German competition guardians Face to face with Google, Apple & Co.

Status: 23.06.2021 3:56 p.m.

The big tech companies from the USA are becoming more and more powerful all over the world. There are also new players from China. The Bundeskartellamt does not just want to accept market power.

From Sebastian Tittelbach, WDR

For a few months now, one hears an abbreviation more frequently in the office corridors of the Federal Cartel Office: GAFA. They are the first letters of the really big ones: Google, Apple, Facebook and Amazon. And Bundeskartellamt President Andreas Mundt has all of these in his sights. “We are talking about the most powerful companies in the world. We’re getting very strong companies in China – so this is by no means an American event, it’s a global trend.”

New rules have been in effect since the beginning of the year

German competition law changed at the beginning of the year. Since then, the cartel watchdogs have been able to take action against Internet companies more easily. And the 400-person authority from Bonn does not shy away from tech giants from overseas worth billions. “It’s not about throwing sand in the machine”says head of the authorities Mundt. “Our aim is simply to end anti-competitive behavior at these companies.”

Amazon already had to reorganize its marketplace under pressure from the Federal Cartel Office. Amazon has given the smaller retailers who offer their goods there more rights. The Federal Cartel Office is currently taking a look at Apple. “We know what kind of universe Apple maintains, and I personally see it that way that restrictions of competition are possible”, so Mundt. “And now let’s see how this process develops.”

The pandemic is leaving its mark

The corona pandemic did not leave the Federal Cartel Office completely without a trace. In 2020, the investigators only went out for a single search – for reasons of hygiene, the head of the authorities said: “We were out last summer, and we’re honestly looking forward to going back out now, if the numbers allow.”

Even without searches, the Bonn authorities found enough evidence to punish companies. She imposed 349 million euros in fines last year. Half a billion less than in 2019, but still well above the long-term average. Above all, steel and aluminum forges, manufacturers of street sewer castings, such as covers made of cast iron or concrete, and wholesalers of pesticides have to pay. Elsewhere, the cartel watchdogs were more flexible because of Corona: in the automotive industry, for example, they approved collaborations between companies so that the supply chains did not collapse completely in the pandemic. “Then other cooperations are possible between companies where you might have concerns outside of the pandemic, then say in the pandemic: The economic situation is such that you can and must cooperate”, explains the head of the Cartel Office, Mundt.

High hopes, more work

He has great expectations of the new competition register, which was launched in the spring. “The competition register is simply about registering companies that owe something. Violation of minimum wage et cetera.” Such companies can be banned from public tenders for three to five years.

The Bundeskartellamt expects more work on merger control in the current year. Because of the pandemic, there could be more company mergers. The cartel office will examine such mergers without any corona bonus, announces the head of the authorities Mundt. Because when companies merge, it is usually forever – but hopefully not the corona pandemic

Why is it so difficult to socialize anonymously for a long time? In April last year, a website called “The Website Will Self-Destruct” appeared on the Internet when the epidemic was severe. In this website, anyone can leave a message, and others may see it by clicking the “read” button. Its uniqueness is that if no new message is received within 24 hours, the website will be destroyed automatically.

But so far, this website still exists. During the most severe period of the epidemic, many parts of the world experienced complete lockdowns, and the public suffered panic, loneliness and depression. The Website Will Self-Destruct became a good “tree hole” to help users alleviate various negative emotions. Even though the epidemic has been under obvious control, users’ enthusiasm for the website has not diminished, otherwise this unique “self-destructing website” will not survive to this day.

In fact, this kind of anonymous social mode in the Internet has always been very popular. Many anonymous social applications have emerged around the world, and some have even become “phenomenal” products. However, no matter how beautiful the beginning is, they almost all go to a depressed ending and leave the scene sadly. Obviously users have such a strong demand for anonymous social networking, but these products are always as difficult to last as the dew. So what kind of problem has caused the supposedly hot anonymous social networking to be in such an “embarrassed” state?

1. Widely popular all over the world, anonymous social networking on the Internet satisfies human needs

In fact, anonymous social software has appeared a few years ago.

Telegram, an instant messaging software founded by brothers Nikolai Durov and Pavel Durov from Russia in 2013, focuses on the “anonymous social” model (Pavel Durov is also a well-known Russian social networking site vkontakte Founder).

Users can exchange encrypted and self-destructing messages with each other in Telegram, and send files of types such as photos and movies. The client has a PC version, a mobile version, and other types to choose from. In March 2018, Telegram officially stated that its monthly active users had reached 200 million. The Paper reported that Telegram had added tens of millions of users this year. It is estimated that by the end of 2022, Telegram’s monthly active users will increase from the current approximately 550 million. To 1 billion people.

