Makeup & Hairstyle

Without a doubt, China has some of the most convenient and effective skincare culture and products in the beauty industry. Just like AKT’s eco-friendly deodorant collection, traditional Chinese beauty products are made from ingredients straight from the bosoms of Mother Nature. Because China is rich in culture, many of their skincare practices date back to centuries ago and the routines we adopt can be traced back to them. Their beauty rituals have been passed down through generations like an heirloom. So, if you want to have flawless glass-like skin like the Chinese, we’ll let you in on some of their beauty secrets. 1. Jade Rollers and Gua Sha Stone for Face Sculpting Face sculpting is one of China’s oldest beauty practices. Jade rollers and Gua Sha stones were used to target acupuncture points and allow for better blood circulation. But it goes way deeper than that. In China, having a v-shaped or egg-shaped chin is the beauty standard. So, people use jade rollers and the gua sha stone as face sculpting tools that also help with lymphatic drainage. To them, a less puffy face is more attractive than full lips and doe eyes. Today, these face-sculpting tools are used all…

During the Tang Dynasty, which was the pinnacle of feudal society in China, many aspects reached unprecedented heights. Well-known achievements such as poetry, calligraphy, painting, and dance were accompanied by a vibrant clothing culture that became one of the most dazzling chapters in Chinese fashion history. Consequently, hairstyles also exhibited an unimaginable array of colors and postures.   High Bun The term "high bun" may refer to a specific type of bun hairstyle, but it is more likely a general term for tall buns. High buns were frequently seen during the Tang Dynasty and underwent continuous innovation in style. Many poets mentioned them in their works. The popularity of these high buns spanned the entire three hundred years of the Tang Dynasty.   Lofty Bun Lofty Bun (峨髻, e ji) implies grandeur and magnificence. It is widely believed that the hairstyle depicted in Zhou Fang's painting "Court Ladies Adorning Their Hair with Flowers" represents lofty bun due to its towering mountain-like appearance. However, some people associate it with flower-decorated bun because women in the painting wear golden and silver floral accessories.   Side Bun This type of bun existed as early as the Sui Dynasty. It involved creating a tall…

Unlock the aesthetics of the Song Dynasty and its people through this selection of elegant and inspiring paintings. "The Song, Painted" is a digital exhibition launched by CGTN, which comprehensively presents the living scenes of ancient people in Song Dynasty paintings. Several artists, scholars, and curators share their professional insights to analyze the historical and cultural elements hidden within the Song Dynasty paintings. In this article, let's follow the Hanfu Shidai and renowned designer Chu Yan into the world of Song Dynasty paintings to appreciate the beauty of Song Dynasty costumes and makeup in detail. Song Dynasty costumes were renowned for their refined and elegant beauty. -- Chu Yan During the Song Dynasty, there was a significant shift in female body aesthetics. While plumpness was considered beautiful in the Tang Dynasty, thinness became the beauty standard in the Song Dynasty. Simple and elegant clothing styles were widely popular during this time. In "Palace Concert Rehearsal," we can see characters dressed in simple and modest Beizi (long-sleeved garments) with straight collars and side slits. The loose fit and narrow skirt worn with a tight chest wrap fully showcased the slender and graceful physique of Song women. The painting "Enjoying the Moon…

The Tang Dynasty is commonly known for its vibrant culture, especially when it comes to the arts, music, and fashion. One of the most iconic aspects of Tang women's fashion was their elaborate makeup styles. From brightly colored lips to elaborately decorated eyebrows, Tang women were not afraid to experiment with unique beauty trends. However, with a wide range of cosmetic methods and hues, identifying different makeup styles from this era can be quite challenging. In this article, we'll take a closer look at some of the most popular makeup trends of the Tang Dynasty and provide a beginner's guide to recognizing them. The Tang Dynasty was the pinnacle of China's feudal civilization, characterized by southern and northern unification, vast territory, political stability, economic development, and flourishing education and culture. Trade and cultural exchanges with foreign countries provided a solid foundation for the development of its culture. "At the sight of clouds, we cannot help but associate them with her glamorous attire. At the sight of flowers, we immediately think of her stunning beauty." - in the Tang Dynasty, women's makeup reached a peak in ancient Chinese history, rich and diverse in style. In the early Tang Dynasty, politics was…

