Hello, my dearies, this week has just been manic for me so this post is up a little later than I planned. Thank you so much for your lovely feedback on Beauty Box over at our 3rd Anniversary Giveaway post (leave a comment on what you like about Beauty Box and what you would like to see more of and stand a chance to win amazing Japanese drugstore faves!)…Today is the last day!
Today’s Beauty Box TV episode shows what are the typical steps in a Japanese skincare regime. There are some similarities with Western skincare steps but there are of course a few distinct differences. When I first came to Japan, I was so confused over what to buy for myself but I was eager to try new stuff because Japanese skincare products have such a great reputation. I hope you enjoy watching my explanation!
Products mentioned in this video:
Part I:
Mutenka Cleansing Oil (click here to buy)
Mandom Cleansing Express Moist Wipes
Hada Labo es Foaming Facial Wash (click here to buy)
Mandom Beauty Barrier Repair Facial Mask HA (click here to buy)
SKII Treatment Essence Mask
Part II:
Shikon Lotion
Naruko Rose & Snow Fungus Cubic Aqua Complex
Hada Labo es Milk (Click here to buy)
Jurlique Viola Cream
Hello gorgeous gals, I’m having a great week and my mind is full of wedding prep — I’ve had a two-year engagement so I thought I would be so over it by now but I’m surprisingly excited like it just happened yesterday. I’m all about being prepared and organized so even though I have two more months, I think it’s better to be safe than sorry.
But I did have time to think about the drugstore buys I made since late spring/ early summer. I have been slowly accumulating all these product photos (I tend to snap a picture of them just before I test-drive them) and I’ve got enough to fill two long posts. So here we go!
Hada Labo Super Hyaluronic Acid Moist Mist
Can I just say I love this facial mist! I use it to set my makeup if I’m wearing a powder finish which is what I do on the weekends. On the weekdays, I tend to work out on most days so my skin tends to be very damp after my shower which is before I put on my makeup, thus I only use a bb cream without setting it with powder. So this spray gives an even and wide spritz, so I don’t have to spray too many times to blanket my whole face. When I use this over the Clinique BB Cream, MAC Mineralize Skinfinish, and Estee Lauder Vita-Mineral Nutritious Loose Powder combo, I get this glowy look which I’m crazy about.
Soooo, I stopped using Silk Naturals’ Strawberry Spritz (pictured above) although it smells great. Since I use acne products with salicylic acid, this spritz causes my skin to turn bright red and my face looks like it has red streaks after applying this – not a good look!!!!
Hada Labo UV Moist Emulsion SPF PA+++
I would give this sunscreen four out of five stars because it doesn’t break me out and its milky texture sinks in quickly and acts as a primer for base makeup. It has no alcohol and it’s hard to find a sunscreen in Japan that has no alcohol. I dislike alcohol in sunscreens because it is so drying and ages your skin — I’m not adverse to alcohol in products but it should be much further down the ingredients list but for most Japanese sunscreens, alcohol is the second or third item from the top.
The reason why I wouldn’t give this Hada Labo sunscreen five stars is that it does make my skin quite oily halfway through the day and I have to blot to avoid looking like a grease ball. But you know, I would rather have this problem than have fine lines and acne due to lots of alcohol. And my skin hasn’t broken out after using this for over two months. I have also spread this on my neck and chest and upper back area when I need to go out in the sun. I would highly recommend this to those who are sensitive to huge amounts of alcohol.
Hada Labo Super Hyaluronic Acid Moist Essence EX
I have mixed feelings about this product — but mostly good, for you Hada Labo fans out there. It’s great in spring when the air is semi-dry in Tokyo. I can put this on under my Clinique Anti-Blemish Solutions Clearing Moisturizer and pile on a sunscreen before my makeup and I would look and feel fine. But once the humidity set in, it felt way too rich and I’m keeping this for autumn. I think hyaluronic serums are the bomb for those who have dry but acne-prone skin — you need hydration without oil or cream.
Mutenka Body Soap
I am obsessed with Mutenka products so I wanted to try their whole range, including their body wash. I think it cleans very well but I don’t really like the stripping feeling it gives. I think if you are looking for an additive-free body wash (free of parabens, mineral oil, fragrance, colouring), this would be suitable for you. But I like to smell nice after a shower so I’m sticking to The Body Shop’s Earthlovers Shower Gels for now.
Mutenka Shampoo & Treatment Conditioner (Shiny)
The shampoo really helped to clear up my back and chest acne — I didn’t use it to wash those areas but I think my skin gets sensitive to heavily fragranced shampoos and rich formula conditioners so for the two months that my chest and back were healing, this shampoo helped me to cut down on contact with irritating ingredients. But I don’t think it washes as well as other shampoos like Nudy Aura or Nature’s Gate and I tend to get a greasy scalp the next day. The conditioner label says サラサラ which means shiny so it’s for normal hair (for dry hair, it says しっとりwhich means moist). It moisturizes okay actually and I would recommend it to those with sensitive skin or scalp. However, the downside again is the lack of any scent so it might bother you if you want to have sweet-smelling tresses (like me).
