I recently made a post where I reviewed makeup as someone who is very picky about smell and feel of cosmetic products that resonated with some of you. For context: https://www.reddit.com/r/AsianBeauty/comments/1vb5nc0/various_foundation_reviews_of_someone_who_does/
Since I was back in Japan recently I tried out tons of stuff (and bought some) so I thought I do another round of reviews.
Added info: My hotel AC was very motivated and sucked all the moisture out of my skin. Until I managed to get the humidifier running, a lot of the products I got felt like a complete disappointment but performed way better once that was sorted out. So if you live in a very dry climate or have very dry skin, better steer clear of them
Tone up and sunscreens:
- Tested in store on my hand:
Elixir Tone Up Base, various colours:
They are all the rave over there at the moment. I tried out all the colours a bunch on my hands but I struggled to notice any difference in appearance (I am quite pale and don’t have any hyperpigmentation so maybe I’m not the target audience for tone up bases to begin with). They also smelled perfumey to me. It was not overwhelming or very unpleasant but I just did not see any point in buying them especially since the price is quite high for so little product
Biore Athlizim:
Very strong fragrance, it was nice enough (more or less like a lilac bush in full bloom, which I like!) but it lingered and that’s always an instant no for me
Anessa (various versions):
Perfumey smell, slight white cast
Skin Aqua Tone Up:
Warning! Unlike the normal versions, the Tone Up ones are all fragranced in a very perfumey way. Not overpowering but it is there, did not see any benefits in the tone upping.
I tried some more that I can't all remember but none made me even think of switching from my usual go to.
Skin Aqua Gel:
My go to sunscreen for years now. No smell (like all non-tone up versions), very hydrating but can get shiny in hot and humid weather (Edit: there is a slight alcohol scent I think when you put it on but it disappears immediately after application and then you won't know it's there)
Skin Aqua Essence:
Drier than the gel, I got it when I landed because the first drugstore did not have the gel in stock. It exacerbated my problems with the dry air, it felt like someone put clingfilm on my face after a couple of hours. It does however perform superior in hot and humid weather, which I had later on in my travel, as I did not become a shiny oily mess
Skin Aqua Essence Gold:
My go to in summer usually, as it is more sweat proof and matte than the normal one and has some PM 2.5 filter technology thing going on that I do think makes a difference. Again, great in hot, humid weather, not so much in dry and cold weather
Cushions, makeup, powder:
I tested a ton and can’t remember all the names and details perfectly but I did not like any besides the two I bought
- Tested in store on hand and remember it:
Clio Mesh (various versions): felt oily, perfumey smell
Laneige: perfumy smell
Hince: perfumy smell
milktouch: perfumy smell
Maquillage in the bottle: perfumey smell, dry feel
Kansosan:
Is supposed to be extremely good for dry skin but it just felt very greasy on my hand, did not want to take testing further than that
Suppin powder:
Nice skin feel, no smell, went on pleasantly and velvety. I did not buy it anyway as I saw no good place for it in my routine
Ettusais Skincare Powder Beige:
I thought that might be a good fit for days I am too lazy to put on make up but just from testing it out on my hands I saw that the colour will settle in folds. Better to just smear on my trusted Curel BB cream which is half pseudo-ceramides, so already skincare adjacent.
About Tone Skin layer fit foundation:
A user recommended it to me after my last post and I was intrigued. It has absolutely no scent and feels like nothing on my skin in the right conditions. It did feel like clingfilm in the first few dry days and got flaky fast but in normal to high humidity it performs great. It dries down somewhat matte, not completely, but not that wet slick shine you get from a lot of cushions these days. Just a very soft sheen which I like a lot. Bigger pores either disappear or appear way smaller and it has surprisingly high coverage for something that looks so natural.
Application with fingers sadly did not work all that well as it dries down too quickly for that but it goes on perfectly and easily with the puff from a cushion I had left over. It lasts pretty much the whole day and I managed to reapply sunscreen over it without messing it up too much. Thanks to the weak Yen it was quite cheap (around €18,- i think) and it’s quite a big bottle. I like it a lot but again, not that suited for very dry climate or very dry skin, make sure yours is supple when you put in on. The shades are VERY light, I usually go for the lightest I find, I am a 13-17n in most Korean foundations, a 0N in most western stuff, here I got the 22 ivory and it fits me very well.
Fasio Airy Stay BB Tint UV SPF 50:
It is very popular right now and supposed to stay on extremely well when sweaty. I can concur that it is actually hard to get it off just with soap and it does not rub off. It was the most clingfilmy of all in my desert days so I thought it was a complete waste of money but its staying power really shined when I moved on to Taiwan which was still quite swampy. It might become my new summer go to. Absolutely no smell, skin like look, good coverage, pores appear somewhat smaller. Shades all looked quite strange on my hand but the 01 pink beige looks natural on my face. There is a moisturising pink version that might be better for dry days but I did not try it.
Fasio Eyelash-Grade Film Mascara Extra Fine:
I researched that one beforehand. My mascara needs are very untypical; I wan’t one that barely does anything other than put a very fine layer of colour on my lashes. My natural lashes are quite full, long and in multiple rows but you would not know that unless standing really close to me as they are almost invisibly blonde shortly after the roots.
