Oils have long gotten a bad rap. Oil on the T-zone, oil in the Gulf, partially hydrogenated oil on any ingredient list -- all these no-no oils have made us a society terrified of oil. And yes, while an oil slick on the face or in natural habitats are to be avoided at all costs, there are good oils, just like there are good fats. (Recent studies show certain types of good fat actually help you burn more fat -- who knew?!) And a diet high in olive oil and other good oils also helps one keep the weight off. So oil can't be all bad. Even on the face. We've been hearing a lot about MoroccanOil...
For a while, it seemed everything was gonna go cyber -- newspapers, magazines, even your favorite stores. No more browsing cute little streets for knick-knacks and precious finds. All browsing was being done in front of monitor, alone and in bad fluorescent lighting. But recession be damned. A whole slew of cute little boutiques are popping up all over, many by names familiar to Audrey. It gives this editor hope that we won't all meld into a faceless world of tweeters and status updaters. Check out the newest additions to the brick and mortar crowd. Leanna Lin's Wonderland Billed...
Here it is -- our Fall 2010 issue. Keep an eye out in your mailbox for your copy! And if you don't subscribe to Audrey, do it now so you don't miss out!
We profiled the Seoul-born, self-made professional drift racer Joon Maeng in our Fall 2010 issue, in which we found intriguing his relative lack of concern for crashing into walls. Now we bring you an online exclusive Q&A with the quirky driver. Audrey Magazine: Besides your crash, what was your worst experience in a car? Joon Maeng: Last year in Vegas [at a drift meet] I had a tuna sub for lunch and I started vomiting. AM: In the car? JM: No, in the back near the restroom. When it was time to drive I put a doggie bag in the pocket of my racing suit. But when I started...
There are all sorts of rules we as kids in Asian families grew up with, like the proper etiquette in front of elders at the dinner table. Our parents would chastise us if we ate before elders or did not use both hands to serve food to them. After my own parents' careful instructions, I thought I had been well informed in common table decorum. However, after recently visiting an elder’s house, I learned something new. Though the custom of cutting fruit might seem trivial to us modern day young adults, it 's a practice that's been carried on throughout generations and has significant...
Do you have the best idea for a movie but don’t know what (or who) you have to do to get it made? Enter Battle of the Pitches. In its second year, the competition brings API talents straight to the boardroom where they are judged by high-level Hollywood execs and power players based on their one to two minute pitches for a screenplay idea. Sponsored by FOX Diversity and produced by MAPID (Mavericks of API Descent) and ID Film Fest 2010, Battle of the Pitches aims to promote up-and-coming artists and get them accustomed to the high stakes, pressurized nature of an actual pitch session...
The start of the wedding season has officially kicked off, at least for me. From August to October, it's going to be matrimony mayhem, as friends from all walks of life take their walk down that aisle. Thankfully, I've been saving up a couple dresses just for these occasions, so after a summer of almost fall-like clothes (where'd our SoCal summer go?), I'm finally able to don some chiffon, rosettes and girly girl heels. Of course, wedding trends as they are, it's no surprise that so far the nuptial ceremonies have been located in venues not so girly-girl friendly. One was at a beach --...
When I go clubbing, I like to be stylish yet comfortable. You ain’t gonna see my suffer while I’m out having fun! My clothes have to flow with the wind yet be a little edgy so that it fits the night. (Let’s just say, I ain’t going to look like I’m going to a picnic [...]
As a writer, I pretty much lug my laptop everywhere. I lug it to the coffee shops and to the libraries. I lug it to my car and to my work. It’s like I’m back in college holding overweight books again. But I would be oh so cool if I had this “over-sized” leather messenger [...]
Because skin can start to age as early as 25 and become more delicate and sensitive, caring for it is necessary to prolong the vitality of your skin. One of the main problems that occur is skin dryness. This is where Sebamed’s Anti-Dry Day Defence Cream comes in. The soothing and smoothing properties of phytosterols [...]
I don’t think Hello Kitty can ever go out of style. I think Ray Bans eventually will, capris have already been there, done that, and purple is apparently the new pink which was apparently the new black. But Hello Kitty, that’s a classic that will stay with girls age 5 to 50. That’s why I [...]
Sometimes, I really wish I could be a badass. I really wish I can break out into barfights and pierce my nose and drink whiskey for breakfast. But I can’t. At least with the Silver Double Fingered Ring by Ija Designs, I can pretend I have a little bit of badassness to me. Sleek and [...]
My go-to solution for a bad hair day has always been to don a hat. But I used to always borrow my boyfriend’s hats for these occasions. My head is kind of big so girls’ fedoras hardly ever look good on me. They’re always too small and cramp on my big head. So when we [...]