And another anonymous social application Secret became popular in 2014. The app allows users to spread gossip, write their own complaints, and post messages anonymously. After 3 rounds of financing, Secret raised about 35 million U.S. dollars. Investors include Index Ventures, Red Dot Ventures and other well-known investment institutions. Secret’s valuation at that time reached about 100 million U.S. dollars.

These anonymous social applications are relatively well-known abroad. Judging from their financing status and user volume, people do have a strong demand for anonymous social networking. In China’s Internet market, the most famous national-level anonymous social application is undoubtedly the “drifting bottle.” The drift bottle first appeared in the QQ mailbox. At that time, the function of the drift bottle was very simple. Write a paragraph and send it to strangers anonymously, and the person who found it will respond. It is the same as the drifting bottle we play on the beach, and the drifting bottle thrown into the sea may not have an echo, but the QQ drifting bottle will definitely get a reply. At first, Drifting Bottle seemed to be just an additional function of QQ, but it was this feature that made the QQ mailbox at that time surpassed the No. 1 list in the market: In 2010, Drifting Bottle exceeded 1 million users in only 3 days after it went online, half a year later. Reaching 10 million, Drifting Bottle has enabled QQ mailboxes to exceed 100 million active users, surpassing NetEase mailboxes to reach the top in one fell swoop. This kind of success was unexpected by Zhang Xiaolong, the founder of Drifting Bottle. He said, “Drifting Bottle made me realize the greatness of the group. Its behavior pattern is beyond our expectations, and we cannot fully understand it. If we have to Analyzing, talking and expecting a response (making friends) are still the first.” The loneliness of the individual soul and the curiosity of the unknown world are always the deepest existence in human nature. The Drifting Bottle is an anonymous social mode with a tree hole nature, which can meet the needs of users in the depths of human nature. Then Drifting Bottle entered WeChat and continued to play its role. In order to make social interaction more interesting, Zhang Xiaolong also added social methods for strangers such as Shake, nearby people, etc. to WeChat. These features have all contributed to a sharp increase in the number of WeChat users without exception. WeChat can become the appearance of today’s national-level social applications, which is naturally the result of the continuous exploration of multiple functions, technology and operation teams. But it is the “anonymous social” element that makes the user volume soar. Although such phenomenon-level anonymous social products have not appeared in China’s Internet market since the Drifting Bottle, other niche anonymous social products have quietly emerged, such as Soul, One Can, and Tape. Although not so well-known, they also rely on anonymous social networking and some highly personalized features to harvest a group of users. However, the contradiction here is that people have a strong demand for anonymous social networking, but it has always been very difficult for anonymous social applications to survive in the market for a long time. So what is wrong with the anonymous social application that caused it to get stuck in such an awkward position?

2. There is demand but there is no market, what problems does anonymous social encounters?

In the Chinese and foreign Internet markets, it seems that anonymous social applications have never been able to survive for long. Even if they still exist, they will inevitably be more bumpy than other types of social applications. In 2015, Secret, which had 15 million users and was valued at $100 million in one year after its launch, closed. Secret founder David Beato said frankly in his blog: This is a deliberate decision, because Secret” It deviates from my original intention when I started my business.” The reason why David said this is mainly because in the actual application of Secret, due to the anonymity mechanism, many online violence appeared in this application. There is a view that Secret has inspired the ugly side of human nature to achieve success in the business model, so Secret’s defeat will be sooner or later. Coincidentally, another well-known anonymous social software Telegram is also facing a crisis of how to explore a self-sufficient model. In order to increase revenue, advertising is temporarily adopted. Pavel Durov, the founder of Telegram, said that this project needs at least hundreds of millions of dollars a year to sustain, and it also needs to remain independent and loyal to its values. In China’s Internet market, the drift bottle has already been offline. Because this kind of anonymous social gameplay is extremely easy to use, it becomes a gathering place for pornographic information and spam advertisements. Under this trend, the drifting bottle was finally absent from the original intention, and was discarded by users and the market outside the stage of the Internet. Similar to the fate of these “predecessors”, the life of anonymous social applications after this will not be long. For example, the anonymous social product “Yi Can” launched in 2018 announced the dissolution of the team in 2019. The platform aims to “alleviate human loneliness.” Its product manager said that he is a senior social phobia, and he is also a person with a strong sense of loneliness and expressiveness. Therefore, he hopes to design it to help people say “Nowhere.” “Tell, but don’t want to hide the worries” product. In fact, one can does a pretty good job. The number of monthly active users is still around 380,000 before it plans to disband. From the evaluation point of view, the user experience is also very good. The platform is divided into emotions, interactions, hobbies, and life. There are several small sub-categories under each section. One pot attaches great importance to user experience and has been based on user experience. Feedback for optimization. However, such a platform with industry ideals and good operating conditions failed to persist in the end. Because in an anonymous state, a lot of negative energy attacks and vulgar information have gradually appeared, and the age of users is naturally unsustainable over time. From the experience of anonymous social platforms, we can see that an anonymous environment is prone to many problems. Modern people are busy and under great pressure on weekdays. Such a state can be alleviated in the Internet. However, driven by the dark side of human nature, various negative emotions can easily pour out in an anonymous environment, which will inevitably harm others. As a result, harassment, slander, cyberbullying, pornography…Various problems have repeatedly appeared, and the beautiful vision of the platform and users is particularly weak when it comes to the dark side of human nature. These negative emotions seem like a never-ending cycle, which will affect any anonymous social platform that wants to be positive, and will pull down and dissuade those users who originally have pure goals or just want to find a spiritual habitat. This is the fundamental reason why the demand for anonymous social networking is strong, but the product is difficult to gain a foothold in the market. Is it possible that anonymous social products can only be revolved in this vortex of reincarnation, without the slightest vitality and hope?

