Since the last mini giveaway was such a success and so much fun, I thought it would be great to toss another personal fave up for grabs.

I have always been a firm fan of Hada Labo’s UV Emulsion SPF50PA+++, and this year, they released a whitening version, Hada Labo UV Whitening Emulsion SPF50PA+++, which has added in a dose of vitamin C to help skin repair.

I’m not sure if this product actually “whitens” your skin (probably not) but it does provide strong sun protection in a light-weight liquid form. There sunscreen doesn’t have ethanol, fragrance, and parabens, so it’s great for those who think this is an important point.

Unless you have incredibly oily skin, this sunscreen is great for most skin types. I find that it sits well under foundation and I only have to blot several hours later.

If you want to try this product, all you have to do is enter this giveaway. This is what you need to do:

❀ Be a follower on the Beauty Box Facebook Page and Twitter. If you are a follower on my Youtube channel, that’s a bonus. Do include your handle or name so it’ll be easy for me to locate where you are following me.

❀ Write in the comments section below on what type of posts and videos you would like to see in this space.

❀ Deadline: May 31, 2012, Thursday, midnight (Tokyo time)

-

“Like” us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter or subscribe to our RSS feed or Youtube to get the very latest updates, giveaways, and promotions.

Hello Friday, how glad I am to see you…Before I jet off, I’d like to share some excellent news with you — there are a slew of new products that came out recently and I simply had to add them to the store.

Since the promise of summer is pretty near, Hada Labo came out with some hot weather products to help you look your best.

Hada Labo UV Whitening Emulsion SPF50PA+++, (click here to buy) is the whitening version of their standard UV Emulsion SPF50PA+++ (see here). The only difference is the Vitamin C boost to help nourish your skin under strong UV rays. The thin milky texture wears well under makeup while giving high sun protection. Now this works like a dream in spring weather where it is warming up and there is more humidity in the air, but since it has no alcohol in the formula, some people might find this a bit shiny in extremely hot and humid conditions.

Now the answer to blistering hot weather is this Hada Labo UV Creamy Gel SPF50PA+++ (click here to buy). They have discontinued the standard UV Cream SPF32PA+++ and replaced it with this formula which is much lighter and has quicker absorption power. It is incredibly lightweight and uses UV filters without penetrating the skin.

But bear in mind that there is alcohol in this formula for those who are sensitive to it. There aren’t fragrance, colouring, and mineral oil which is the norm for Hada Labo products.

And the most exciting release of them all has to be the Hada Labo BB Whitening Cream SPF32PA+++ (click here to buy) which has added Vitamin C to nourish your skin while fighting strong sun rays. The consistency is the same as the standard BB creams (see here) that I’ve come to love — smooth, natural, light-to-medium coverage and lightweight. This whitening BB cream comes in the same two shades: Natural Beige and Natural Ochre.

As you long-term followers know, I have raved about the Hada Labo es range for sensitive skin (no additives like fragrance, colouring, alcohol, and parabens; see here) and they just added a cream just recently. Click here to buy.

It’s got a thicker texture than the es milk, which is an emulsion, naturally, but somehow it feels a little less greasy although it is a heavier cream. I have used it both day and night and it works like a dream (my skin is oily and dehydrated so I can attest that this moisturizer works really well for this skin type). In the summer, however, I think this would be too heavy but perhaps possible as a night moisturizer only if you’re sleeping in air-conditioning.

The texture is a light cream which is ever so slightly whipped. Sensitive skin moisturizers are notorious for just sitting on the surface of the face but I can assure you this one sinks right in with all its hyaluronic acid goodness too!

Lastly, I just added the Ettusais BB Mineral Powder SPF16PA++ which is part of their BB Mineral Cream range (click to buy here). This loose powder has only two shades (the BB cream has three shades, 01, 02, 03) — Light Beige (for fair skinned types) and Natural Beige (slightly darker skin types).

Happy shopping and thanks for reading!

