Chinese TV show explains hair tips! Watch this now!!

I know this is in Chinese, but trust me: you don’t need to understand Chinese to be able to get what is going on.

In the video, the girls explain 3 ways to do great curly hairstyles.  Check it out! (If the video doesn’t show, click here: http://v.qq.com/cover/x/x2da7n78gqxr3ac.html?vid=w001118emt3)

Asian pimple prevention technique

I think a lot of people have this problem because they don’t eat healthily and don’t properly care for their skin.  Remember to avoid needlessly touching your face (think of all the crap you touch on a day to day basis – do your really want this on your face?!) and NEVER pop your pimples (use makeup to cover up those unsightly whiteheads, if needed).  Popping pimples causes scarring.  Don’t start habits you are going to regret!

For ladies who are prone to above surface acne (i.e. pimple acne, not rosacea or other below the surface acne), I have a few tips to share that will help you cut down on your acne problem immensely:

1. Wash your face several times a day with a gentle cleanser – Most women wash their face twice, but if you have extra oily skin you may need to wash more than this.  Use gentle, circular strokes and never use a cleanser that makes your skin feel sensitive, itchy or overly dry.  Listen to your skin.  After you wash your face and pat yourself dry, it should feel as though your skin is breathing.  I don’t quite know how to describe it; it feels like oxygen is going directly into your body through your skin.
2. Avoid oily and overly spicy food – many Chinese people have extremely oily and acne prone skin and this is because they eat so much oily food.  Westerners consume a look of cheese, which also contributes.  Try cutting out all except (except for olive oil) for a week and watch what happens.
3. Consume a lot of water – I know!  You’ve heard this 7 trillion times before, but that is because it is true!  And don’t drink water that comes in plastic bottles.  I drink water from a water cooler (still not extremely healthy, but fairly good).  Better is to drink water packaged in glass bottles.  There are some nice French varieties, but they are a little expensive.
4. Don’t overuse face cream – face cream is great in the right dose.  Over dosing can cause oil buildup.  This is why wearing skin masks must be done for short periods only.  Wearing a lot of moisturizer on your face is going to cause your pores to clog, plain and simple.
5. Don’t touch your face – I already shared this one
6. Don’t wear hairstyles that have bangs laying on your forehead – weird?  It’s true.  If your forehead is acne prone and you have you hair laying on it to cover it up, try not doing this for a few days.
7. Eat fruit or yogurt every morning to help clean your digestive system out – our face often reflects our insides
8. Don’t allow yourself to get tired – when your eyelids feel heavy, this is a sign that your skin is drooping.  Get to bed quick!
9. Don’t go to bed wearing your makeup – why why WHY do Western women do this?  Someone please explain!
10. Don’t look at a computer screen for extended periods of time – over the years, the radiation coming off the screen will make you age tremendously
11. Change your pillowcase and bedsheets very often (or even every day)
12. Avoid the sun
13. Use moisturizing masks regularly

That’s it!  Follow this list and your pores should remain squeaky clean. 

Different skin creams for different climates

When it comes to choosing a face cream, everyone has their secrets.  Some look for SPF, others for no oil, others for extra moisturizing and still others for whitener.  Often these choices come as a result of a woman’s culture, habits and of course skin type.  In this article, I want to explain some of the broad face cream categories and how you can choose a face cream that is appropriate for your climate.

Firstly, let me just say that some of the creams I use in China, I do not use in North America.  Why?  Simply because of the differences in conditions between these two places.  It is important to base your skin cream decision on the weather that you typically will be facing.  Let me try to break down different climates and the manner in which you should approach each:

Hot and dry climates - why I say ‘dry’, I mean ‘desert dry’!  This is the only climate where I would suggest using a cream that contains moderate amounts of oil.  Normally, oily face creams clog pores, but in dry weather this oil acts as a barrier to the elements and helps keeps moisture in.

Hot and wet climates - it is very important you do not use oily moisturizers in wet climates.  Doing so will cause your skin to grow sub-surface acne (sometime referred to as ‘blotchiness’) and blackheads.  I suggest using a water-based face cream.  In these climates, you do not have to worry so much about moisture evaporation (the air is already humid), so applying only a few times throughout the day should do the trick.

Cold and dry climates - if you live in an area that does not get much precipitation but still has temperatures below freezing, you really need to be careful.  In these areas, the weather can do irreversible damage to your skin.  Without proper protection, your skin could thicken, which causes premature aging and noticeable markings.  Use a water based moisturizer that you can reapply often throughout the day.  Because there is no heat associated with the dryness, your skin is not apt to lose its moisture.  This is good in that it makes it easier for you to maintain beautiful skin despite the elements, but bad in that it can make it easy for your to breakout in pimples if you use an oil base face cream.  Be sure to never travel in this weather without something covering your face (and NEVER use abrasive scarves made from wool).