3. Deeply cultivating market segments, anonymous social networking can “rescue”

However, even if there are many problems, the desire and demand of human beings for anonymous social interaction has never ceased. In real life, too many people live with “personal design”, and every time they post a circle of friends, they must first think and consider carefully, thinking about how to use glamorous online images to conceal the real life’s chaos and chicken feathers. The longer this state lasts, the more attractive the anonymous social model will be to users. Because in the anonymous social mode, people can take off the shackles and masks, hide in the “darkness” and make the most authentic sound. At this time, people don’t have to pretend to be their ideal self, and they don’t need to judge others too much. The most relaxed and comfortable state of human beings. Based on this demand, anonymous social products can often explode huge vitality in the early stage of operation, attracting a large number of users in a very short period of time. Even though there are still many problems that have not yet been resolved, it can be seen from the fact that anonymous social software “follows the next”, the anonymous social market still has huge potential to be explored. Therefore, what practitioners need to do may not be to change direction or simply abandon the anonymous social market, but to work hard on technology and supervision, using technical means to filter out as many negative content as possible, and to provide users with a healthy communication. Environment, and strengthen supervision at the same time, make the anonymous social platform and community more pure. In this way, anonymous social products are not hopeless, as long as they work hard, they can still be “rescued.” However, starting a business is easy and difficult, especially when doing anonymous social products. Perhaps for anonymous social networking, a pure environment and an attitude close to the original intention are the basic conditions to ensure the long-term existence of the platform rather than a short-lived one

