S E O U L D I V A

Being a lover of the beauty industry, it’s always interesting to me to see how companies market to “ethnic” consumers.  I’ve seen everything from “People of Colour” (which I think sounds archaic and slightly insulting — aren’t we all one color or another?), to “skins of color”…

I was in a group of fellow Asian sistahs, and when asked whether they related to terms like this…I was SHOCKED to learn that they didn’t consider themselves “people of colour”.  They better identified to terms like “Light” or “Light/Medium”.

Where do I begin?

While I don’t directly resonate with the term “people of colour”…I don’t consider myself NOT a Person of Colour.  My mother, on the other hand, is a 1^st generation immigrant, so I think her desire is to assimilate as much as possible into the “mainstream” culture.

Being a 2^nd generation here, I am very aware that I am not the white consumer.  There are even certain brands I avoid completely because I know they are not “yellow girl friendly” with their shade range.

Granted that’s not the most marketable term, but I would definitely appreciate a company that made efforts to speak to me as an Asian American consumer.  There is a HUGE disparity when it comes to Asian Americans being marketed to as an affluent, educated consumer – and there’s also a HUGE need for it (both the product offering and in product education).  There is nothing out there in the market that speaks to us and our needs as a consumer.  (only whatever products trickle over here from Asian-only launches)

It’s frustrating, disheartening and discouraging to hear my fellow Asian Americans’ self perceptions.  It’s like they don’t want to disturb the peace, in the hopes that assimilation is easier than dissension.  While I don’t think racial injustices against Asians are as publicized and highlighted in the media…they DO happen and they DO exist.  It’s frustrating that we are not recognized as a minority or as a demographic in this country.

But I wonder: does the problem start with us as a community?  Maybe WE don’t perceive ourselves as a minority or a demographic?

The real question is: how do you identify yourself?  Do you identify yourself as Asian American?  Do you feel a common tie that binds you to this community?  Without this sense of connection… United we stand, divided we fall.

I’m hopeful that we are making progress.  I’m hopeful that one day, our whispers will one day combine to form a great big SHOUT…directly to the ears, eyes, minds and hearts of the masses.

GO U ASIANS!

Let’s face it…my 1st week on Lilash was a little rocky.  I had constant eye irritation, and pinkness.  BUT, as it turned out, it was my own fault — I was applying way too much on my eye.

So Week 2: I learned my lesson and applied only one swipe of the Lilash solution across the eyelid every night.

The results: no eye irritation! (WIN!).  Also, after 2 weeks of daily use, I can definitely see my eyelashes are more FULL and voluminous.  As for length: I can tell that they’re slightly longer, but it hasn’t grown to mutant lengths….yet!

Here are the comparisons:

Click here to compare to my lashes “before”.

It’s officially been one week since I started using Lilash.  So far, the experience has been bittersweet.

The SWEETNESS:

In just a few days, I ALREADY noticed my lashes were more full and voluminous.  I’m not sure if I can tell if they’re LONGER, but definitely more full.

Click here if you want to compare to last week’s!

The BITTERNESS:

My eyes have been abnormally pink and irritated ALL WEEK.  Not mildly so, but more like, “OH, your eyes match your blush color” kinda pink.  I even had to embark on a search for anti-redness eye drops to fix the situation.

(I thought it might be a little unbecoming to show, so click here if you want to see how irritated my eyes actually get.)

After tweeting about my abysmal eye situation, a few fellow Lilash users guessed (correctly) that I was probably using too much on my eye.  After a much closer inspection of the directions: because Lilash is so concentrated, you are only supposed to do a SINGLE swipe across the lash line.

• @makeupholism: @HeatherPark maybe you’re using too much… I’ve been using Lilash for 5 months, no complains, you will love it.
• @kuuipo1207: @HeatherPark I also cut down my usage after the 2st few weeks from morning and night to just night b4 bed. Helps alot & still does the job.

So I’m happy to report that there is LESS irritation, but still some pinkness.  But I really don’t want to stop using Lilash before my lashes can see their full potential.  So I guess PINK will be the color of my eyes for the next few weeks!

www.lilash.com

I consider myself a very beauty-involved gal.  “Involved” meaning: I use no less than 4 products on my face every day.  (and let’s be real: 4 products = Heather going to do laundry).

But for being so beauty-involved, Mascara has never been part of my beauty routine.  My sparse, Asian, stick-straight-down lashes were so FUTILE, I never even bothered with it.

But since I’ve embarked on my Lilash regimen, I’ve been so hopeful that I’ll have a long, full, plush and voluminous lashes…I’ve already started trying out different mascaras in anticipation!

MAC recently launched Studio Fix Lash on December 26th, but I never tried it until this week.  I’m so old fashioned with my mascara that I’ve always preferred a full-bristled brush for my lashes — for some reason, I always felt like a fuller brush = fuller looking lashes.