Mandom Barrier Repair Ready To Mask
I thought this sounded so intriguing that it was a pre-mask treatment — yowzers, one more step?! Actually, it’s quite the contrary. You put this cream on after washing your face and before a sheet mask. You don’t need a lotion or moisturizer so it’s perfect for tired souls who can’t be bothered with so many creams/lotions. The cream is fairly thick but doesn’t leave the skin overly oily. Again, this is definitely a cold weather product because it worked fine for me in spring and I loved the fuss-free regime, but once summer came, it was just too rich. So this is shelved for autumn.
You can look at the steps involved in using this pre-mask cream. Strictly for sheet mask junkies (like me).
To be continued….
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Hi my lovelies, I’ve got a giveaway for you — it’s been a long time since my last giveaway and I just want to thank all of you for your support. Please watch the video because I talk about why I love Mandom Barrier Repair sheet masks.
As a side note, when I first spotted this brand, I was like, “Why is there a baby on the packaging?” Actually if you strip away the plastic cover, the products all kinda look like this…
I think I care more about what’s inside a bottle than the outside — it’s gotta work!!
There are going to be TWO winners this time because I’ve got a set for dry skin and another for normal skin.
Dry Skin Products
From left to right: Mandom Barrier Repair Facial Foam, Baby Moist Lotion Super Moist, Facial Mask HA Super Moist (5 sheets), Baby Moist Cream
Normal Skin Products
From left to right: Mandom Barrier Repair Facial Foam, Baby Moist Lotion , Facial Mask HA (5 sheets), Baby Moist Essence
How to join:
+ Leave a comment below, stating which set you would like and be a subscriber to my Youtube channel, or be a follower on my Facebook page or Twitter (or all three).
Before I wrap things up, I’d like to introduce a couple of new products at our store from Mutenka Cow Brand. It’s a line of skincare that is affordable and free from parabens, mineral oil, fragrance, and coloring so it’s suitable for those with sensitive skin or who want to use products that are additive-free. I am loving them and I hope you’ll give them a go, too!
Mutenka Cow Brand Cleansing Milk. Click here to buy.
I’m on a roll with the videos lately — I figured I’ll milk the creative streak I’m having and see where it takes me. And…THANK YOU so much for your lovely comments on my second e-book, 7-Day Salad Handbook – go grab a copy if you haven’t already (it’s free)! Quite a few of my readers said that the warm weather is perfect for salads and very rightly so…
Today’s video showcases my skincare routine this early summer. The weather is getting warmer but the temperatures do dip below 20 degrees C and it’s not that humid yet. The air gets horribly muggy in July and August which I’m sure would change the products I use yet again. My skincare routine is always a work in progress…
But right now, this line-up works for me. I find that I still need to moisturize with at least two or more hydrating products because the air does get drier in the night.
Products used in this video:
Night Routine:
Mandom Barrier Repair Facial Foam + Clarisonic
Mandom Barrier Repair Baby Moist Lotion Super Moist
Mandom Barrier Repair Facial Mask HA Super Moist
Clinique Anti-Blemish Solutions Clearing Moisturizer
Mandom Barrier Repair Concentrate Serum
Clean & Clear Persa Gel-10
Good Skin Labs Serum-365
Morning Routine:
The same, except I replace the Mandom Barrier Repair Concentrate Serum with Clinique’s Super City Block Ultra Protection SPF 40 and I pat the Mandom Barrier Repair Baby Moist Super Moist Lotion into my skin, instead of using a cotton pad.
You can buy Mandom Barrier Repair products from my store right over here.
Thanks for watching and have a great weekend!
I’m going to the beach tomorrow — what are you doing?
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As promised, I am sharing more on my new skincare routine. Besides using apple cider vinegar regularly, I have taken to using a sheet mask before bed almost daily for a month. About once or twice a week, I would use Clinique’s Acne Solutions Oil Control Cleansing Mask which is a clay mask to rid my skin of clogged pores, but on other days, I will put on a brightening or hydrating sheet mask.
I have heard so much about Japanese women using sheet masks as a part of their daily skincare routine that I decided I had to try it. The second reason was that although I have an oily T-zone, I was also battling dry flaky skin on the rest of my face. Unfortunately, a rich moisturizer would make me too oily especially in the daytime so I tried layering different serums and light lotions but I think this caused my skin to freak out.
Here are the sheet masks I have been trying…
Kracie Moisturizing Facial Mask Extra Rich 25 ml of essence per sheet; no fragrance or colouring
I LOVE THIS! Seriously, it is so moisturizing but completely oil-free due to the hyaluronic acid. It’s perfect for my “parched” oily skin (oily skin tends to overproduce oil because it’s actually dry) and my skin doesn’t feel that oily in the morning.
