A new whitening formula! Organic Rose Skin Conditioner

Organic Rose Skin Conditioner -Whitening formula
Some of you may remember I was raving about Organic Rose Skin Conditioner before. I loved the lotion very much, as it helped balancing my skin and made it stable. While I was using the lotion, my skin didn't break out nor felt dry. Considering the price (I think it was about 1200yen), I thought it was such a lovely product for everyday use. They just came out with this new whitening formula which I received to review. The packaging looks the same as the original, just in blue.

I usually use a cotton round to apply the lotion, but you can use your hands like the most of Japanese people do so. It contains placenta extract to brightens the skin and organic rose water to hydrate. Placenta extract grosses me out, the website does not say what it's derived from but I am hoping it's plant derived placenta (yes that exists, such as melon placenta).

It smells divine just like the original. I love how natural the scent is, it doesn't smell artificial or too perfumy. When applied on the skin, it feels cooling and soothing. Not sure if it's supposed to have a cooling sensation, but it feels very nice on the skin in my opinion. It never irritates my skin, and has got this perfect texture to use in the morning before makeup.

It helps a serum or moisturiser -whatever you apply next- to sink in better, and also balances the skin's pH balance. As I am quite pale for Japanese, I am not keen on whitening, but I have some dark spots I want to erase. I am not sure if this lotion helps, but I am looking forward to seeing the result!

Bored with Black Mascara? Try this! Love Switch Pink Brown Mascara

Love Switch Oil Treatment Mascara / Pink Brown  1,728yen
Recently, I tend to gravitate towards brown when it comes to eye-makeup. I'm not talking about eyeshadow, I'm talking about eyeliner and mascara, that usually I choose ones in black. If you ask me what the best brown eyeliner is, I don't even hesitate to answer that it's Love Liner in Dark Brown. But I hadn't found a brown mascara I recommend when asked the same question about mascara....until now.

Love Switch Oil Treatment Mascara is something I wouldn't have picked up if it was in black. They do have it in black too but what attracted me was this shade Pink Brown. It was when I was flipping through the beauty magazine MAQUIA, one of the photos of this model Moeka Nozaki caught my eyes. I loved the simple makeup she was wearing, and what made it look so natural was this mascara.

I had never been a pink-toned mascara type of girl at all, I always colour my hair in ashy brown with  a hint of blue which is far from the girly image. But surprisingly this mascara doesn't give too much of a femininity to the whole look at all.

The brush isn't my favourite if I am honest, but it's not the worst either. I wish it didn't contain fibres because not only it irritates my eyes but it makes my lashes look wonky. But one thing that I really do not like about this mascara is the smell. It's got this lavender scent which is supposed to be relaxing, but it literally smells like a bathroom deodorant. And the worst thing is that it lingers. For about 15 minutes after applying this mascara, I smell a loo.

But the colour is gorgeous. It's more reddish and brighter than I expected.

This mascara tends to stick the lashes together so I always comb them with a clean spooli after the application to separate them. Because it contains oil instead of water that makes lashes go down as time passes, meaning it holds curl better. Another bonus point is that it's a waterproof mascara that comes off easily with warm water and a bit of cleanser.

It doesn't make my lashes look fuller or voluminous, but it lengthens for sure as you can see in the photo. I love how natural it looks on the lashes, when I don't want my lashes to overshadow the whole eye makeup if that makes sense. You can't really tell it's 'pink brown' unless you are informed so, and it goes well with brown eyeshadow that I wear on daily basis. I wouldn't pair it with blue or green eyeshadow but I assume it looks pretty with most of the eyeshadow shades.

What do you think about this mascara? Do you own any mascara in a unique shade? Let me know!

Out on 24th November! AUBE Essence Lip Colour

Aube Essence Lip Colour / BE01  3,200yen
If you ask me which lip product I've been using the most recently, this is the answer: Aube Essence Lip Colour which will be launched on 24th November in Japan. I was lucky enough to receive it to review a couple of weeks ago, and since then it hasn't left my handbag for once.

