Asian beauty: discover ancient eastern balancing secrets for healthy, radiant beauty.(NATURAL BEAUTY: PERSONAL CARE)

For centuries, the Asian approach to beautiful skin and hair relied on nature's own pharmacopoeia to produce results. Today, the simple and natural use of plant and herbal extracts continues to be the foundation of Asian-inspired beauty products.

The icon of Eastern philosophy, the circle of yin and yang, symbolizes the holistic approach to well-being, encompassing the body, mind, and spirit. When all three are in balance, a person is healthy on the inside and out.

"When the body is healthy, there is a fullness of energy, called qi, (pronounced 'chee') and blood; as the body ages the fullness declines, leading to dryness, wrinkles, and sagging skin, and dark, puffy, undereye circles," explains Robin Tiberi, DAOM (doctor of acupuncture and oriental medicine).

"The focus of Asian herbal medicine is to revitalize and bank qi and blood as a form of prevention," says Tiberi. "Specific ingrediems that not only build qi, but also help improve wrinkles, vitalize the complexion, and lift the qi to the face are Panax ginseng and Radix asn-agali. Herbs that replenish the blood, such as longan and lycii, can also moisten and refresh the skin. Other ingredients that are usually included in secret herbal formulas are both powdered pearl and mother of pearl."

More Asian-Inspired Ingredients

Look for the following skin-nourishing nutrients in beauty products:

* Soy, which provides natural antioxidant and moisture-loss protection, helps hydrate and replenish amino acids, enhances smoothness, and helps refine skin texture. Scientists have shown soy's ability to help reduce age spots and ultraviolet ray damage, as well as to smooth and moisturize skin.