The Weibo topic #女 easy trousers pockets too anti-human, aroused the sympathy of the majority of women. Equivalent to only 40% of women’s pockets can be fully fitted into iPhone X, and the success rate of men’s pockets is 100%. Whether it’s skinny jeans or straight jeans, this difference exists. How do girls buy things, Want to engage in a “color revolution”? In 1954, the well-known designer Christian Dior said: “Men’s pockets are for holding things, and women’s pockets are for decoration.” To this day, there may be many designers still pursuing the principle of “male clothing is designed for practicality and female clothing is born for beauty”. For this reason, some businesses may compress the space of women’s trouser pockets due to the need of beautiful design. Weibo netizens @活体复读机 sharing the difference between men’s and women’s trouser pockets Many women wear lipstick, tissues, and earphones when they go out. If their trouser pockets can’t fit so many small objects, they will choose to carry a bag to go out. So you can see, whether you are strolling in a quiet campus, on the way to work, or going out for a break on the weekend, a lot of Girls have to bring a bag when they go out. But in some cases, the loading capacity of women’s bags is still much worse than that of men’s bags. Take a big-name backpack for example. The best-selling female diagonal bag is priced at 4485 yuan. This delicate mini bag is decorated with camellia. If you put a mobile phone inside, you want to put another power bank. It’s possible. Girls who are away from home carry such a bag, which is not very practical. Some large items will still be “tied up” in the hands. “Broken Sisters”The female protagonist went out, carrying many bags. At the same price, men’s handbags of the same brand are briefcases and business bags. It is not a problem for them to put a small computer.The loading capacity far exceeds that of female backpacks. Someone complained, “Perhaps the fashion industry simply wants women not to carry anything out of the house.” It is puzzling that although some women’s bags have smaller space and poorer loading capacity, their prices are much higher than those of men’s bags. If it is because the cost of raw materials and technology for women’s bags is higher, it is excusable. But the price difference between some men’s and women’s models is puzzling. For example, only the color is different between men and women, but the value is a few blocks away. Businesses like to make a fuss on pink products, because this color is often regarded as the preference of girls. Women always bring lipstick, tissues, and headphones when they go out. Air Force Pink Valentine’s Day series of the same shoes for men and women, the price of men’s models is between 919-949 yuan, and the female models are increased to 1219-2029 yuan; Gaming mouse black and water silver are both 299 yuan, pink crystal color is 329 yuan; The Razer DX co-branded gaming chair faith color matching standard version is 1399 yuan, and the powerful goddess car is 1799 yuan. Suning Mini’s small fan also made a price distinction in terms of color, increasing the price of the more feminine pink fan to 22.9 yuan, and other colors to 12.9 yuan. The price of the more feminine pink fan is different from the others. The fact that pink products are priced higher than other color products has made more and more women dissatisfied with this “pink tax”. “Pink tax” refers to the phenomenon that women’s models are more expensive than men’s for the same type of goods. It is named because most of the higher-priced women’s products are pink. In the current sales activities of various platforms, The phenomenon of “pink tax” is not uncommon. Are there any other differences besides the color? When buying daily necessities in the mall, you may habitually pick up “female-only” shampoos, attracted by the matte packaging, and directlyIgnore the styles for men. Maybe you haven’t noticed at all. In fact, apart from the color and packaging, men and women skin care products are the same in terms of ingredients and production costs. Ryan McDevitt commented on the phenomenon of female pink tax. On top of the basic products for the general public, merchants do in-depth sales for women, making the products smaller and more pink. They work hard on aesthetics, but sometimes they deviate from the practicality of the items themselves. As far as umbrellas are concerned, search on Taobao “Umbrella Girl” , Umbrella design and aesthetic performance are of various types, and the theme-limited series are even more diverse. Ingenious women’s umbrellas and sturdy men’s umbrellas. Merchants have seized the characteristics of women’s preference for “exquisiteness” and made a fuss about the appearance to increase the price of their products.but The same article changed gender and searched again, but most of them were “Daigu, thick, sturdy and durable for two people.” Computer accessories on all major platforms under the banner of “e-sports girl” changed the packaging of the popular styles, and replaced the basic headsets with cat ears. Or it was a joint name with XXX for Amway, which was summed up by netizens as a pink tax lightning protection book.SomeoneCommented:

“No one really thinks girls like pink, right?” “The sense of cheapness overflows the screen.” “None of these pink chairs have considered the height of women.”

“No one really thinks girls like pink, right?” “The sense of cheapness overflows the screen.” “None of these pink chairs have considered the height of women.” The New York Consumers Association once conducted a survey,Among the 5 categories of 397 products in the United States, 42% of the products are women’s models at a higher price. A collection of e-sports girl products. Businesses may think that female consumers are less sensitive to prices and spend more “expensively”, but the actual situation may be beyond their expectations. Spanish scholar Manzano Anton believes that there are a large number of products sold specifically to women on the market, which are mostly related to the society’s expectations of women’s “beauty”, but the differentiation of these products is sometimes unnecessary. More often, the attributes and functions of products are deliberately marketed by merchants, not based on the real needs of women. This “pink bubble” should have been burst long ago Why should women spend more money on the same product? In the advertising video launched by Burger King and David Miami, Burger King launched a pink-packaged chicken fries priced at $3.09 based on the price of American chicken fries for $1.69, and it was only sold to women. During the ordering process, the staff will deliberately ask the lady who ordered: “This is in a pink package. It has eyelashes and a bow. Will you pay more for the pink box?” Every woman said “I reject”. Burger King used such clever social experiments to tell people how absurd it is to ask women to pay more just because the packaging is pink. Not all girls like pink, and not all women like complicated styles. Among the groups fighting back against the “pink tax”, the Douban Pink Tax Boycotters Alliance team assembled 25,227 pink girls According to the group profile, “Girls are not the wool of unscrupulous merchants and refuse to be cut”. They brainstormed, worked together, shared their experiences, and avoided paying the “pink tax.” Members of the Pink Tax Boycotts Alliance team share their experience of trampling thunder. Netizen@月燃Recently, I placed an order for a female watch in a Tissot store, but the gifts for men and women are completely different. Buying men’s watches will give you a Tissot custom umbrella, while women’s models will give you a custom portable mirror. @月燃Tucao this kind of operation “is really unequal in value, it’s too bad.” In the sharing of netizens, “genderless” clothing has gradually become a way to fight back against the “pink tax”.In recent years, many fast fashion brands have launched”Genderless clothing”. “Genderless” clothing has gradually become a counterattack against the “pink tax” trend. Boyfriend style, oversize…A variety of masculine clothing styles for women’s clothing are also one of the manifestations of non-sexist clothing. “Genderless” clothing not only pursues minimalism, but also reorganizes design elements with obvious gender characteristics. Pay attention to individualization and practical value, reducing the pressure and constraints on clothing. Only when the practical needs of girls are paid attention to and valued, not just gimmicks, can it be possiblePop the “pink bubble”. Today’s interaction What are the “pink tax” phenomena around you? Written | Aunt Xue Edit | Paper Crane Typography | Agassi *The source network of the picture without the source