This is in between liquid lipstick and lipgloss. They claim it protects your lips from dryness as it prevents water evaporation. I didn't find anything special on their ingredient list, and the 2nd from the heaviest ingredient is mineral oil which doesn't sound hydrating. But for some reason, it does protect the lips and they never feel dry when this one is on.

As you know, I am not too fussy about ingredients. There was time I was checking all the ingredients in a product and judged whether it was usable or not. Paraben, silicone, mineral oil, polymer, sulphate...there were many ingredients I thought I had to avoid. But information online always confused me, that some claims mineral oil destroy the natural barrier of the skin, and some claims that happened a long time ago when mineral oil contained impurities. Some said silicone clogged pores on scalp, and some said the molecules are too big to be clogged inside of small pores. So about 3-4 years ago, I decided to give up on checking the list because everyone dies and being fussy about the ingredients of cosmetics won't elongate my life anyway, because I must be eating tons of food with additives anyway! So you do not need to leave a comment saying how terrible mineral oil is, I know what people say about it and I just don't care because beauty for me is something to enjoy. Not something to investigate and be sensitive about.

Back to the review. It's so dinky that it really surprised me when I opened the box. It's 3,200yen which is about $26 and £17. And is the smallest lip product ever! Considering the fact it's not a lip stain, you reapply it every couple of hours to be realistic, meaning this tiny tube won't last so long. But the good thing is that it's got this 'window' that you can see how much of the product is left. Thank you Aube for the consideration...

The sponge applicator is slightly bent which makes it fit perfectly on the lips. It tends to pick up too much product but besides that it works perfectly.

They have 12 shades in total including the clear one. Just like other Japanese makeup brands, they did not name each shade (boring). The shades with a number ends with 1 (e.g. 201, 401...) are the most natural ones, the numbers end with 2 are deeper I believe, and the ones end with 3 are bright and opaque.

My shade is BE801 which is a perfect shade for any makeup looks. BE stands for Beige, and I usually avoid beigy lip colour because I was afraid it would make me look washed out, but this one instantly brightens up my face and completes the whole look.

Apparently it contains small gold glitter particles but I cannot feel it at all. If it didn't say so on the box I would never have known. But the glitters do make my lips look fuller, so good job!

It doesn't have any scents which is great for those who are sensitive to fragrance. It's not sticky at all and is very comfortable on the lips. The lasting power isn't too good to be honest, I would say it lasts about 3 hours if you don't eat and drink much. It looks super pretty right after applied, and the shine goes away as time passes.

I love the shade, texture and how easy it is to carry around (which has the negative side of it too -I might use it up pretty soon). It compliments any eyeshadow shades, so whenever I am rushing to get out of the house, I grab this and apply on my lips. It always, always look beautiful.

FLOWFUSHI The Eyelash Serum

FLOWFUSHI The Eyelash Serum 1,200yen

Have you heard of FLOWFUSHI? Maybe not. Then, have you heard of Mote Mascara? You probably have! FLOWFUSHI, a company well-known by their hit product ranges such as Mote Mascara and Mote Liner, came out with a new product on 1st October; an eyelash serum. It contains 'End Mineral' which claims to encourage the eyelashes to grow stronger. You can use it as an eyelash serum and eye cream all in one, which sounds pretty convenient.

As you can see, the packaging is a little unusual for an eyelash serum because it does't have an applicator. It does look like an eye cream (imagine Midnight Botanical Eye from Kiehl's) and also look hygienic. The metallic design looks pretty nice as well in my opinion.

You are supposed to apply a tiny bit on the eyelid, lash line and under the eyes if you wish to use it as an eye cream. The tube will last you 3-4 months according to the official website. You can also use the lid to massage your eye area to stimulate your blood flow to reduce puffiness and dark circles, which I haven't tried yet.

The texture is very silicone-y which is far from moisturising feel of an eye cream. I don't think this is moisturising at all, and I won't use it as an eye cream. However, I sometimes apply it on top of my daily eye cream to make the surface silky smooth so that the concealer stays put.

