I often get messages though this blog from girls from different countries, asking where they should go to to pick up Japanese beauty bits when they come to Japan. I always write them back, but most of the time they don't write me back once they've got the answer (phew!) so I thought to write a blog post about it so that I can share the information with a lot of people at once!
If you're on the hunt for drugstore beauty products...
Matsu-Kiyo is the biggest drugstore in Japan. You see the yellow sign everywhere especially in Tokyo. Some are bigger than the others, but I'm not sure which branch is the biggest. They have anything from toiletries to makeup, as well as medicines of course as it's a drugstore.
Don-Qui is a discount store that has many branches in Japan. They sell anything from video games, stationary, food, cos-play costumes, and of course beauty products. I don't particularly enjoy the atmosphere as it's so noisy and always crowded, but if you are looking for Japanesey goods at low price, you might want to drop by.
Tokyu Hands is a "home centre" that you can get daily goods inclusing DIY stuff and party materials. I sometimes go to Tokyu Hands just to browse, as they often have interesting goods. It depends on a branch but they often carry Japanese drugstore beauty brands such as CANMAKE, ettusais, excel, CEZANNE and many more.
Loft is similar to Tokyu Hands, but I strongly recommend going to Loft if you go to Shibuya. The beauty floor at Shibuya Loft is heaven for beauty junkies. The entire floor is full of beauty bits, where I can be browsing for hours. They also have a wide variety of natural beauty products. There are shop assistants who have good knowledge about the products as well, and it's really handy to have them as they don't belong to any specific brands.
They mainly carry imported goods such as stationary, snacks, fashion items and beauty bits, but they also carry Japanese products when it comes to the beauty section. Their pricing isn't a purse-friendly compared to the drugstores, but it's a fun store to look around.
Department Store
Isetan is one of the biggest department stores in Japan. Shinjuku branch opened in 1933, and about 30,000,000 people visit the branch per year. I strongly recommend you to stop by if you are into luxurious and natural / organic brands. On the ground floor you would find major luxury brands like Chanel, Dior, Estee Lauder, Tom Ford, Armani as well as NARS, Jo Malone and MAC, and on the B2 floor called Beauty Apothecary, you will be surrounded by natural beauty products from all over the world. You will never get bored.
Along with Fashion Shopping...
If you are greedy like me, or don't have much time to go beauty shopping, you can stop by Opeque Marunouchi. It's got 2 floors including fashion items, beauty bits, hair salon and florist. Marunouchi is a very nice area to shop, and you have another shopping building KITTE to stop by as well.
Hikarie opened 2 years ago and has been one of the main commercial complex in Tokyo. You can enjoy shopping for hours if you are into fashion, interior and beauty, and there are many nice restaurants and cafe that you can take a break at, as well. They have Jo Malone, Aveda, Diptyque, SABON, LISSAGE, Ayura, RMK, Three, Shiseido, and many more popular brands such as Dior, Clinique and DE LA MER. It also have Cosme Kitchen that I will write more about after this. I like American Pharmacy where you can buy Caress Shower Gel!
For the Organic Beauty lovers...
The pioneer of the organic beauty craze in Japan, Cosme Kitchen opened their first branch in Daikanyama in 2004. They only carry natural and organic beauty products, and the shop assistants are incredibly knowledgeable and helpful. It's a must-see if you are into natural beauty products!
Hope it helps, enjoy your time in Japan! x
Recently, I often hear people raving about "natural" and "organic" beauty products on the blogs and YouTube videos. I hear them say "This product is amazing, and it's good for your skin because it's natural" or "You should try to use as natural products as possible, they are good for you". I want to object to that, and decided to write a blog post about it.
More than 5 years ago, natural and organic beauty products started becoming popular in Japan. Some specialised shops like Cosme Kitchen, Crayon House and Terracuore were the pioneers. I was studying aromatherapy at that point, and I found myself totally into those products.