-

“Like” us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter or subscribe to our RSS feed or Youtube to get the very latest updates, giveaways, and promotions.

Thank you for supporting my first mini-giveaway of 2012. I’d been bouncing around the idea of holding small giveaways more often on the blog but was worried people might not be so interested in such a tiny event. You proved me wrong and am keen to hold another one soon.

So let’s see who won!

Dundadadaaaaaaaaan…..

I’ll be contacting you soon via email for your delivery address! Congrads!!

Yup it’s giveaway time again! Why? Just because! I thought it would be fun to do a random giveaway on a single product once in a while.

And this giveaway is to thank all of you who support the blog and are part of our cozy little community here where we obsess about all things beauty together.

I have only ONE Hada Labo BB Cream in Natural Beige SPF 32 up for grabs. This would only be suitable for those who are NC15-20 but if you are on the fairer side of NC15, this could be a bit too dark. Please note that it’s got a yellow undertone and the coverage is sheer to medium.

It’s truly one of my favorite BB creams and I love the fact that it has no fragrance, no parabens, and alcohol. I always get compliments when I use this BB cream and it’s a staple I’ll have in my collection for a long time to come.

All you have to do is “Like” the Beauty Box Facebook Page, or follow us on Twitter, or both. Your chances will be higher if you did both, and if you could tell your friends on Facebook and/or Twitter about this giveaway, that’s another bonus. Then finally, tell me in the comments section why you would like to receive this BB cream.

DEADLINE: APRIL 1ST 2012

-

“Like” us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter or subscribe to our RSS feed or Youtube to get the very latest updates, giveaways, and promotions.

It’s been a while since I added new products to the store and I’m very excited to announce that we are selling two brand new items which I personally use and like.

I’m a die-hard compact fan so when I saw that Nanoce BB Skincare Pact SPF17 PA++ came out in Japan, I knew I had to try it. The coverage is light to medium (highly buildable especially with a kabuki brush) and becomes less matte throughout the day. It’s not a powder that helps you stay matte, and in fact, gives a slightly dewy finish after a couple of hours.

What’s interesting is that it is marketed as a skincare product and their slogan says you would have no regrets even if you forget to wash it off before bed. I’ve not tried this out yet as I really don’t go to sleep with my makeup on, but this compact powder has jojoba oil, vitamin E, aloe vera essence with talc, silica, and mica, so it is has some skincare benefits. The compact is also free from silicones, parabens, fragrance, and polymers which is a big plus point in my book.

It’s great as a finishing powder or on its own. I prefer to put on BB cream or foundation and then top it up with this compact powder.

It comes in two shades. The one pictured above is No.1 Natural Ocre (click here to buy) which suits those with NC20 skintone.

This is the second shade: No.2 Healthy Ocre (click here to buy) which is the one I use and it’s suitable for NC25-30 skintones.

I know both shades look so similar in the pan but they are quite different. If you are familiar with the BB creams, the compact powders correspond to the two shades that run throughout the whole range.

Nanoce has base makeup that matches Asian skin types that have a bit of yellow undertone and they have one shade, Natural Ocre, for those who are fairer and a darker shade, Healthy Ocre, that suits those who are slightly more tanned. However, Nanoce doesn’t really cater to extreme ends of the skintone spectrum but that’s pretty much the same with most BB creams on the market.

Speaking of BB creams, I thought Ettusais Mineral BB Cream (more detailed review here) was so fantastic for my oily combination skin that I had to pop this into my store.

I find this more suitable for warmer, humid months and especially for those who have oily skin. If you have dry skin, this BB cream may not suit you in winter as it does contain a bit of alcohol in the formula. Shade 30 fits my NC25 skin (click to buy here) to a tee and I can see why they use that baby-soft skin image in their ad campaigns because my skin looks quite soft and natural when I use this.

This range has three shades in all and have lighter shades, 10 and 20 (click to buy here and here), which are for fairer skintones.

-

“Like” us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter or subscribe to our RSS feed or Youtube to get the very latest updates, giveaways, and promotions.