At night, I close my eyes and apply it on my eyes which takes about 3 seconds. But it makes my eyes itchy when I apply it that way, though it doesn't irritate my skin when applied on under the eyes. I heard the ingredients aren't as harsh as normal eyelash serums out there, but something seems to irritate my eyes. It doesn't make them look red or swollen, it just makes them itchy and uncomfortable. I have stopped using it as a serum, but only as a daytime eye cream. You don't want to apply anything that you might have allergy to around your eyes, so choose your eyelash serum wisely!

It doesn't contain silicone, oil, paraben, alcohol, artificial colouring or fragrance, mineral oil and gluten. Though it doesn't contain silicone, it contains polymer instead which works in a similar way. In addition to that, it contains many different types of peptide as well as hyaluronic acid.

I usually use much stronger eyelash serums such as Rapidlash and Revitalash, and they don't irritate my skin or eyes at all. I have never thought myself having sensitive skin, meaning this eyelash serum in particular did not agree with my skin. The idea and the packaging are very attractive, it's unfortunately I cannot keep using it!

Shiseido d program Moist Care

Shiseido d program Moist Care

I'm aware there are tons of people who dislike the word 'moist' and for those 'most care' must sound horrific. But just hear me out, this Moist Care range from Shiseido d program is absolutely amazing. If you have dry / sensitive skin, this is what you need in your life.

d program Moist Care Lotion  3,780yen
This lotion is super gentle, moisturising yet not heavy or tacky at all. The 125ml bottle is a little smaller compared to any other lotions that I own, but it's very handy that it comes with a pump. Take one pump of the lotion on your palms, gently press them onto the face until it's absorbed. Repeat the same thing again, to supple your skin.

I am lazy and inpatient, so I prefer to use a cotton pad to apply the lotion. I have mentioned here before that cotton pads aren't recommended here in Japan unless they are very thick and fluffy (check out ALBION, they have such amazing cotton pads) as Japanese people have thin and sensitive skin that shouldn't be rubbed. I have hyper pigmentation under my eyes which was caused by myself rubbing my eyes too much when I was younger, and possibly because I used the makeup wipes to remove my eye makeup when I was a teenager. Because I have experienced the downside of rubbing my skin, I am very careful whenever I use a cotton pad. I apply lotion quite a lot that it completely wet the cotton pad -which seems to be a waste of product but cotton actually pushes back the moisture whereas your palms absorb it.

So I take 3-4 pumps of the lotion on a cotton pad, gently swipe my skin with it, and place the pad on my cheeks or where I feel dry for a couple of minutes. It makes my skin very moisturised that I feel like I even can skip my moisturiser -which I never do though. As it doesn't contain fragrance, it's suitable to the skin which is sensitive to essential oils / artificial fragrance.

As I use about 8 pumps a day, I used up a half of it within 10 days or so. I know I shouldn't be bathing in it but it's keeping my skin moisturised so I am happy about it. I wish it wasn't as expensive as it is...

d program Moist Care Emulsion  4,104yen
They just reformulated this emulsion and the new one is available online ahead of the official launch on 21 / November. It moisturises skin while protecting it from the dryness. The 'gel balls' inside of the formula -which you can't feel- burst when applied on the skin to supply hydration and moisturisation.

Emulsion is another unique step seen in Japan. I personally don't use emulsion but I believe a lot of Japanese women are using it. Some people use emulsion instead of moisturiser but you are supposed to finish up your skincare routine with a good moisturiser. I do not use this emulsion in the morning because it contains oil which isn't perfect for combination skin, but it makes my skin soft when I use it at night.

It looks pretty thick but when applied on the face, it goes on smoothly and sinks in quickly. It leaves a slightly moisturising 'veil' on the surface of the skin, which goes away once it's completely absorbed. I always apply night cream on top which makes my face like a grease ball anyway, so I don't care how shiny my face looks when the only task left to me is to go to bed.

They also have different ranges which you can choose depending on your skin type. The blue one is Balance Care Program for dehydrated skin, the orange one is Acne Care Program for acne prone skin, and the purple one is Ageing Care Program for mature skin. I think Balance Care Program is suitable to my skin, and suspected that Moist Care would be too heavy but it actually works OK for my skin!