So, here’s the thing. I’ve maybe worn denim maybe … twice … in the last year. Call it denim overload. Call it denim backlash. I once lived in a CNN of denim — all denim, all the time. And I got sick of it. And denim was banished to the back of my closet. But [...]
I think fanny packs are the most convenient things in the world. For one, you would never injure your shoulders or your arms lugging a heavy bag around. For two, you would never just leave it anywhere because it can safely and conveniently be snugly around your waist. And for three, your arms would be [...]
OOoh! It’s gold! It’s silver! It’s shiny! It’s pretty! This gold and silver bars necklace from Aiko Designs takes me back to the days of my girlhood when I read Sweet Valley High books (remember them?). I remember how Elizabeth and Jessica Wakefield were always described as wearing these delicate “lavalieres” that they got as [...]
My mother would love this product. Lavere Natural Ant-Aging SOLUTION Facial Toner gently refreshes and cleanses the skin without stripping away natural oils. Ideal for those who have dry/mature skin. The formula has a soothing, anti-bacterial organic aloe vera and pore-cleaning clover flower that purifies the skin. It’s a mild toner designed for skin 45 [...]
We know how you guys just fiend for more Hello Kitty on AudreyShops’ Free Giveaway so we’re bringing it to y’all!! Love this luxurious yet simple Hello Kitty Key chain (sort of reminds me of Louis Vuitton flower icon) with the 2 embedded rhinestone in Hello Kitty flower, Hello Kitty’s iconic face silhouette, and “Hello [...]
I didn’t quite understand the enthusiasm for leggings when they first started to gain popularity, but I have grown to like them very much and appreciate them. It’s no secret that the weather in my hometown of Chicago is unpredictable and it can go from being 40 degrees and snowing one day to being 70 [...]
LIMITED TICKET AVAILABILITY, ON SALE NOW!
Tickets are on sale now! Sponsored by Ketel One Vodka, Audrey Magazine is hosting Audrey’s Night Out 2010, a fashion event bringing the Asian American community together for an evening of fashion, fantasy and fun!
Collaborating with some of the most exciting talent in the fashion, entertainment and music industries, Audrey’s Night Out will include hot celebrity and professional models in the coolest fall fashion, amazing musical performances you won’t wanna miss, and a fabulous star-studded after-party with hosted bar.
Get your tickets now, and don’t delay. Not only do tickets sell out fast every year, but fashion show seating is assigned based on order of ticket purchase. Don’t be stuck standing — get your tickets now!
Oils have long gotten a bad rap. Oil on the T-zone, oil in the Gulf, partially hydrogenated oil on any ingredient list — all these no-no oils have made us a society terrified of oil.
And yes, while an oil slick on the face or in natural habitats are to be avoided at all costs, there are good oils, just like there are good fats. (Recent studies show certain types of good fat actually help you burn more fat — who knew?!) And a diet high in olive oil and other good oils also helps one keep the weight off.
So oil can’t be all bad. Even on the face.

Hair stylist Ada Garcia used MoroccanOil to smooth out cover model Annie Maki's strands on our summer cover.
We’ve been hearing a lot about MoroccanOil and every hair stylists’ and beauty editors’ obsession with the antioxidant-rich, argan oil-based product. In our Summer 2010 issue, hair stylist Ada Garcia recommended MorocconOil to get the smooth strands featured on our cover model Annie Maki.
Padma Lakshmi, the Indian American model, award-winning cookbook author and Emmy-nominated host of the popular Bravo TV series Top Chef, is such a big fan of oils she put out a press release recently in connection with Dial NutriSkin‘s new line of fruit oil-based body washes, spilling her oil-based beauty secrets. (Apparently, she keeps blemishes at bay with a face steam of boiling water and a few drops of pure tea tree oil, then slathers her face with pure honey to suck out impurities from pores.)
After years of avoiding oil-based products on my T-zone like the plague, I’ve become a recent convert, thanks to Marie Louise’s Cleansing Clear Gel. Never have I enjoyed removing my makeup so much — even the stubborn, expensive waterproof mascara that, until now, wouldn’t completely come off unless I pulled it off with my fingertips.
I also recently discovered the joy of oil with Boske Oil-dissolving Cleansing Oil. I know — how ironic. Sometimes it takes oil to get rid of oil, and this little gem not only removes makeup and sunscreen, but it dissolves blackheads with its lipid-soluble solution.
My ultimate little oil luxury, though, is Juara’s Candlenut Hydrating Shower Gel. Made with candlenut oil, a traditional Indonesian beauty oil known for its hydrating and skin-healing power and velvety feel, the gel is sulfate- and paraben-free and uses active botanicals for gentle cleansing. And like all their products, the scent of the shower gel is amazing — their signature candlenut scent infused with lush greens, delicate freesia, jasmine, bergamot, rose and a hint of coconut. Mmmm.
