Tina Chen Craig’s Tremendous Secret Korean Tightening

“I began Bag Snob, one of many world’s first luxurious style blogs, in 2005. Then I launched Magnificence Snob. My ardour has at all times actually been in magnificence as a result of it’s such an incredible equalizer. Anybody should buy lipstick to make themselves really feel higher. And naturally, simply running a blog about magnificence and dealing as an editor at Vogue China for 5 years, I then organically grew to become a advisor for among the largest magnificence manufacturers on the planet, together with Natura Bissé, Clé de Peau, La Prairie, Augustinus Bader, and Charlotte Tilbury.

I’ve since launched my model, U Magnificence. Firstly, I actually didn’t suppose that the world wanted one other skincare model—and definitely not from an influencer. However the alternative happened after I was at dinner with my good friend Skip Borghese, who I’ve identified for nearly 20 years, and his spouse, Katie, who’s now my co-founder. I used to be annoyed as a result of I used to be touring with an enormous model and not believed within the magnificence trade. I felt like expertise had not modified. It was stagnant. However they informed me about these Siren capsules that they’d been engaged on with a medical-grade lab in Italy that hadn’t been delivered to life. They requested if I wished to create my dream product with them. I stated, ‘Nicely, I don’t consider what you’re telling me.’ A supply system that’s intuitive and that might solely profit your pores and skin the place it wanted it? It appeared like sci-fi.

Nonetheless, I ended up assembly with the Italians, as I name them, and gave them my concepts for a ‘laser in a bottle.’ On the time, I used to be in my mid-forties and I had the worst rosacea, so I could not use energetic substances. I used to be so scared to make use of retinol as a result of, if you consider it, your face isn’t all the identical. Some areas want the retinol and a few areas don’t. However we’re blindly making use of it throughout, hoping that it will get to the place it must go, presumably irritating and undoubtedly damaging wholesome pores and skin cells. We got here up with the Resurfacing Compound, our first product. I took the pattern to Paris Style Week, used it on a Tuesday, and three days later, on the Dior present on Friday, all people was saying my pores and skin appeared wonderful. This was on the finish of style month, when everybody’s drained, and there I used to be with glowing pores and skin and no irritation. That’s after I realized the supply system actually labored.

Actually, I used to hate serums. I assumed they had been such BS. However my buddies, individuals like Joanna Czech, Eva Chen, and Michelle Lee, who’re very educated about magnificence, all tried it and beloved it, too. Internet-A-Porter ended up eager to promote it as a result of their head purchaser tried it and her pores and skin modified in three days. I assumed to myself, ‘OK, we’ll promote this a lot in a 12 months and we’re by no means going to make one other product. It’s simply sufficient for me to purchase a bunch of Birkins and name it a day.’ That 12 months’s provide offered out in 21 days. That’s how U Magnificence got here to be, the quick model of it anyway.

SKINCARE
I began remedies like Botox very late, and actually, I nonetheless don’t get lots of stuff accomplished. In my twenties, I used to be busy working. I used to be attempting to have a child in my thirties, so I used to be not going to inject something into my pores and skin. By my forties, I made a decision to strive. Now I get Botox from Dr. Daniel Belkin. He does microtox and PicoToning. He was the primary person who I let use lasers on me—I do this twice a 12 months now. I’ve tried microneedling, however I don’t do it anymore as a result of I felt prefer it was inflicting extra pigmentation due to the irritation. And I’ve accomplished EmFace at Superior Pores and skin Health in Dallas.

Once I was in Seoul final summer time, I bought a three-step tightening remedy from Blackpink’s dermatologist. She’s this large secret—her identify is Dr. Yoon. That’s all I can say as a result of I’ve been sworn to secrecy. She’s all about bettering the feel and well being of the pores and skin and avoiding surgical procedure. She makes use of two digital gloves that therapeutic massage and tighten, and Korean acupuncture needles which might be ten occasions thicker than Chinese language acupuncture needles. She additionally invented a machine that’s a hybrid of two others—considered one of which is Ulthera. Individuals normally get put beneath for it as a result of it’s so painful however I stayed awake. It harm like a mofo. I used to be so bruised after, too—however the tightening labored.