So I was a little skeptical when I first pulled out the MAC Studio Fix Lash wand:

But after applying it, I’m officially a FAN:

• AMAZING FORMULA: The MAC website says it’s a “new lightweight mousse formula”.  I say: “It’s like using Extra Hold Mousse on your lashes!”  The formula definitely more lightweight than others I’ve tried, and it even SMELLS more hard-core.
• FAB BRUSH: I thought the moulded brush would make it MORE prone to clumps, but I actually find the opposite to be true!  The strategically placed, firm bristles means there isn’t “gunk” stuck inbetween them — gunk that would normally transfer from the bristles to your lashes.  LURVE.
• EXTRA-HOLD: Usually, regardless of what I put on, my lashes usually start wilting after a few hours.  But I feel like my like this formula seems like it holds WAY better than mascaras.

Here’s how it makes my lashes look!

MAC Studio Fix Lash, $13.

My eternal Asian Girl Quest for Lashes continues.  It’s no secret that I’ve always wanted to be a Lash ‘n Go girl.  You know…one of those gals who can just apply a coat of mascara and gloss, then dart out the door.

Well, on Friday, my lovely package of Lilash finally arrived in the mail!

I’m going to do a week-by-week assessment to see whether Lilash will finally make my Lash ‘n Go Girl dreams come true.

←I hope so!!

The tube looks like a regular mascara package, but it has a thin brush that you use to apply the solution onto your top lash line.

I’m hoping to see a difference in lash fullness, length and hopefully curl.  I’ll only be applying one time a day, before I go to bed.

Here is my “BEFORE” shot:

Wish me luck!!

www.lilash.com

As a Korean sistah, I got nice thick Asian hair, but I am cursed with short, sparse lashes that point STRAIGHT down like awnings.  I forever envy other chicas who have full, voluminous eyelashes that naturally curl.

←check it: these are my lashes just 3 hours after I furiously curled them AND applied Waterproof mascara.  SAD.

Despite my eternal Lash Envy, I have yet to try one of these “medical” eyelash growth stimulatants.  I’ve been a Talika Lipocils devotee for years because it’s 100% natural botanicals.  Yes, I do notice a difference, but maybe because it’s all-natural, the results aren’t as dramatic as I’d like.

Today, I said, “Botanicals be damned! All I want for 2010 are LASHES!!”

I bit the Money Bullet and bought a tube of Lilash for a whopping $139.97!

Why Lilash?

Even though there are tons of eyelash growth stimulants out there, I went with Lilash:

• A few years ago, I asked a co-worker if she was wearing falsies, and she said she’d been using Lilash.  Her lashes were unbelievably long, FULL and curly.
• Since then, I personally know 2 other co-workers (both makeup artists) who have tried it.  BOTH their lashes grew so much, they had to CUT THEM because they got too long!!
• The results were enviable.  Their lashes looked like the ones you see on porcelain dolls!

The fact that Lilash worked on 3 people I personally know, is enough for me to want to try it.

But admittedly, one of the main things that kept me from ordering sooner was the hefty price.  $140 ain’t cheap!  But I don’t mind investing in something if it actually works.  We’ll see in the next few months whether it’s worth the $$$!

GRUB 411:

• Won Jo Restaurant 23 W 32nd St; NYC 10001; 212.695.5815
• Price: $$$  (there are cheaper Korean restaurants on the street)
• Type: Korean, specializing in wood-chip BBQ
• Music: no music
• SeoulDiva Tip: If you get BBQ, be prepared to walk outta there having your hair, clothes and skin smell like BBQ flames.
• SeoulDiva Rating: ♥♥♥½ / ♥♥♥♥♥

FULL REVIEW:

It’s an Asian Invasion!  When I first started out in beauty PR, I was pleasantly surprised to meet so many smart, beautiful and powerful Asian women in the industry.  A few years ago, I started a “Korean Ladies” dinner with a few fellow Korean friends and last night, it grew into a force to be reckoned with – so formidable, it deserved a new name:

Beauty, Brains & Bulgogi!   (thanks @missinfo!)

In attendance last night:  Jane (Teen Vogue), the famous nail stylist Jin Soon, Christina (Vogue), Miss Info…and a handful of honorary Koreans: Catherine (Vogue), Joanne (Tractenberg) and Katie (People).

Won Jo has been around for years as a K-town staple.  That alone, is an accomplishment, since there’s always a ton of turnover on the street.  The K-town of today is barely recognizable to the one I remember from my college days.

Lord knows there are a million Korean BBQ places on West 32nd, but the reason I prefer Won Jo for grilled meats is because they use real woodchips, as opposed to the normal gas grills.

