Good morning from Singapore! I touched down yesterday at 630am after an 11-hour flight from Frankfurt and I was seriously jellified from jet lag yesterday. While it is always a fierce battle to stay awake during the day, I always love the super early mornings although I cannot sleep in the wee hours so I went for a jog and watched the sun rise over the Little Red Dot – light purple, streaky orange, pale blue skies dotted with white fluffy clouds. It was sweltering even at 6am but what else can you expect from a hot and steamy tropical island. eh?

So it does seem a little weird to be blogging about my spring time skincare routine in Japan but I thought it could be interesting for my fellow sensitive skin sisters to have a look at what’s working for me right now.

Just a bit of background for those who don’t know my skin type: I have oily combination skin that is prone to dehydration and acne, plus I tend to get rashes if I use heavily fragranced and/or complex formulas, so I keep it really simple these days.

In the morning, I wash my face with CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser. I may alternate this with the Hada Labo es Foaming Facial Wash and the only reason I do so is that I may take a shower in the morning and the Hada Labo one sits in the shower room and the CeraVe one is next to the bathroom sink. I like both equally and they clean well without stripping my skin.

Next, I dot my T-zone with my ever-reliable Clinique Anti-Blemish Clearing Moisturizer with salicylic acid to prevent my pores from clogging. Then, I follow up with a coin-sized blob of Physiogel Cream all over my face and neck, after which, I would put on whatever sunscreen I may be using at the moment. I’m almost done with the Hada Labo UV Cream (this has been sadly discontinued) and will switch to a lighter one as soon as the weather gets warmer.

In the evening, I remove my makeup with Mutenka Cow Brand Cleansing Oil. I stopped using eye makeup remover for now because this cleansing oil does a pretty good job of taking off all my eye makeup (and my mascara of the moment is Deja Vu’s Fiberwig Mascara which is easy to remove).

And then I use CeraVe or Hada Labo to wash my face with my Clarisonic. Now, if I had a particularly sweaty day or wore my makeup for more than 12 hours, I would use Clarins’ Gentle Foaming Cleanser as it has a slight stripping effect which is something I actually like when my skin feels all clogged up.

Then, like in the morning, I follow up with the Clinique moisturizer on my T-zone, and then I spread three drops of Jason’s Natural Vitamin E Oil all over my face and neck.

If I have a pimple, I would spot treat it with Clean & Clear’s Persa-Gel 10 which heals zits like a charm and I’ve been using this for the past couple of years.

So that’s it – really spare and simple and this has helped my sensitive skin immensely. I’m on the hunt for an eye cream because I began to notice visible fine lines around my eye area and I’m tempted start experimenting with serums again since my skin has stabilized.

Do you have any serums you can recommend for sensitive skin? What’s your tried-and-tested skincare routine? I love reading about other people’s skincare routines because you never know what might work for someone else, could also work for you.

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Hi my dearies, I know I’ve been missing from Youtube for a long time but I think this video kind of explains it. I didn’t have the heart to film because I had skin problems but I think I found my groove for now. I think my skin couldn’t handle all the strong products I layered on my skin before, especially sheet masks (I know, *sad trombone*) so I’ve switched to a very pared down routine now.

Morning routine:
Hada Labo es Foaming Facial Wash
Hada Labo es Lotion
Clinique Anti-Blemish Clearing Moisturizer
Physiogel Cream
Hada Labo es Milk (as eye cream)

Night routine:
Hada Labo es Cleansing Liquid
Mandom Beauty Cleansing Express Eyemakeup Remover
Hada Labo es Foaming Facial Wash or Mutenka Cow Brand Facial Wash (Normal/Oily Skin)
Hada Labo es Lotion
Clinique Anti-Blemish Clearing Moisturizer
Jason Vitamin E Oil

Spot treatment:
Naruko Naouli & Tea Tree Oil Serum
Clean & Clear Persa-Gel 10

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I hope that got some attention because it’s a literal translation of today’s review — 氷こんにゃくこんにゃくスポンジ ( which says ice konjac sponge) but the “ice” part is just a metaphor as the sponge is rock solid when it is dry but it is indeed made of konjac, a Japanese potato that is often made into jelly for desserts or noodles that are seen as a low-calorie diet-friendly food product.

Known for its fibrous content, it’s no wonder that it can be woven into a sponge. Here is how it looks semi-dry…

I don’t have a picture of the sponge in its rock-hard solid state but it looks like a very rough hard sponge not unlike those for scrubbing tough stains on pots and pans. I’ve to say Nic Nic from bangbangsheshoots got me thinking about a more serious cleansing routine in her post on the foam net, muslin cloth, and a basic wash sponge.

Honestly, I just wanted to get something similar to the orange sponge she featured on her post because she said it was travel-friendly and does the job. I went to my local Tomods down the hill from my apartment and found a white sponge that looked like it had the same texture, but I really had no idea I bought a konjac sponge — what a lovely surprise!

The packet says bright/glowing ball which is the brand of this konjac sponge and says this is gentle enough for babies and for washing the face, and that it is 100% plant-based.

The instructions are really simple — dip the sponge into warm water, wait for 3 minutes (actually it takes only less than a minute for me), and it’s ready to be used. For the care directions, it is advised to hang the sponge outside after use so it can dry naturally and it should return to its original rock hard state.

I’m just guessing that being so dry and hard would prevent mould and bacteria from festering — I could be wrong but the “caution” part of the instructions says that if the sponge is not completely dry, “black spots” will grow.

Now time for the effectiveness of this konjac sponge: I love it. I only use it in the morning and is more gentle than the Clarisonic (which I only use once a day at night). It solves my problem of getting rid of excess oil and other crap that accumulates on my skin overnight in a gentle way. The angular shape of this sponge allows it to get into crevices the Clarisonic cannot reach, e.g. the curves between my brows.

I use an extremely light hand and the Hada Labo es Foaming Facial Wash provides enough cushion for this extremely soft exfoliating ritual. I then just follow up with a generous douse of the Hada Labo es Milk which I also use on my eye area.

This routine has helped more clogged pores from happening and my skin feels really smooth. Overall, my skin is alright considering the fact that it’s the time of the month.

My skin is at a strange place right now — it’s very sensitive from the horrible breakout I suffered on my wedding day and all the Naruko, Clinique, Kiehl’s, Jurlique, Eucerin, CerVe products I had been using on my skin leave a burning sensation. It’s really horrible so I decided to stick to very basic skincare products from Hada Labo es range (except the cleansing liquid: I’m using Mutenka Cleansing Oil now) which is formulated for sensitive skin.

My skin has calmed down a lot but with the lack of hydrating grunt from my “stronger” products in this autumn weather, my “oily-dry” skin has been acting up — more clogged pores; oilier complexion, so I decided to focus on cleansing to ride this yucky period out. I think a month of this should do the trick and I’ll slowly introduce my beloved brightening and anti-aging serums back into my regime.

As a last note, I found a website in English that explains the benefits of konjac sponges here if you would like to read more about konjac sponges.

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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).

http://www.youtube.com/user/beautyboxonline

http://www.facebook.com/beautyboxonline

http://www.twitter.com/beautyboxonline

+ Deadline: June 30 2011 midnight Tokyo time

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.

Mutenka Cow Brand Facial Wash. Click here to buy.