For facials I like Miranda Sturce, Joanna Czech, and Iván Pol, or The Magnificence Sandwich as individuals know him. Iván is so educated. He has a machine that snatches you, and I like his SS01 Secret Sauce. Joanna remains to be my favourite although as a result of nobody slaps a face like her. She’s bought the strongest arms on the planet. Then, relating to instruments, I like Jillian Dempsey’s gold bar and Nurse Jamie’s magnificence curler, which is nice for lymphatic drainage.

I used to have a triple cleanse routine and I at all times thought there needed to be a greater means. Our Mantle Pores and skin Conditioning Wash is the reply. It’s a ravishing, wealthy balm that actually cleans and simply rinses off. Fairly than utilizing solubilizers to tug grime and oil off your face, stripping your pores and skin of its personal pure oils, ours works along with your pores and skin to take away particles with out stripping. Nonetheless, on days that I put on lots of waterproof make-up for occasions, I exploit Almay Eye Make-up Remover Pads. They’ve been my finest buddies since I used to be in faculty—they actually wipe off the whole lot.

My first step after cleaning is at all times the Resurfacing Compound. It has vitamin A, vitamin C, AHAs, PHAs, and antioxidants, so it replaces so many different serums whereas gently resurfacing with out irritation. I comply with it up with our Tremendous Hydrator, which is sort of a 3D moisture defend that protects your pores and skin. It’s bought a pleasant, wealthy cream texture. It melts into the pores and skin and regularly hydrates it for as much as 48 hours.

Have you learnt about leaky vessels? I realized about them after I was going via a divorce and crying each night time. My eye cream stopped working and I requested my biochemists why. They had been like, ‘You might have leaky vessels,’ and defined that as your pores and skin ages, your blood vessels age, too, so while you cry, the additional mobile fluid will get pushed out via the vascular partitions that at the moment are extra permeable. I used to be like, ‘My husband left me and now I’ve leaky vessels? It went from dangerous to worse.’ That was about two-and-a-half years in the past, and never lengthy after that we launched our Return Eye Focus. I’m biased, however I believe it’s the finest eye cream on the planet. Inside two weeks of launching, it grew to become one of many high eye lotions in any respect our retailers. It has actual diamond powder, and with our Siren capsules, it’s capable of penetrate deeper into the pores and skin and activate collagen synthesis.

For sunscreen, I exploit our Multimodal Defender Broad SPF 30. It not solely protects the pores and skin, but it surely additionally corrects previous harm. There’s an ester in there that lightens and brightens pigmentation. I exploit it at night time as a spot remedy, too. Nobody believes that I was a solar worshiper—a literal tanorexic—till I present them images. I’ve spent the final 35 years attempting to reverse the harm. For an excellent drugstore sunscreen, I like La Roche Posay.

MAKEUP
I’ve at all times been a glowy woman. Kevyn Aucoin used to say that five-year-olds glow in sure locations—like, in the event you have a look at them, they at all times glow proper above the lip—so I at all times begin with our Tremendous Tinted Hydrator in 02 or 03 relying on my temper, and Multimodal Defender SPF 30 as a make-up base as a result of the zinc in it provides off such an incredible glow. I exploit Trish McEvoy’s Right and Even Full-Face Perfector in shade 2 if I’ve an occasion, after which Shiseido’s Synchro Pores and skin Self-Refreshing Concealer in 202 for my on a regular basis life.

For my eyes, I like Victoria Beckham’s waterline pencil. And I’m obsessed along with her satin kajal liners—all of them. They’re so creamy, they usually don’t pull out your lash extensions. However I additionally love Haus Labs’ Optic Depth Eyeliner. Titanium Shimmer, the silver shade, brightens the whole lot. All I do is purchase eyeliners and lip liners; in the event you look in my make-up bag, I’ve 20 on me always.

Michelle Phan does such an incredible job along with her model, EmCosmetics—I don’t know why it’s not talked about extra. I like the Divine Skies eyeshadow palette in Saturn’s Return. Huda Magnificence’s creamy eyeshadow palettes are nice, too. And for occasions, Westman Atelier’s Eye Pods are fabulous. I like Les Jours. I’m additionally obsessive about Natasha Denona. I like that her Glam Eyeshadow Palette tells you the place to make use of every shade so anybody can use it.

