Chapter 1: Be Slender with Style, You are King!

美容大王 is a beauty book written by Barbie Hsu, a popular Taiwan artiste passionate about beauty and who wishes to share her beauty tips with you all.  Some of her tips may be general knowledge to you and me but there are many interesting ones you would love to know!  All articles are translated into English by SherelleSummer.  This is not a professional translation but we hope you enjoyed reading. 

Barbie Hsu – 'The Beauty Queen'

Barbie Hsu entered showbiz at the age of 14.  She says:

I was not beauty conscious when I was young.  Thinking that I am already blessed with great skin, I wasn’t aware of the importance of a skincare regime.  I look no different with or without makeup.  However one day, a makeup artist sounded me out with this advice:

“No matter what, a girl has to take care of her skin as early as possible.  Otherwise after the age of 25, her skin will start to age, like a withering flower.  When removing makeup, first you have to use makeup remover, then cleansing milk to remove the last traces.  After cleansing, it is important to apply toner and moisturizer.”

However being blessed with naturally great skin, I wasn’t keen to follow all these steps and everyday after work, I committed to only two: removed makeup and washed my face. 

Soon after to my horror, my skin darkened drastically.  When I saw myself in the mirror, I became frantic……I started searching for answers.  What had caused my skin to severe dullness?  That was when it dawned on me that perhaps I hadn’t cleansed my face of makeup completely.  Using a certain brand of cleansing foam to wash face is also very important.  Furthermore, I also realized that my facial skin has a very thick and rough layer of stratum corneum (角质层). 

Since then, I began searching for solutions to skin imperfections and exploring brands of beauty products that best suit my needs.  I developed an intense interest in beauty care and at the age of 17, embarked on a mission to the acclaimed title of ‘Beauty Queen’. 

Shapely Hip, Perky Butt and Slim Legs

During high school, I was the least satisfied with my thighs.  In reality, when everyone was wearing shorts during Physical Education lessons, my thighs were slimmer compared to that of my peers.  However being deeply influenced by beautiful Japanese female idols, I always felt that a pair of legs is perfect only if there is a gap in between the thighs when joined together.  Because mine weren’t so, I foolishly believed that they were too fat! 

I remember buying a slimming product which claimed to burn off fats from the areas you apply it on.  After applying, I felt a strong sensation.  Result?  The areas immediately became itchy, swollen and red.  It was unbearable.  There wasn’t a bit of slimming at all.

After much tries and more failures, I finally found the best solution to achieving beautiful slim legs.  And a nicely shaped butt can make your legs look longer too! 

To many westerners, the butt determines a woman’s beauty.  The more perfectly shaped and perkier it is, the more beautiful she is deemed to be, regardless of whether she is fat or slim, well-endowed or not. 

SHAPE UP YOUR BUTT

Tip 1:  Exercise is the best remedy.  In one simple step:

While standing, spread your legs as wide as your shoulders.  Feet facing outwards like the Chinese character ‘eight’.  Knees must be straight.  Use as much strength as possible, squeeze your buttocks together.  Do more than 20 times each session. 

Tip 2:  Apply firming lotion. 

Try CLARINS firming cream (克兰诗翘臀霜).  For effective results, use both hands to massage the cream into skin, with more strength and method similar to kneading dough.  Use your palms to press and push away the excess fats.  Be careful not to cause bruises and scratches to your skin.  This technique targets thighs, arms and water-retention areas effectively.   
 

FIRM UP YOUR THIGHS

Tip 1:  Massage

Cellulite always appears on the butt and thighs.  I recommend the use of BIOTHERM anti-cellulite range (碧儿泉的消除橘皮组织).  With the same technique as above, massage the product into skin.  It improves blood circulation and brings on the effect of metabolism.  Or you can use the CLARINS Multi-Mass Self Massage Appliance.  It helps to apply the product and massage at the same time.  First, spread product evenly onto thigh, then from the lower thigh, massage upwards towards the hip with the appliance.  Do at least 20-30 times on each area.  You will feel much heat and pain but this will help in getting rid of ugly cellulite and water-retention. 