I thought artificial colouring, perfume and preservative as well as silicone, paraben, sulfate and those "chemicals" were bad for you, and can be a cause of cancers. I tried my best to avoid them, and I checked all the labels whenever I would buy beauty products, to make sure those were "safe".
After a while, I found myself having breakouts on my skin. I thought it was stress or dry skin. I tried my best to cure it, I even went to a clinic as I was suffering from breakouts for more than 6 months at that point. The medicine didn't work. One day, in England actually, I had an opportunity to use a moisturiser which is not organic for a couple of days. I thought it would make my skin worse, as I believed that the organic ones were better. But it ended up clearing my skin up completely. That's when I realised that my skin was reacting towards the natural and organic products.
Since then, I stopped using organic skincare products. I stopped using organic shampoo and hair treatment as well. Then what happened? My skin became silky smooth like before, and my hair no longer looked like a bird's nest. Organic shampoo and conditioner that don't contain silicone contains oils instead, to make your hair feel smoother, which can stay on your scalp and get oxidized, that can cause an odor. It happened to me as well, and I used those products even more to get rid of the odor, which was just a negative spiral.
There are loads of chemicals you should avoid, such as paraben and artificial perfume. There are some natural preservatives that can be used instead of paraben. Essential oils can smell better than artificial perfume. But you need to remember that the natural and organic ingredients are not purified and sometimes contains impurities, which means it has a higher risk for your skin to react badly towards the ingredients. The natural ingredients are said to be sometimes stronger than chemicals, and chemicals are made for benefits (not only beauty purposes of course, but you know what I mean) whereas natural ingredients are just natural ingredients, they are not specially made for the beauty purposes. They have benefits as well, of course, but they also have impurities which can irritate your skin. It would be great if your skin doesn't react to it, but you should know that that's just you. Not everyone.
Some people react to chemicals, and some people react to natural ingredients. I am not sure what my skin did not agree with, but since I stopped using all organic products it has been in a very good condition. I still like some brands such as REN, balance me and Liz Earle that don't attack my skin. But on the other hand, I have so many brands (mainly organic ones) that broke me out so bad and I have been staying away from.
I want to say to those people, especially influential bloggers and YouTubers, that natural ingredients cannot always be good for you. I hate it when people say "It's natural, so it's good for you". You need to know that it works for you because your skin agrees with it. There is a big difference.
I am not against the natural beauty products, there are tons of them that are good, and that I like. You should switch to natural products it for sure if your skin likes them, because they don't contain ingredients that feel good for now but could be harmful later.
I'm against the people who say "You should go for natural beauty products, chemicals are bad!" or "Natural products would clear up your skin, as they are safer" or things like that, because that is not true. Look for products that your skin likes, not ONLY because the products are natural or organic.
Cuti Series Shampoo, Conditioner, Hair Mist and Styling Cream
What does "Hair care products that have a shape-memory effect" sound to you? Apparently those products make you hair shiny and smooth, and the effect lasts for up to a week.
Shampoo 3460yen
I didn't expect this weird colour from the cute bottle. It's got this very loose texture that it leaks from between my fingers and I end up wasting the product. I'm not complaining! It has a very pleasant scent that I absolutely love. It's a very fresh and a bit feminine scent. It lathers up very well, and it does not leave my hair tangly despite the fact it does not contain silicone. The cleansing ingredient in this shampoo is 100% amino acid that makes protein which composes hair.
Conditoner 3360yen
This conditioner doesn't contain silicone either but does repair your hair with amino acid and vegetamide which is ion-complex that repairs permed and coloured hair from inside...if that makes sense. You know all those features are really hard to understand and it's even harder to explain when I don't fully understand. Thank you for your understanding.
Moving on!
So, again, the texture is pretty loose and light. It never feels enough with this conditioner, I use about 3 pumps on my hair but still it feels too light for my damaged hair. Maybe it's because I am now used to silicone based conditioner and hair mask that works the best for my fine tangly hair.
