“The root of beauty is nature,” said The Face Shop’s overseas vice president Kyung Rhee during the brand’s 10th anniversary party at Beyond Museum in Cheongdam-dong in Seoul. This philosophy, he added, is what has carried The Face Shop through this decade—creating well-loved beauty products and using ingredients culled from nature.

 

According to Catherine Maderazo, The Face Shop’s Philippine brand manager, the brand’s all-time best-selling products include the Power Protection BB Cream, Lovely ME: EX Aqua Tint and the latest face base craze, CC Cream.

 

The CC Cream is the next-generation innovation for creating sheer and natural coverage for the face. At the Fall-Winter 2013 makeup trend preview, Diane Lee, overseas marketing associate, explained why CC Cream is superior to its predecessor, the BB Cream.

 

The Face It Aura Color Control Cream, she said, aims to brighten the complexion through a 12-hour darkening-free formula. The chief complaint of female users about BB Cream and other types of foundation was how they tended to turn grayish and dull as the day progressed.

 

In contrast, CC Cream creates luminosity and greater light reflection, resulting in a brighter and younger-looking face.

 

Another star product that debuted at the FW 2013 preview was the Artist Touch lipstick containing Urucum seed. Urucum seed is an age-old natural colorant discovered by Aztec women.

 

Dubbed the “Lipstick Tree,” Urucum has seeds that, when lightly rubbed on lips, create pigment that gives women rosy lips.

 

Adding this ingredient to the Artist Touch lipstick range creates intense color payoff in just one stroke. Celebrity makeup artist Son Dae Sik recreated the dramatic look for FW 2013 on The Face Shop endorser, actress Han Bo Reum, who sported matte-red lips and lush lashes.

 

“Red is a very classic, highly saturated color,” added Sik.

 

Model contest

 

The anniversary celebration weekend  trained the spotlight on this year’s TOP Girls. TOP Girl is the consumer model contest of The Face Shop, launched last year to increase brand awareness and develop a stronger bond with customers.

 

TOP, which stands for Talented, Open-Minded and Passionate, is a nationwide search for a girl who can represent the brand in her home country.

 

The TOP Girls come from Asian countries. The Philippines’ TOP Girl is Christia Asistio. She was chosen not just for her pretty looks, but also for her sparkling personality and her advocacy—she’s a volunteer in a feeding program near her hometown.

 

Asistio’s feisty nature was evident in the anniversary party. A snag in her travel documents prevented her from arriving on the first day of the anniversary activities. She arrived in Seoul exactly on the day of the party—a mere two hours before she was to go onstage. Right off the plane, she took the train and subway linking the airport to the city.

 

Despite the frantic run, Asistio emerged onstage looking fresh and unruffled in her silver frock by Jeffrey Rogador. She even snagged the coveted spot right next to Kim Hyun-joong.

 

The talented actor turned the charm up that evening. Sporting a new shorter haircut (“This helped me look even more manly,” he quipped), KHJ welcomed the TOP Girls warmly and declared them all gorgeous.

 

Kim Hyun-joong is The Face Shop’s male endorser. The brand was the first to select a male model-actor to endorse its beauty products. (Actor Kwon Sang-woo was the first).

 

The next day, the (very) lucky TOP Girls were dolled up to pose alongside Kim Hyun-joong, making them the object of envy of Henecia (KHJ’s official fan club name) members everywhere.

 

Kim Hyun-joong’s secret to looking gorgeous all the time

 

Kim Hyun-joong  was asked how different this year’s TOP Girl event was  from last year’s. The actor paused, then deadpanned, “Last year, it happened in Fradia on the river; this year it’s in this museum in Cheongdam.”

 

“I’m so happy to be here especially with The Face Shop celebrating its 10th anniversary with the TOP Girls,” he added.

 

“I think what TOP stands for matches the TOP Girls here. They are talented, open-minded and passionate. They have gone through tough auditions to be here. I hope they can show their talents and pursue their dreams through The Face Shop.”

 

Kim Hyun-joong’s smooth looks are almost feminine. He still prefers to go fresh, especially when he’s not in front of the camera.

 

“I don’t usually put on makeup; I don’t like the feeling of my skin being clogged by makeup. When I have an outdoor shoot, I put on my favorite BB Cream (Power Perfection); it protects my skin from UV rays and covers up skin imperfections. I really want to try using the men’s CC cream [which has become available] recently,” he said.

 

After a long day at work or creating music, Kim Hyun-joong likes to put a mask on.

 

“For tired skin, I use mask sheets a lot, especially the lemon one. It brightens up and refreshes skin. It smells really nice, too! I feel refreshed after using those mask sheets.”