Chinese Beauty Secrets

Blackheads result when the excess oil on your nose changes colour on being exposed to air.  Blackheads are not dirt (contrary to popular belief).

The secret to getting rid of them comes from within the body as opposed to outside.  I see girls using pore strips all the time and this is not the answer.  Actually, this will only make your pores bigger and more hole-like!

The trick to getting clear, clean-looking pores is to create a healthy cholesterol balance in your body.  This involves diet, exercise, stress levels and water.  For diet, avoid unnatural saturated fats.  Avoid all polyunsaturated fats.   And always avoid eating fats and sweet foods in the same meal.  I often see girls eating cheese and fruit together and, sure enough, they have unsightly blackheads.

For exercise, you don’t have to work out strenuously everyday, but breaking a daily sweat is helpful.

Try to relax when you are not working.  Do some deep breathing and clear your mind every night before you go to bed.

As always, drink lots of hot water everyday.  Hot water helps to keep your digestive tract active.

Following these rules should do wonders for your blackheads!

Everybody stinks sometimes.    The difference between people involves the amount of time it takes after showering to start stinking again.

I once read that people of Asian ancestry produce less of a certain chemical released in sweat glands that produces odor.

Anyway , if you are one of those people who shower in the morning and start to smell again by lunchtime – don’t worry! There

are tricks you can employ to avoid smelling.

1 – Bring a change of shirt to work.  This is the very best way to refresh yourself during the day.  If you coworkers ask why you keep changing your clothes, just politely tell them you like to feel fresh.

2 – Use scented baby wipes under yourself a quick midday “shower”. It can make you feel very fresh in a few minutes’ time.

3 – Spray yourself with deorderizor often.  Perfume is too strong and can irritate your coworkers, but a mix of 40% alcohol, 40% water and 20% lemon juice can do just the trick.

4 – Do your workouts midday.  If you have a flexible schedule, try working out before lunch at a gym.  Sweating out toxins can help to reduce odor as well.

5 – Use antibacterial soap.  I know you’ve heard this before, but it really works!  Use a foaming sponge to help froth up the soap a bit.  Then apply it to your underarms (and other stinky areas) and wait for a minute before rinsing (to let the soap do its job).

In China, people believe in the powers of energy.  You know when you have dried lips and you feel the need to keep licking them to keep them moist?  This means your body has too much fire.  Today I am going to teach your want to do if you have too much fire.

Firstly, if your skin is dry, you need to stop eating wheat and other acid foods like pineapple, kiwi, Cola, and garlic.  Consume more oils, like olive oil.  Avoid sweet foods for a few days.  Doing this will help put you back in balance.

Secondly apply pure aloe (available as a leaf in some supermarkets) liberally over your mouth area.  If this is not available to you use a quality lip balm.

Drink lots of water.  Your chapped lips should heal within days.

A lot of western women like to get the “travelled” look that comes with having a bit of a tan.  But please think about the long term effects this has on your skin!

Asian women avoid the sun like the plague for fear it causes premature wrinkling.  The sun dries out your skin and removes vitamins from it.

So how can you avoid the sun in a hot clmate?

Use an umbrella – I know for western women you may feel like doing this may make you look as though you are from colonial times, but using an umbrella is the number 1 way to avoid sun damage to your skin.

Use sunscreen – of course!

Wear loose clothing that has sleeves – Just bring a long-sleeved shirt with you that you can throw on whenever you need to walk somewhere in the sun (like from your office to your car).

Wear a hat – Large rimmed is best.

Follow these tips and keep your skin supple!

Water retention and facial edema result from fluid build up in the body.  This scenario car be caused by a few things.

For one, drinking milk products before bed or eating too much sweet food car cause lymph buildup around your face.

Try to avoid eating anything 3 hours before bed.  Many Chinese people do this to avoid puffiness in the face.  If you want to drink something in the evening, try water with lemon juice or chamomile tea (it is caffeine free, so it won’t keep you awake).

Avoid bread products.  Wheat is a grain that is difficult to digest.   Eating rice is much easier and will help to keep your bodily processes working smoothly.

Don’t overdo your calcium supplementation.  Calcium is healthy but in large doses it can alkalize your body and cause facial puffiness.  It is for this reason I tell people to avoid eating TUMS and other antacids.  If you have an acidic stomach, change you diet instead.

Sweat everyday.  Exercise will help fluids leave your body.  Using a sauna can help here, too.

Eat salt, but not too much.  Salt is very healthy in the correct dosage.  Don’t limit its intake, but definitely don’t overdo it.  If you are eating lots of salty snacks, consider stopping.  For me, I know I’ve been eating too much salt if I cannot comfortably touch my toes (weird, I know, but salt tends to make my legs swell which makes it difficult for me to bend over).

Try the above for a week ! I am sure you will see immediate improvement in the level of puffiness in your face.

Relaxing is a key part of any beauty regime.  Those who know how to relax tend to be able to retain their youthfulness much longer than other people.  Relaxing often doesn’t come naturally to people, so let me explain how to do it properly.

