By: Alexandria Thomson, FX Specialist/Internal Marketing Coordinator
As a young woman growing up in the late 90s and early 2000s in a small town in America, skincare and beauty routines were nonexistent. I was always told to wash my face and put on some moisturizer, maybe SPF if it’s summertime, and don’t even get me started on the makeup; if you are wondering, yes, I was one of the heavy black eyeliner kids…. hahaha. Fast forward to now, as I sit in the Ace Studios office with BTS playing in the background, typing away, I come to realize how nowadays there are Asian beauty products everywhere you go. When a few Korean & Japanese skincare brands made their way into the US beauty market, the term and concept “skin first” was first introduced in the 2010s. The idea was to help treat and protect skin instead of covering it up with heavy makeup, a philosophy that was unfamiliar in the states. In 2011 Korean skincare brand Dr. Jart launched in Sephora. Peach & Lily and Soko Glam followed suit and established their e-commerce website. K-Beauty has made a significant impact on the US beauty market. From the SK-II essence at Sephora to the jade rollers & gue sha tools at Target.
Asian culture has made a name for itself here in America. From Cdramas (Chinese dramas), Kpop (Korean pop), and wonderful Middle Eastern food places & markets (Aladdin’s Market here in Reno, if you know, you know.), it has made an incredible impact. As a working Make-up Artist, I have always been fascinated, amazed, & inspired by the beauty routines and rituals of many Asian cultures. When choosing what beauty and skincare products to put in my kit, I am adding more and more from Korean and Japanese beauty brands like Cosrx, 3CE, Isehan & so much more. I realized that most of these brands have unique, pro-quality products that won’t break the bank. I have also learned many different beauty techniques from YouTubers like Pony Syndrome & Edward Avila. I have added a gue sha tool to my routine (which dates back 700 years ago during the Ming Dynasty*.) I never leave my house without applying my Boire UV Aqua Rich SPF. It’s crazy to think that now the US is the third-largest market for exports from South Korea. The time and care that our Asian counterparts take to take care of their skin are impressive, how they take the time to care for it. Another thing that I am amazed at is how Asian men also take care of their skin and care about their appearances. Here in America, you’re lucky if a person will put SPF on or even wash their face at night and let’s not get into how afraid men are of skincare or make-up.
It makes me realize how much Asian cultures (Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Middle Eastern, etc.) have given to their United States neighbors and how grateful I am to them for opening their world to us, even though they face so much ignorance and hatred. I believe it’s important to remember that we are all human and should respectfully embrace everyone and their culture at the end of the day. Instead of being gross-out by particular ingredients in skincare that are unfamiliar to you, like snail mucin, you should that the time to educate yourself about them. You will then realize how beneficial these ingredients are. Just remind yourself that the world is such a beautiful place that it is essential to have an open heart and not a closed mind.
*sourced from en.chinaculture.org
Pony Syndrome’s Youtube: https://youtu.be/rdv7J82UAX4
Edward Avila’s Youtube: https://youtu.be/x-9bFRpOTQM