Do you have skimpy, wimpy lashes like most other Koreans?
Have no fear.

The Basics:

1. When removing False Eyelashes from the tray, don’t peel them from left to right (or vice-versa) because you can stretch them out.  Instead, put your two thumbs around the middle and gently push the eyelash down.  It can help to lightly bend the eyelashinto a U-Shape                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                – If you decide to cut the Lashes in half, Bend them into a U-Shape and cut them right in the middle
2. Put a very thin layer of Eyelash Glue on the band of the False Eyelash.
* (I usually squeeze the glue onto my hand first to make sure too much glue doesn’t get onto the lashes)
- Wait about 15 seconds for the glue to dry and become tacky
3. Bring the lashes as close to your real lashes as possible, adjust, and gently press down.
* (When applying a full set of lashes, I usually place the lashes from the inner corner of the eye to the outer corner)
*(When applying a half set of lashes, I usually place the lashes from the outer corner of the eye and work my way in)
- You can use your finger, or any flat object (like the flat end of a tweezer) to secure the False Lashes right on top of your own.
4. Open up your eyes so that the Top Lashes don’t get glued to your Bottom Lashes.
- If they get stuck, just separate them with your fingers.  If there is excess glue on your bottom lashes or under your eyes, wait for it to dry and gently rub off.

* Extra *

5. Gently use an Eyelash Curler to curl the Lashes together
6. Apply Mascara to bond your False Eyelashes with your own.
* (I like to brush through with  a clean Mascara Wand after so it looks more natural and there are no mascara clumps)
7. Apply Eyeliner as close to the Lash Line to fill in any gaps between the False Lashes and your natural lashes
8. When removing False Eyelashes, gently press down on your eyelid and remove the lash from one corner to the other
* (I find that removing from the inner corner is the easiest)
-Remove and clean the excess glue from the Lash Band.  You can probably use these False Eyelashes once more.

It might sound complicated and it may seem difficult, but with a little bit of practice, you’ll be a False Eyelash Expert in no time!

*~ Have a Beautiful Day! ~*

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As a somewhat  OCD, ADD, City Girl who’s always on the go and lives life in the fast lane, I find it hard to do something as simple as relaxing and calming down.

I’ve realized that city life can be extremely stressful and chaotic.  Even just walking the streets can bring about anxiety. (Don’t even get me started on driving in NYC!)
Even if you don’t live in a big city, life in general can be filled with tension, worry, and anxiety.
One of the best ways for me to help ease the negativity that life brings about is YOGA.

Yoga is also amazing at changing your figure (Bikini Season is almost here, Ladies!!!)
I find that it has made my body more toned, leaner, stronger…. and I lose a lot of excess fat.

Yoga has gotten a lot more popular in the past few years in Korea. 
Ock Ju-Hyun (of the 90′s K-Pop group Fin.K.L) started her own Yoga DVDs and helped start the Yoga craze in South Korea.
I tried her DVD and it can be difficult… I was huffing and puffing~ I don’t think I even finished the whole DVD…=T

However, the good thing about Yoga is that you can go at your own pace.
Yoga is not about competition and being as bendy as possible.
You go as far as you can, and little by little, you’ll see changes in yourself (and your body) that you’d never thought possible.

You don’t need to spend a lot of money to do Yoga.  I’ve learned Yoga through DVDs.  (Click HERE for the ones that I use).
If you are a complete beginner, I do think it would be helpful to take a few  Beginners Yoga classes in order to learn the basics correctly, because you CAN hurt yourself.
* Here are a few Tips:
- Never let your knees go past your toes when stretching.
- Take it slow.  Don’t pull or strain your muscles. The more Yoga you practice, the more flexible you will become.
- Make sure to take deep breaths in and out through your nose.  This totally helps you relax even if you aren’t doing Yoga.