In ancient China, women's headwear was very gorgeous, and in addition to gold and silver jewelry, beautiful flowers were often worn as accessories. In the Song Dynasty, from the court down to the folk, both men and women loved flower hairpins. In this article, let's explore the history of traditional Chinese flower hairpins.   Origin of Flower hairpins The earliest record of the custom of flower pinning is from the period of Emperor Gaozu of Han, in which Lu Jia wrote in his "Nan Yue Xing Ji" that women in the Lingnan region liked to wear jasmine flowers as hairpins. During the Sui, Tang, and Five Dynasties period, flower hairpin was very popular among the Central Plains. At this time, society was open, people pursued fashion and novelty, and there was a wide variety of clothing and accessories, including flower pins. In the painting "Court Ladies Adorning Their Hair with Flowers", we can see that the ladies are wearing peonies, lotus, hydrangea, and other flowers in their hair, which has a unique flavor. The Tang Dynasty also featured men wearing flower hairpins, and the emperor often rewarded officials and scholars with flowers. In the Song Dynasty, the custom of flower…

Historical Background The Sui, Tang and Five Dynasties were the most important period in Chinese history. From the end of the 6th century to the mid-10th century A.D., feudal rule lasted more than 300 years. Tang Dynasty was the most glorious dynasty in Chinese history. It was powerful, materially abundant, and famous in frontiers and overseas. In 581 A.D., Emperor Wen of Sui, Yang Jian seized the Northern Zhou regime and established the Sui Dynasty, and then destroyed Chen and unified ancient China. However, Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty was exacting and profligate, which made the Sui Dynasty last for only 39 years. Since the founding of Li Yuan and the pacification the various forces. Li Shimin succeeded to the throne as Emperor Taizong. During his reign for more than 20 years, logical administration and harmonious people. Historically, this peaceful and prosperous era was called the Governance during the Zhenguan Reign. After that, until ten years of Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty, the country was prosperous and the people were safe and the society was rich, and historically known as the KaiYuan Period. After the An Lushan Rebellion, the Tang Dynasty changed from prosperity to decline. In 907,…

History Background In 1368, Zhu Yuanzhang has crowned emperor. His regime was established with the name of Hongwu and the whole dynasty was named Ming. In the 14th year of Hongwu, the remaining forces of the Yuan dynasty in Yunnan were pacified and ancient China was finally reunified again. Zhu Yuanzhang abandoned the costume system established in the Yuan Dynasty and adopted the system of the Han and Tang dynasties and tried his best to restore the various rituals of the Han people. From the beginning of the Ming Dynasty to the reign of the second emperor Chengzu, the Ming Dynasty had been quite prosperous, and after Chengzu, Emperor Xuanzong and Emperor Yingzong were still able to maintain prosperity. But since then, due to the eunuchs' disorderly administration and the invasion of pirates, the country had been on the way of declining. In 1644, Wu Sangui opened the Shanhai Pass and led the Qing troops into Beijing to fight against Li Zicheng. And after that the Qing troops entered the Central Plains. The Ming dynasty lasted 227 years from the beginning of the Ming dynasty to the death of Emperor Chongzhen who hanged himself.   Ming Dynasty Makeup Features During…

When wearing hanfu, everyone will usually do the hanfu hairstyle. With a beautiful hairstyle, it will indeed be very photogenic when taking photos. However, it does take time and energy to do a beautiful hanfu hairstyle. When you usually go out, you may not have enough time to do a beautiful hairstyle. In fact, some hairstyles can be used to match hanfu in addition to ordinary clothes, as long as you match them properly, they will naturally look good.    1. Low ponytail If you don't want to create an overly complicated hanfu hairstyle, a simple low ponytail that goes well with the hanfu will suffice. Of course, everyone should pay attention to the feeling of laziness when wearing this type of hairstyle. That is, when a low ponytail is tied, it should not be too close to the scalp and should be tied a little looser. Also, it is best to leave some bangs in the front to complete the face shape. If you don't have neat bangs, you can also leave two strands of hair at the temples, which will make the hairstyle softer, and more suitable for matching hanfu.   2. High ponytail The low ponytail mentioned…