They have mini sets of trial sized products too which makes it easier for you to try out. I love it when a skincare brand comes out with mini sets especially when the full size products are pretty pricey. Check out d program if you have sensitive skin!

The Japanese Beauty Magazines I got this month

As you may know already, we have a few monthly beauty magazines in Japan. Voce, Maquia, Biteki, BiST, bea's up and some magazines fully dedicated to nail designs etc...you have some to choose from. I tend to buy Maquia and Biteki the most because they are targeting women in the same age group as myself which means the articles and products they are showing are very familiar and useful for me. Voce is also a very nice magazine that I still like, but it's targeting younger readers meaning sometimes their articles aren't informative enough for me. This month I got Maquia and Biteki as usual, so I thought to show you inside!

This month's issue of Biteki is much thicker than usual. It came with a little booklet showing Christmas Coffret from 109 brands in total. I was looking forward to this but to be honest, the layout of the booklet is really boring and it was truly disappointing. Other than that, the articles teaching how to make the most of your 30's are so-so, and some makeup tips are pretty useful.

Maquia did a much better job when it comes to showing Christmas Coffret in a nice layout, but to be honest Voce did the best job in my opinion. So if you want to enjoy discovering all the Coffret for this year, buy Voce!

I loved the fact they've got quite a few pages dedicated to makeup in this month's issue, you can keep up with Japanese trends by reading it. And also I found the one showing many red lipsticks in different undertones pretty helpful.

Next month, most of the beauty magazines will be revealing the beauty awards 2015, which I cannot wait for! I find Japanese beauty magazines the best, I enjoy them much more than I enjoy allure!

Japanese Drugstore Haul!

About a week ago, Alanna from UK2Tokyo and I went to Veggie Food Festival at Yoyogi Park. After we enjoyed Vegetarian Kebab and wandering around the park looking for treasures, we dropped by Ainz Tulpe in Harajuku. If you live in Tokyo and haven't been there before, you need to go there as soon as you can. Because I guarantee you that you will find amazing products you have not seen before. It's quite a big drugstore that has 2 floors and we actually spent 1.5 hours there as long as I can remember. Today I want to share my thoughts on the products I got from Ainz Tulpe as well as the ones I got to review!

Non Kuma
It contains 4 sheet masks for under the eyes that you can use multiple times.  I admit that I was attracted to the cute packaging at first, then I read that it reduces the appearance of dark circles which I am always conscious about. So when I found out it was only 500yen or so, I didn't hesitate to buy one. Far infrared slightly warms them up once applied, which they claim to improve circulation. I have used it once and I wish the sheets were a bit softer, but it feels relaxing to have slightly warm sheets under the eyes. My undereye circles are pretty dark so it might not erase them completely, but I am hoping them to fade a little so that I can reduce the amount of concealers to apply to hide them...

Rafra Balm Orange / Yuzu Honey
Rafra Balm Orange is my favourite cleansing balm in the world. I will write an in-depth review on this product because I have been enjoying it a lot, but this is such a lovely cleanser that makes me excited to remove makeup. Usually they only have the orange-scented one, but they just came out with a limited scent which is a blend of Yuzu and Honey. The scent is much weaker than the original, but it's more lemon-y and refreshing.

Pantene Extra Damage Care Hair Mask
This hair mask is given to me to review on my blog. As it's packed with silicone, it makes my hair feel absolutely silky smooth. My fine hair gets tangled very easily, but I don't even have to comb it in the morning when I have used this hair mask the night before.

Asience MEGURI
Though I cannot share my thoughts on this yet, the concept seems very interesting and unique. Asience, one of the most popular (and classic) hair care brands in Japan which I was obsessed with when I was younger, just came out with this new range called MEGURI. I got the trial set to see if I like them, and I believe it was only 500yen. There are 3 different scents, and I assume there is no difference between them besides the scents. I got Bergamot and Neroli which is the feminine yet refreshing scent, and they also have Lavender and Lemongrass, and Geranium and Mint. Starting with shampoo like you normally do, succinic acid removes calcium built up in your hair. Then apply the gel which supple your hair, and move on to the hair treatment without washing the gel off. I will write an in-depth review once I have tried them!