The flavors from the chips saturate the meat and give it a deliciously rich, smokey flavor.  (But be warned, the smokey flavor also saturates your skin, clothes and hair – expect to walk out of there smelling like your meal!)

• KALBI; traditional Korean marinated beef: In my book, you can’t go TOO wrong with short ribs.  But, the meat at Won Jo is always consistently solid: not too much marble, not too sweet, and not overly tenderized (which is something a lot of Korean restaurants tend to do).  SEOULDIVA SAYS: ♥♥♥½ / ♥♥♥♥♥

• GOCHU PAJUN (scallion pancake w/ hot pepper):  I suppose the most “translatable” way to describe this is a Korean version of a scallion pancake, except it’s more thick and can have either peppers, seafood or kimchi mixed in to customize it.  I like Won Jo’s version; it’s crispy and not too chewy.  SEOULDIVA SAYS: ♥♥♥ / ♥♥♥♥♥

• MANDOO JUNGOL: Jungol is a Korean stew that is recommended for 2 or more people at a restaurant.  When I try to describe it to someone, it’s almost like you took all the leftovers in your fridge, dumped them into a pot of broth, and ate it.  The one we had last night had: kimchi, kimchi dumplings, fish cake, glass noodes, dduk (Korean rice cake), mushrooms, onions and slices of pork.  Random, but VERY tasty!  SEOULDIVA SAYS: ♥♥ ♥ / ♥♥♥♥♥

• JAP CHAE: This is very “first time Korean food”-friendly.  It’s stir-fry glass noodles with veggies (spinach, carrots, mushrooms, peppers) seasoned with a bit of soy sauce, sesame oil (for flavor), salt & pepper and sugar.  Personally, jap chae is neither here, nor there.  MEH.  But Won Jo does a solid job.  SEOULDIVA SAYS: ♥♥ / ♥♥♥♥♥

AND, of course, with every Korean meal, comes the banchan.  American folks liken this to “appetizers”, but really they are just complimentary salty small plates that are designed to be eaten with rice.

↑  There’s is Jane demonstrating how to eat the Kalbi with the Red Leaf Lettuce:

• Take a piece of lettuce
• Add a lil rice & piece of kalbi
• Add the slices of raw onions
• Add ssam jiang (a chunkier version of Korean Miso, made with fermented mung beans)
• Roll into a ball
• Stuff into your mouth!

All in all, the premiere of Beauty, Brains & Bulgogi was a tremendous success.  Thanks to all the ladies for the great conversation over great food.  Hope the BBQ smell eventually washed off!

← Jane & Jin

← Christina & Catherine

← Katie & Joanne

← Minya & I

AND THE PHOTO THAT SUMS UP THE EVENING:

← Catherine ♥ Kimchi

Not everyone may know this, but in my experience – Asian gals love us our hair treatments.  True story!

I grew up in a household where a Sunday afternoon was devoted to the Hair Salon.  When I say “afternoon”, I mean the better part of 3-6 hours – it’s a commitment.  There’s this perception that we Asian gals have this naturally beautiful, stick-straight, silken hair.  But what you may not know: it’s probably been chemically treated into submission!

You name a perm (or “pah-ma” in Korean), I’ve had it!  A wave perm, a straight perm, a “magic” perm, a “Japanese” perm, a standard curly perm….and the ever-so-inventive combo: a Magic straight perm from root to mid-length, with a “wave” perm on the ends.

All the chemical processing took its toll on my hair; it was constantly dry, brittle, prone to breakage and overall lifeless.  (It was actually part of the reason I cut my hair super-short!)  Over the years, I’ve fallen in love with Hair Oils.  My hair was damaged to the point where I could leave-in a few drops of oil without having it be too heavy.

First, there was Dr. Hauschka Neem Oil.  Was obsessed with this after hearing a stylist talk about its miracles.  But ultimately, I found that it was a little too heavy for leave-in purposes – it’s more of a treatment oil that should be washed out.

My longest relationship has been with Aveda Beautifying Composition.  The website describes it as a multi-purpose oil for your hair, scalp and skin.  I know that @arterbery shares my obsession for this product.  I just use a 4-6 drops and run it through my hair after it’s been towel-dried and it restores some moisture, shine and flexibility  – not to mention it has the signature Aveda aromatherapy scent.  Another reason I love this oil: its amazing dispenser!  I love it b/c it lets the product out drop by drop!

My latest fling:  Moroccan Hair Oil.  I’ve heard people raving about this product for quite some time, and I got to meet the PR people backstage during Fashion Week.  Not until I got it at @agirlsgottaspa’s Blogiversary event this past weekend, did I truly understand.

Moroccan Oil is a unique blend of Argan Oil, Vitamins A, E, & F (which I didn’t even know existed).  Like other oils, it appears you can use it in several ways (including to prep the hair for color processing), but I’ve using it as a leave-in treatment.