Illustration. Considered a guardian angel” is very important for both your body and your skin. If you don’t believe it, let’s explore 12 benefits of water. From there, you will realize your lack when letting your skin regularly face dehydration. Water plays an extremely important role in skin care in the summer because the sun drains moisture from your skin, causing your skin to flake like fish scales. Moisturizing creams provide a lot of nutrients to the skin but do not hydrate the skin from the inside out. Drink a lot of filtered water, coconut water and eat fruits that contain a lot of water such as watermelon, cucumber to compensate for the amount of water lost to the body. Not applying sunscreen or applying sunscreen incorrectly People who work in offices often do not use sunscreen when summer comes, because they think that without exposure to the sun, applying cream is redundant. However, Zeichner pointed out the mistake: “Ultraviolet rays can pass through glass. So you can get sunburned even in the office if your desk is near a window. I always advise my patients to use sunscreen regularly.” Let the skin dry before applying the cream Most girls have a habit of waiting for their skin to dry before applying moisturizer. However, that is a mistake. Lotions work best if you use them while your skin is still damp. Therefore, instead of waiting for the skin to dry before applying the cream, after washing your face for about 5 minutes and gently blotting it with a thin paper, apply the cream immediately. Do not heat the cream before use If you do not heat the moisturizer first, it will be difficult for the skin to absorb the essence in the cream. You should heat the cream by rubbing your palms together, gently and evenly, the cream will be heated by friction. Once warmed up, put the cream on the face and gently massage it all over the T-zone and then move to the cheeks. Apply and gently pat in the direction perpendicular to the skin. This will help the moisturizer penetrate evenly without clogging the skin, especially oily skin. Using the wrong amount Do not think that in the hot summer, applying moisturizer is superfluous. The hot weather is when the skin loses more water than ever, so it is necessary to provide moisture to help balance the amount of oil secreted. But applying too many skin care products to the face will clog pores, make the skin produce more oil and be the cause of acne. The ideal amount of moisturizer is about 2 peas for small and medium faces, 3 peas for large and square faces.

Illustration. It is important that you brush and clean your teeth after each meal. Usually, dentists recommend brushing twice a day to avoid oral health problems. Coconut oil Not only does coconut oil have many benefits for your hair, but it also helps you whiten your teeth. Take a teaspoon of coconut oil and using a toothbrush, brush your teeth with this amount of oil. Finally, brush your teeth with the cream again to see the best effect. How to whiten teeth with salt Salt provides essential minerals for teeth, has a bactericidal effect, removes yellow stains and whitens teeth effectively. In the morning, you should rinse your mouth with a glass of salt water or diluted salt after brushing your teeth. Or another way you mix toothpaste with a few grains of salt and brush your teeth as usual How to whiten teeth with hydrogen peroxide Hydrogen peroxide is often used to disinfect and clean wounds. However, besides that, many women often whisper to each other how to whiten their teeth with very effective hydrogen peroxide. Because when in contact with the teeth, it will create a redox reaction to cut the colored proteins in the teeth without damaging the enamel. After brushing your teeth, dilute the hydrogen peroxide with water and then use this mixture to gargle all over your mouth so that the hydrogen peroxide acts on the roots of your teeth to remove dirt and bacteria within 1 minute, then rinse your mouth with water. warm. This helps protect teeth from the inside.