Ce Parfait Loose Powder / The City Matte
This is another product I got to review. I usually prefer pressed powder (I have been loving the pressed powder from Me Me Me Cosmetics, which makes my skin look like porcelain doll) rather than loose powder, because loose powder is a little too fine that completely disappears on my skin. But this loose powder maintains the matte skin for hours, which is a big PLUS for me! It looks a little bit cakey at the beginning, but once set on the skin, it makes it look flawless. The only downside is that it's a little too pigmented and makes me look pale. I much prefer a transparent powder.

L'Oreal Super Liner V Sculptor / Soft Bronze
I believe this product isn't available in the UK nor the US, but I hope they will bring it out there soon! I use it as an eyeshadow stick rather than an eyeliner, and it is absolutely beautiful. The sponge tip applicator isn't necessarily practical and the powder is pretty loose that falls off on the cheeks, but it looks so pretty on the lid! It's so pigmented and blendable, and the metallic finish is gorgeous.

What is your favourite Japanese drugstore product? Any recommendations? Let me know!

Exclusive in Asia? L'Oreal Lucent Magique Cushion Foundation

L'Oreal Lucent Magique Cushion Foundation  3,200yen
L'oread just came out with their version of Korean Cushion Foundation in Japan. It's already sold in Hong Kong and Thailand I suppose, and might be coming to other countries soon considering the fact this kind of foundation is getting more and more popular over there.

The case and refill come separately. The case is 1,000yen, and the refill is 2,200yen. Meaning once you've used it up, you can repurchase the foundation for 2,200yen which isn't too bad. The shade I've got is N2, which is the lighter shade out of two and another is N3.

You can see how liquidy the texture is, but the puff controls the wetness of it by absorbing the excess water (or whatever it is making it liquidy). It evens out the skin tone when applied on the skin by the cushiony puff, but it has very little coverage that you definitely need a concealer if you have blemishes or dark circles. I don't personally think this is a downside because I don't want my foundation to cover literally everything that I don't even need a little bit of concealer. That would be a scary look as if I am wearing a 'face mask made with foundation'.  Foundation is to even out the complexion, not to mask everything.

If you have dry skin, you will like the finish of it because it makes your skin look naturally healthy and dewy. If you have oily to combination skin like me, you might find it a little too shiny even if you set it with a powder.

This foundation is for those who have normal to dry skin, have no concerns and troubles with it that a foundation isn't even needed -but want something to even out the skin tone to make it look slightly better than bare skin. It also has SPF29 PA+++ which is perfect for a daily use.

Cushion foundation gives this beautiful and natural glow to the skin without making it look heavy and cakey. The texture is pretty unique that you might need some time to get use to -I was like 'EW!' when I tried for the first time because it feels cold and wet, which in't necessarily a pleasant feeling. But I definitely recommend it to younger people in their twenties, including my younger self at the age of 18.

Hada Labo Gokujyun Premium Oil Jelly

Hada Labo Gokujyun Premium Oil Jelly 
During the cold season, I sometimes feel my skin needs intense moisture. As I have combination skin I don't suffer from dry or chapped skin, but when I was younger -until the age of 25- I had really dry skin that sometimes I couldn't even laugh as my skin felt so tight because of the dryness. Whenever I had really really dry skin that none of my moisturiser worked, I applied a very thin layer of Vaseline to protect the skin. But it felt awful on the skin. Very greasy and sticky. Since then, I haven't had a good impression about Vaseline that I hadn't owned it even...until I got Hada Labo Oil Jelly.

The base of this 'jelly' is something called Super Vaseline which melts at 35 degrees which is about the same as our body temperature. It's so soft that you might be able to tell from the photo above, I put my finger in and it instantly started melting that it literally felt like jelly.

It doesn't feel heavy and tacky like normal Vaseline, it's more like a gel consistency when applied to the skin. It contains polymer that makes the skin feel smooth, and it works amazingly that you cannot tell that you just applied Vaseline 30 seconds ago. I was expecting it to be sticky, but I was completely wrong. It's not sticky AT ALL! Also it doesn't have any scent to it which is perfect for those who are sensitive to fragrances.