When I go clubbing, I like to be stylish yet comfortable. You ain’t gonna see my suffer while I’m out having fun! My clothes have to flow with the wind yet be a little edgy so that it fits the night. (Let’s just say, I ain’t going to look like I’m going to a picnic when I go out to a bar or lounge). Enter this lapeled black zippered jumper by Isabel Lu. It’s silky and breezy, with an elastic waist that will give you room to move and dance, shake and shimmy. It’s black so it matches everything and you can totally accessorize it to the maximus, especially your big ol’ grin because you’re just so dang comfy for the night.
For a while, it seemed everything was gonna go cyber — newspapers, magazines, even your favorite stores. No more browsing cute little streets for knick-knacks and precious finds. All browsing was being done in front of monitor, alone and in bad fluorescent lighting.
But recession be damned. A whole slew of cute little boutiques are popping up all over, many by names familiar to Audrey. It gives this editor hope that we won’t all meld into a faceless world of tweeters and status updaters. Check out the newest additions to the brick and mortar crowd.
Leanna Lin’s Wonderland
Billed as a “playful jewelry studio/shop/art gallery,” hand-beaded jewelry designer Leanna Lin‘s new boutique in Los Angeles is just that — a Wonderland.
With cheerful pops of color and a candy shoppe feel of beads and baubles galore, Leanna Lin’s Wonderland is a place where you can peruse, drool or just get plain crafty.
For a little jewelry making inspiration, the boutique also features art exhibits, like “The Lucky Show” presented by Spicy Brown, featuring the works of Kazuko Shinoka and Sachiho Hino. Check it out this weekend, Saturday, September 11, from 6 to 10 pm. The event is in conjunction with NELAart walk, and Spicy Brown will be handing out “Lucky” goody bags! (Not that you need another incentive, but food trucks will be converging on the spot as well — Don Chow Tacos (where “Chino meets Latino”) and Lake Street Creamery.
If you can’t make it this weekend, go the next for their official grand opening. Goody bags, drinks, treats and White Rabbit Filipino fusion truck will be there from 12 to 3 pm on Saturday, September 18.
Leanna Lin’s Wonderland, 5024 Eagle Rock Blvd., Los Angeles, CA
TeeTee Bar and Fighting Eel
If you’re going to be designing clothes in “the land of perpetual sunshine” (Hawaii), it’s likely your pieces are going to be infused with a lot of that laid back aloha spirit. In fact, Asian American designers Rona Bennett and Lan Chung specifically created their line Fighting Eel to express their love of not just fashion but vacation.
“On vacation” is exactly how one feels in one of Fighting Eel’s jersey dresses — a feeling of carefree ease and seductive languor profuse in any sun-soaked holiday. Specializing in a substantial, extra drapey jersey, Fighting Eel’s dresses are simple and easy to wear, yet constructed just enough for some serious sex appeal.
Now Barrett and Chung have opened a store in “paradise” called TeeTee Bar, which prominently features Fighting Eel designs as well. With an array of kids, women and men’s tees (really, if you live in Hawaii, do you want to wear anything more than tees and slinky jersey dresses?), the boutique brings a little bit of chic to an island locale where uncomplicated and unfussy style rules.
TeeTee Bar, 1131 Bethel Street, Honolulu, HI
Carol Young
Now, Carol Young’s Los Feliz boutique is not new, but it’s still going strong after four years.
Young has stayed true to her aesthetic of wearability, durability, and environmental and global consciousness. She may not be roaming the world anymore (her travels to India and Japan inspired her line of “undesigned” clothing for the urban nomad), but with two toddlers now in tow, she is likely in even more need of her functional yet beautiful pieces.
Ever the champion of cutting edge accessory lines that wonderfully complement her aesthetic, like Cydwoq shoes and (Audrey favorite) Prismera Designs jewelry, Young is also partaking in Fashion’s Night Out on September 10 with a special trunk show of Nikki Montoya Jewelry.
Carol Young, 1953 1/2 Hillhurst Ave., Los Angeles, CA
As a writer, I pretty much lug my laptop everywhere. I lug it to the coffee shops and to the libraries. I lug it to my car and to my work. It’s like I’m back in college holding overweight books again. But I would be oh so cool if I had this “over-sized” leather messenger bag by Beth Springer. It’s strong enough for a laptop yet lightweight and is a great travel companion whether you are going across town or half way across the world. Plus, it’s also made out of vegetable dyed leather so you know it’s strong. I think my favorite thing about this bag is its color though. I’m a sucker for colors commonly found on vegetables and this spinach green is just bold enough to be striking without being too over the top. I can’t eat it but carrying it would be the next best thing!