Yoga helped change my life.  It helped me get through a bout of Depression when it seemed that nothing else could.
It also made me want to live a healthier life-style and change certain bad habits.
Am I living that healthier life and have I gotten rid of those bad habits? At times…. but the point is, that the desire is there.

Not everyone wears makeup.  Not everyone needs to wear makeup.
I do feel that everyone should try to live a balanced life, live a life as stress-free as possible, and be in a healthy state of mind AND body.
I truly believe that Yoga helps to achieve these things.

I was lucky enough to meet my favorite Yoga Guru Sara Ivanhoe.
She is an amazing and talented person (and she gets the Cute Boy Seal of Approval from my guy friends).
One thing she said that really made me think:
“It’s like everything else.  You get better with practice.
You practice the violin, you get better at the violin.
You practice stressing out, you get better at stressing out!”

So if you are feeling fat, over-whelmed, unhappy with life, blah, and/or all of the above…. try some Yoga and you just might be amazed.

Namaste.
* The Light Within Me, Salutes the Light Within You*

*~ Have a Beautiful Day! ~*

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I recently wrote an article about the difference between Korean (Fob) Style Makeup and Korean-American (Twinkie) Style Makeup.
Basically, the Koreans like to be pale, pale, pale.
One way they achieve this look is by using something called B.B. Cream.

I only heard about B.B. Cream a few months ago, and there are still a lot of people that have never heard of it.
B.B. Cream stands for Blemish Balm Cream.
I would consider B.B. Cream being similar to a thick Tinted Moisturizer.

General BB Cream characteristics:

• Natural glow on your face without makeup look
• Provides perfect coverage just like a foundation but without clogging pores or damaging the skin
• Conceals all types of pigmentation, discoloration, acne and marks
• Healing properties which soften, smoothen and refine skin
• Encourages skin regeneration to create and maintain youthful skin
• UV Protection for healthy skin
• Some BB creams have additional features such as wrinkle improvement, whitening functions etc.

B.B. Cream usually comes in one color.
This is fine if you are have a very similar skin tone to the B.B. Cream.
However, there are many people (Asian or not) that are not the same exact color~ Yet, there are hundreds of Koreans that use this one color!

Personally, I  am not a huge fan of B.B. Cream.  I was able to play around with B.B. Cream and it was NOT the same color as my skin tone.
People say “B.B. Cream adjusts to your skin tone”….. I disagree.
If you look at pictures of people that use B.B. Cream, I find that their face looks a different color than their neck.  I am not a fan of this look.

So… if you have a tube of B.B. Cream that is not the right color for your face, here are a few things you can do so you don’t end up throwing out a perfectly good tube of makeup.

* Mix B.B. Cream with a little bit of darker Liquid Foundation:
If your tube of B.B. cream is making you look much paler than you would like, mix a few drops of darker Liquid Foundation and until you find a better shade for your skin tone.

* Dust face with a darker shade of Powder/Bronzer on top of B.B. Cream
If you don’t have liquid foundation, you can also put a little bit of darker powder or bronzer on top of your makeup.  If you don’t want to dust all over your face, Brush a slightly darker shade of powder on your T-Zone (Across your forehead, down your nose and chin) and on your cheekbones.

* Use B.B. Cream as a Concealer
If your B.B. Cream is too light, you can use it as a concealer to hide imperfections before using a tinted moisturizer or foundation.
Another place to use the B.B. Cream is on the sides of the nose (as most people have a little bit of redness there)

* Use B.B. Cream as a Highlighter
This is my favorite way to use B.B. Cream
Because it is so light, you can use it to create depth to your face and give you a “glowing” look.
You can use as a High lighter in one or all of the following places (But use very sparingly~ B.B. Cream can have a thicker consistency):
Under your eyes/ On top of the Cheekbones, Down the bridge of your nose, Above your eyebrows, Right underneath your eyebrows on the brow bone.

