CUPERTINO, Calif.—When Spring blossoms the world feels fresh and beautiful and people look for ways to make themselves beautiful and healthy, too. So New Tang Dynasty TV (NTDTV) and The Epoch Times newspaper presented a Beauty and Health Fair on Apr. 3.
Held at the Hilton Garden Inn in Cupertino, the event was advertised to the Western and Asian communities and the Los Angeles TV show Beauty 101 from NTDTV came up to interview participants and cover the event. A wide range of exhibitors signed up, from the anti-aging industry to cosmetics and skin care to weight loss programs. Attendees learned that they could improve their health through Tai Chi and massage, and increase their energy and focus with nutritional drinks, or improve their eye sight with orthokeratology. Lotions and skin care products, along with herbal soaps, offered to bring the fresh spring look to faces, and shoppers could buy pearls and clothing to go with their new season’s look.
Some of the products presented the newest technology and developments while others drew on age-old recipes grown with organic farming techniques.
Nuskin, a company from Provo, Utah, showed a skin treatment product that erases wrinkles and spots. Dr. David Currie, D.C., representing the product, said “Our motto is Difference in Demonstration,” and showed photographs of customers who had just one side of their face treated. The contrast convinced people right away, he said. And the cost, he explained, was $8 for each home use, five minutes two times a day two days a week, compared with $100 to $300 for a spa or clinic treatment. He said the company’s sales have increased by four times in the last year and set sales records for the last 18 consecutive months. They assure people of satisfaction with the product by offering a buy-back program for customers who find they have a sensitivity to the treatment.
Eye correction
Another medical development featured at the Fair was Dr. Oh’s orthokeratology. She provides a device the patient wears at night that is meant to reshape the eye so it focuses properly, correcting myopia (near-sightedness) and astigmatism. Dr. Oh said that in the last ten years the treatment has become popular; they started treating children, bringing corrected eyesight to the youngsters, then expanded and helped adults with certain vision problems achieve better vision. The treatment lasts for a day at first, so the device is worn every night.
Then eventually, she explained, the results last for longer periods of time. Think of it like braces, she said, first you wear the braces and they move the teeth into place, then you wear a retainer. The initial development of the procedure was to help pilots whose vision needed correction. For pilots and astronauts, people going into pressurized environments, laser surgery was considered risky since the cornea was thin after surgery. So reshaping the eye with orthokeratology provided the solution. Dr. Oh has been a guest on NTDTV programs telling the Chinese community about her procedure.
For health from the inside the Rain Nutrition company, based in Gliroy, brought samples of their drinks so attendees could try them. They originally developed energy drinks and now have drinks for mental focus, too. The representative said that they have had great success with their Focus drink in helping students with ADHD improve their concentration. The ingredients are based on cold-pressing the seeds of fruits, grape, black raspberry, and also black cumin. An additional noteworthy aspect of the company, the representative said, was that the products were developed by Dr. Arnold S. who is with the University of Minnesota and who donates all the profits from the company to cancer research funds.
Going into the ancient wisdom for answers Anthony Tung told people about using Tai Chi and acupressure as a treatment for long-lasting pain, scoliosis, and other conditions that did not respond to conventional medicine. He said he even had a medical doctor who would come to him for treatments when he had a problem. Jung said that often one problem leads to another; for example poor posture causes poor breathing which leads to a lack of energy.
Organic
Another exhibitor using time-proven ingredients was NYR-Organic, a company from Great Britain. A representative of NYR (Neal’s Yard Remedies), Susan Cann, told the story of the company’s beginnings. The founder of the company became interested in sustainable living when he was publishing a book about the subject. He sold his publishing business and bought a 2,000-acre organic farm.
Susan said that with the admonition that “anything you put on your skin goes into your body and also down the drain,” he began making personal care products using organic ingredients and old-fashioned recipes. The company sources its ingredients from its own organic farm and others in Britain, while some herbs are wild-harvested in a sustainable way, and exotic herbs like frankincense are obtained through a fair trade program from Somalia. They make aroma therapy oils, spritzers, an herbal deodorant, and a talc-free body powder; as well as hair care, face care, and bath products, which they sell through home parties, fundraising events, and demonstrations.