Cold and wet climates – I hate these most of all!  Canadian winters, for example, are cold and wet due to precipitation.  This kind of weather makes people think they should be applying oil based moisturizers, when really this is the worst thing you can do!  The combination of air moisture and oil will make your skin break out big time.  Use a light, water based skin cream and wash your face often.  This combination of washing and moisturizing will really help you maintain a clear, bright complexion in such dull weather.

And if after reading this you still don’t know what moisturizer to use, move to California.  The weather there is always perfect. 

Chinese blackhead tips - get rid of them once and for all!

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!

Asians don't have body odor. Here is the secret why...

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).

Asian dry skin/chapped lip remedy

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.

Stay out of the sun! Here's why we Asians avoid it like the plague

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!

Asian secrets to reducing facial puffiness

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.

Relax like an Asian for beautifying results

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.

Asian massage and your beauty



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.

Eliminate bad breath with this Asian secret

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.

Let me reiterate: Asian girls don't get split ends! Here's why...

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!

If you are going to drink, preserve your beauty by following this old Chinese strategy

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!

Foods you should NEVER eat while menstruating (old Chinese tradition)

In China, there are certain foods women never eat while on their menses.  As you know, this is a time when your body is losing blood and thus you need to eat foods that help you recover from this loss.

Firstly, don’t drink alcohol.  You are already weak.  Drinking alcohol will only give your body another problem it has to deal with.  This added stress to your body will cause premature aging.  Avoid this!

Don’t eat chocolate.  My western women friends often think chocolate is a comfort food perfect for when they are on their period, but they are wrong.  Chocolate is full of caffeine and sugar and will cause your insulin to spike.  Avoid it during this period.

Avoid spicy food.  Spicy food stresses your immune system.  During your menses, your immune system is already stressed.  You don’t need to add more stress to it.

Now let me share a few foods that can help your body while you are menstruating:

Chinese red dates – great for promoting healthy blood in your body

Lean proteins – chicken and fish are ideal

Hot unsweetened drinks and soups – hot food encourages your body to expel things.  The next time you are on your menses, try eating hot soups and liquids exclusively for a day and see how much quicker your body cleanses itself of menstrual material.

Why wearing less makeup makes you more beautiful

My western friends often like to pile on make up whenever we plan to go out.  But makeup is not a long term plan for beauty.

As you know, wearing makeup does not allow your skin to breathe, and this can cause blackheads, pimples and wrinkles.

The trick is to wear less makeup.  To do this, you need to have a naturally clear complexion to begin with.  This can be accomplished through healthy living and diet.  Following this, I suggest only wearing makeup when you absolutely have to.  Don’t wear heavy makeup at work.  The moment you get home, wash your face thoroughly.  NEVER ever sleep in your makeup!

It is also important to use makeups that are more natural in composition.  Here in Shanghai, there is a brand called ‘Natural Beauty’ (it might be available in your country too, or online) that sells makeup that is almost 100% natural.  I only wear makeup if I am going out in the evening.  I NEVER wear makeup to run errands or work.

If you are a heavy makeup wearer, I suggest you try to reduce this as much as you can.  There is no need to wear makeup when you are walking around the house at home.

Oil and fat are our friends! (The secret why Chinese women have such nice skin)

Many people wrongly accuse oil in a person’s diet of causing weight gain.  This is not true.  Many dietary oils and fats can be very healthy and can actually improve your immune system and skin health too!

The key is to ensure that the oils and fats you use in cooking are cooked very slowly over time and not fried or scalded.  I eat a lot of fatty pig feet, but I always slow cook them in water or soup over a low flame for 2 or 3 hours, which helps to soften the fat on the feet and make it easier to digest.

It is also important to never eat fatty foods at the same time as sweet foods.  This can cause your blood to thicken and blackheads to occur on your nose (as a result of poor cholesterol balance in your body).

Fats can be very health promoting, but just remember how to prepare and eat them!

How to tell the strength of your nails (Asian secret)

Strong nails are a sign of good health.  I find if my nails get a little brittle, it tends to be at times when I am stressed out with work or overloaded with my commitments.

A telltale sign that your nails are healthy is by looking at the base of them.  There should be a bit of a white bed at the bottom of each of your nails.  Your nails shouldn’t have a dented or speckled look to them and your cuticles should naturally be clean looking.

Try your best to take care of your nails.  This involves eating healthy and filing your nails down when they start to get too long.  If you hands are dry or chapped with eczema (you won’t get this if your diet is rich in fats), try covering them in moisturizer and then wearing some tight gloves for a few hours.  When you wash your hands, use a milder soap (like Dove) and always moisturize your body after showering.

