Reviewing Popular Asian Beauty Products
“THIS LIPSTICK IS CHEAPER THAN YOUR COFFEE!”
“10 THINGS YOU NEED IN YOUR COLLEGE DORM!”
Every waking second, it seems as if the line between social media and e-commerce blurs.
Especially for college students who may be experiencing a newfound sense of freedom through new income streams, the desire to try new products heightens. Which seems a lot like the Europeans during the early modern period. Around the period of the Renaissance, Europeans gained increasingly curious about routes to Asia for spices, porcelain, and other commodities that they did not have back home. In fact, as you may recall from previous history classes, the notorious Columbus was trying to find a new route to Asia but somehow landed on a completely different continent.
Themes of the allure of the East in my history class on the emergence of modern Europe have thus led me to consider all of the eastern products I consume.
Hence, here’s a guide to popular Asian beauty products that you may want to try out for yourself!
Some of us are not blessed with lengthy lashes out of the womb. With a thin metal rod instead of a spoolie, this mascara clumps less and reaches the inner corner of the eye better than traditional mascara. I personally love the metal feel of the applicator as it is cooling.
Honestly, I was sold on this simply because of how pretty this product is. With the provided cushion, this powder blurs the face and color-corrects due to the different pigments. I powder my face with this after putting on sunscreen for a marshmallow-soft matte finish. Like with any powder, you should cleanse your powder and applicator with alcohol spray to disinfect bacteria.
Some of us are also not blessed with volumized lashes either. This mascara is not only lengthening but also makes it seem as if you have way more lashes than you actually do. If I had to choose between the Canmake and this one, I would choose the Canmake for easier application but the KISSME for more noticeable results.
Compared to the Sephora Collection eyeliner (which still carried me through high school prom), the KISSME eyeliner’s brush tip does not fray as easily, and the formula lasts longer. The brush glides easily and creates sharp, defined lines. Bonus points for it being waterproof—my eyeliner stayed intact while I cried because of a (in hindsight, probably not) really funny Tiktok.
Honestly, this product is the inverse of regular mascara. Rather than lift hair like your lashes, the spoolie coated in a gel-like substance is meant to comb down your bangs. This is perfect for on-the-go touch-ups and is less thick than traditional hair gel. Full transparency though, you will still look bald if you are walking to EVK through the trees and tread through the abnormally strong gust of wind. A cheaper alternative if the transport-friendly facet is crucial is the Matomage Hair Styling Stick, which essentially is like a lip balm but for patting down your hair.
If you’ve ever watched those TikToks of girls with the glossiest hair and you know they are about to endorse a product, there’s a good chance that the product is the Fino hair mask. I personally like to apply it to my hair after a double shampoo cleanse, then leave it on for around ten minutes. When rinsing, I use a scalp massage brush to ensure all the product is massaged out of my hair. This mask does work better on low porosity hair, which means your hair takes a longer time to soak up water and also dry.
If your skin has been acting up, this wash-off face mask is calming and moisturizing. As the name suggests, this mask is made out of rice, which has anti-inflammatory properties and minimizes pores. However, if you have a microwave and blender, you could very well DIY your own rice mask, although you may lose out on the other additional skin-care benefits that Keana adds.
Ultimately, no product works the same for every person, nor do my preferences reflect any “right” opinion. This is just a quick introduction to products that may not be as mainstream for all students, so happy shopping if the shoe (makeup) fits!