With the encouragement of family and friends, Minh put aside the days of sadness, boredom, let go of guilt and started a new life. Few people know that this guy has a special hobby of traveling. Overcoming a long period of illness at home, alone in his soul and not in contact with anyone, Vu Minh stepped out into the outside world and wanted to explore more. (Photo: Phan Vu Minh) 9x considers himself a “reckless person” because he dares to think and dare to do. Minh asked a brother to learn mechanics to build a 3-wheeler from a wheelchair, according to the original idea he wanted. Minh’s first backpacking trip took place in 2017. Bac Lieu is the land he chose to explore and visit a friend. In order to make this long trip, in addition to health problems that need to be practiced every day, he also carefully studied the travel route and looked for more companions. (Photo: Phan Vu Minh) Since then, he has made various trips. In particular, the most impressive journey of 9x is from Vinh Long to Hue. It takes about a month for the player to travel and visit an uncle in the hospital. (Photo: Phan Vu Minh) Sharing about the roads traveled, this guy said: “ Me and my friend, especially the 3-wheeler built by myself, has gone through many roads, which are Ca Mau – Bac Lieu – Kien Giang – Phu Quoc island – An Giang – Can Tho – Hau Giang – Soc Trang – Dong Thap – Tra Vinh – Ben Tre – Tien Giang – Long An – Binh Duong – Dong Nai – Lam Dong – Da Lat – Khanh Hoa – Phu Yen – Binh Dinh – Quang Ngai – Quang Nam – Hoi An – Da Nang – Hue. ” The first pass that Minh conquered was Bao Loc pass (Lam Dong). It was so difficult that I just wanted to rip my hand, it hurt so bad. After running for a while, Minh stopped again, causing the journey to be interrupted. The next times, Minh in turn crossed Hai Van Pass (Da Nang), Ca Pass (Ha Tinh), Khanh Vinh Pass (Khanh Hoa), but the pass that made him really know what it was like to be afraid of hills and mountains. Langbiang peak (Lam Dong). (Photo: Phan Vu Minh) The difficulty is that, but in any land, Minh also receives warm treatment from the local people. They were happy and treated Minh like family. The 9x boy has enjoyed all the natural beauties of the country, from watching the beautiful sunset in Rach Tram fishing village (Kien Giang), suffering from the burning sun at Eo Gio (Binh Dinh), overcoming “Thien Thien” the first majestic landscape” Hai Van pass, then return to the ancient ancient capital with mausoleums, royal palaces, chanting on the Perfume River… (Photo: Phan Vu Minh) It is not by chance that travel believers call Phan Vu Minh an “inspirational person”, “the most special adventurer in Vietnam”, but hidden deep in those titles is admiration for the optimistic spirit, always towards his front. Whether the journey is interrupted, or the physical pain during the move and the dangers are always lurking, but with the desire to understand and experience more, he has never once regretted it. Minh shared: “ I think, in the future, the most regretful things are the things I dare not do. Why have health, have conditions, not to do the passion right now. It is better to do and fail, it will be more fun than torment in thinking “.

first Use a daily makeup remover Makeup remover towels are very convenient, but they are not really good products for the skin. Using a makeup remover will make the skin easy to form wrinkles, it is also difficult to clean all stubborn makeup such as eyeliner and eyeliner. Instead, you should use makeup remover oil to help both deep clean combined with gentle massage movements to avoid sagging skin, and at the same time, the massage also stimulates blood circulation. 2 Put the serum pump tube directly onto the skin Many girls often have the habit of putting the serum pump directly on the skin. This will cause bacteria from the skin to accidentally stick to the serum tube and cause the serum to quickly deteriorate and degrade. Instead, you should put the serum in the palm of your hand and massage it all over your face. 3 Only use makeup products with sun protection factor Many makeup products such as foundation, cushion, and powder often have extra sun protection. Many women think that just using these products is enough to help protect the skin. But in fact, these are just “additional” products that contribute to protecting the skin from the sun, but you can hardly use enough doses to provide optimal skin protection. Instead, you still need to use a specialized sunscreen to protect your skin comprehensively, avoiding premature aging of the skin. 4 Use acne patch To remove the acne, sebaceous fibers in the nose, many girls often use acne patches. But the fact that the acne peel off patch can hurt this skin area, the peeling and pulling movements also cause the skin to stretch and the pores to enlarge. Instead, you should use exfoliating products containing AHA, BHA to help deep clean the skin from the inside without causing skin damage. 5 Don’t leave time between skincare products With many busy girls, they often tend to apply skin care products quickly to save time. As a result, skincare products may not be completely absorbed into the skin, leading to acne and waste; with products with a specific pH such as vitamin C, AHA, BHA … can also make the product ineffective. Therefore, you should have time to rest between skincare steps so that the skin has time to penetrate, helping the product to work better.