If you are a traditional Chinese culture and clothing fan, then the 1987 version of Dream of the Red Chamber is a drama you can’t miss. Although it was a drama 35 years ago, relying on the strong support of the original work and high-quality clothing, makeup and props, it is still the top Chinese costume drama in many people’s minds. A blogger that is introduced to everyone today, she is obviously also a loyal audience of The Dream of Red Mansions. She has successfully imitated several characters in Dream of the Red Chamber and won the love of netizens. She is @Wo Shi Ba Pi Ya (我是扒皮呀). Let's take a look at her interpretation of the characters in Dream of the Red Chamber.   Wang Xifeng Wang Xifeng, one of the heroines in Dream of the Red Chamber. She is beautiful, with a pair of phoenix triangular eyes and two slender and long eyebrows, slim and good-looking. Appearing dressed in colorful embroidery splendor, laughter first gets, like a divine concubine fairy. Because of her beautiful appearance and charming bearing, Jia Rui was fascinated by her. The left picture is the 87th version of "Dream of the Red Chamber" Wang…

In recent years, with the rise of the China-Chic trend, many gold stores have also begun to favor products of traditional culture and launched the so-called ancient gold craft and inheritance series of Chinese gold jewelry. The ancient Chinese used goldware as body decoration, dating back to the Xia Dynasty 4,000 years ago. The gold eardrops unearthed in Gansu is the best proof. The simple circle obviously cannot reflect the skill level of the ancients, so today let’s take a look at the gold earrings and gold bracelets in the museum’s collection of cultural relics. Let’s experience the luxury aesthetics of ancient Chinese gold jewelry.   Eardrop Eardrops (Er Zhui, 耳坠) is a kind of traditional Chinese earrings, with an additional part of the drop than earrings. This pair of gold eardrops in the Warring States Period adopts a cone and spring design, and the color matching of gold and turquoise is even more ingenious. This pair of gold eardrops from the Northern Wei Dynasty is composed of amber, silver ring, gold ring, silk column, hollow gold beads, wheat ear flower and other elements. Through weaving, welding, hammering, wire drawing, and other technologies, it creates a complicated but not messy…

The pursuit of beauty is human nature. Beauty is not only a reflection of the mind, but also a reflection of the interest in life. Tang Dynasty women are the best representatives of beauty, because they inherited the mentality of "Dress up for those who like or admire yourself (女为悦己者容)" from ancient times, and pushed the beauty ideal realm to the highest level under the booming economy and the open and tolerant social atmosphere. Lively, dignified, noble, the endless types of Tang Dynasty female hairstyles, paired with exquisite makeup, made many literati and scholars unstinting in their talent to depict the Tang women's style. Let's follow ArtMoment to go back thousands of years ago, and enjoy the beauty of Tang female hairstyles in that remarkable era of spiritedness.   Ancient Hairstyle Tips What are Ji and Huan? The ancient Chinese women's hairstyle is commonly known as Ji Huan (髻鬟, jì huán), and according to the method of combing, there are two types of Ji (髻, jì) and Huan (鬟, huán). Ji, solid hair bun, suitable for ordinary women; Huan, ring-shaped hair bun, suitable for young girls. What does the change of hairstyle mean? In ancient China, a woman's hairstyle changed with…

In the middle of the Tang Dynasty, women's hairstyle, makeup, jewelry, and dress style has undergone a huge change. Heavy makeup and high buns, long skirts with large sleeves prevailed, and formed a variety of distinctive makeup styles. At first, it was just regarded as grotesque, considered to be a sign of chaos, but later it developed into an issue discussed in the court. Although prohibited by the court, it is difficult to extinguish, getting more and more intense.   Shi Shi Zhuang During the Zhengyuan period (785-805), the Ti Mei makeup (啼眉妆) and the Duo Ma bun (堕马髻) appeared first. The prototype of the bun hanging on one side already appeared during the Kaiyuan period, but it evolved into more huge and exaggerated in the Middle Tang Dynasty. The eyebrows painted in the shape of characters "八", replaced the previous curved thin eyebrows. The female figurines excavated during the Zhen Yuan period and the ladies of the "A Palace Concert" all showed such kind of makeup style. On this basis, the famous Shi Shi Zhuang (时世妆) was formed during the Yuanhe period (806-820). Bai Juyi, who loved to record the details of the costumes, depicted this makeup detail in…

