Author Archives: Keiko

Being as you are

Posted on by under Mind

Sometimes, we are really difficult to be as we are.

Especially, when we are with other people in a company, school, any kind of meeting etc…

But, please do not give up to be as you are.

Start from really small things will help you to be as you are.

For example, when you are really busy, but you would like to have a tea. Please do so for yourself.

Key point is: being honest yourself.

But, this is not you can ignore any rules, you might already know.

We do not have to change everything just one brink.

Take your time to be as you are.

Just keep trying. 🙂

Then, you will eventually be as you are whenever and wherever.

Beauty and myself

Posted on by under Mind, Uncategorized

I contributed the article to my friend’s women’s site.

If you are interested, please check it out.

The article is written in Japanese and English.

http://www.sutekina.jp/

Here is the English version of the article.

It has been 7 years since I graduated from Hult international Business School in 2005 to obtain MBA. I love cosmetics, so that after I graduated I worked for a cosmetics company in NYC as an assistant marketing manager for global products and worked with globally well-known makeup artists and photographers. After I came back to Japan in 2008, I worked at marketing departments at a magazine and cosmetics companies, and all related to women. Now, I am a freelancer to mainly conducting medical marketing research in Japan, marketing consulting, and writing a beauty blog to encourage women to find their own beauty from my experience.
So, what is beauty?
I think that the beauty is when people accept what they have, love, and keep peace in their minds always, naturally comes up from within. I believe that cosmetics are one of the ways to help it. I had an opportunity to visit a facility for Alzheimer patients in CA, most of female elder patients who could not remember what they did and they were, but worn beautiful dresses, and makeup on their faces. In addition, there are volunteer works to go to care homes to provide doing makeup. So, I believe that cosmetics are magical tools to assist women to feel alive and expressing femininity.
However, even though we have such a wonderful tool, if we do not have any beauty from within, we might feel unsatisfaction. I have heard that the face shows how to live their life age by age. In 10S’ and 20S’, people are beautiful without doing anything because they are young, but after that the face would change what kind life they have. Actually, when I am busy or in rush, I have lines between eyebrows. I have mirror on my desk because I worked on cosmetics, so sometimes I see myself in the mirror, then find my face is awful. This might be one of the obvious examples of showing up my inside world. Many of them also have this kind of experience, I think.
I have three things that I always in mind in order to act up beauty from within. The first, live my life actively, second, I am as I am, and lastly be thankful.
Live my life actively. This is not I always have to do something, but it means that I always do not have any limitation on me, and doing what I like and I am interested. Enjoy my life, and live actively. So, I try to find funny, enjoyable, or interesting things in my daily life. This is not necessary to be a big thing, but I try to find any small things or just surprising things in my whole things.

I am as I am. It seems to be easy, but actually little bit difficult to be as I am truly. Live life honestly to me, not disguises myself, and accepts and live I am as I am. Every person is different, and this is the truth of our world, and believe and should know everyone has own strengths, should not compare with other people, but accept myself just as I am.

Be thankful. Always appreciate what I have now, and where I am now. It also seems simple and easy but I think it is also difficult thing, yet first be thankful myself in any situation. At least once a day, say thank you to myself as I always work hard for me.
These three things are always in my mind. It is really easy to say, but doing these would be sometimes difficult, but I would like to live my life with lots of thankfulness to myself who always live with and for me and my partner who always support my life to be as I am.
So, what is your beauty?

Pancakes…

Posted on by under Food, Health

Pancakes.

One of the foods I really love.

In my childhood, my Mom made hotcakes for me and sister.

Usually, Japanese hotcakes are thicker and softer than pancakes….but my Mom’s were always flat and not really soft….lol

Well, still for me, it was a great memory and my first cooking was hotcakes for my family in my elementary school.

In the States, pancakes with omelet were my favorite meal and now in Japan, I miss that pancakes meal…

So, I decided to make my own pancakes. I thought I could not make what I really had in the States, but I realized that my Mom always made her own hotcakes for us and these are in my heart and my partner once said me I do not have to be the same. I should be Keiko, as I am…these always encourage me….My pancakes has some unique ingredients such as muesli, soy beans flour and black sesame, because I would like to have many kind of foods in a day. And, muesli contains many nuts and dried fruits etc…Don’t you think it is good for our beauty and health? What I would like to do is enjoy cooking and eat healthy to keep beauty for myself, for my partner! 😉

  • 2 eggs
  • 1 1/2 cup of Milk
  • 3/4 cup of all-purpose flour
  • 3/4cup of muesli
  • 1 table spoon of soy beans flour
  • 1 table spoon of grained black sesame
  • 1 table spoon of brown sugar
  • little salt

Beat 2 eggs in a bowl and add muesli and stir.