Tip 2:  Wear slimming pants

This helps to re-shape your body, improves the appearance of your thighs and with long-term use, your flesh will shift nicely into places where they should be, your bottom becomes perkier.  However one needs discipline to wear slimming pants, especially during hot weather.

SLIM DOWN YOUR CALVES

Beauties must not have carrot-shaped calves.  Unfortunately, prolonged standing and long-term wearing of high heels can lead to swelling of calves or develop varicose.

Tip 1:  Wear anti-varicose tights

If you work in sales, teaching or any job that requires you to stand most of the day, you MUST wear anti-varicose tights.  As these are body fitting tights, you must buy one that fits you nicely.  Otherwise, it may not be effective. 

Tip 2:  Apply leg slimming gel

If your calves swell from prolonged standing, you can get PROMOTION leg slimming gel from Cosmed (in Taiwan).  It contains mint which produces a cooling sensation when massaged, soothing your calves. 

Tip 3:  Massage and leg-lift

Lifting up your legs reduces water-retention effectively.  After massaging, lie down facing the wall.  Lift your legs up 90 degrees against the wall.  Stay in position for at least 15mins to be effective.  Avoid staying for too long or you will get leg cramps!

Tip 4:  Drink Job’s Tear beverage (薏仁水)

Staying up overnight or drinking alcohol easily cause water-retention the next day.  Drinking this beverage will gradually reduce swelling.  Best taken in the morning, it helps your body to process lots of urine by noon.  Peeing will greatly relieve your body of excess water and toxins.  

Slim Waist

Having a bulge on the waist is a woman’s greatest enemy from achieving a perfect figure.  Fats in the abdomen is the most difficult to shed.  To be a true beauty, there must not be an inch of fat on the waist!  If you slouch, fats get easily accumulated in the abdomen.  Wear slimming belt to prevent this from happening.  Straightening yourself with this ‘Head Up Chest Out’ method is a very useful way to slim down.  If you seldom exercise, this method itself does burn off calories effectively, especially when you’re walking!

Tip 1:  Head Up Chest Out

Squeeze your buttocks together; this also exerts strength from the waist.  Pull back shoulder blades, opening your shoulders wide.  Do not tense up your shoulders, relax them instead.  Suck in your tummy.  Chin lifted up slightly.  If you maintain this posture be it sitting or standing for a long term period, your abdomen not only will slim down obviously but also firms up your abs. 

Tip 2:  Apply body shaping cream

Applying body shaping cream does improve slightly.  However it is still important to maintain a good posture in order to burn off fats.  If you continue to slouch, you will still get a tummy regardless of how much shaping/slimming gel you used.  A lot of Asian girls suffer from spine problems resulting from improper posture and slouching, leading to backaches in the long term.  Be careful and consult a doctor if the problem persists.  

Learning my mistake the hard way

When I was young, I was obsessed with the idea of being thin.  I was quite plump during high school; with my heaviest at a hefty 52kg!  At that time, there was a popular slimming method of just eating apples and yoghurt.  Influenced by my Japanese female idol who had lost weight by 10kg after sustaining this diet for 10 days, I tried it.  As a result, I ended up with colic pains after 3 days and was rushed to the hospital. 

Another horrible experience – slimming pills!  I suffered from serious diarrhea after popping these pills and had to make several trips to the toilet during class.   I realized that students are not fit to consume slimming pills and most importantly, this method doesn’t work at all!   Trying to lose weight during high school was a big mistake as this is the time when puberty starts.  As a result, my body suffered.  Lack of nutrients from an improper diet can stunt growth in height and the female breasts; skin loses elasticity and becomes dehydrated, and bones are affected too.  I had wrongfully strived for beauty at the expense of my health.