To choose a representative of ancient Chinese beauty, Yang Guifei (杨贵妃/杨玉环, Yang Yuhuan) would probably be one of the most highly acclaimed candidates. As one of the Four Beauties, her romantic legend with Emperor Xuanzong has been repeatedly sung, and anecdotes about the consort and written accounts of her appearance, as well as related paintings, operas, and theatrical stage performances, are commonplace. For thousands of years, literati and people have been curious about the beauty and makeup of the consort. What is the real makeup style of Yang Guifei? If we only speculate from the descriptions of later texts, we may not get the real results. Aesthetics are always changing, and the benchmark for judgment is also changing. But large-scale archaeological excavations over the past half-century or so, especially the hundreds of realistic ceramic figurines, murals and silk paintings unearthed in the tombs of nobles during the Xuanzong era, have allowed us to scientifically summarize the aesthetic tendencies and changes in the figure and makeup of noblewomen during the decades of the Tang dynasty, Kaiyuan (开元), and Tianbao (天宝). Among them are many court paintings of Yang Guifei during her stay in the palace, which is generally available for reference…

In ancient China, based on different social backgrounds, there are different styles of hanfu clothing between dynasties, women's traditional makeup will also vary, this article will share the characteristics of the makeup of women from the Warring States period to the Song Dynasty for you.   01 Warring States Warring States period makeup is mainly light and elegant makeup, the society at that time advocated the virtue of beauty, so the simple makeup became the mainstream, the overall give a sense of nature without powder, to be able to fully show the five features and the advantages of the face shape.   02 Western Han and Eastern Han Western Han and Eastern Han period makeup is also more characteristic. Western Han Dynasty, the biggest feature of women's makeup is lip makeup, lip makeup halo area is small and concentrated in the location of the lip beads, so it will give a sense of biting the lips, coupled with thin eyebrows, looks classical charm. The makeup of the Eastern Han period is significantly different from the Western Han period, where the eyebrows were replaced with thicker eyebrows, and both sides of the cheeks will be stained with blush, compared to the…

As for the most powerful woman in ancient China, Wu Zetian must be mentioned. From the time she entered the palace to the time she abdicated, Wu Zetian's life spanned nearly seven decades from the early Tang Dynasty to the peak of the Tang Dynasty, nearly a quarter of the reign of the Tang Dynasty. With the overall national power, economy, customs, and even climate change of various factors, this period of court makeup, whether the overall aesthetic, or makeup, hair, jewelry, and even clothing, have undergone huge changes. As a woman who eventually rose to the top of imperial politics, Wu Zetian had the powerful energy for changing the makeup fashion of the day.   01 From the simple charm of the old dynasty Wu Zetian was born in the seventh year of Wu De (624), and entered the palace at the age of fourteen in the eleventh year of Zhenguan (637). After twelve years as a concubine, she followed the other concubines without children into the Temple of Sensationalism as a nun. The style of Tang women's clothing in the Zhenguan period was similar to that of the late Northern dynasty and Sui, advocating a slender figure and…

"The six dynasties of the late Han, Wei and Jin dynasties were the most chaotic and socially painful era in Chinese history, yet one of the most spiritually free and liberated, the richest in wisdom and passion, and therefore the richest in artistic spirit." Due to the decline of Confucianism and the rise of Xuanxue, both men and women in the Wei and Jin dynasties sought to express their superior inner personality with a beautiful external appearance. In addition, Buddhism was spread to the east, the exchange of migration between north and south brought about a broadening of horizons. As well as the harem beauties, the number of dancers is vast, must be unique makeup to attract attention, so all the reasons contributed to the Wei Jin and North and South Dynasties on the explosive development of makeup. This development is due to the thin burial of the number of makeup artifacts, mostly presented in the level of written records so that we will call this period the peak era of makeup at the documentary level. This article brings together 10 classic Hanfu makeup looks from the Wei and Jin dynasties. Through them, you can get a glimpse of how…

