While I’m picky about my makeup and skincare, I’m in no way one of those beauty gurus! Living in the US and being from Japan, it’s been interesting to watch Japanese and Korean beauty products and brands become popular here. For good reason, though! Japanese and Koreans are obsessed with maintaining their skin and they have high expectations for anything beauty.
If you don’t follow me onInstagram, I was back in Japan visiting my family last month. It was the perfect time for me to replenish my must-have beauty and skincare items, so I thought it would be fun to share them with you!
Hands & Feet Mask – Face masks are all the rage right now but have you tried hands and feet masks yet? They come in plastic baggies with plenty of product in them and you basically put it on like a glove/socks. Just like a face mask, you leave it on for 20 minutes or so, rub the product in and voila! Goodbye, dry hands and feet! I can’t live without these and stock up every time I go back to Japan. Oh and to sweeten the deal, these are from Daiso, a 100 Yen ($1USD) shop. Such a good deal!
Deodorant by Deonatulle – Is talking about deodorant boring? Well, it shouldn’t be because this one changed my life. Thankfully I don’t have to use deodorant on a daily basis but during the summer, I need one frequently. Deonatulle’s stick form deodorant will last all, freaking, day. It’s free of alcohol, artificial coloring and fragrance. This particular one that’s pictured is their limited edition cooling mint type but I’ve used several of their regular ones. It works so well, perfect for travel and a great price, around 800 Yen ($8 USD).
Shirt Spray & Towel Shower –Summer in Japan is brutal. The temperature is upwards in the high 90’s in addition to serious humidity. And because in Tokyo, most people walk and take public transportation, cooling products become a necessity. I bought these for myself since I get hot easily and California gets pretty toasty during the summer.
On the left are the “Towel Shower” packs, which are about 12 inches x 12 inches in size and promises an icy sensation when wiping. It also includes deodorizing aspects, so you can get cool and clean at the same time! As you can tell, it’s only 300 Yen ($3 USD) for a pack of 10.
On the right is the Shirt Spray bottle. As the name of it may suggest, it’s as simple as spraying your shirt! I don’t know what kind of witch craft is involved but you’ll have to believe me when I say it provides you with a cooling sensation for hours. It’s as if you installed a gentle A/C in your shirt – weird, right? Not only that, it smells of citrus and also includes deodorizers. This bottle was 800 Yen ($8 USD).
DHC Lip Balm – When I was growing up in Tokyo, DHC was a bit over my allowance limit as their skincare tends to be on the pricier side. But now that I’m older, have a job and worried about my skin, I love DHC! Their Cleansing Oil is a cult favorite worldwide but what you don’t know is that their lip balm is out of this world. It’s moisturizing, gives a little shine and has no artificial coloring or flavor/fragrance added. I got lucky while I was back home to grab this DHC x Hello Kitty collaboration (this is limited edition) but it’s normally in a sleek, pastel pink tube.
Pore Putty – I have to admit, I saw a YouTuber obsessing over the Pore Putty and grabbed it while I was in Japan. It’s basically a face powder that covers up your pores. Once you brush it over your face, it’s so soft and translucent that it’s hard to believe you put anything on. However, your pores just – poof! – disappears. The Pore Putty makes my skin look like it’s been edited in Photoshop! Not to be dramatic but I don’t know how I’ve lived my life without one. The price? Only about 1,200 Yen ($12USD) and you can’t beat that.
Mentholatum Face Wash – This may sound boring but as I get older, I spend a lot more time concerned about maintaining the quality of my skin. I’ve tried a lot of face washes in the past, ranging in prices and brands. But guess what? I always go back to this face wash. My tried and true. The Mentholatum Acnes Face Wash. I don’t have acne problems anymore thankfully, but it’s a great cleanser in general. There’s exfoliating beads in varying sizes that really get in there to clean your pores out. As the name may suggest, the menthol in it gives a cooling sensation and feels delightful!
CanMake Quick Lash Curler & Lip Rouge – CanMake Tokyo is a brand that can be compared to L’Oreal or Revlon; a high quality yet affordable drugstore makeup brand. I’ve been a CanMake fan since I started playing around with makeup in Junior High School. They spearhead a lot of makeup trends and are loved by a lot of Japanese girls, young and old.
The CanMake Quick Lash Curler is yet another holy grail I can’t live without. It’s a primer that holds your curl after putting on mascara. I think a lot of Asian girls can relate when I say our lashes are thick, straight and doesn’t hold a curl. This isn’t a miracle worker but it makes a huge difference! I love the price too, only 600 Yen ($6 USD).
The CanMake Lip Rouge. While the US lip craze is the Kylie Lip Kit, Japan’s craze was the shiny, doll-like red and pink lip tint balms. Since it’s a balm, it’s super easy to use, no fuss and no lipliner. Since I don’t look great in the orangey-red shade, I grabbed the soft pink and love it. It gives a slight tint, brings out your own lip color and makes it look voluptuous. Again, with it being only 700 Yen ($7 USD), you really can’t go wrong.
Face Masks – Of course I can’t leave face masks out of this list, since Japan has some of the best of them! I was obsessed with face masks before it blew up in the beauty community. In Japan, we’re obsessed with the care of our skin and face masks are almost an everyday item. Now, as much as I want to direct you to Daiso, don’t do it. Since face masks are so commonplace, a lot of drug stores sell bundles for a lot less than 100 Yen a piece. Of course, Daiso face masks are great quality and cheaper than let’s say at Sephora, but when in Japan, do some searching. For example, the ones pictured above were 10 for 400 Yen ($4 USD)! If you’re in Tokyo or visiting and want specific locations to purchase bundles, send me an e-mail!