I know you guys have been waiting for the results — thank you for your patience and for making Beauty Box’s 3rd Anniversary so fun and meaningful. I really enjoyed reading all your comments and had SUCH a hard time picking my top three favourites. Please know that I treasure all of you who follow Beauty Box, and without you, there wouldn’t be our little community right here.

So……here goes….

The Grand Prize goes to Helen!

“Following on Facebook, Twitter and Youtube…Although one night you did keep me up until 3am…I was looking for some Japanese shampoo I bought from Singapore and came across this!…Beauty Box provides a little escapism from my life…I like how you show recipes in conjunction with products as this provides a very balanced (and sensible!) outlook on life. You are also quite inspiring to me the way you have set up a business in another country…”

+ Hada Labo es range trial kit (sensitive skin): foaming facial wash, lotion, cleansing oil, and moisturizer
+ Hada Labo BB Cream SPF 32 PA+++ (shade will depend on your preference; Natural Beige or Natural Ochre)
+ Mandom Barrier Repair Facial Mask HA Super Moist
+ Oshima Tsubaki Oil 40ml
+ Kikiyu Clay Bath Salts Bottle (for smooth skin)
+ Canmake nude nail polish 31
+ Chasty travel-sized perfume bottle with transfer pump

The 2nd Prize goes to Evie!

“I first found Lioness In Japan [my personal blog] and what first attracted to me was that you are a Singaporean living in Japan!…I love to read Beauty Box as it features cosmetics and skincare, although there are a lot of blogs out there that are on beauty…you show what is living in Japan like from a foreign perspective and I love your videos on making healthy drinks which I like to try out as they are simple and easy!”

+ Hada Labo BB Cream SPF 32 PA+++ (shade will depend on your preference; Natural Beige or Natural Ochre)
+ Mandom Barrier Repair Facial Mask HA
+ Kikiyu Clay Bath Salts sample (for smooth skin)
+ Mutenka Cow Brand Facial Wash (Normal Skin)
+ Mutenka Cow Brand Cleansing Milk
+ Foam net
+ Canmake nude nail polish 31
+ Chasty travel-sized perfume bottle with transfer pump

And finally the 3rd Prize goes to Justine!

“I like seeing you feature new products that you’ve added to your store, especially as you usually try them first and can give an honest review about what the product is like! I’m still trying to map out a purchase (too many choices) but it’s very convenient to have your blog for reference while I look at the store, especially as I can’t read Japanese ingredient lists or instructions.”

+ Hada Labo BB Emulsion SPF 50 PA+++ (shade will depend on your preference; Natural Beige or Natural Ochre)
+ Mandom Barrier Repair Facial Mask HA
+ Geruma Bath Salts sample (for sweating)
+ Mutenka Cow Brand Cleansing Oil
+ Canmake pinkish nude nail polish 104
+ Chasty travel-sized perfume bottle with transfer pump

I will contact you soon and do let me me which shade you would like for your new Hada Labo BB cream or emulsion. There is Natural Beige (NC15-20) and Natural Ochre (NC25-30) — if neither of these suit your skin tone, you can swap it with any other Hada Labo product that we sell at the store.

-

“Like” us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter or subscribe to our RSS feed or Youtube to get the very latest updates, giveaways, and promotions.

Happy Friday to my fellow beauty junkies….Thank you so much for participating in our 3rd Anniversary Giveaway — the results will be out soon so sit tight!

Today I just want to announce that two new sunscreens are available at the Beauty Box Store: Hada Labo UV Moist Cream SPF 30 PA+++ and UV Moist Emulsion SPF30 PA+++.

The best thing about these sunscreens is that they are free of irritating additives — no fragrance, no mineral oil, no ethanol and the added bonus is their signature hyaluronic acid formula (a mix of three types of hyaluronic acid!) for keeping skin hydrated. They are both chemical sunscreens.

