Downtown Funky in New York City The API Designers' Shortlist on Tall Styles This Season Looking East:Hong Kong Designers in NYC The Garment Manufacturing Hub's Home-Grown Talent Financial District Goes Nerd Chic Guidelines on How to Out-Dress the Grind
	President Clinton Campaigns for Honda (in National News) No Spares Yet for Japantown Bowl (in Bay Area News) It's A Hard-Knock Life:Girlfight (in A&E) Emil Amok: Diversity's Voice (in Opinion)

Make-Up Asia

Historic View

A quick look down the beauty aisle of any drug store or cosmetic counter at any department store seems to indicate that more than ever women (and men) are willing to pay to look good. The apparent buying frenzy for products that promise a youthful glow, luscious lips or perfectly shaped brows is nothing new, however. In fact, companies like Japan’s Shiseido and Hong Kong’s Two Girls Brand have been around since the 19th century.

Two Girls Brand’s most famous product, Florida Water, represents the forerunner of the current aromatherapy fad. Still bottled today, fa lo shui as it’s called, contains essential oils, lavender, cinnamon, clove, peppermint and bergamot—a concoction that the company claims “alleviates the stresses of daily life.”

To keep the skin soft and clear, Chinese women for centuries are said to have used pearl powder. Crème versions are still popular, especially in Vietnam where many of the girls reportedly have luscious pale skin despite the scorching sun. The pearl ingredient, which contains proteins that renew skin cells, are said to prevent freckles and correct sun damage.

Other ancient beauty secrets include: rubbing a piece of paper coated with a red dye called zhu sha (red sand) on the lips; charcoal sticks to create more defined eyebrows; white, cake powder for the face; the liquid-gel extracted from a special kind of wood shavings soaked in water to keep hair perfectly in place; and rubbing a twisted piece of string against the face to remove fine hairs.

Fast Forward

Continuing the Asian beauty tradition is Zhen Cosmetics. The company makes products formulated with Asian skin in mind. In particular, powders and foundations complement yellow-undertoned skin. The Zhen Oil Blotting Papers are also very popular and keep skin oil free without caking. For those with thick straight eyelashes, the eyelash curler is a must have. The innovative design curls the hard to reach lashes at the base of the lid to create a feminine look.

Other make-up products that get top marks are Inoui’s The Color Stick, which effortlessly glides on the cheeks, eyelids and lips to create a healthy, reddish glow; and Shu Uemura’s Mark Cealer for camouflaging blemishes, freckles and scars.