Cuti Mix Hair Mist 1940yen
This hair mist can be used in the shower but I only use it as a leave-in hair mist. It contains this special ingredient which I couldn't find the spelling in English, that gives shine to your hair and keep the smoothness for a week.
I use this hair mist before blow-dry and it makes my hair smell amazing, and gives shine as it claims. This special ingredient works with heat for some reason, so the more you blow-dry, the shinier your hair gets. That's a miracle, don't you think? Since I started using this product, I haven't been feeling guilty using a hair dryer.
Cuti Mix Styling Cream 1510yen
This styling cream has SPF10 PA+ which protects your hair from sun damage. And it has Nano Repair that maintains highlights and colouring, and Keratin Protein to keep the curls if you have permed hair. I have permed and coloured hair, which means this product is made for me ;)
It also smells amazing, and it defines my curls beautifully. I don't even need my mousse when I use this cream, as it works as good as the mousse to create beautiful curls!
Phew, it took ages introducing the products. This is how my hair looks after using all of those products above. Pretty nice, isn't it? It smells amazing and makes my hair smooth and shiny. Unfortunately I didn't feel the "shape-memory effect" as my hair is permed, but according to their website it's easier to see the effect when you have straight or naturally wavy hair.
My favourite is definitely the hair mist, as it works with the heat and I think that is just amazing. Gosh my hair looks amazing in this photo, I love this colour called "Mermaid Ash" which is my favourite colour. I always get this colour, every 3 month, but it only lasts for a week as my hair cannot hold it :(
What's your favourite haircare products at the moment?
L'Oreal Nude Magique Eau De Teint 2300yen
I am not a kind of girl who has 10 foundations and switch them around every day. I am happy with one foundation that works wonders on my skin. I liked Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation for more than a year but recently I have been on a hunt for a foundation that looks more natural yet cover my pores.
I was going to buy GIORGIO ARMANI Maestro Foundation because I loved it when I tried out a tiny sample that I got from Shinjuku Isetan where the only Armani counter in Tokyo is in. But then I thought of this foundation which just came out in April in Japan. I heard so many good things about this foundation, and people were raving about it saying that it's a dupe for Maestro Foundation which is around 7,000yen mark. So I thought to give it a try.
Shall we take a moment here to depreciate the package? Why the heck does it not have a dropper like Maestro? Nowadays many drugstore foundation have a pump, and isn't it easy to imagine that it would get really messy as the consistency is very loose and liquidy?
I shake the bottle before use, open the lid and place my finger on top and turn the bottle upside down, and apply the foundation that is on my finger. Every time I do that, the foundation goes all over for some reason and I have to wipe my desk and the bottle itself. I hate this bottle so much, it's pain in the butt to use.
It's very liquidy and feels a little bit oily when applied on my skin, but as I blend in it turns to a powdery texture (or at least that's what I feel) and it covers my imperfections. Despite the fact I only apply one tiny drop on the cheek, it covers -or let's say it blurs- my pores perfectly and it creates this smooth and beautiful base on my face.
I usually blend with my fingers, that I found works the best, and make sure there is no harsh lines with my favourite Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge. It doesn't cover up my dark circles but that's normal, there is no foundation that covers them up, so I use Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer and Bourjois CC Eye Cream on top.
It doesn't look cakey or powdery, yet not too dewy. I've been using this foundation for about 2 months now and I'm loving it. I am dying to try L'Oreal True Match Foundation as it sounds like a very nice foundation too. On the other hand, Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua has been on my wishlist for ages now. The only problem is the shade range, #20 is a bit too dark and orangy, and #10 looks a bit too pale. Not sure the shade range in Japan is exactly the same in other countries, as even #10 looks quite dark for pale skin. What's you favourite foundation at the moment? And what's your holy grail foundation? Let me know! :)
Maybelline Lashionista Mascara 1296yen
I LOVE Maybelline mascaras. The Falseas and The Rocket are my favourite, they are amazing for giving volume and keep the curls all day, while being smudge-free. I was very excited to try out this mascara called Lashionsta and had a very high expectation. According to their Japanese website, this mascara won 59 beauty awards since the launch in 2011 until 2013. It has very light-weight lengthening fiber that floats on water and makes your lashes long and separated.
