If you're sad that you've already broken one of your New Year's resolutions, consider Jan. 28 as a fresh new start. Saturday is Chinese New Year, a celebration that's near and dear to my heart as a holiday I grew up with. In case you didn't know, Chinese New Year, or the Lunar New Year, marks the beginning of a new lunar calendar, the Year of the Rooster. I might be biased, but I think Chinese beauty and fashion traditions are some of the best ones of all. As someone whose grandmother values herbal beauty and traditional fashions, I can definitely say I've learned a lot, but am always looking for more tips.
Wei Young Brian, founder and CEO of Wei Beauty, is yet another person who is filled with Chinese beauty wisdom aplenty. After all, China has been around for 5,000 years — they've lived through all of the passing skin care and makeup fads and figured out what really works.
Lucky for me (and you), Young Brian is sharing nine traditional Chinese beauty tips in honor of the Lunar New Year.
Even if you don't celebrate the holiday, consider adding one of her pieces advice to your beauty repertoire.
1. Treat Your Skin Like Tofu
"In China, the women treat their skin like tofu. There are many steps in skin care, but they are all gentle and nourishing," says Young Brian. "And in China, we try to stay out of the sun."
2. Remember That Your Diet Can Affect Your Skin & Hair
"Chinese beauty practices were often traditions handed down in families so they can vary from family to family and region to region. In addition to tinctures and masks created to balance our skin, we typically use our diet to treat our skin and hair. We eat specific food based on our skin care and overall health, too. It’s not just topical."
3. Challenge Yourself To Try Something New In The New Year
"A new year is an opportunity that inspires us to do better. To take better care of ourselves. To try something new. To focus on what is important."
4. Don't Be Afraid Of Products With Natural Ingredients
"I think because people are used to acupuncture and herbal medicine in China, they may know more of the benefits of more plants and herbs than people do in the west," says Young Brian. "Lotus blossom is commonly used to rehydrate and soothes skin, rice (and more specifically) rice water is used to cleanse and brighten skin throughout Asia. Rose water is used to soften the skin. Bee Venom Therapy is used in both skin care and medicine to send signals to the body to work a little hard in healing. Lingzhi Mushroom is extremely potent with anti-aging, anti-inflammatory, antihistamine properties."
5. Remember That Fish Is Your (Lucky) Friend
"The “must have” food on Chinese New Year Eve's dinner table for good luck is fish. Fish is pronounced as “Yu” in Chinese. Another character meaning “surplus” or “abundance" is also pronounced as “Yu.” When the fish “Yu” has leftover, it means the new year will have a lot surplus and abundance in not only food, but also other fortune including good luck."
6. Find A Routine That Works For You
"You have to take the time to care for your skin. You have to keep it for your entire life! Reset your skin with a mask if it feels too dry or too oily or uneven. Then follow a routine that works for you. And keep it!"
7. Find Ways To Elevate Your Skin Care With Tools & Tricks
"Using a jade roller is an inexpensive way to make your skin care work a little bit better for you. Tapping around the eye with your ring finger helps increase circulation, stimulates collagen product, and helps drain lymph nodes. I also really like using an essence or lotion like our Five Sacred Grains Rapid Glow Liquid Milk to help balance and even the skin before applying serum and moisturizer."
8. Don't Get Lazy With Your Skin Care Routine
"If you moisturize some days and not others, your skin will not stay balanced. If you cleanse some days and sleep in your makeup others, your skin will get congested. Vibrant, glowing skin requires diligence, but it’s not difficult."
9. Eat Seasonally
"We eat specific foods during different times of year to detoxify different part of the body and to stay balanced. In winter, for example, we focus on the kidneys. Eating warming foods nourishes the kidneys and bitter foods take pressure off the kidneys. "
In celebration of Chinese New Year, through Jan. 29, you can get 25 percent off your entire order when you enter code ROOSTER on Weibeauty.com
