Beauty retailers look East for inspiration
We’ve
been known to ravage the refrigerated section of our local convenience
store on Saturday morning, desperate for thirst-quenching,
feel-good-again jugs of green tea. Well, Wei East does us one better with their 16-pack of Intensive Herbal Eye Treatment Pads
($36), steeped in extracts of green tea, Tibetan chrysanthemum, and
peppermint. After using them for 10 minutes on closed eyes, we emerge
refreshed, de-puffed, and ready to face the brunch table. Stock up at www.weieast.com.
We
love this city as much as the next Bostonian, but the onslaught of
fluorescent lighting, pollution, and cocktail parties can really screw
with our complexion. To help combat the sometimes-nasty effects of our
environment, we slather on Green Tea Urban Defense Lotion ($34) from H2O+
with an almost religious devotion. Fortified with triple tea complex,
algae, vitamins, and sea mineral complex, the silky under-makeup
treatment keeps skin safe from the sun, helps zap pollutants, and
prevents future damage. Good thing, because we’re not moving to the
suburbs any time soon. Pick it up online at www.h2oplus.com.
We’re
on board with any culture that celebrates the bath for its positive
effects on one’s overall well-being. Hence our willingness to enjoy a
sensual weekday-evening soak perfumed by the heady Pleasure of Japanese Bath ($40), part of a re-introduction of a 10-year-old line of Japanese bath oils from Shu Uemura
(130 Newbury Street, Boston, 617.247.3500). The product, available in
four nature-inspired fragrances (Japanese cypress, cherry blossom,
Japanese iris, and Japanese citrus), softens and moisturizes skin with
chamomile extract, and only a capful per tub is required.
Made
in Japan (and so authentic that a silver sticker with
loosely-translated English instructions covers the original Japanese
text), Facial Cleansing Mousse ($25) from Seikisho
shoots out with the texture of a super-airy shaving foam. But don’t be
fooled by the formula’s fluffiness: its oil base makes it quite
effective against even the grimiest of makeup residues. A healthy dose
of “Oriental herbs” are added for good measure. It’s stocked at C.O.
Bigelow (Copley Place, 100 Huntington Avenue, Boston, 617.236.7257).
We may not be able to pronounce it, but we can certainly endorse the
H’Suan Wen Hua ($16.95) moisturizing hair treatment from
Lush
(166 Newbury Street, Boston, 617.375.5874). The creamy paste, which
borrows its name from the Cantonese god of hair (apparently there is
such a thing), imparts an otherworldly softness to even the most
damaged locks; you can thank its hearty blend of watercress, eggs,
bananas, and avocados. Plus, while the Lush folks liken the spicy aroma
to salad dressing — with strict instructions to rinse well after
applying— to us, it’s sort of like a soothing cup of chai.
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