I like this packaging better than The Falseas and The Rocket as it's much slimmer and doesn't take up space. The pink tube looks pretty with silver detailing and black logo.
You can see that the fiber is pretty long. Normally fiber is about 2mm but this particular mascara contains 4mm fiber. And because the fiber is very light, it makes it easier to hold the curls.
It's pretty impressive how light it feels on my lashes. It feels like I'm not wearing a mascara. The more you apply, the more your lashes get longer -not voluminous. It's a perfect mascara for people with shorter lashes who are looking for a lengthening mascara.
It kind of separates the lashes, but not perfectly like The Rocket does. I kind of like the natural look this mascara gives, I like to pair it with the smoky eye look to avoid looking OTT. This is a mascara that creates "my lashes but a bit fuller" kind of look if you know what you mean. This is not for you if you are looking for a volumising mascara that people would ask you if you are wearing false lashes.
Not sure if it's sold in other countries too (I guess it is / was sold in the US) but in Japan there is a limited packaging with My Melody on it right now!
Estée Lauder LIP COLOR LUXURIES
I don't normally like a lip palette that is bulky and takes up space in my purse, but when the palette has 6 beautiful shades of Pure Lipstick from Estée Lauder, who can resist? It has Pure Color Crystal Lipstick 37 Hint of Peach, 01 Crystal Baby, 26 Mandarin Pop, along with Pure Color Lipstick 53 Wildly Pink, 63 Marvelous Mauve and 64 Abstract Violet.
The first 3 shades from the left are very sheer whereas the 3 on the right are very opaque.
37 Hint of Peach is a very sheer colour with glitter particles that makes your lips look slightly pale. You can use it to tone down the natural colour of your lips, or on top of a bold lip stick to make it more wearable while adding some sparkles.
01 Crystal Baby is a pretty nude shade that gives a hint of colour to your lips. Not too opaque yet makes your complexion fresh. I love this shade as it's such a wearable colour.
When I saw 26 Mandarin Pop on the palette, I thought it would be too bright for me. But it's surprisingly sheer and wearable! I would wear this shade this spring and summer a lot for sure, I love how subtle it looks while brightening up my complexion.
53 Wildly Pink is a pretty pink with a hint of purple. On the palette it looked more like a coral pink, but it turned out a bit purply on my lips.
63 Marvelous Mauve is a little bit out of my comfort zone to be honest, as I look super '80s when I wear a shade like this. But because the formula is amazing and it just glides on smoothly and kind of like melt on my lips, which makes it look very natural in a way. I like to pair this shade with a neutral smoky eye look, when I don't want to wear nude nor bold colour on my lips.
Lastly, 64 Abstract Violet is the hardest one to apply as it goes on very patchy for some reason. It's pretty bright and bold that I have to practice how to wear a colour like this...
Pure Color Lipstick has really strong staying power that impressed me a lot. I did a swatch on the back of my hand, and it was a pain in the butt to remove even with Bioderma. Once it's on my lips, it stays for so long. Even when I wipe my lips, I still can see the colour stained. However, I liked the 3 shades from Pure Color Crystal Lipstick range better to be honest, just because they suit me better.
They all smell so lovely just like the other lipsticks from the brand. It's supposed to vanilla fig I remember, but it literally smells like cotton candy in my opinion. This palette is also available exclusively at travel retail stores!
LISSAGE Skin Maintainiser 5800yen
LISSAGE is a Japanese skincare brand that I had been eying on for years. Their products are developed based on "Collagen Maintenance System" as they think that the most important factor for beautiful skin is to provide good quality collagen, which accounts for 70% of your skin besides water. Skin Maintainiser is a moisturising lotion that you apply after cleansing your face with a cotton pad. It is a hybrid of lotion and moisturiser, which means that you don't need to apply moisturiser after this. They have 6 different types of
Skin Maintainiser that you can pick and choose depending on your skin type.