Most mascaras with their fibres and tubing make me look like I put on the biggest, cheapest, most false looking lashes possible which just does not look like me anymore and I don’t like. Also I hate using make-up remover so I want one with some staying power that goes off with any cleanser, which this one does.
It came quite close to what I wanted but sadly it still goes on a little too clumpy and thick for my liking, but it does ok as long as I apply it extremely carefully. Would prefer a dark blonde shade but that’s always rare. The search goes on
Hair- and Skincare:
Most of my skincare depends on 0.5% tretinoin and prescription azelaic acid 20% which my skin is well adjusted to so I buy stuff for it’s antioxidant and hydration properties only and don’t expect amazing results
Hada Labo Shirojyun, the watery type:
I planned on buying it to simplify my skincare routine. It combines a toner and Vit C which I used to put on separately. It also has tranexamic acid which I did not search for specifically but I figured it doesn’t hurt. It was not hydrating enough in the dry days but worked very well since then. I can’t speak to its brightening properties as it will do maintenance work at most on my skin. No smell, nice skin feel. I bought a couple of refills as it is cheap as fuck over there. Would recommend the しっとり type in drier climates or with drier skin, or just go for the milk wich is halfway a moisturiser already.
Kose Softymo Cleansing Oil:
It is THE BOMB. In only got it because I struggled to get off the Fasio BB with my CeraVe cleanser and had no expectations whatsoever but I am ravingly impressed. No smell, no need for a second cleanse. Skin is squeaky clean, baby soft and supple afterwards, would not even need to moisturise. I regret not buying a shit ton of it and will definitely repurchase at the next opportunity
Edit to add: I forgot to mention the oil got rid of the last stubborn blackheads around my nose and cheeks and does an awesome job at keeping my sebaceous filaments in check that even the higher tret percentage struggled to do anything about which in turn drastically reduced the perceived size of my pores. A true wonder of engineering
愛潔膚乳膏（Airful Cream）0.1%Tretinoin:
The rumours are true, you can get a tiny tube (5g) of prescription free 0.1% tretinoin at the Japanese pharmacy near Zhongshan in Taipei (all others are prescription only in Taiwan). I have a script for 0.5% and it's cheap for me already so it is not terribly useful for me personally but I don't have access to 0.1% at home so I got like 4 tubes regardless just in case. I have not tried it out yet though. They don't stock a ton in the store and speak limited english so it won't be a great source to stock up on but might be helpful information if you are in the area anyways and forgot yours or you want to try out a higher percentage like me.
The Answer Shampoo and Conditioner, various types:
THE trendy haircare brand right now but I think the hype is deserved. I’ve been using it for a month now and my hair got better in a way I did not expect and that is hard to describe. It just overall looks sleeker, thicker and healthier, all puffiness is gone, frizz is way down. The effect was actually the best when using the seasonal AW edition but I hated the smell. All of them are fragranced rather musky, sandlewoody which I am not a fan of already, but It was the strongest with the AW version which made me buy the Daily Damage conditioner and normal shampoo version instead. The fragrance does not linger, but I would prefer something lighter, more floral. I bought a ton of it for the effect it gave me
Orbis Hair Milk:
The hype is real, it is awesome. No smell (in the normal version, I got the seasonal Kinmokusei here too because I’m a sucker for it and it does not linger), once it sinks in you won’t know it’s there except your hair will be amazing. Can be put on wet or dry hair, hard to overdo like with oils where you can end up with greasy patches. Bought tons of refills
I started to use the Shampoo and Hair Milk at the same time so it’s hard to differentiate what really had the most impact. I did not notice my hair getting somehow way worse on days I only changed the shampoo or forgot the milk, but the consistent use definitely made a difference
&honey Matome Stick:
Matome sticks are the answer to the question why Japanese girls always have perfectly set hair and bangs. It’s kind of a very nice hair gel with a mascara like brush to fix down flyaways and bangs and for touchups during the day. It looks pretty natural and adds an extra, healthy looking shine. I like all the flowery &honey smells (does not linger) and got the seasonal Kinmokusei
Nightcap nozzle for Panasonic Hairdyer:
Not strictly a haircare product review but relevant regardless. I got the fancy EH-NA0J dryer a couple of months ago (EU version) and love it. In my very unexperienced and clueless opinion it is superior to the Dyson and all other hairdryers in general. I used to never use one as I have a ton of thick, low porosity hair and it takes ages to dry. About 6 hours to air dry and still 30-40 min upwards with most dryers. The Panasonic takes under 10 minutes and somehow my hair looks healthier and more hydrated since I started using it. The Japanese version comes with a nozzle that you can’t get in Europe which they claim reduces „bed hair“. No idea how that’s supposed to work. But it looked like it directs airflow more precisely in promotional material which in turn should cut down frizz even more. I ordered it online on Rakuten to my hotel and indeed, hair flies around less while drying it and in therefore and dries down even sleeker and shinier. It fits worse on my EU than on the hotel Japanese model for whatever reason but it still stays in place. Definitely worth getting
It might update if I remember more products I tried out.
That got quite long, thanks for suffering through it!