The weather in Hanoi began to appear intense heat waves as well as when the phoenix trees on the streets of Hanoi began to bloom. This is a flower that reminds many memories of the time when students went to school in Hanoi. Every corner of the sky, every corner, every road… wherever you go, you will see phoenix flowers, brilliant “flames” on the tree trunks that seem dry but imbued with nostalgia. Along the streets there are the most beautiful rows of phoenixes such as Lang, Thanh Nien, around West Lake, Truc Bach lake… and even school yards in Hanoi stand out in the summer sun with the burning red color of this flower. Not only a flower that signals summer, in the memories of Hanoi’s students in the past, when the phoenix “burns” is the time when the senior students are about to part, reminding that the important exam is near. , have to change the habits of going to class, meeting and playing with classmates for many years. Going through the streets of Hanoi, it is not difficult for people to see the blooming “flames” signaling the arrival of summer. The weather in Hanoi begins with intense heat waves, which is also the time when phoenix flowers bloom in clusters. On the street corner, the sky seemed to be on fire with the red color of this flower. Referring to the species of phoenix is ​​immediately referring to Hai Phong, but Hanoi is also very colorful with this flower in May. Phoenix in Hanoi is grown a lot, especially on streets like Lang, Quan Hoa, Thanh Nien, around West Lake, Truc Bach Lake… In Vietnam, the phoenix tree was introduced by the French in the late 19th century in big cities, gradually, this flower was planted throughout the provinces from North to South on sidewalks and school grounds. Phoenix flowers on the sidewalk in Hanoi. Along the two sides of To Lich River, Lang street, two rows of phoenixes are planted quite beautifully. 4 bright red, or slightly orange petals, the 5th petal is erect, slightly larger than the other 4. The phoenix flower season usually lasts for 1 month. In May, phoenix blooms, the color is deep red, but in June, the color is lighter and the flowers begin to fall. The phoenix is ​​tall and the foliage is wide, providing shade for passersby. The deep red color of the phoenix flower makes the people of the capital flutter when remembering a time when students went to school to go to school. Even on hot summer days, looking at a gentle phoenix branch like this also feels relaxing after a hard working day.

Make it a habit to wash your hands. Hand washing protects health and saves lives. However, this can aggravate some skin lesions such as atopic dermatitis, contact dermatitis, psoriasis … if anyone has it, specifically making the skin drier, cracked, irritated, even even an infection. So what’s the advice: – Dry hands after each hand wash: After washing, dry your hands carefully with a clean towel or tissue, especially between your fingers, as bacteria are more easily transmitted between wet hands. – Use moisturizer to reduce the unwanted effects of heavy hand washing: Frequent hand washing can damage the skin barrier, leaving skin dry and cracked. So moisturizing the skin of the hands is the most important thing. Not only people with diseases but also those with healthy skin should take care of their skin. How to use moisturizer correctly: Take a pea-sized amount of cream, rub it all over your hands, paying attention to the fingertips as this is an easy place to dry and crack. Apply yin lotion after you’ve washed and dried your hands, or whenever your skin feels dry. Besides, you should consult a dermatologist about the right product. Avoid washing hands with hot water: Hot water will make the skin quickly dry and wrinkled, cracked, so only warm water should be used to wash your hands. – Wear rubber gloves When having to contact cleaning chemicals or working in a humid environment, the time to wear gloves should be as short as possible to avoid sweating hands, which aggravates skin damage. BSCKII. Bui Quang Hao ( Head of Infection Control Department, National Hospital of Dermatology )

Illustration. Paper masks are one of the types of masks that are convenient, easy to use, reasonably priced and are always trusted by women. Paper masks are made of paper, cotton fibers or nonwoven fabrics, soaked in a clear gel solution or milky white liquid containing many nutrients, extracted from natural ingredients that are beneficial for the skin. There are two common types of paper masks, dry paper masks are often used to peel acne or to apply masks made from natural ingredients. Wet paper masks are more convenient, ready-made and available in a variety of options. Moreover, the paper mask also brings many outstanding effects to help enhance moisture, nourish healthy skin, deep clean pores, tighten pores, repel dark spots, moisturize and help skin tighten. sure, smoother. In addition, some types of masks also integrate the use of acne treatment, melasma, anti-aging, wrinkles … Regardless of type, the paper mask also offers numerous outstanding advantages such as ease of use, convenience, not much time for cleaning and relatively cheap price. Is masking necessary every day? The stars, the most famous of which are probably Fan Bingbing, often share that they use masks every day to provide nourished skin, prevent aging. But in fact, their work often requires heavy makeup, long working time, and is under a lot of pressure. So they need intensive skin care products like essential masks. As for us, the skin does not suffer too much damage, then you do not need to wear a mask every day. If you regularly apply high-intensity essence masks, it can also cause overload, excess nutrients, making skin more prone to acne. Therefore, you only need to use these essence masks 1 to 2 times per week. For the rest of the day, you can apply a lotion mask to gently hydrate your skin. Process of masking paper Step 1: First, clean your face with a suitable cleanser or makeup remover to help clear your skin. Step 2: Next, cut the top edge of the package and gently pull the paper mask out, then carefully cover it and spread it evenly over your face. Should pull the mask to fit the forehead and cheeks, should adjust the eyes and nose open. Step 3: Then, use your fingertips to lightly press on the mask, which will help the paper be pressed against the skin of the face, to facilitate the absorption of nutrients into the skin. Step 4: About 20 minutes, when the paper mask starts to dry, you gently pull the sheet mask out of the skin surface. At the same time, a few pats will help the liquid absorb better. You can take the liquid remaining in the paper mask pack and apply it to your neck, to make your neck skin more beautiful and healthy In addition, to increase the feeling of refreshment and relaxation, do not forget to put the paper mask in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes before applying.