The Hada Labo UV Moist Emulsion SPF50 PA+++ has been my go-to sunscreen all summer and its milky consistency sits well under my makeup, in fact I use this as my primer, especially since Tokyo summer is terribly humid and I try to put as few products on my face as possible. The SPF factor is 50— WOW! I also spread this on my neck, behind my ears, chest and back and my skin has not broken out from using this sunscreen.

On it’s own, it does leave a sheen on the face but I think this is due to the fact that this sunscreen has no ethanol which has a drying effect on the skin (and causes aging in the long run!). I think that’s the trade-off when you use a non-irritating sunscreen for face.

For those who follow this blog closely, you would know that I really dislike products that have a lot of ethanol (or listed within the top five ingredients of a product) so I was happy to have found this sunscreen.

I once used a Japanese drugstore sunscreen which had ethanol as the second ingredient on its list and spread it all over my face and hands during a picnic by the river under the sun. At the end of the day, my skin looked so dry and felt tight! My hands especially suddenly had deeper creases and lines — never again!

The Hada Labo UV Moist Cream has SPF 32 PA+++ acts as a moisturizer, makeup base, and sunscreen — this is richer than the emulsion and I think this is more suitable for dryer skin types and for colder weather. I tried this on in the thick of Japanese summer and it’s not quite suitable for my oily skin. I’m a bit hesitant to skip my moisturizer and go straight to this sunscreen but I think it’s possible seeing that it’s touted as an “all-in-one”. I would probably go back to this in winter when my skin needs more hydration.

Here is a swatch of the sunscreens so you can look at their consistency. On top is the Hada Labo UV Moist Cream and the bottom is the UV Moist Emulsion.

Both products pair well with the Hada Labo BB Moist Cream and Emulsion line, too.

The links to these products sold at the Beauty Box store are here:

Hada Labo UV Moist Cream SPF30 PA+++
Hada Labo UV Moist Emulsion SPF50 PA+++

-

“Like” us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter or subscribe to our RSS feed or Youtube to get the very latest updates, giveaways, and promotions.

Hot on the heels of the Nanoce BB Sorbet launch at the store, I’ll like to introduce you to Nanoce BB Whitening Essence SPF 35 PA+++ which is a BB cream with ingredients to help fade and prevent hyper-pigmentation.

It also contains hyaluronic acid and collagen as anti-aging ingredients to help moisturize the skin and coenzyme q10 as an anti-oxidant to help fight free radicals that damage the skin.

Since I’m a bit tanned, I chose to swatch shade No. 2 Healthy Ochre on my hand first.

It has a yellow tone to it so it’s suitable for my olive complexion.

The formula blends into my hand seamlessly and feels lighter than the original Nanoce BB Moist Cream, i.e. it’s more runny in texture.

This is my mug shot with only the Nanoce BB Whitening Essence in No. 2 so apologies if I look a little scary with pale lips and eyebrows but I really want to show you how it looks on my skin tone…

As you can see, it’s a bit lighter than my natural skin tone (NC25-30) so I would definitely need to dust some powder on my face to make it darker. The coverage is thicker than the Nanoce BB Sorbet and is comparable to the Nanoce BB Moist Cream and is highly buildable but if it’s a bit too light for you (like it was for me), I would advise you to use a lighter hand to apply this BB cream to avoid looking mask-like.

This is a shot of me with the Nanoce BB Whitening Essence with a light dusting of Revlon’s ColorStay Face Powder Compact 104 Medium. I put on some lipstick (Revlon Matte Lipstick 12 and Jill Stuart Lip Jewel 07 — my latest fave combo!) and blush to have a more complete look. For my eyes, I used Lunasol’s Modelling Eyes 01 Beige Beige. I was pleased with the overall effect as my skin looked quite natural and the BB cream covered redness and blemishes quite well, plus the high SPF factor is a winning point for me.

I would use reach for this BB cream for daily wear but it’s got enough coverage, like the original Nanoce BB Moist Cream, to make it a bit more than medium coverage. It’s definitely not a full coverage base but I find this wearable for many occasions.