So, if you have a tube of B.B. Cream that doesn’t work for you, I hope these few tips will help you put that cream to good use.
And please… try to make sure the color on your face matches the color on your neck!  ;)

*~ Have a Beautiful Day! ~*

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Since the Wonder Girls are such a popular topic on Korean Beacon and have made history by being the first Korean pop group to make it big in the U.S., I will be showing you how to do a makeup look based on their hit video “Nobody”. The look is very Sixties style~ The Eyes are the standouts here.

I tried to do a quick and informative video that you could use minimal products to get a whole new look.  I used the Too Faced Natural Eye Palette to create the look.  I love this palette because you can do sooo many different things and create a ton of looks with this one kit.  I find that most Asians like a natural look, so this is a great kit to use for an everyday look, but can also be used to create many different dramatic looks.

The Too Faced Natural Eye Palette contains:

• 3 Large Eye Shadows (Heaven- A light Nude Matte, Silk Teddy- A Pinkish/Champagne Shimmer, Nude Beach- A Champagne Shimmer w/ Gold Flecks)
• 3 Medium Toned Eye Shadows (Velvet Rolver- A Taupe Matte, Push-Up- A Coppery Shimmer, Honey Pot- A Gold Shimmer)
• 3 Dark Toned Eye Shadows (Sexpresso- A Dark Brown Matte, Erotica- A Grayish Brown w/ Hints of Gold Shimmer, Cocoa Puff- A Reddish Brown w/ Hints of Gold Shimmer)

You can use the Eye Shadows in so many different ways. There are three cards that gives you directions to create a Day, Classic, and Fashion look.  You can also use the Heaven as a base for other eye shadows, the Silk Teddy and Nude Beach as Highlighters on the Cheeks, and the Velvet Revolver for Contouring.

If I were to recommend one Eye Shadow Kit for everyone, this is it.  It’ll last you forever, It’s a good price, convenient, So easy to use, and is a great all in one kit.

If you’d rather read or get more details on the look, you can go to: http://irenekimmakeup.blogspot.com/2010/02/wondergirls-nobody-inspired-makeup-too.html

So get yourself one of these kits and try out my “Wonder Girls Inspired Makeup Look” so that everyone will want “Nobody but you!” =)

*~ Have a Beautiful Day!~*

http://irenekimmakeup.com
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Are you a Blissful girl?  Are you more of a Natural Beauty?  Or are you always Tipsy?

These are a few of the colors of Tarte Cheek Stains. It is a gel blush that is quick and easy, and leaves you with a gorgeous glow.

I would say that generally, Koreans like more of a natural look.  They want the benefits of makeup, but don’t want to look like they’re wearing a lot.

If you want  beautiful natural cheeks that looks like you’re glowing from within, Tarte Cheek Stains are my pick for you.

The Tarte T5 Super Fruit Complex™ is a proprietary blend of the five most active superfruits: goji, açaí, maracuja, acerola, and pomegranate. The first blend of its kind, the T5 Super Fruit Complex™ is loaded with naturally occurring, antioxidant-rich nutrients, and vitamins that have been known to deliver refining, antiaging, and skin-restorative benefits with each application. It contains a natural fragrance and is free from preservatives, paraben, sulfate, phthalate, and mineral oil. Dermatologist-tested.

In keeping with Tarte’s eco-friendly efforts, they’ve partnered with Sambazon, creators of the Sustainable Açaí Project—an initiative to promote positive change in the Amazon Rainforest through forest conservation, improved living conditions, and educational opportunities through the sustainable management of the Açaí Palm tree. Açaí is an antioxidant-rich super fruit that helps fight free radicals, promotes cell regeneration, has known anti-inflammatory and skin softening properties, and combats premature signs of aging.

The gel formula gives a dewier look in comparison to powder blushes.  The stain goes on very sheer, but can be used to create a deeper look.  It also has a nice fruity scent.

I used this for my first video (COMING SOON!) and my friends fell in love with it.  I use this blush for both professional and private use. It’s one of my favorites!