I exploit the Grande Lash Serum to develop my lashes. I’ve tried all the perfect ones, and that is the one one that truly works for me. If I don’t have lash extensions as a result of all of them fell out, then I’ll use Charlotte Tilbury’s mascara. And I like the Anastasia Beverly Hills Forehead Freeze Gel and Forehead Definer in Taupe.

For blush, I exploit a cheek jelly from LB in Rose. It’s important to purchase this at Don Quijote in Tokyo; it’s not obtainable anyplace else. My sister-in-law lives in Tokyo, and he or she sends me six yearly. In terms of contour, I just like the Westman Atelier Face Hint Contour Stick in Biscuit. I contour the bridge of my nostril with it. If I don’t need to placed on eyeshadow, I’ll apply it to my eyelids, too. Gucci Westman gave me that tip. In the meantime, I’ve been utilizing the Doctor’s Method Butter Glow since highschool. I additionally use Victoria Beckham Contour Stylus in Marble like a bronzer. I like the shade and the way it seems on my pores and skin.

My favourite lip liners are from Jones Street Magnificence. I exploit Mauve throughout to triple the dimensions of my lips. Then I’m going in with Nudist, which is a bit darker. These are my most used. I like Charlotte Tilbury’s Lip Cheat in Supersize Me for occasions. Huda Magnificence has an incredible lip contour, as effectively. It’s self-sharpening. I like Muted Pink. And naturally, our Plasma Lip Compound is wonderful. My go-to is Orchid. It’s nice with the Jones Street Mauve—that’s my each day combo. Then I set my face with Morphe Luminous Setting Spray.

HAIR
My hair may be very excessive upkeep. Ever since I bleached my mop, I spend extra on my hair than something—and I’m very cautious with it. My colorist stylist Adriana Tesler is in LA and has accomplished my hair for 20 years. She was skilled by Tracey Cunningham.

I solely wash my hair a few times per week. My favourite shampoo on the planet is the R+Co Bleu Ingenious Thickening Shampoo—and I dwell for his or her Bleu conditioner, too. I swap them off with the Shade Wow Shade Safety Shampoo and conditioner to see to what that does. And I nonetheless love Olaplex. I don’t care what anybody says. Each different week, I exploit their No.3 Hair Perfector as a hair masks and comply with it up with the Olaplex No.4 Bond Upkeep Shampoo and the No.5 Bond Upkeep Conditioner. In between washes, I spray my hair with the In Frequent Magic Myst 4-in-1 Depart-In. Then I put in Velcro curlers—mine are from a magnificence retailer in Seoul referred to as Olive Younger—and it’s like I bought a recent blowout. That’s my secret to maintain it very minimal chemical harm. I don’t even brush my hair. Oway’s Silk’n Glow Serum is from Norway, but it surely’s arduous to seek out within the US. Fortunately, Adriana sells it at her salon. It’s anti-frizz but in addition provides you a pleasant shine. I put a bit on my arms after which comb via my hair with them. I like the R+Co Bleu Clean Seal Blow-Dry Mist, too. And Nick Stenson’s Mild Maintain Hair Spray is nice.

I’ve my T3 straightening iron from 2007. It’s actually 15 years outdated, and it’s black—they’re all white now. It’s nonetheless the perfect. My son and I combat over it. It heats up inside three seconds, and I really really feel prefer it improves the well being of my hair whereas I exploit it. It’s offered out in all places now. I’m obsessive about the Dyson Airstrait, too—and their Airwrap is fairly dope. And I like the entire T3 blow dryers.

FRAGRANCE
I’m going via two bottles of Matiere Premiere French Flower a 12 months. Saks began promoting it lately, however you could possibly solely get it within the UK earlier than. I nonetheless like shopping for it within the Harrods perfume corridor, the place I found it just a few years in the past. I additionally love Nasomatto’s Narcotic V. Total, I like white florals which might be type of attractive and never too candy, and that’s precisely what it smells like.

In terms of candles, Baies from Diptyque is a basic, however my favourite candle on the planet is their restricted version London candle. They solely launch it each two years. I’ve been emailing the staff, ‘The place is it? Did you come out with it once more? I want it.’ It smells like strolling via a backyard on spring morning in London. Recent and clear and delightful.”

—As informed to Daise Bedolla

Photographed by Heather Johnson in Dallas on March 28, 2024