When you browse through the tutorials of hanfu hairstyles, you will find that the use of wigs is widespread. Is it true that girls had long and dense hair in ancient China? The eternal problem of thinning hair is not only a problem for modern people, but ancient beauties also needed to rely on wigs to complete the look. The application of wigs has a history of thousands of years. Today we briefly introduce the history of wigs.   Di (髢, dí) and Bi (髲, bì) were the original names for traditional Chinese wigs. However, not everyone had access to wigs in ancient China. At the beginning of the wig's birth, it was not an ordinary accessory. The Rites of Zhou records that Zhuishi (追师), a kind of palace official in charge of the empress' headdress, made wigs and headdresses. 追师掌王后之首服，为副编次追衡笄…… ——《周礼》 Fu (副), Bian (编), Ci (次) are three different levels of wig types, only worn during critical events such as rituals, and only for the exclusive use of noblewomen such as empress and madam. The famous Mawangdui Han tomb has unearthed a well-preserved "Fu" wig. This set of wigs is thick and black, and Lady Xin Zhui chases…

For thousands of years, the Chinese have used rings to symbolize essential events, births, deaths, weddings, anniversaries, etc. The rings are generally worn by the oldest person present and passed down through generations. While the modern ring represents romantic love and commitment, what are the symbolic meanings of the traditional rings in Chinese history? Let's go into the past life of the ring.   Ancient - The Ring of Bone More than 5,000 years ago, when humankind was still in its primitive society, the "ring" was already born. At that time, it did not have an exact name, but was just a ring-shaped object worn on people's fingers. In 1959, archaeologists found twenty traditional rings in the burials of the Dawenkou Longshan culture in Tai'an, Shandong province. Several of them are still worn on the finger bones of the deceased. These rings were made from natural animal bones, tooth bones, jade, etc. Although the process was simple, they were well made, and the surface was polished smooth, and some were inlaid with turquoise. This is the earliest "ring" found in China. It appeared in people's daily lives before records about it in history books.   Yin Shang - The Ring…

Many hanfu lovers have been confused about how to choose the right hanfu hair style to match their hanfu. Overly complicated hanfu hair styles mean tedious steps and long hours of preparation. But retro hanfu hair styles are not the only option. In fact, more and more hanfu lovers are choosing to match their hanfu with more stylish and simple hairstyles, especially when wearing modern hanfu style. In this way, hanfu can gradually integrate into modern society while retaining its traditional cultural connotations. Let's take a look at four modern hanfu hair styles that easily go with your hanfu, as shared by Yi Zhi Keke.   01 Low Coiffure Hairstyles Hairstyle features The back of the head coiffure is very simple, just tie a ponytail at the back of the head, then twist it into a clockwise circle and wind it up. If you think the modeling is too monotonous, you can also insert a hairpin, or coiffure hair band together with the coiled in, which will make the overall modeling more gentle and soft, but also with a little mature woman's charm. This kind of coiffure is most suitable with curtain bangs, so that both romantic style, but also…

The ancient women left their stunning figures in the ancient poets, and their bejeweled were equally eye-catching. That brilliant hanfu jewelry like a river of stars, will set them off quiet, elegant, highlighting the unique charm. In this article, let's go into the history of gorgeous Chinese traditional necklace and choker and see how the ancient people carried forward the beauty of neckwear.   The Ancient Times When our ancestors were still living in cold, dark caves, the sense of beauty was already awakened. They searched for anything that resembled "beads", drilled holes in them, strung them on chains, and wore them around their necks. Some of them were also painted red with hematite powder. At the Zhoukoudian Peking Man site, which is about 30,000 years old, a large number of neck ornaments have been unearthed. These neck ornaments are made of different materials, including gravel, animal teeth, fish spine bones, and bird bones, all of which have been carefully selected and polished. Among them, there is a string of rabbit bone chains, consisting of 12 pieces of rabbit backbone, each of which has a hole for threading. The holes have been worn out and deformed due to long-term wear,…