Makeup remover is an indispensable step in the skin care process. If you wear makeup regularly, be sure to remove it thoroughly before washing your face. Avoid cleaning through the speaker with water, as this will not clean the lipstick, causing the pores to clog, making the skin dry and dull. Wash your face with the right cleanser: You can wash your face with clean water, but dermatologists recommend choosing a cleanser that’s right for your skin type to cleanse and take better care of your skin. Exfoliate your skin You should exfoliate once a week to remove waste and dead cells – ingredients that affect the radiance and brightness of the skin, to boost metabolism as well as make skin easier. Easily absorb nutrients from skin care products. Sunscreen is an indispensable friend Most of the girls have a subjective thought of not shielding or applying sunscreen on rainy days, cloudy weather or shade. In fact, UVA and UVB rays from the sun have been shown to be able to penetrate clouds, reaching the ground even when it rains. Especially, UVA rays with longer wavelengths are the cause of common skin cancer and skin aging. Use a sunscreen with an SPF of 30 – 50, and take careful shielding when working outdoors to prevent possible damage by ultraviolet rays. Rose water As a final step, you should blot and smooth over your face. This action helps to deeply clean the skin, making sure that all dirt is eliminated, making the skin smooth and soft. Drink enough water A dehydrated skin becomes rough, dry, and prone to aging. Water also helps the body train toxins – one of the many causes of acne. Moisturizes and cleanses the skin Moisturizing and cleansing are two important steps that you should maintain daily to keep skin healthy. With the time of summer to autumn, you should use creams with high moisturizing ingredients and more nutrients than summer creams. In addition, priority should be given to cleansers that are rich in moisture, helping to strengthen the natural lipid membrane to resist sudden changes of the environment.

The first Japanese melons of the Mono company in Putrajaya, Malaysia on April 8, 2021. Photo: Reuters

Accordingly, the trio of farmers at Mono Premium Melon in Malaysia have switched to a completely new farming method – regularly massaging freshly beaned melon with cloth or soft gloves and listening to classical music.

This is the “tama-fuki” method, which is said to increase flavor and have a growth-stimulating effect on Japanese greenhouse-grown fruit.

Seh Cheng Siang, director and co-founder of Mono company in Putrajaya city, said: “Every Japanese melon that you see on our farm is like a work of art”.

This famous melon variety has been cultivated by a number of Japanese farmers over the last century in a special way to create melons that are prized for their equal taste and shape. Even in Japan, there are not many places to grow this specialty melon and the quantity is limited so they are only sold in high-end stores as luxury items.

However, after many attempts to cultivate high quality melon, the farmers were faced with the hot and humid tropical climate of Malaysia, a world far from more temperate conditions in Japan. .

The first melons of Mono company in Putrajaya, Malaysia on April 8, 2021. Photo: Reuters

Mr. Seh said: “We have to ensure optimal and accurate stages of nutrition, watering and fertilization, and have tested more than 10 types of melons of the same Japanese family, before when finding the best match ”.

Japanese melon (musk melon) features a perfectly rounded shape, with beautiful white veins emerging. The flesh of the melon is light green, fragrant and has a sugar level of over 14%, spreads evenly over the fruit, including near the stem.

After bringing melon seeds back from Japan, Malaysian farmers went to Japanese farms to learn about Malaysian farming methods and trials. They tried many times wrong to determine and find the optimal nutrient composition for melon plants.

And finally, after overcoming many obstacles, the first batch of 200 selected Mono melons was offered and sold out as soon as it was posted on the online store page.

Accordingly, the first Japanese melons produced in Malaysia were sold for 168 ringgit (40.70 USD) per fruit, about a third of the value of the native Japanese melon.

Elaine Chow, a customer, said: “It was great to know that our farmers were able to grow Japanese melon varieties in Malaysian soil.