It’s no secret that the most exciting new products and trends in beauty in the last few years have come out of Asia. From BB and CC creams to bee venom serums and snail facials, the Eastern hemisphere is a hotbed of innovation.
Since we know there’s plenty more where that came from, we asked Asian skincare expert Wei Yang Brian, the founder of Wei Beauty, to tell us about her latest finds from her recent research trips to China, Korea and Japan. (Spoiler: One of the next big things has to do with dragons. Seriously!?) Read on to learn more.
What trend we should keep an eye out for?
Asian women tend to take their daily beauty routines very seriously and spend a considerable amount of time caring for their skin, instead of focusing on color cosmetics and makeup. That’s why “pad” treatments (eye pads, face pads, spot treatment pads, etc.) are huge in the East.
Have you come across any new ingredients during your research trips?
One of the well-kept Asian beauty secrets I’ve been heavily researching is the Dragon Blood Tree. This name may sound very strange and unfamiliar here in the West, but it is a household staple that has been used for centuries. Traditional Chinese herbalists would prescribe this red sap as a balm to treat a variety of skin ailments such as burns, cuts, scrapes, bites, stings, rashes, abrasions, sores, wounds, scars, etc. Modern Western science has taught us that Dragon's Blood sap naturally contains many potent, protective antioxidant phenols, compounds that help repair collagen, and also tissue healing agents that help provide antibacterial and anti-fungal benefits. It's one of the best ingredients on the planet for our skin.
What's your favorite new product from Asia?
My favorite new product at the moment is actually my WEI to Go Real Clean Gelled Oil Cleanser! I’ve been traveling all summer and we all know how taxing travel can be—on our bodies and on our skin. Not only is the Gelled Oil Cleanser a cleanser, but it’s also one of the best makeup removers I’ve ever used. Oil cleansers are HUGE here in Asia and because it’s a gelled oil formula, it travels with me beautifully and also gives my skin the extra added boost that it needs to stay radiant no matter where I am in the world.
Is there any Asian beauty product or procedure you’ve tried that you wish we had here in the U.S.?
Acupuncture! Here we use acupuncture for pain relief, anxiety, and weight loss, etc. But in Asia, many women go for regular acupuncture treatments to help delay the aging process in addition to their daily skin care rituals. Facial acupuncture significantly improves blood circulation and can help stimulate collagen. As a result, facial muscles become firmer, puffiness is reduced, wrinkles and age spots decrease, and moisture returns. And because the acupuncture helps to get your “chi” (internal energy) moving, not only will you look healthier, but you’ll feel more energized. This is something I’d love to see more people try in the US as an alternate to fillers such as Botox. The results speak for themselves.