Proper posture for a beautiful spine and buttocks

Most people will tell you among the most beautiful parts of a woman’s body is her back.  It’s thus important to put a little effort into the way we sit and work every day to ensure our backs age nicely.  I’m sure you’ve seen those 30-something year old women with drooping flab that hangs off the front of your body.  Improper posture when seated can contribute to this.

So what is proper posture?  It involves sitting in a chair that puts your legs at a 90 degree angle.  Keep your back straight and never hunch over (this can happen if you chair is too high for your desk).  If you work at a computer, your hands should also rest on the desk at a 90 degree angle (or as close to it as you can get).  Never strain to see a computer screen.  Your head should be elevated and looking straight forward, or slightly downwards.

Be sure to take regular breaks to stretch your back and other muscles.  I work at a desk and always stand up for a few minutes every half an hour or so.  Never crack your back or twist it.  Try not to fall into the habit of leaning back into your chair when you are working as this compresses the spine and can lead to back pain down the road.

Now a word about preserving the beauty of your buttocks while working in a job that demands sitting for long periods of time.  It is very important the seat of your chair is soft.  When you sit for long periods of time, blood will begin to pull in your buttocks (disgusting, I know) and this can cause a darkening or reddening of the skin, particularly in the folds between the underside of your buttocks and legs.  To avoid this, you need to get up and walking around from time to time and sit so that your buttocks is flush to your seat (leaning back can make your buttocks fold over the top part of your legs).

Let me tell you why Asian women love ginger so much

Ginger has a very (very…) long history in China.  And it is a food that can do wonders for your health and beauty.  In China, people eat ginger raw with a little salt.  It’s acidity promotes healthy digestion and can cure feelings of nausea (don’t believe me?  Just try a little bit with salt the next time you feel nauseous.).  Ginger’s is a food that cleanses.  It is rich in fiber that can help scrub your innards clean and push unwanted internal debris out.

Today, I want to share with you a special ginger recipe you can use to help cleanse your body.  It is very easy to make.  All you need to do is bring a large pot of water to a boil (say around 1.5 L of water), add 3 full pieces of ginger (peeled) and half a tablespoon of salt.  Boil for 20 minutes and then lower the heat to stop the boil and let cook for 1 hour.  After this, have a bowl every once in a while.  Your digestion will feel extremely clean.

Try it!

Beautifying your feet - the honey connection

Let me explain a process you can run through for beautiful feet.

Firstly, you need to slough off old skin using a pumice rock.  Only use this on the calloused parts of your foot to work off some of that old skin.  Then give your feet a wash.  After this (best to get into bed for this part), ad cream to your feet and massage them thoroughly.  Do this for 10 minutes or so.  Then slather even more moisturizer on them and put them into socks.  Sleep with the socks on and your feet will thoroughly absorb the moisture.  You can follow this regime once per week if needed.

For seriously cracked feet, try this: buy some natural honey (it is a bit more expensive than the processed stuff you buy at the store).  Wash your feet thoroughly and dry them.  Then apply some honey to the cracks of your feet.  Moisturize and put your feet into socks for a few hours (if you can sleep with this arrangement, then do so, but for me I find the feeling a little icky).  Anyway, the honey will do wonders in helping your feet heal (no pun intended!). 

The key to beautiful eyebrows

There are good and bad ways to shape your eyebrow.  Everybody’s taste is different, so I won’t bore you with my own.

What’s important when shaping your eyebrows, though, is that you vary the methods you use when doing it.  What this means is DON’T pluck every time.  Plucking will cause your skin to sag (after doing it for years and years).  If you pluck every few days, this puts a lot of stress on the skin around your eye and will cause it to weaken over the years.

Instead, you should invest in a good eyebrow razor.  I am sure you’ve seen them in the shops (and maybe you even scoffed at them), but the reason they are used is to help avoid this problem of sagging skin over time.

Here’s what I do: I vary my plucking with shaving.  Sure, shaving may not be as clean looking as plucking (particularly for people like me with dark hair), but if you alternate your plucking and shaving days, this becomes less noticeable.  I do my eyebrows maybe once every week to 2 weeks depending on how fast they are growing.

How to have a sexy neck (Asian secret)

Do you ever notice some older celebrities who have beautiful faces but ugly, wrinkled necks?  Caring for your neck is just as important as caring for your face.  Neck skin wrinkles just as easily and it is imperative you take measures to delay this as long as possible.

Here’s a picture of Chinese star Fan Bing Bing.  As you can see, her face has been nicely preserved over the years but her neck – not so much:

Caring for your neck starts with your daily shower.  Wash your neck using a natural soap.  Use upward strokes as you wash your neck (downward strokes can cause sagging over the years).