Add milk and little by little put flour and each time stir really well. If you feel the dough is hard, then add milk and stir well.

Add sugar, salt, soy beans flour and grained black sesame and blend well.

Heat a pan, and pour dough and brown on both side and serve with butter and honey or maple syrup!

Colors for Spring 2012

Posted on by under Colors, Eye Shadow, Nail

St. Patrick’s day was on March 17th, and Easter is almost here for 2012. 🙂

When many green stuff and clovers I can see, I feel oh spring is almost here.

When Easter Sunday comes, I feel yes it is spring!

Of course, when I see cherry blossoms, I feel spring, too! 😉

Spring has a lots of colors.

Color of sunshine, blue sky, new green leaves, yellow flowers, pink flowers, light brown sand, dark blue ocean, many lives come out from everywhere.

I think that every one has own colors for each season….

According to PANTONE spring colors for 2012, here is the colors for this spring…and symbolism of colors.

Orange: Energy, balance, enthusiasm, warmth, vibrant, expansive, flamboyant, demanding of attention.

Yellow: Joy, happiness, betrayal, optimism, idealism, imagination, hope, sunshine, summer, gold, philosophy, dishonesty, cowardice, jealousy, covetousness, deceit, illness, hazard and friendship.

Purple: Royalty, nobility, spirituality, ceremony, mysterious, transformation, wisdom, enlightenment, cruelty, arrogance, mourning.

Vivid pink: Love and romance, caring, tenderness, acceptance and calm.

Indigo Blue: Peace, tranquility, cold, calm, stability, harmony, unity, trust, truth, confidence, conservatism, security, cleanliness, order, loyalty, sky, water, technology, depression, appetite suppressant.

Yellow-Green: Green symbolizes Nature, environment, healthy, good luck, renewal, youth, spring, generosity, fertility, jealousy, inexperience, envy, misfortune, vigor.

Blue-Green (Turquoise) : Turquoise symbolizes calm. Teal symbolizes sophistication. Aquamarine symbolizes water. Lighter turquoise has a feminine appeal.

Light Purple (lilac) : Femininity, grace and elegance.

Beige with Gray: Beige and ivory symbolize unification. Ivory symbolizes quiet and pleasantness. Beige symbolizes calm and simplicity. Gray symbolizes Security, reliability, intelligence, staid, modesty, dignity, maturity, solid, conservative, practical, old age, sadness, boring. Silver symbolizes calm.

Earthy sand: Brown symbolizes Earth, stability, hearth, home, outdoors, reliability, comfort, endurance, simplicity, and comfort.

(http://www.princetonol.com/groups/iad/lessons/middle/color2.htm)

What colors do you want to wear in this spring not only as your daily clothes, but also nails and eye shadows??

Please close your eyes…..and imagine…..

What colors come up from your mind?

That is your colors for Spring 2012!

s/s 2011 color report designer mix 1, pantones/s 2011 color report designer mix 2, pantonehttp://www.pantone.com/spring2012

Manage your headache…

Posted on by under Health, Mind

Headache….

How many people have headache?

Yes…I have!

When I have many deadlines, and have to sit in front of my PC for a long time, yes, my headache starts with neck pain……:(

According to Wikipedia, there are 200 types of headaches…oh my!

Tension and migraine are common types.

What are causes of our headache?

Many causes…medication overuse, a lot of caffeine, weather, food, stress, neck stiffness, brain disease, sleepless, tiredness, distortion of your body etc….

Transient ischemic attack, many of TIA patients just thought they had headache and some other wired symptoms, but not thought really serious.

Then, some people get more serious damages when they really realize what happen in their brains.

I am not a physician or any medical practitioners, but I found good reason to manage headache is to keep our life more enjoyable.

And found a good management application of our headache.

Dr. Mauskop’s headache center released headache management application at iTunes.

One of testimonial said that she had headaches, and kept diary about her headache.

After analysis of her headache, she found causes of her headache are caffeine and lack of sleep.

Then, after she reduced caffeine take, and improved sleep, she has no headache.

It is good, isn’t it??

You do not have to suffer from your headaches, and if you find more serious reasons, just go to see your medical doctors as soon as you can.

Please have a time to talk with your body.

You might find many things you have not realized…

Our body is amazing….

Love Yourself! From Charlie Chaplin

Posted on by under Mind

As I Began to Love Myself

As I began to love myself I found that anguish and emotional suffering

are only warning signs that I was living against my own truth.

Today, I know, this is “AUTHENTICITY.”

