I enjoyed the article and got a kick out of the fact that most of the beauty secrets were for brighter skin…damn even the western media is trying to feed us brighter is better and fair is lovely lol
JAPAN
- The Allure: that porcelain complexion
- Secret Ingredients: rice and seaweed
Rice Body Rub: “In the old days, rice bran was a substitute for soap,” says K.C. Kang, speaking on the phone from Japan as she launches her new skin-care line in the U.S.. “You’d bring your little cotton pouch to the local bath house and fill it up with the bran. Then you’d soak and scrub your whole body, including the face. People still do this.” Beyond sloughing off the dead skin layer, rice bran oil is known for its potent vitamin E and other antioxidants that brighten the skin. To see for yourself, fill a pouch with rice bran, and rub your body. If you’re bathing, leave the bag in the tub and let the nutrients seep into the water.
Kelp Face Pack: Seaweed has long been used in Japan as a beauty aid, says Kang, whose interest in traditional remedies grew from trying to heal her own severe eczema. The best recipe for a face mask, she says, requires about 7 ounces of raw seaweed (if you can’t find any, reconstitute the dried kind.) Thoroughly soak the kelp to rinse out the salt; then drain and place in a pan with 16 ounces of water, and cook at a low heat, stirring, for 10 minutes. Next, pour it into blender and make a creamy paste, mixing in a teaspoon of fresh lemon juice once it cools. Refrigerate for three days (freeze what you won’t be using) and apply for 20 minutes.
Sun Style: Ever considered opera gloves for the car? “Japanese women are so picky about their skin,” says Kang, “aside from using the traditional umbrella in the summer, they wear long gloves—past the elbow—when they’re driving. They want to make sure the sun from the window doesn’t age their hands or arms.”
PAKISTAN
-
The Allure: silky skin
-
Secret Ingredients: almonds, orange peel, watermelon, extra virgin olive oil
-
Almond Scrub: “My mom used to grind the soft shells of young almonds into a very fine powder and mix it with coconut milk or oil,” says New York City dermatologist Misbah Kahn, MD, who grew up in Pakistan. Like rice bran and grape seeds, the almonds make a good exfoliator. “The home remedies really haven’t been surpassed by high-tech microdermabrasion products,” says Kahn. “In scar surgery we can even use very fine sandpaper that’s available at Home Depot.” As for the coconut oil, she says, “it has anti-inflammatory and anti-fungal properties and may be good for keratin, which the outer layer of skin is made of.” You can whip up your own scrub with coconut oil and finely ground shells—if you can’t find the young almonds, use coconut shell (soak first and shred it.)
-
Scalp Balm: “I tell my patients with dry, itchy scalps, to rub on some extra virgin olive oil and wrap their head in a warm towel,” says Kahn. “The oil is great for the hair, too.”
-
Crushed Orange Watermelon Mask: Another skin secret from her homeland: Take a dried-out orange peel and crush it into a fine powder. Add a little lemon juice, water, or in the summer, mashed watermelon, and apply the mixture on your face for 20 minutes before going out for the evening. “The mask has antioxidants, and—especially if you use lemon—oh boy, forget it!” says Kahn. “It smells good, your makeup goes on easily, and your skin looks so nice and bright.”