a giveaway that you’re concealing your skin. I discovered 24h Cosme (super popular, all-natural cosmetics line) while randomly shopping for epsom salts the other day* and fell in love.
Check this one out:
24h Cosme Stick Cover Foundation (I’m using #2)
- All-natural, chemical-free and additive-free
- Contains jojoba oil, aloe extract and Vitamin E
- SPF 50 PA+++ for maximum sun protection
Because the coverage is reallllly good and the formula stays put, I really just use it on my nose, chin and eyes. Blend with my Armani Foundation blender, and NO POWDER. This isn’t a matte look. I pat a dry sponge all over my face before using cheekbone highlighter and bronzer. No blush.
What I used:
Too Cool For School Highlighter in Clubber (I’m almost out– addicted to this stuff!) It’s a subtle sheen that makes a world of difference.
Addiction Bronzer…
Addiction anything, really. This is an amazing Japanese product line.
I finished with a neutral lip liner (I stained my lips, no outline) and added my absolute favorite lip balm by natural Japanese company, Daily Delights (デイリーディ). It’s shiny and sexy and healthy. LOVE. I’m still on Peach Melba but am thinking these would be perfect in a gift box I’m making for someone back home. An excuse to try something new!
So bottom line:
1) Use awesome, high-quality, preferably all-natural products in small doses. 2) Take pristine care of your skin so you don’t need much to begin with!
Let me know your favorite natural cosmetics… I’m on a massive research bender for the good stuff.
(PS: Epsom salts– a lot of wellness experts swear by salt baths… too bad you can’t find them anywhere in Japan!)
May
06
Where to begin. Blogging about my time in Chalong is almost pointless because so much of what happened is so beyond words.
When most people think of Phuket, they think of beaches. Partying. Great shopping and dining on the cheap. I wanted none of that (okay… maybe the beaches…). I went to a (near) silent meditation/yoga retreat in southern Phuket to take off my makeup and turn off the laptop. Just be quiet. I’m writing an article for a Tokyo publication about all of the whats and wheres, but I wanted to quickly share what I learned about beauty in Phuket, after a few days of spiritual lessons and very healthy living. I won’t get too in depth… these are just the Cliff’s Notes, beauty blog style.
Mind chatter isn’t who I am. I’m underneath all of that. When I enter a quiet state, I can get there. Staying there is the trick. Like in yoga, when I do a headstand, it’s a fine balance, and usually I fall when I think too much about what I’m doing. Taking time and space to be quiet and open up was the most relaxing experience. I feel like I actually might look better because I’m not all tensed up. When I’m at peace I’m in the best possible place I can be. It’s the only time I think I’ve ever truly felt completely beautiful. Not happy, not sad, not wanting, needing, lacking… just —. Just lovely and real and here.
The above said, I’ve learned I’m insecure in ways I didn’t even realize– both inside and out. For me, makeup or medication won’t fix this… but daily wellness seems too. It’s harder and it’s worth it. Eating and sleeping well, daily yoga, and taking really good care of myself makes me feel better in ways no compliment, affirmation, product, or gadget ever could. I still love beauty stuff (let’s not get crazy) but holistic wellness produces the best results, period. I guess I always knew this, but putting it to work in a concentrated time frame really showed me results.
Beauty–true beauty– is ageless, timeless, formless. Sometimes I’ll see older women, gray-haired, crinkle-eyed, grinning ear-to-ear, happy, active, often doing something creative. I think to myself, I hope I can get to that place. I’m using physical descriptions to describe these gorgeous creatures because words cannot capture the energy I want to describe. She’s a person truly at ease with herself. No mask of fear. Just her.
I could go on about true romantic relationships and friendships and family and selflessness, but for the sake of staying on topic, let me just close with this thing my teacher said:
“You know when you’re holding a little puppy? That feeling you get? That’s loving kindness.”
That’s true beauty.
Apr
30
Thailand. I’m so lucky to be here!
I’m in Thong Lor, one of the fancier districts of Bangkok, known for it’s shopping and spas. The past two days have been pretty decadent: lots of massages, ridiculously good food, and shopping.
I’m not a massive clothes horse so to be honest… the cheapo marketplace shopping didn’t rock my world. Yes, the stuff is cute and really cheap, but a lot of it seemed to be mass produced stuff you can buy at H&M or Zara. OR, you can do to the supermalls which house every massive luxury brand on the planet– again– stuff you can buy anywhere. I head to Phuket tonight so I think I’ll see what’s going on down there.
That said… Bangkok did have a few goodies:
Origano: May is a young indie Thai designer making quality, super cute clothes and shoes well worth the prices. Her shop is in Siam Square (just off Siam Station). I picked up these super cute flats: leather, comfortable, and unique without being wacko. There are a few locals designers doing some really cool stuff (more later!).
The underwear: Okay this is probably because I live in Tokyo and all of the lingerie is SO frilly and over the top cutsey it loses its functionality (to actually be worn under clothing… right?). Anyway, I went to the Emporium mall at the Prong Pham Station and found really nice, comfortable, pretty sets for super good prices, and aren’t covered in bows and hearts.
Boots: I know this one is because I’m in Tokyo. It was SO nice to walk into a drugstore where I could read everything, and buy the stuff I can’t find in Japan. White skin is the favored look there, so I was ever so happy to find loads of self tanner! (Review forthcoming– using it right now). And I’m also testing the Boots depuffing rollerball because humidity makes my eyes poof.
I also bought this aromatherapy spray by Thai wellness company, Sabai-arom called No.4 Peace. Lemongrass, kaffir lime… it’s crisp and light and makes your space smell like a spa. Perfect for chill time. And this travel candle by Harnn is a little jar of luxury. Lemongrass and jasmine… perfect for meditating in Phuket, where I fly off to tonight for a four day yoga and wellness retreat.
Just a quick update for now… I’ll give the full rundown when I get back next week!