I AM IN LOVE. The website says it disappears in your hair and it truly does! I dispensed a dime-size amount in my palm, rubbed it together and ran through my hair…it was instantly transformed: soft, flexible, shiny and HEALTHY-feeling.  Screw having someone else run their fingers through your hair…I can’t stop running my OWN fingers through it!

My one gripe:  the bottle.  Oils are tricky, whether for body or hair.  I appreciate it when a company either sells a “pump” top as an ancillary to the product, or has a dispense mechanism built-in.  With the Moroccan Oil’s bottle, you just have to have a steady pouring hand, and pray you don’t have to backwash the oil back into the bottle.  (The shape of the bottle also looks a little “medical”…a lil “syrup of icepac-y”)

For anyone who hasn’t tried it, I highly recommend it!  They also have a cream, masque treatment, shampoo & conditioner!

Cultural upbringings definitely influence who you are as a person.  The older I get, the more undeniably Korean I realize I am.

Kimchi will always be my #1 condiment (with mayo as a close 2nd).  Chopsticks will always be my most favorite utensil.  And I will ALWAYS buy my ankle-length socks from Hanyang Korean Market in Flushing, Queens.  I is who I is.

←Pucca! She’s Korean, like me!

Lately, I’ve been wondering if my Korean parents have left me with 2 social afflictions.

1)  Hanging Up Without Saying Goodbye

In Korean, there’s no real way of saying “bye, now!” over the phone.  Usually, you just kinda grunt a “mmm…uh-huh!” and kinda hang up.  My parents never really said “bye” and lately, I’ve noticed I’ve picked up this odd habit.  My friends will call me back and be like, “WTF?! Why did you hang up on me?”

What I fail to realize: not saying “bye” is considered RUDE.

Apologies to my non-Korean friends, but this is my cultural disclaimer.  Don’t take it personal.  But we Koreans just don’t say ‘bye on the phone.  (Or it is just MY family?! LOL)

2)  Food = Caring

I think this is true of Asian cultures in general.  I remember when I was in China, the phrase “Ni chi le ma?” (“Have you eaten?”) was an old-fashioned way of asking “How you doin?”

My parents always felt like they were doing a good job if you had a distended belly full-o-food.

If you are ever a guest in my home, or visiting for the weekend, I won’t feel like I’ve been a successful hostess unless you leave 5 lbs heavier. It is what it is.

*******************************************************************

Are there any other Koreans out there who experience similar afflictions?

I gotta say, though…KOREAN do what it do…right? 

I feel like I’m being a traitor to my people by writing this post.  So first, let me make a disclaimer:

• I am PROUD to be an Asian girl.  PROUDER still to be a Korean woman.

• I love and respect JYP and his incredible contributions to music in South Korea.  I look at him as the Diddy of Korea.  Incredibly talented singer, producer and dancer.  Mad respect.

• Asians are under-represented in mainstream media.  We are LONG overdue for non-stereotypical roles in movies, music and TV.

As you know from my many rants & raves on Twitter, I am FIERCELY proud to be an Asian girl.  Whenever there’s a reality show, I always want the Asian to win.  (sorry, I just can’t help it!)

HOWEVER, this doesn’t mean I’m a blind supporter.  It’s not like I’m PRO-Anything-Asian-That-Moves.

The Wonder Girls is one such instance.

They’ve been opening up for the Jonas Brothers Tour, and I recently saw them perform on Wendy Williams.  My feelings are really torn about them.

On one hand: Yes, they are an Asian music group that have gained visibility in mainstream American media.  As I said before, it’s long overdue.

On the other hand:  Is it the RIGHT kind of visibility?

• Image:  They look like Asian Barbies.  When we are constantly in a struggle to break stereotypes and break boundaries, is this the right kind of image we want to be projecting?

• Talent:  Do they have it?   Jury is still out.  Granted, I’m not a connoisseur of their entire discography, but they don’t come across much as talented vocalists.

• Styling:  I understand they are essentially a girl group, so I get the need to dress alike.  But they may as well be wearing identical school girl uniforms and knee socks – they are overly done.

• Say What?:  I have this thing about people singing in their native tongue – I PREFER it.  For example:  Shakira singing in Spanish = heavenly.  Shakira singing in English = she sounds like a muppet.  I personally get very distracted by their accents during this song.  Whenever someone “crosses over” to another language, I can’t help but feel like it’s forced & disingenuous, and ultimately just a money-making scheme.

We (Asians) need to break through, but we need to break AWAY from the stereotypes, not perpetuate them.  I can’t wait for the day when I can see some of my fellow Asian artists making it big – and being THEMSELVES – in the mainstream.