Traditional Chinese Medicine has been trending in recent years as people look for a more holistic approach to improve their health. With wisdom gathered over three millennia, the fundamental purpose of TCM aims to balance the body and cure ailments from their roots. From this philosophy, many contemporary brands have universalized these ancient practices. From acupuncture, herbal remedies, cupping therapy, gua sha, to dietary therapy, some of these practices have also been augmented through modern cutting-edge technology. Herbal medicine, in particular, fits well into the realm of beauty and skincare with the use of natural remedies. With innovative products like bee venom masks and Swarovski ear seeding kits, here are five TCM beauty brands to be acquainted with:
Wei Beauty
Wei Beauty – named after the founder Wei Young Brian, studied TCM since she was young and implemented Chinese herbal remedies as the core of her skincare product line. The formulas are a result of meticulous research, learning the unique remedies from remote villages in China. Then rigorous testing in labs to understand each and every ingredient, optimizing the benefits of each herb through modern science. All herbs are sourced directly from local farmers through fair trade, ensuring the quality and purity of the ingredients.
Wei Beauty is most famous for its masks: bee venom masks, brown sugar exfoliating masks, and golden root mud masks. The focus is to bring balance to the user’s skin and target the root and cause of their skin troubles. Their best-selling series is the Royal Ming, which uses antioxidant-rich red and white peony, anti-inflammatory bamboo leaf extract, amino-acid Chinese licorice, and mandarin orange peel with high vitamin C amongst 12 other herbal extracts.
Follow Wei Beauty on Facebook here.
Herborist
Established in the year 1998 in Shanghai, Herborist (also known as Bao Cao Ji in China) was founded on the medicinal properties of herbs and ‘tui-na’, the traditional massage for qi flow. Each product in their skincare line harnesses the synergistic power of 5-20 medicinal herbs to enhance the flow of energy through beauty. Their philosophy emphasizes the pursuit of balance, encouraging individuals to rethink their beauty habits by slowing down and seeking harmony through daily wellness rituals.
Inspired by the ancient martial art, one of Herborist’s signature series is their T’ai Chi skincare line. Featuring rare Chinese medicinal herbs such as Ganoderma Sinensis, Panax ginseng, and Cordyceps Sinensis, this range is focused on enhancing the skin’s resistance, and helping to repair signs of aging in the skin.
Follow Herborist on Instagram here.
Cha Ling
Cha Ling’s range of skincare is derived from Yunnan’s Pu’er tea for its detoxifying and regenerative qualities. Pu’er tea has been growing in Yunnan for over a thousand years and is one of the world’s oldest tea forests. Cha Ling, meaning tea spirit, seeks to channel its many benefits into skincare using TCM and French skincare technology.
Their B-DT Complex™ (Bio-Detox) is extracted from fermenting Pu’er tea leaves for a minimum of 3 years to produce high concentrations of anti-aging properties. Combined with other TCM herbs and the latest research, their products help reduce fine lines, whilst counteracting the effects of skin aging.
Their best seller is the Cha Ling L’Esprit du Thé Infusion Serum, an anti-aging, ultra-hydrating serum with the highest concentration of the B-DT Complex™. In addition to their skincare range, they incorporate other beauty tools derived from TCM such as gua sha, body firming, and sculpting tools.
Follow Cha Ling L’Esprit du Thé on Instagram here.
Ling New York
Ling New York is a celebrated skincare and wellness brand founded by Linda Chan in the 80s. She is a Hong Kong native who moved to New York when she was 21 and founded a spa studio. She was inspired to create her own line after failing to find spa products that she found satisfactory. The secret behind Ling’s successful skincare line also ties back to TCM’s philosophy on balance: cleansing and hydrating the skin, and timely prevention and treatment of any skin conditions.
Ling New York’s skincare range helps with five different skin types: aging, dry, oily, combination, and acne-prone. Two of their best-sellers with integrated TCM herbs include the Ginseng Therapy Moisture Mask which contains Panax Ginseng and helps to prevent stress and fatigue on the skin, and the 8 Jewels De-aging Cream with gemstone minerals that provide antioxidant function and skin nutrition.
Follow Ling New York on Instagram here.
Wthn
A little different from the rest, Wthn focuses on ancient holistic healing for modern-day life through the use of herbal remedies and tools. The Wthn studio in New York utilizes ancient TCM practices such as acupuncture, cupping, and herbal treatments to improve overall wellness. Aside from home acupressure mats for back and neck relief, they also provide ear seeding kits. In TCM, our ears are believed to represent the body in the fetal position, and by placing the tiny beads on acupressure points on the ear, it can help the flow of qi throughout your body. These Wthn acupressure beads come in gold or Swarovski crystals, and a how-to map and tweezers are provided so that users know where to apply them.
Wthn’s range of products also includes a face cupping kit, gua sha kit, various aromatherapy candles, a sound kit, and herbal remedies. Their herbal remedies, developed by Dr. Shari Auth, are rooted in TCM and combined with modern adaptogens and herbs. These herbal remedies are not only non-GMO and vegan, they are also made from organic ingredients, gluten, soy, dairy, and sugar-free with no artificial fillers or colorants.
Follow Wthn on Instagram here.
By Nam Cheah
Have you explored TCM beauty before, and which of these TCM beauty brands would you like to try?
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