You can check out a little more detailed review on my blog by clicking HERE.

It’s natural, easy to use, contains ingredients that are good for your skin, and is eco-friendly! What more could you ask for?

So pick up the right Cheek Stain for you and have a glowing day!

*~ Have a Beautiful Day! ~*

http://irenekimmakeup.com
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A common problem I see among Asian women is their two-toned face.  Their face will be one color, but their neck is another color. Another is that they don’t choose the right shade for their skin tone.

This can happen very easily because most people’s faces are lighter than their body because they’re wearing sunscreen.

*If you’re not wearing sunscreen daily, start now! Even in the winter, you should be wearing AT LEAST SPF 15!

In order to fix this problem, there are a few quick fixes:
Tinted Moisturizer- This is the lightest formula- It gives light coverage and evens out skin tone.  I never used to use Tinted Moisturizer, but I’ve recently started and am very happy with the results. It’s great for people who don’t want to spend a lot of  time and want a natural look.
* Tinted Moisturizer is great because it’s quick and easy- You can get moisturizer, foundation, and SPF in one.
My favorite Tinted Moisturizers are Laura Mercier, Josie Maran, and Hourglass.

Foundation- There are many different formulas. Play around at a Sephora or Cosmetics Counter and find out what’s best for you.
Creme Foundation: Creme formulas are recommended for older skin because they reduce the appearance of fine lines (while powder formulas can settle into wrinkles).  I like the texture of Creme foundation and think it gives good coverage.  I prefer M.A.C. and Motives for creme formulas.
Powder Foundation: Powder Foundation is great for Oily Skin.  I personally prefer other formulas before Powder, but people love Bare Minerals. I prefer Benefit and M.A.C. Studio Fix
Liquid Foundation: Liquid foundation applies very smoothly and can give a lot of coverage with a little product.  The ultimate liquid foundation is Makeup Forever H.D.  Your skin will look amazing.

Concealer- Many people put on concealer before foundation, but I like to put it on afterwards.  Most of the time, foundation will do the trick. If you have blemishes, you can add the tiniest amount of concealer on top of the foundation and blend with a blending brush.  Set with powder.

Powder/Bronzer- If you find that your face is lighter after putting on all your makeup, you can dust on a darker powder or use a bronzer.  Start light and add more as you go. It’s always  easier to add more makeup than to correct mistakes.

Self-Tanner-  I hope you ladies are not tanning (Skin cancer, Wrinkles, Leathery skin are a few reasons to avoid it)
Instead, buy a bottle of Self-Tanner.  I like the Daily Self-Tanners from Jergens and Banana Boat and Clarins
Tips:
* When looking for makeup, make sure you are in good lighting. Flourescent lighting is the worst.
* If you have trouble finding the right color for your skin, go to a professional and have them pick out a color for you (but make sure they pick the right one…. just because they work there doesn’t mean they know makeup)
* You’ll probably need different foundation depending on the season

So I hope these tips are helpful and you will have flawless, perfect looking skin!

*~ Have a Beautiful Day! ~*

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Koreans in Korea are apparently huge fans of plastic surgery, but we
don’t need to go to such extreme measures.  All you need is a little
makeup, a little practice, and I think you’ll be pleasantly
surprised with the results.

Contouring is a trick that Makeup Artists use to create slight to
dramatic changes .  It’s like plastic surgery without the surgery.  So
before you decide you want a nose job, try these tips and tricks to
help you get the nose you’d like.

What you need:
A Makeup shade darker than your natural skin tone
Blending Brush/ Fingers

In order to contour, you need something darker to create depth. You can use foundation or powder.

I use foundation on my clients, but have recently started using a taupe eyeshadow on myself.

You can also use a brown matte Eyeshadow or Bronzer.

* The darker you go, the more dramatic the effect.