It's easy to carry it around in your makeup bag as it's compact, and you can apply it on the skin on top of your makeup as it's so light. You also can use it on your hands, nails, hair and lips! It completely changed my perspective about Vaseline. Well done Super Vaseline, you really are super!

I repurchased OPERA Sheer Lip Color!

OPERA Sheer Lip Color / Nude Pink  1,200yen
 Do you remember this post I wrote in October? I was really obsessed with this beautiful product which is like a hybrid of lipstick and lipgloss over last summer - autumn. I wasn't using it as often during winter, just because I preferred deeper shades in the colder season, but I finally used it up last month. It lasted longer than I expected, and I started missing it so much that I had to go back to SHOP IN where I purchased the first one, to get another one. 

I really loved the shade Salmon Pink, but this time I decided to pick up the intense version in this pink packaging, in Nude Pink. I used the word 'intense' to describe it, but it's not THAT intense to be honest. But compared to the one in the white tube, this one gives a little more colour.

Nude Pink looks like baby pink on their website, but I think it's more like a beigy nude pink. I tried all of the shades at the store, and all of them looked very pretty. I almost repurchased Salmon Pink, but I decided to go for a little more grown-up shade.

It's a very pretty nude pink that goes with any makeup looks. Especially when I put a bold shade on my eyes such as blue or green, I put this lipstick to tone the whole look down. 

I love the formula because it just melts on the lips instantly and gives shine and colour at the same time. It puts on beautifully even when my lips are dry, which is another good thing! I always keep it in my handbag, and apply it while waiting for a train, or in the lift, or sometimes as walking down the street, because I don't need a mirror to apply it. How convenient!

I will definitely repurchase it when it's run out, but maybe in a different shade just for a change!

MAIHADA CC Cream

MAIHADA CC Cream  3500yen
As my skin has been in a very good condition, I do not wear a foundation when it's not necessary. On most of my day off, I don't wear makeup at all, but this CC cream is what I wear when a little bit of makeup is needed. This CC cream is from a brand MAIHADA, a Japanese skincare brand which came out from KOSE in 2012. They investigated the secret of 'Japanese Beauty' and came to the conclusion that it's rice which has been supporting Japanese people's health and beauty for more than 2000 years.

The rice extract encourages the skin to create more ceramide which holds and locks moisture. Natto Gum, another key ingredient contained in their products, holds moisture on the surface of the skin. 

First of all, I love the packaging. It looks like a normal squeezy tube, but it's got a pump on it. How convenient is that? It dispenses the perfect amount of CC cream that covers the whole face, and it keeps the content fresh for a longer time.

 It works as a face cream, sunscreen, primer, foundation and face powder (really?). I usually prep my skin with a day cream and eye cream ignoring the claim it works as a face cream too. I blot with a tissue paper gently, then apply this cream on my face. I use Real Technique Buffing Brush or my fingers to blend in. 

It's got this gel-like consistency which makes it super easy to blend. It's not cakey nor drying, it melts into the skin while covering the pores and discoluoration. 

The reason why I love this CC cream so much is that it looks like I'm not wearing makeup at all, but it creates such a beautiful and smooth looking skin. It covers up the pores and prevents my skin to get shiny throughout the day, while adding a healthy glow to it. You know how difficult it is for a shiny girl to find a perfect foundation / BB or CC or whatever cream, that makes the skin look dewy and not oily?

I like the fact it's got SPF50+ PA+++ as well, because I hate piling up a face cream, eye cream, sunscreen, primer and CC cream during summer, because my makeup tends to come off easier during the day when I've got so many layers on my skin. I still need a little bit of concealer after applying this cream, but it covers the majority of my skin imperfections.

Apparently this cream contains 'air-in powder' which keeps the skin to stay smooth, as well as 'pore-lock polymer' which covers the pores, and 'oil-absorbing powder' that does what the name claims to do. And yes, it really does all that. They're not just making it up to make it sound attractive, it really does all that.

Well done MAIHADA, now you are one of my favourite skincare brands.