O : For oily skin
N : For normal skin
OD1 : For combination skin
OD2 : For combination skin with a bit of dryness
D1 : For dry skin
D2 : For very dry skin
Have you noticed that it's got a unique handle? I first thought it was spray but it wasn't -it's got this handle so that it's much easier to make sure to use the same quantity each time. You need 3ml to moisturise your skin properly, and all you need to do is to pull the handle 3 times! Genius!
Their cotton pads (300yen / 70 pads) are amazing too. It has 5 layers which make it so soft and fluffy. I've been using cotton pads that I purchase from Vitacost for years now, but I forgot how soft Japanese cotton pads are. Maybe it's because Asian people have thinner skin and we must be careful not to rub our skin too much, but they feel so so so good.
It's very moisturising yet not too heavy on my skin. I was a little concerned about the fact it's for dry skin, as my skin transforms to oily mess in spring and summer. But it does not feel "too moisturising" on my skin, and it leaves the surface of my skin smooth which makes it easy to put moisturiser and foundation on without waiting for it to absorb in the busy morning. Since I started using this lotion, I haven't had any dry patches and my skin feels hydrated. I love how it smells too -herbal and floral, kind of sophisticated scent that I cannot imagine anyone would dislike.
The cotton pads are very nice too, as they are not harsh on my skin at all. I have tried applying this lotion using my hands but it didn't work as good, so I always use a cotton pad. Since I started using this lotion every single day in the morning and night, my skin has not suffered from dryness and has been in a very good condition. It's definitely on a pricier side, but if you are suffering from dryness but do not like heavy moisturiser, you might want to give it a try.
Estée Lauder 3 Pure Colour Envy Shine Lipsticks
One of the best parts of taking a trip to overseas is to stop by a travel retail shop at the airport to stock up some beauty bits that you've been eying on. Agree? Then you need to add these beautiful lipsticks to your wishlist. These are available at normal Estée Lauder counters, but you only can get this set of three shades at travel retail shops. The shades are 10 Innocent, 08 Pink Dragon and 02 Surreal Sun.
10 Innocent is a very pretty peachy beige, I would say. But please don't count on me for a colour description because I'm really bad at it. This shade is so pretty that would suit anyone I guess, and the formula is amazingly creamy that it glides on and kind of melts into the lips.
How pretty is this? I've been wearing it none stop since I received it as this is literally a perfect-everyday-neutral-shade. Another good thing about this lipstick is that it stays on the lips for hours. It comes off when I drink or eat, but it doesn't completely fade. It's got such a good staying power.
02 Surreal Sun is a bright orange which has got a hint of pink. It's a perfect shade for this summer in my opinion, as everyone's talking about the trend.
It doesn't look too bright in this photo but in person it's quite pigmented. I wouldn't wear it on its own just because I don't look good with bright lips, but I would definitely wear it along with a beigy lipgloss / lipstick on top. Also I like dabbing a little bit of the lipstick on my lips with my finger, to give a subtle colour.
08 Pink Dragon is a pretty pink with a hint of purple. It's a very girly shade that every girl should own.
It looks quite bright on the lips too, so I sometimes pair it with Maybelline baby lips in Peach Kiss to tone it down, and it works well. I wish I could nail this shade alone, I curse the structure of my face that any bright lipsticks don't look good on because it's such a lovely shade.
Overall the formula is amazing, they don't emphasise dryness of my lips at all which means I can wear them anytime without worrying about my lip condition. I also love the magnetic package too, that it's satisfying to hear the "click" sound whenever I close the lid. And of course, the packaging looks gorgeous with their signature colours; navy and gold.
Have you tried their lipsticks before? Let me know what your favourite shades are!