Second step occurs after you get out of the shower.  It is important to use a mask for your neck from time to time.  You can find facial masks that extend to the neck in your local pharmacy (if you can’t, then just apply a regular facial mask to your neck area).  These neck-covering facial masks look like this:

On the nights you aren’t using a mask, be sure to massage a lot of skin cream into your neck also using those same upward strokes you were using in the shower.

Strengthening the muscles in your neck is also an important practice to get into.  You move your head from side to side slowly (doing this as part of a nightly relaxation ritual is ideal).  Stretch all muscles around your neck.  Don’t get into the habit of popping or cracking your neck as this will only cause problems with your spine and ligaments down the road and lead to improper posture and unsightly gait.

You must be sure to really protect your neck from the elements, including wind and, of course, the sun.  In the summer months, use an SPF cream.  In the winter, always bundle up with a scarf.

Following this regime, your neck will stay beautiful throughout your life. 

Wrinkles and food! Asian traditional examines the connection

There are a number of foods well-known as wrinkle-causers ad they should be avoided at all costs!  Today, I want to run through these foods and explain why you should do everything you can to keep them out of your diet.

All aged foods – yes, it is true.  Aged foods contain very low amounts of toxins that can cause wrinkles over time.  These foods include all canned foods, aged cheeses and other fermented foods.  Where I live, people walk to a market everyday to buy fresh produce and vegetables and never eat things out of cans.  This is part of the reason why it is difficult to distinguish a person here who is 35 from one who is 25.

All fried foods – I know you already knew this, but it is true.  All fried foods cause wrinkles.

Sweet foods (excluding fruit) – if you’ve ever had an evening where you ate too many sweet foods (like chocolate, cake or candies), you know the damage this does to your skin the next day.  Sweet foods cause insulin spikes and this stresses your immune system.  Over time this stress will cause wrinkling.

If you have already started to wrinkle, don’t worry.  There are things you can do to stop this.  For one, eat more foods like black fungus (check your local Chinatown), chicken skin (not fried chicken!  Chicken cooked in a soup is ideal), fresh fish, caviar and other seafood and mushrooms.  These are all foods high in elastin, which is a substance that will give your skin integrity and reduce the wrinkles that have already started to form.

In addition to this, there is a mask you can make.  First, pick up a bit of cheesecloth (or mask cloth, if your country sells this kind of thing).  Crush a banana and mix in a tablespoon of olive oil.  Mix thoroughly (add additional olive oil or some pure water if the mixture is too thick) and soak your cheesecloth or mask in it.  Then apply this to your face and neck area and leave on for 15-20 minutes.  This will help your skin gain moisture and suppleness.

My blog readers asked for it! Here's another homemade facial mask recipe

Here is another recipe you can try for your facial masks.  It is called a ‘tofu bean milk mask’ and is very nourishing for your skin.

To make this mask, first you must make some natural tofu bean milk.  Go to your local supermarket and buy some fresh tofu beans (they are green in colour).  Put 1.5 L of water into a blender with a cup of these beans and blend until a white liquid is formed (this liquid should be blended until fine, not chunky).  Pour into a bowl and soak some cheesecloth or a mask in this mixture for 10 minutes.  Then apply to your face and let sit for 15 minutes.  Remove the mask and rinse your face with fresh water.  Voila!  You should feel your skin totally refreshed.  This is one of my favourite masks.

Asian secret for beautiful breasts

Having beautiful breasts involves a few different things (among them genetics), but today we’re going to focus on how to keep the skin on your breasts healthy and radiant and the jiggle in your breasts taut. 

Firstly, let’s deal with the sag factor.  If your breasts do not have the proper support, they are going to sag later in your life.  This means you have to wear a bra during the day as often as you can (when you are laying down it is OK to take this off).  Try not to wear your bra longer than 12 hours, though.  If you have the opportunity to have a little rest in the afternoons, take your bra off for a few minutes and let your breasts air out.

When you walk, keep your back straight and head up, like a model.  This will help poke your chest out (which in itself makes your breasts look good) and fight against sag.

Everyday you should be doing a few minutes of exercise for your breasts.  This involves doing some light chest pumps (you don’t necessarily need to use weights for this) and push ups.  These exercises do not have to be strenuous but should keep your chest area active.  Here’s a quick an easy exercise I like: get a book, put it between your palms and push your palms together.  You should feel some light flexing in your chest muscles.  The exercise looks like this:

Foods that can help grow breasts and keep them jiggly are chicken skin (in a soup) and pig feet (cooked slowly).  Tofu-derived foods are also very good.  Tofu milk is an excellent drink for breast health as it is high in isoflavone.

Watch your posture.  Hunching your back can cause boobs to sag.

Before bed, always give your breasts a bit of a massage with cream.  Use an upward stroking motion to help encourage them to remain perky and firm.