Ok, you've heard me go on and on and on about My Love from Another Star, so I am going to have a dedicated post on how this show has influenced/changed my life thus far, and hopefully shut up about it once and for all...
1) Beauty
Eyes: gone are my days of multiple shades to achieve a wearable smoky eye at work, and attempting to create an even cat-flick on both eyes (why does one always end up wonky?!) with black liquid eyeliner....These days it is just one neutral shade and soft lining with a darker eyeshadow. 5 minutes of my life is given back to me in the mornings.
Jun Ji-Hyun as Cheon Song-Yi in My Love from Another Star
Lips: I bought 6 pink-toned lip products in a week. Enough said...AND I still intend to get the actual lip products (which are currently all out of stock) that was used in the show: YSL Rouge Pur Couture Lipstick in #52 and IOPE Waterfit Lipstick in #44
Skin: Gone is my quest for a super matte effect. These days, I crave a dewy, natural looking finish. My Skin77 BB cream has been added back into my daily makeup routine and now that I require less coverage due to improving skin conditions, it works quite well for me
2) Skincare
My interest in Korean skincare products has been renewed and I have been adding items into my daily routine to mimic the Koreans' skincare regime which involves a ridiculous amount of steps. I do look forward to my night time routine though, as it forces me to take my time (compared to the slap and dash method that I usually employ) and it ends up becoming a mini pampering session every night.
3) Hair
I used to be an avid fan of the straightener. Until I got enamored with the Western trend of soft, bouncy curls, which resulted in my straightener gathering dust for years. Now that I am back to being influenced by the Asian standards, it is brought out every morning. And honestly, it requires so little effort to straighten than to curl, with minimal risk of looking like an electrocuted lion (which I sometimes do when I get a tad overzealous with the curling wand)
4) Food
Rather than my normal bulk IndoMie order from Amazon, I got suckered into getting Korean Ramen instead, which they do seem to eat quite a bit in the show. And I have actually never tasted kim chi before, so this shall be interesting. The yogurt drink was a staple in my childhood to begin with, and my daughter is now hooked on it.
5) Fashion
Headwraps, delicate rings and necklaces, statement earrings...all these made it into my shopping bag in the recent weeks...
But like I said here, I prefer Do Min-Joon's classic style rather than
the female lead's -- lots of plain but well-fitting black, greys, creams
and navy, with the tendency to flip the lapels of his coat up.
Kim Soo-Hyun as Do Min-Joon in My Love from Another Star
So when I went through my closet for a much needed spring clean, there was a good number of more colorful clothing (that I don't really wear) that got donated.
***
Now all the above are just fun and games...Superficial habits and preferences, if you must.
So don't think that I have completely lost all my senses and rational thoughts over a drama series.
But I have to admit, finding myself aiming for a look that emphasizes Asian beauty is also a
more attainable goal because lets be honest, my features, coloring and
stature is obviously more similar to whatever Asian superstar than it
would be to, say, a Kate Beckinsale or a Gwyneth Paltrow.
On a more serious note, as someone who was brought up in Asia and then moved over to the US as a teenager, there was a serious case of Western idolization going on.
I'm not saying that I was obsessed with trying to look or be a Westerner (i.e. bleaching my hair blonde and going to tanning beds to fry up my skin -- yes, stereotyping, but there you go), but there was a mentality that Western is better.
Now that I have lived here for over a decade, I find myself appreciating the Asian ways more.
I am never more proud to call myself a Malaysian.
And I am hell-bent on ensuring that my daughter gets exposed to Chinese culture and ways.
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