From ancient times to the present, from China to overseas, makeup fashion has been a cycle, such as the traditional makeup that once faded in history, can now not only appear in the restoration works of Chinese ancient makeup lovers, but also can occasionally encounter in the major international shows. Today, take stock of those makeup looks that have traveled through the millennia for you.   Buddha makeup In the Liao Dynasty, Khitan women often used yellow powder on the face, looking like a gold-coated Buddha statue, called the Buddha makeup. Until modern times, there are often similar makeup, all coated with gold "eighteen bronzemen" type, there are also fashion bloggers with yellow, gold makeup embellishment.   Guang Mei makeup Guang Mei (广眉), also known as "Broad eyebrows". This eyebrow shape eyebrow long into the temples, appeared in the Western Han Dynasty, prevalent in the Tang Dynasty. The "Book of the Later Han" records that: "Broad eyebrows were popular in the city, and people drew eyebrows halfway up their foreheads" This shows how exaggerated these eyebrows were at that time. This exaggerated eyebrow shape that occupies half of the forehead is rarely seen in modern times, only in the show…

The Han Dynasty was the longest feudal dynasty in ancient China after the great unification of the Qin Dynasty. More than four hundred years of the Han Dynasty laid a solid foundation for Han, Hanzi, and Han culture. The same is naturally true in traditional Chinese makeup history. Overall, the core ideas that influenced women's aesthetics during the Han Dynasty were the ideas of Taoism and New Confucianism. The former had the greatest impact on the early and mid-Han Dynasty. The policy of "Recover from a Social Upheaval and Restore Production and Develop" was implemented by the rulers in the early Han Dynasty. Taoism's "Huang–Lao political ideology" responded to this social demand. Focused on the development of natural and "Wu Is the Origin ideas", while advocating an open, positive atmosphere, had a profound impact on the aesthetics of female makeup in this period.   01 Han Dynasty Makeup powder Compared with the pre-Qin dynasty, makeup powder in the Han dynasty had a great development. The powder for the face was based on rice powder, and with the rise of alchemy in the Qin and Han dynasties and the improvement of smelting technology in the Han dynasty, lead powder appeared and became…

The history of traditional Chinese eyebrows makeup can be traced back to the Spring and Autumn Period(770 to 476 B.C.). There is a verse in "Chu Ci" that says "Black-painted eyebrows and white-powdered cheeks(粉白黛黑，施芳泽之).", which means that women were wearing powder, drawing eyebrows and rouge at that time.   Traditional Chinese Eyebows Tools Eyebrow tools are crucial. Unlike modern eyebrow pencils, eyebrow powders, eyebrow cream, etc., there are a wide variety of tools to choose from. But the ancients were still creative with their limited tools. Before there was a specific material for eyebrow painting, Dai (黛), it was mainly used to draw eyebrows with burnt willow sticks, which women used to burn and apply to their eyebrows. The earliest material used to paint eyebrows was Dai, a black mineral also known as "Shi Dai (石黛)". Stone inkstones for grinding stone Dai are found in Han tombs, which means that this cosmetic was already in use in the Han Dynasty. Before paint eyebrows, stone Dai had to be ground on the stone inkstone to make it into powder, and then water was added to mix it. In addition to black color, there is also a dark gray material for painting…

The magnificent filigree inlay, representing the pinnacle of precious metal production technology, from the old days dedicated to the court, to nowadays spread to the folk, there has been a lot of people contact, wear filigree inlay products, and for its exquisite and intricate technology by.   What is Filigree Inlay? Filigree inlay (花丝镶嵌), also known as "fine gold craft", is a long-established traditional Chinese handicraft technique, mainly used in the production of ancient Chinese royal jewelry, by the combination of "filigree" and "inlay" two production techniques. Filigree refers to drawing gold and silver into fine wire, using filling and weaving techniques to make crafts. Inlay refers to the hammering of gold and silver flakes into vessels, and then burin out the pattern, set with pearls or gemstones, and become. As one of the "Eight Unique Skills of Yanjing", the art of filigree mosaic was included in China's national intangible cultural heritage list in June 2008. The objects that can be applied with filigree inlay can be divided into three categories. The first category is jewelry, including bracelets, necklaces, earrings, brooches, pendants, cufflinks, etc. The second category is the display category, mainly indoor decorative items, such as hanging scroll, vase,…