Step 1
- If using foundation, use a thin brush or your finger to create a
straight line from where your eye starts to the tip of your nose and
curve in towards nostrils. Repeat on the other side.
* If you want a more dramatic look, you can start from the top of the
eyebrow and work your way down.
* Take a Blending Brush (a small to medium sized brush) and blend in
small circles
-  If using a powder formula, you can do the same with a brush or your finger.  I find that the powder formula is less work, but make sure you have the right color for your skin tone.

Step 2
- Take a lighter foundation/powder and put on the outside of your nose (Where it curves).
- You can add the lighter color to the top of your nose and blend
(Approximately from eye level to tip).

Step 3
- To create High Cheekbones, find where your cheekbone is and put
darker foundation/powder right below.
* To find your cheekbones, suck in your cheeks (Make a Fish Face) and feel for where the bone is.
- Blend foundation with Blending Brush in small circular motions.
- For more contrast, take a lighter foundation (or one that’s your
exact shade) and put directly from where your cheekbone ends.  Blend with a larger Powder/Blush Brush.

Step 4
- To create more definition, put the darker foundation/powder right
underneath your face (from ear to chin)
- Blend foundation with Blending Brush
- To hide a double chin, use bronzer (or darker foundation/powder) on double chin and blend from side to side

Remember- It’s all in the blending!
It may take some practice (and you’ll probably be surprised when you first look like Simba with the darker foundation), but with the right blending brush and a little work, you will look fabulous… without the surgery!

*~ Have a Beautiful Day!~*

http://irenekimmakeup.com
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As a makeup artist, I find that one of the biggest complaints Asian women have is their lashes… or the lack thereof.  One simple product that can help you with this problem: Loreal Double Extend Mascara.

This is a product I highly recommend for Asians that have no lashes or want even longer ones. These will give you the look of false
eyelashes without the mess and time.  You can use the white primer and build up to the desired effect. I say go as long as you can go!  You’ll be amazed with the long set of lashes that you can get with this baby.

I especially recommend using this on the bottom lashes, as many Asians have non-existent bottom lashes. I usually add 2-3 coats of the white primer and 1-2 coats of mascara for typical Asian lashes.

* Makeup Artist Tip: If your lashes are so short that you end up smearing mascara all over, you should buy a mini fan brush. Using the mini fan brush as a brush lets you get closer to the lashes without smearing. You can use a painting motion on top of the lashes, or start at the ends of lashes and work your way to the roots.

For a more in-depth review of the mascara, you can take a look at my website :
http://irenekimmakeup.blogspot.com/2009/10/loreal-double-extend-mascara.html

I hope you love this product as much as I do and it gives you the long lashes that you weren’t born with!

Let me know what other beauty questions you may have!

-iRene

*~ Have a Beautiful Day! ~*

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Hi Everyone,

My name is Irene Kim and I’m a Certified Free-Lance Makeup Artist.

Every Thursday, we at Korean Beacon will be doing a Beauty Segment geared towards Koreans/Asians.  I’m sure you have lots of questions about makeup/skin care as a Korean-American. Let me help you find some answers!

Lashes as straight as uncooked Naeng Myun (Buck Wheat Noodles)? Skin as Oily as an old plate of Sam Gyup Sal (Pork Belly)?  Want to get Ssan Gga Peul Soo Seul ( Eyelid Surgery) but are too
scared (or broke)?  I will help you answer these and many of your other beauty questions
and conundrums!

I will also be doing You Tube Makeup Tutorials. If you would like a specific look addressed (or are brave enough to be a model), please contact me at:
iRenekim.makeup (at) gmail.com

You can also see some of my work at my Website and Blog.

http://irenekimmakeup.com
http://irenekimmakeup.blogspot.com
http://twitter.com/irenekimmakeup

I’m very excited to be a part of Korean Beacon. I think this is the
beginning of a BEAUTIFUL relationship. I’ll be seeing you soon!

*~ Have a Beautiful Day! ~*