Mandom Barrier Repair Facial Mask HA 22ml of essence per sheet; no fragrance, colouring, and mineral oil
I love this as well but this has slightly less essence. I like it so much that I will sell it on my store soon. It still does an excellent job and the results are the same to me and the plus point is that this product has no parabens.
Kose Clearturn Hyaluronic Acid Mask 22ml of essence per sheet; no fragrance, colouring, alcohol and mineral oil
I’ve never actually tried this product even though I sell it in my store (I tried the coenzyme Q10 and collagen) and I’m glad to confirm it works well on my sensitive skin. Seriously, anything with hyaluronic acid in a sheet mask will do wonders to pallid, sallow skin. I can actually tell a difference right after I use it and the morning after. Ditto with the Kracie and Mandom Barrier Repair masks.
Raffine Perfect One Deep Treatment Mask 25ml of essence per sheet; contains collagen, hyaluronic acid, baker’s yeast, pomegranate & chamomile; slight fragrance I also sell this in my store and this is indeed a luxurious deep treatment mask. Even after wearing it for 40 minutes, this still had essence on the mask. It is generously infused with essence that will brighten your complexion immediately. My skin feels softer the morning after but since this is pricier than drug store brands, I will use this once a week or once a fortnight.
Aqualabel Reset Whitening Mask 18ml of essence per sheet; slight fragrance
Of all the masks I tried, I really didn’t like this one. My face felt tight after using it so I didn’t even want to try it again. Enough said.
Bihada Ichizoku Whitening Mask 27ml of essence per sheet; slight fragrance
I didn’t find this “transforming” at all and it left my skin slightly tight after I took it off. I did more research on this and the brand is based on a TV anime series on Tokyo TV which frankly doesn’t give me much confidence in this brand. The reason why I tried it because it is in all the drug stores and ranked quite well on Cosme.
SKII Facial Treatment Mask
I used to slather the Facial Treatment Essence on my face when I was working at a women’s magazine yonks ago — on hindsight it was a waste because I was in my mid-twenties and young skin just defies anything from aging to pollution to fried food. My skin looked brighter after using it but it wasn’t enough to justify an on-going crack addiction to SKII. But recently, I’ve been desperate (and I have two weddings this year) and turning 33 soon, so I thought I should treat myself to the grand dame of all sheet masks and this is by far the best of all I have tried. The mask is full of essence (strangely I couldn’t find an amount stated on the packaging) and the mask itself is very sturdy and thick compared to all the above brands. My skin feels moisturized and looks clearer and brighter after wards — it’s the best but you gotta pay top dollar for it. Definitely a once a week or once a fortnight habit.
I hope you enjoyed my sheet mask marathon experience/review. I am a convert now because my skin has improved visibly — I will definitely put on a mask daily or every other day to maintain my skin. Perhaps my complexion is a little schizophrenic — oily but dry, acne-prone and sensitive — and therefore needs more love and care so I would seriously recommend a sheet mask treatment as often as humanly possible if you have the same issues as me.
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Just a quick announcement that we have NEW products at the store. We have been expanding our range very quickly recently so we can give you an even better shopping experience during this period of holiday shopping.
To follow up washing your face and putting on a toner or lotion, these two moisturizers will help seal in moisture and keep your skin soft and smooth. Both products are free of fragrance, coloring, and parabens.
And lastly, some lovely Japanese bath salts to soothe away fatigue and the chills this winter. Remember my Great Japanese Bath Experiment post? Well, I was so won over by Kikiyu that I had to put it in the store.
I totally wanted to do a video on my top 10 winter essentials as a follow-up to my summer faves video here. But the iMovie program on my Macbook is not working for some reason and I can’t figure it out.
Soooo, here’s a blog post on them instead…
Fruit of the Earth Vitamin E Oil is something I use almost every night along with some aloe vera gel to thin it. It moisturizes my skin in this dry weather and helps to heal scars and acne.
There’s also another reason why I have not moved my butt to get a video camera to replace my faulty Macbook — my skin is not in great condition and as a beauty blogger, I feel embarrassed to have problematic skin at the moment. One of my resolutions this year (and the year is almost over!) is to be more authentic and I’ll be honest why I’m suffering from pimple breakouts: I came off birth control pills at the end of June and the transition has been a bit rocky emotionally and physically. I took the pill for six years and my mother would be so upset if she read this (but mum, if you are reading this, take it as good news that I’ve finally stopped) because she is very against pouring artificial hormones into the body.
For those who have not been through this experience, let me tell you that it is no less than awful. My emotions are better because I don’t have so much estrogen in my body but I feel flat because my body is not used to having that large amount, too. Skin-wise, it has been sucky — I’m breaking out like a teenager and it makes me feel depressed.
But I know it is temporary and I’m trying the best I can to help my body heal. Let’s go back to my winter love list.
