It turns out all that advice Mom gave you was right after all, at least when it comes to taking care of your skin. Here, what beauty experts learned from their mothers.
ISSUE: Spring 2012
DEPT: Beauty Kit
Erica Chung, 3LAB
Considering she’s the co-founder of 3LAB, the skincare company with a cult-like following known for its high-tech proprietary blend of stem cell activators, Erica Chung’s beauty advice is quite simple: “I would recommend the same tips my mother gave me: cleanse, get plenty of sleep, and protect your skin from the sun.” And it behooves us to take her advice: the Korean American 55-year-old doesn’t look a day over 40.
Cleanliness is next to godliness. Chung considers cleansing her face to be “essential
both day and night.”
Get plenty of sleep.Our body restores itself as we sleep, and to help that process along,
Chung follows cleansing with 3LAB’s Super H Serum. “It contains both apple stem cells and bio-engineered growth hormones so it is a very powerful formula to reverse the signs of
aging and restore a healthy skin tone,” she says. “This is the most important treatment as it treats age spots, dullness and uneven
skin tone and texture, which I believe are the most telltale signs of aging.”
Stay out of the sun.“In the day I follow with 3LAB Perfect BB Cream for added treatment properties and sun protection.”
TURNING HEADS
When the weather warms up, it’s time for a fresh look. These experts on Asian hair weigh in on what’s hot now.
The Color
The ombré/dip-dye look has been big for a while, but for spring, colorist
Kazumi Morton prefers a softer version. “Keep the tone in the caramel-pecan-cinnamon family,
and break upthe line between dark and light, adding a few ribbons throughout for a sun-kissed effect.” If you prefer traditional highlights, keep highlights within three shades of your base color to avoid brassiness, a common
problem for Asian hair, says Morton. “The key is to pass the orange stage and to use the right toner, which depends on porosity and color. Also, do not use big chunks in the foil. I take paper-thin sections when I highlight Asian hair so I have more control.”
The Texture
Whether you want perfectly straight tresses or beachy waves, the key this season is to have healthy, shiny hair.
Yuko, famous for their Japanese hair straightening, also offers Anti-Frizz, a semi-permanent treatment that loosens and smooths out curls, without making them stick straight. If you’re just looking to rejuvenate your strands, their Long Lasting Conditioning Treatment repairs and conditions without changing texture.
This has gone on too long.
I have felt like a degenerate teenager with my trendy/rebellious golden-streaked locks that don’t match any of my pretty Spring/Summer wardrobe for far too long.
Just as I was about to purchase a home hair-dye kit, my editor asks me, “Do you want to get your ombre locks fixed by this famous Beverly Hills colorist?”
Thank you, Lord for answering my prayers.
I set an appointment to the luxe Neil George Salon in Beverly Hills, frequented by Reese Witherspoon, Laguna Beach starlets, and Hollywood housewives.
Entering the salon, I was surprised by how hip the atmosphere is. I usually associate Beverly Hills salons with stuffy, boring, pretentiousness but this was neither as the vibe was bustling and colorful and the folks were friendly and inviting.
It’s cliche but it’s true.
You never know what you have until it’s gone.
My beautiful yet boring long locks
My hair was getting long.
It was starting to just become this wisp of a thing that planted flat against my head and clung lifelessly by its roots. Sure, sometimes it was pretty but it was bOring!
Like all restless souls, I needed a change. I wanted to set aside my prudish reputation and BE COOL for once.