Firstly, make you bedroom your sanctuary.  Clean up everything.  Put all your clothes and books away neatly.  Put fresh sheets on your bed.  Make sure your pillows are fluffy.  Then light some candles (IKEA candles are ideal) and maybe even light incense or a scented candle.  Turn the lights down low.  Turn on some meditation music (I like to listen to Chinese Gu zhen tracks or the sounds of rainfall) and lay on your bed on your back.  Make sure your mobile phone is off.  Close your eyes and focus on the feelings and sensations you are experiencing in your feet, legs, hips, torso, arms and head.  Try to trick yourself into thinking your body is floating.

I like to do this is a kind of meditation a few times a week.  It is great for days when you are feeling angry or depressed.



I have always found massage to be an excellent way to induce relaxation and establish a connection with yourself or another human being.  Giving a loved one a massage or receiving one can be very rewarding.

To start, rub some lotion between your hands and onto your feet (or the person whose feet you are massaging).  Knead the feet thoroughly and move your way up through the rest of the body.  Don’t “chop” or “pinch”, just knead.  Spend particular time kneading the area around the spine and shoulders.  Also lightly work the temples.  The entire massage should take around 30 minutes and should finish with a few minutes of meditation.  Stretching your limbs thoroughly before and after the massage is also highly recommended.

Bad breath begins in your stomach and is released through your esophagus and mouth.  It you’ve ever had something very sweet right before bed, you’ll remember the rancid stink that emitted from your mouth the next morning!

The key to breaking your bad breath problems is diet.  Avoid most sweet foods (fruit is OK) and avoid eating any sweet foods with fats.  Also avoid caffeinated products as caffeine can cause very heavy odor on your breath.

If you have a particular problem with haliotosis, bring a toothbrush with you to work.  Don’t forget to brush your tongue and gums lightly as well to remove any food residue.

Some people suggest using mouthwash, but I do not.  Often mouthwash is full of very heavy chemicals that can get into your system and cause premature aging (this results from your body working overtime to detox these chemicals).

Be sure to floss regularly!  Not flossing is a major cause of bad breath.  If you can’t floss (like me, as I have braces at the moment), use those little dental brushes that go between teeth.

As always, drink lots of hot water to help keep your digestion moving and clean out your stomach.

I have very long hair but I do not have split ends.  Am I lucky?  No.  I just eat properly and know how to wash and dry my hair in a way that doesn’t damage it.  Today I am going to share two tricks with you that will allow you to say goodbye to split ends forever!

Firstly, to wash your hair you need to massage shampoo in with your fingertips.  Use your fingers to run it through your hair.  Massage your scalp.

Now the secret to avoiding split ends: DON’T RUB YOUR HAIR TOGETHER BETWEEN YOUR PALMS!  Don’t ever do this!  I know you see people do this from time to time on television commercials, but this is a mistake!  To clean your hair, just keep running your fingers through it (like a comb).  No rubbing!  Your hair will thank you by not splitting.

Now for secret number 2.  This happens after you get out of the shower.  To dry your hair: NEVER use a hair dryer.  I don’t even own one.  Hair dryers dehydrate hair and make it easy for split ends to occur.  Just let your hair dry naturally.  This is why it is good to wash your hair in the evenings before bed as opposed to in the morning before work.

Try these tips for 2 weeks and see how much healthier your hair becomes!

Although drinking alcohol is a big no-no for those seeking beauty, sometimes it can’t be avoided.  And let’s face it, having a drink once in a blue moon can be fun!

Alcoholic beverages are not created equally.  Different beverages will have different effects on your body.  But alcoholic drinks are very dehydrating, so my first tip is for you to drink a little water either while or after you drink your alcoholic beverage.

Here are my thoughts on different alcoholic beverages:

Red wine/white wine (made from grapes) – these wines are much less damaging to your beauty than other alcoholic drinks.  Thus, if you have the option to choose, go with these over other kinds of alcohol.

Clear alcohols (vodka, rum, gin) – these kinds of alcohols mixed with fruit juice are your next best option if you can’t drink wine.

Watery beer (American and Asian varieties) – Europeans often tease the rest of the world for drinking watery beer, but this kind of drink is much better for your beauty than heavy European beers,  By ‘watery’ I am talking about the Budweisers, Tsing Taos and Suntorys of the world.

Heavy beer (European) – many European beers are heavy and usually much harder on your body.  For beauty’s sake, avoid them as much as you can (I’m talking about the Guinnesses, Hoegaardens and Erdingers of the world here).

Spirits – sweetened spirits should be avoided.  Just because they’re served in a pretty glass doesn’t mean they will make you pretty!  Typically, these drinks are made with syrupy sugar which can cause insulin spikes and premature aging.

Asian hard alcohols (rice wines) – Avoid these at all costs!  Rice wines are flammable and flammable substances have no reason to be in your body.

Pacing yourself with water can greatly help you avoid dehydration.  When you get home after your party, drink a few large glasses of hot water before bed.

Hope the above helps you stay beautiful!