As I began to love myself I understood how much it can offend somebody

As I try to force my desires on this person,

even though I knew the time was not right and the person was not ready for it,

and even though this person was me.

Today I call it “RESPECT.”

As I began to love myself I stopped craving for a different life,

and I could see that everything that surrounded me was inviting me to grow.

Today I call it “Maturity,”

As I began to love myself I understood that at any circumstance,

I am in the right place at the right time,

and everything happens at the exactly right moment.

So I could be calm.

Today I call it “SELF-CONFIDENCE.”

As I began to love myself I quit stealing my own time,

and I stopped designing huge projects for the future.

Today, I only do what brings me joy and happiness, things I love to do

and that make my heart cheer, and I do them in my own way and in my own rhythm.

Today I call it “SIMPLICITY.”

As I began to love myself I freed myself of anything that is no good for my health—

food, people, things, situations, and everything the drew me down and away from myself.

At first I called this attitude a healthy egoism.

Today I know it is “LOVE OF ONESELF,”

As I began to love myself I quit trying to always be right,

and ever since I was wrong less of the time.

Today I discovered that is “MODESTY.”

As I began to love myself I refused to go on living in the past and worry about the future.

Now, I only live for the moment, where EVERYTHING is happening.

Today I live each day, day by day, and I call it “FULFILLMENT,”

As I began to love myself I recognized that my mind can disturb me

and it can make me sick.

But as I connected it to my heart, my mind became a valuable ally.

Today I call this connection “WISDOM OF THE HEART.”

We no longer need to fear arguments, confrontations or any kind of problems

with ourselves or others.

Even stars collide, and out of their crashing new worlds are born.

Today I know THAT IS “LIFE”!

Rose. Rose. Rose!

Posted on by under Aroma Therapy, Skincare

Rose is one of really popular flowers in the world.

Symbol of Love. 🙂

In Japan, there are many rose related products are available now, and I have tried many.

Rose water, Rose essence, Rose oil, Rose tea…..

But, it is really difficult to find good quality and reasonable products.

Rose is really good for our heart.

Reminds our heart happiness, kindness, gentleness, warmth etc….

Also, good for our skin to delay aging, moisturize and soften our skin….

So, I would like to use Rose oil and essence daily basis. 🙂

One of my recommendation is Shiseido Rosarium series.

7 types of Roses blended each products, such as facial mist, body lotion, soap etc…

http://www.shiseido.co.jp/baraen/index.htm

I believe that you would be in Rose garden immediately as soon as you use these. 🙂

Ms. Brown!

Posted on by under Uncategorized

I know I have to write about beauty for this blog, but I found interesting article about M&M’s!

On February 5th, during the Super Bowl, finally, Ms. Brown will be unveiled!

Super Bowl commercials, many of marketing people would like to buy ad spots during Super Bowl, and many companies have made really interesting and funny commercials until now.

TV commercial is high expense for any company, and like recent under not good economy, most of past clients decided not buy the spot.

But, still Super Bowl commercial spots are attractive for many companies, and this year M&M’s will use this spot to introduce new character to us!

Economy situation still has to be taken care of a lot from so many aspects, but on Feb. 5th, I believe we will see one of the light of the tunnel.

Magic Mirror on the Wall

Posted on by under Mind

Who is the fairest one of all? ”

You might know this phrase from Snow White. 🙂

Step Mother of Snow White asks all the time to her magic mirror to make sure she is the most beautiful in the world.

Words we use have really strong power to make people happy and unhappy.

Long time ago, when friend of mine was anointed as a preacher at her church, her pastor said that ‘ from now on, your words will save people but also destroy people, too.’

Yes, words have power.

So, what I recommend to you is say ” I am beautiful. ”  with smile by yourself. 🙂

Yes, you are beautiful. 🙂

Warm up!

Posted on by under Food

Honey and Ginger.
This combination is a golden combination for this cold season.　:)

Prepare hot water, honey and grated ginger.

Put 1/2 of tea spoon of grated ginger, honey as much as you like into a cup.

Pouring hot water into a cup and stir.

Enjoy the drink! 🙂

Honey contains vitamins, minerals and 2 types of sugars which absorbed quickly to your vessel and boost your energy. Honey’s mineral would vary depends on flowers. Manuka honey is well known for cold and sore throat remedies in New Zealand.

Ginger shows helping improving some symptoms such as nausea, diarrhea, and might help to treat heart attack etc… Ginger is widely used around the world as spice for cooking, tea and coffee.

Enjoy this drink whenever you want, especially in the morning to help your blood circulation to start a day smoothly.