Daiso Eyebrow Pencil – If I was a Beauty Blogger, everyone would get sick of me talking about this product. The Daiso Eyebrow Pencil is my holy grail. The best quality, lasts forever and the best part? It’s 100 Yen ($1 USD). That’s right, it’s a dollar. I don’t know how I used to waste $20 on an Anastasia Brow Pencil that runs out after using it a few times; to think I could have purchased 20 of these instead! Even if you were take my advice and didn’t like it, at least it only cost you $1. But, I trust and guarantee that you’ll love it.
Cezanne Redness Control Concealer – As much as I appreciate my skin (thanks to genetics), my biggest problem when applying makeup is the redness. I have a lot of redness around my cheeks and most of the time, a lighter foundation or BB cream won’t cover it. My friend from high school swears by this and recommended I try it. At only 600 Yen ($6 USD), I couldn’t believe what it did to help my redness. I dab a pea sized amount on the redness after my moisturizer and before my foundation. New holy grail, can’t live without it! I couldn’t find the exact one but here’s something similar from Cezanne.
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Do you have any favorite Japanese or other Asian beauty and skincare products? Let me know in the comments below!
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OMG I was looking forward to this so much! Literally, printing it right now and heading out to shop on my next pay day! I got obsessed over face masks after coming to Japan, but besides that I didn't dare to get anything cause everything is in Japanese and it's hard to know what's what. Thank you so much for the tips!
Nano, I basically wrote this for you! Haha! I know it wasn't too much makeup but I hope you grab some of the items. Let me know what you think if you do! At least most of them are pretty reasonable! 🙂 xo
Such interesting products! It's always fun seeing what people find in Japan. #FlyAwayFriday
That shirt spray sounds ingenious! I should get some for my family in Australia. I'd never even heard of a foot mask until I moved to the US and a friend got me to try one. It was… interesting 😉 #FlyAwayFriday
Kana, I need most of these. One of my coworkers went to Korea and he bought back tons of face masks to give away. I got a "snail" one (very popular one). I need the pore putty (have to check this one for real) and the concealer. #FlyAwayFriday
What an eclectic list. I had no idea there are foot masks. Definitely have to look into those! #FlyAwayFriday
I need that shirt spray. It gets so hot and humid in Illinois during the summer that I constantly feel gross. #FlyAwayFriday
Shirt spray is such a good idea… especially on public transport in those temperatures. I can hardly deal with the London underground in the summer and the UK rarely ever gets that hot!!
This is making me want all the Japanese skincare products. Pore putty sounds especially amazing!
#FlyAwayFriday
This is so great! I remember coming back from our trip to Japan with the most amazing eye drops. Who would have thought! #FlyAwayFriday
Haha I agree! Thanks for stopping by Adam! xo
Omg you should! It's so amazing on hot days! Thanks for stopping by! xo
Yes! I've tried the snail mask too – I'm not sure it did anything but it felt nice! Haha! Thanks for stopping by Ruth! xo
Yes! They're so much cheaper than going to the nail salon for a pedi! Thanks for stopping by Cherie! xo
The shirt spray has been a savior when it goes up to 100+ degrees over here! Thanks for stopping by Allison! xo
The shirt spray is so amazing! It's already saved me a few times especially before night! Thanks for stopping by Kat! xo
Omg yes I LOVE their eye drops too!! Thanks for stopping by, Liana! xo
I love Japanese and Korean beauty products – I think they work best for my skin. I especially love their face masks! I can't wait to restock when I stop off in Asia later this year.
Omg me too! It's amazing, and the prices are great! Hope you stock up a ton 😀 Thanks for stopping by Bryna! xo
So I think it's good you did this post because I wouldn't have even known what those products were – haha! Oh Japan is a place I just can't wait to go to! Thanks for sharing, #flyawayfriday 🙂
Haha! I don't blame you! It's hard to figure out when it's not in your language isn't it?! Hopefully you can make it out there and grab some of these soon 🙂 Thanks for stopping by! xo
All these products look amazing! I would definitely consider them! I have very sensitive eyes so I would probably gravitate the balms and masks over the eye pencils etc 🙂
The masks are so amazing! Korean and Japanese beauty products are just top notch! xo
Kana, you are awesome! I'm planning my drugstore shopping haul this weekend. Quick question: do you apply Pore Putty after your BB cream? I don't use foundation. My routine is primer and then compact powder (Clinique) which is light yet provides enough coverage. Do you think I could substitute my compact powder with Pure Putty? Visible pores are my huge problem so I'm really attracted to this product.
Gah, you're making me even more excited for our Japan trip next summer! I'm dying to get my hands on the feet & hand masks! The packaging is so cute; my daughter is going to want everything. Now I know while the boys/men are shopping for Japanese toys I'll be buying new beauty products to try 😉
Hi Kana, I am travelling to Japan in a few days. Can you please recommend a few places where I can buy face mask bundles? Thanks very much!
But what is the Name of this Shirt Spray. I can´t find it. The one from Kobayashi works not so good, so i want to try the one that you mentioned here
Hooray! I'm so glad you're getting excited for your trip to Japan! If you need help, let me know and I'm happy to assist. I was born and raised in Tokyo so that's my expertise! Thanks for stopping by, Serena! xo
Hi there! Did you end up e-mailing me about the masks? I'm not sure since you don't have your name or e-mail attached to this comment. I'd be happy to guide you if you need assistance! Shoot me an e-mail at hello@lifeinwanderlust.com! xo
There's actually no brand name attached to it, only a manufacturer. But it's best to show a picture to a drug store employee and they'll be happy to help you find it since it's so popular, especially during the summer. Keep in mind it's a summer item so they may not have the exact polar bear one. xo