Vagosang is a 30-year-old Korean company producing organic cosmetics for the whole body. Their representative explained that they started using basic Korean herbs, and then expanded into using Chinese herbs, too, and they raise their own plants. Their products are such high quality that the Korean ex-president gave this product to all the ladies in the government offices.
Another Korean company, Resoap, uses 30 herbs in its all-natural products. They told us they have an FDA-approved anti-bacterial soap that has only natural ingredients in it. They have a special process to make their soap, the representative explained, similar to making kim chee, letting the mixture spoil which develops the attributes that treat wrinkles, whiten skin, help heal injuries, and can even take off weight. The same bar of soap cleans hair, teeth, and body as the active ingredients pass through the skin into your body.
A chance meeting at a Farmers’ Market brought the owner of Inland Fog, maker of handmade soaps, the answer to what to do after retirement to. Steven Leif Erickson talked with a soap maker he met at a Farmers’ Market and decided that soap making would be a good project for him to take up. He started a small business, which he refers to as his hobby, and learned to make soap. He uses all vegan products, local Modesto olive oil, and essential oils from Utah. He believes in getting the ingredients from the best suppliers; even though it costs more to do it this way he says it makes a better soap, which is what he wants.
There were also universities and technical schools to tell people about a career in the health field. Five Branches University, a leader in the field of training practitioners in traditional Chinese medicine for 25 years, offered attendees information on their courses in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Their programs include a massage certification program, a Masters Degree in Traditional Chinese Medicine, and a Doctor of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. They have a campus in San Jose and one in Santa Cruz. The Five Branches University Medical Centers treat over 40 patients a day, so students receive instruction in actual treatment of patients and patients receive excellent medical care from the teaching doctors.
And Nurse Builders Academy, whose Program Director is a registered nurse and whose teachers are licensed vocational nurses, talked about their training which takes 2½ months for the nursing certificate. Their president, Adriano Naderi, said the school has a success rate of 98 percent of their graduates passing the state licensing exam.
Also working in the health field, there were two businesses who give therapeutic massages, New Hope Chiropractic and QZN.
Once-a-decade sponsor
If someone was looking for healthful beauty products they could find several body care and cosmetic companies in the event. Cosme Proud has beauty products with a remarkable ingredient: 24k gold. The gold flecks in the rejuvenating cream sparkle when they are rubbed on the skin but disappear as the exfoliation takes place and the old skin cells are removed, leaving the skin softer and brighter. Nobuko Isomata, the beauty instructor, said that the cosmetics are made in Japan and based on the use of negative ions, like a baby’s skin. As we age, she said, the positive ions age the skin. They also have an anti-oxidant product using amber and a wrinkle-erasing cream using platinum.
A well-known English company, Crabtree and Evelyn, also exhibited at the Fair. With their 30-second hand recovery demonstrations they gave the attendees a chance to experience the luxurious feel of the hand treatment, which exfoliates and moisturizes. The manager of the Valley Fair Mall location, Kirsten, said, “Crabtree and Evelyn draws from nature around us to create personal care products that are both effective and beautiful.” The company specializes in hand therapy cream, body lotions, fragrant soaps, and perfumes, all in packaging that makes the purchase a ready-to-give gift.
One more well-known cosmetics company was at the Fair, too: Mary Kay. This company is the 1 skin care company in the country, beauty consultant Sylvia M. Bridges told us. The first product she recommends is their 15-spf moisture lotion for face and décolleté, reminding people that when they are driving the sun comes in and shines on their neck and chest as well as on their face. Mary Kay’s biggest market is in home cosmetic parties but they also meet with customers one-on-one, she said. And if a person is interested in finding out about the products but can’t go to a home party, Sylvia said they can come to a meeting every Monday evening at a local conference room where they can try the products and ask questions.
There was another soap company which uses Chinese herbs, Ethan’s Earth Handmade Soap, a Korean ginseng company Jungkwangang, food from Sugar Bowl, EON and GreeNoodle, massage tools from Jin International, ways to get in shape with Dr. Fan, and cosmetics from Noevir. A new outfit for spring could come with pearls from the Pearl Jewelry Company and light cotton clothing from Isabella.
This event also had a once-a-decade sponsor, the U.S. Census Bureau. As a sponsor it provided shopping bags for all the participants. A representative spoke to attendees, encouraging everyone to fill out and return their Census form immediately so the Bureau doesn’t have to send a person out to visit their home to gather the information.
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