Here’s a swatch of both Nanoce BB Whitening Essence No. 1 (top) and No. 2 (bottom) on my hand. No.1 Natural Ochre is suited to those with NC15-20 skin tone.

And a swatch on a white makeup sponge to show up the colours more clearly — No.1 is on the left and No.2 is on the right.

You can buy these Nanoce BB products at the Beauty Box store:
Nanoce BB Whitening Essence No.1 Natural Ochre
Nanoce BB Whitening Essence No.2 Healthy Ochre

P.S.: Our 3rd Anniversary giveaway is still open for participants — lots of my ultimate fave Japanese products to be won and three winners will be chosen. Closes on Aug 31 so get over there and put your name down!
-

“Like” us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter or subscribe to our RSS feed or Youtube to get the very latest updates, giveaways, and promotions.

Hi my dearies, how was your weekend? I had a lovely time but it was a very busy two days — dancing, movies, hanging out with friends, a Tokyo Bay cruise (will do a little update on this soon), plus lots of sleeping in.

Also, the entries for my 3rd Anniversary/Birthday Giveaway are still coming in, and many thanks to those who have so thoughtfully worded their comments. If you haven’t joined, go on over to the page and stand a chance to win my absolute fave Japanese beauty products (Hada Labo, tsubaki oil, bb creams etc.)!

Today, I’ve got a new goodie for you BB cream fanatics. I’m really digging this one because it not only matches my skin tone, it’s lightweight but gives enough coverage in this sweltering summer.

Oh, hello there….Introducing Nanoce BB Sorbet. It’s a BB cream in spray can — unconventional but it does work well…trust me…

It comes with a flat makeup sponge to help you apply the BB cream onto your face.

Just spray a small amount onto the sponge. I find that it takes about 5-6 gentle sprays to get medium coverage. You can use less if you wish but I personally prefer medium coverage for any season.

This is a swatch of Nanoce BB Sorbet No.2 Healthy Ochre SPF35 PA++ (I’m NC25-30; but I lean towards NC30 right now) on the makeup sponge.

I sprayed and then smeared it on my hand…

And I blended it in…looks seamless!

This is my face with only the Nanoce BB Sorbet No.2 Healthy Ochre. I know I look kinda weird but I wanted to show you how it looks on its own without powder. As you can see, it has a slight glow to it. For those with oily complexion, you may want to dust on a bit of powder.

This is an FOTD with the Nanoce BB Sorbet No.2 Healthy Ochre topped with Revolon ColorStay Pressed Powder in 104 Medium (I’m mad about British makeup artist Lisa Eldridge’s videos and this Revlon product is one of her all-time faves — had to try it!!), Holika Holika Breeze Kitten Blush, MAC Select Moisture Cover NW25 (under-eye circles), Clinique Anti-Blemish Solutions Clearing Concealer (for scars and blemishes), Paul & Joe Eye Gloss Duo 05, Lancome L’Extreme mascara, MAC Brow Set Beguille, Bourjois Delice de Poudre Highlighting Powder, Revlon Matte Lipstick 12 and Jill Stuart Lip Jewel 07.

I think I put a bit too much powder but it doesn’t look like it in the photo. I think I would be less heavy-handed with the powder next time because this BB cream does have nice coverage and the powder should only be dusted on to remove too shiny areas on the face.

I thought I would include swatches for Nanoce BB Sorbet No.1 Natural Ochre SPF35 PA++ so you fairer ladies will have an idea what it looks like. I would think those with NC15-20 complexions would like No.1. Be warned that as with all Nanoce BB products, these shades have a yellow undertone.

No.1 freshly sprayed on my hand. I know my skin looks so dark here but my camera probably contrasted the light color of the cream with my slightly tanned skin.

No.1 smeared swatch on my hand.

No.1 swatch on the sponge.

Some last thoughts: I loved the novelty of the spray can and there is a cooling sensation to the cream if you spray it on your skin, however, there is no ethanol in this BB cream and I only spotted an alcohol derivative three-quarters down the ingredients list. It doesn’t have that super-matte finish that BB creams with ethanol have, so it looks more like your-skin-but-better.

I find this BB cream to last well under humid conditions and I tend to look glowy after sweating for a few hours. The only thing I don’t really like about this product is that it’s quite difficult to wash the cream off the makeup sponge. I would rub and rub soap on it three to four times but there would be a slight stain left over. I have tried to spray the product onto my fingers and it worked really well. The sponge does give a more flawless finish so maybe you might want to use your favorite sponge instead of the one they provide.

You can buy both Nanoce BB Sorbet shades No.1 and No.2 at the Beauty Box Store.

-

“Like” us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter or subscribe to our RSS feed or Youtube to get the very latest updates, giveaways, and promotions.

Remember I was battling breakouts earlier this year? I was experimenting with loads of products in the hope of finding those that wouldn’t cause skin irritation and have since been always on the look out for additive-free skincare.

At the beginning of summer, Hada Labo came out with their new es range for sensitive skin. It promises no parabens, mineral oil, fragrance, alcohol and coloring. When I saw that they had a trial kit, I grabbed it.

The products in the kit are indeed gentle and non-irritating on the skin:

+ Facial foaming wash, 80ml
+ Lotion (or toner), 30ml
+ Cleansing liquid, 30ml
+ Moisturizing Milk, 30ml

I road-tested them in really humid and hot weather so I’m not sure how they would perform in colder, dryer climes but since there is an absence of alcohol in the products, I don’t think they would be very drying at all.

I like all the products and would say the facial foaming cleanser and cleansing liquid are my faves in the range, with the moisturizer in third place and the lotion in last place.

Hada Labo es Foaming Facial Wash (click here to buy)

The foaming facial wash pumps out ready-made foam and I could tell it was really gentle because my eyes did not sting at all especially when I used my Clarisonic. I like to swipe the Clarisonic all over my face for the full minute before it stops vibrating, and with all my other facial washes, my eyes would sting from the foam sneaking under my closed lids. However, if you want a deep cleansing experience, this wouldn’t be so suitable, but if you are looking for a non-stripping cleanser, this is a good option.

Hada Labo es Cleansing Liquid (click here to buy)

The cleansing liquid is made in the vein of a cleansing oil but I think Hada Labo refrained from calling it an oil because it doesn’t feel oily. The consistency is more like a thick lotion without the stickiness. It removes all my makeup sufficiently and I was happy with it. Although for my Majorlica Majorca mascara, I had to leave it on for at least a few minutes for it to completely remove it. But if I was pressed for time, I just used a separate dual-phase eye makeup remover. But the Hada Labo cleansing liquid could remove my Lancome mascara fine.

Hada Labo es Moisturizing Milk (click here to buy)

The moisturizing milk is great for night-time only as it’s on the heavy side for my oily combination skin. For sleeping in air-conditioning, this moisturizer was great for hydrating my skin and didn’t cause any breakouts at all. I also tried it as a day moisturizer and my face got way too oily. The reason why I think it’s on the thick side because I do feel a slight film on my skin in the morning when I wash my face, quite similar to when I use a sleeping mask gel.

Hada Labo es Lotion (click here to buy)

I put the es lotion in fourth position because I personally prefer very thick moisturizing lotions before I go onto the moisturizing step. This is very watery and it does suit extremely humid weather when you need minimal hydration and especially if you are layering on products before putting on makeup.

I know how hard it is to get good quality skincare for sensitive skin so I’m selling this trial kit at the Beauty Box Store, plus the full-sized versions, too (facial foaming wash; lotion; cleansing liquid; moisturizing milk).

If you want to have a chance to win this Hada Labo es trial kit, you can join my 3rd Anniversary/Birthday Giveaway (which expires end of Aug).

-

“Like” us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter or subscribe to our RSS feed or Youtube to get the very latest updates, giveaways, and promotions.