Shigaisen Yohou UV Powder SPF50+ PA++++

Been using this 3g jar of Shigaisen Yohou UV Powder SPF50+ PA++++ on and off for a few months now, so a review is overdue. This is a sunscreen powder with a puff-applicator and cap, for on-the-go convenience.

All pictures taken in natural light without flash.

Missha The Style Moisture Coating Tint

While browsing for SkinFood Tomato Jelly Tint Lip, another item caught my eyes: Missha The Style Moisture Coating Tint. There are 7 colors available, but I only bought Eternal Red, Cotton Pink, Party Orange, Pretty Coral, and Antique Rose. The other two colors are Hollywood Pink, a hot pink, and Dream Orchid, a bright fuchsia, are both too cool and punchy for my taste and so I skipped them.

From left to right: Eternal Red, Cotton Pink, Party Orange, Pretty Coral, and Antique Rose. All pictures taken in natural light without flash.

Excel BB Powder UV SPF50+ PA++++

Had my eyes on this 10g jar of Excel BB Powder UV SPF50+ PA++++ since the late spring when I placed my Ettusais order. But I refrained then, because the international shipping was just too prohibitive. Good things come to those who wait, right? ^.^ I had to fill up my cart for free domestic shipping so I picked up two Sleek Cheeks also. Will review those after a good trial.  

There are 2 colors available, BP01 Light Beige and BP02 Natural Beige. I bought BP01 Light Beige. It's 1,800yen a piece, sounds pricey but mind you, it's a pretty generous 10g, so I think it's rather well-priced. The vast majority of sun powders out there are 3-6g at 1,000-1,200yen, so it's actually cheaper than most. Don't even get me started with ColoreScience Sunforgettable Mineral Sunscreen Powder, which goes for a cool $64 for a meager 6g. Forgettable, truly!

All pictures taken in natural light without flash.

Senso-ji, Asakusa, Tokyo, Part II

A few weekends ago, hubby's colleagues gathered for an outdoor bbq on the roof of the Asakusa Ekimise building and we joined them. It was pretty much a roof-top beer garden, and Y-san, bless his heart, worked hard to coordinate as it was a 16-17-people get-together. Aye...

The company was lovely. Hubby's Tokyo office is tiny with just 6 people, and the rest of the folks present were there to meet and greet. So overall the get-together was a success and everyone had a great time, if you're a drinker, that is.

SK-II Facial Treatment Gentle Cleanser

Almost done with this 20g tube of SK-II Facial Treatment Gentle Cleanser. This was part of the Facial Treatment Essence Rochas Bottle x Mask Coffret I bought back in 2013, and I'm using it as a follow up cleanser after HiPitch Deep Cleansing Oil W.

SkinFood Tomato Jelly Tint Lip

These SkinFood Tomato Jelly Tint Lips have been out for at least a couple of years now, since early 2013, I think. I discovered them earlier this spring but didn't take the bait. They looked a bit gimmicky to me and I didn't want to bother paying international shipping for mere chapsticks. When I checked again around May though, one of the 4 colors available had already sold out at most online shops. I took that to mean these aren't too shabby after all and finally made my move to collect mine.

From left to right: 1 Cherry Tomato, 2 Berry Tomato, 3 Orange Tomato, and 4 Milk Tomato. All pictures taken in natural light without flash.

Fresh Black Tea Age-Delay Eye Concentrate

I forgot where I got this 3mL/1fl. oz. jar of Fresh Black Tea Age-Delay Eye Concentrate, but it was from a GWP and I'm really enjoying it!

Phytomer Doux Visage Velvet Cleansing Cream

This full size 150mL/5fl. oz. tube of Phytomer Doux Visage Velvet Cleansing Cream was part of the Phytomer Moisturizing Face Gift Set, which included a full size jar of Hydra Original Thirst-Relief Melting Cream and a deluxe 50mL/1.6fl oz. travel bottle of Rosee Visage Toning Cleansing Lotion. I've been using it for the past few weeks, finally getting to it now 2 years after purchase :(

Clarins HydraQuench Intensive Serum Bi-Phase

I'm almost half way through with this 15mL/0.5fl. oz. pump bottle of Clarins HydraQuench Intensive Serum Bi-Phase. It was part of the GWP I received when I bought the Gentle Foaming Cleanser and Toning Lotion with Camomile pair.

HiPitch Deep Cleansing Oil W

Almost done with this 190mL bottle of HiPitch Deep Cleansing Oil W. HiPitch is a sister brand of Privacy, both from Kokuruydo Cosme. I forgot to take a photo of my bottle before tearing off all the labels, so here's a bottle from a local drugstore ^.^

This oil cleanser is scented with a light citrus scent, and it can be used wet or dry. I do prefer wet-dry oils like this for their convenience. There were times when I was so tired I forgot to remove my sunscreen/makeup prior to stepping into the shower.

That said, this particular cleansing oil is meh. I don't hate it, but I don't like it either and I won't repurchase. It's very runny watery, still not as bad as The Body Shop Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil but enough to splash every time I pump some into my palm. So goddamn annoying, definitely not portable and travel friendly. I think this is why the makeup cleansing gels are gaining popularity in Japan, because people are tired of spill and splash-prone cleansing oils. The gels are much easier to handle.

Lunasol Sheer Shine Crayon Lips

So I've read Lunasol makes really nice lipsticks, which is a terrible thing to know because I love a good lippie. I was thinking I'm already going nuts with Lunasol eye shadows, I don't need another Lunasol obsession. So in the spring of this year when they came out with the new Stain Color Lips, I could feel my resolve breaking down, that was, until I read that these lipsticks are supposed to be pigmented with a soft matte finish, at which point all flames of desire were immediately extinguished. Safe! Phew.

Then for the summer, they released 2 limited edition Sheer Shine Crayon Lips. This proved to be a quadruple whammy: sheer, shiny, in pencil form, and limited edition. Must. Have. Now. So I went ahead and bought both colors EX01 PK and EX02 OR.

All pictures taken in natural light without flash.

Herbacin Wuta Kamille Soft Mild Hand Cream

Bought this 20mL tube of Herbacin Wuta Kamille Soft Mild Hand Cream along with the Wuta Kamille Hand and Nail Balm and the Wuta Kamille and Glycerin Hand Creme at the Taoyuan International Airport on my way home from Taipei. Almost through with it so I guess a quick review is in order.

 

This hand cream has much more in common with the Hand and Nail Balm in that it's very light but adequate. And nicely scented too! Whereas the Glycerin Hand Creme was much thicker and moisturizing, with a generic lotion smell I wasn't too thrilled about. 

Just as the Hand and Nail Balm was perfect for the humid Taiwanese weather, this Soft Mild Hand Cream has been great for Tokyo. It absorbs nice and clean and doesn't leave my hands sticky in this humid weather. When I was at home it had been in my gym bag, but now it's in my tote bag for grocery trips ^.^

Clarins Moisture-Rich Body Lotion

Had 2 tubes of this Clarins Moisture-Rich Body Lotion, a 30mL/1oz. from a generous GWP I received when purchasing the duo Gentle Foaming Cleanser and Toning Lotion with Camomile, and a 100mL/3.5oz. from Saks 5th Avenue Holiday 2013 GWP.

No, I'm no longer using this here because it's too hot and humid, but I was using it at home where it was much drier. There were times when we visited our in-laws up at their mountain ranch and this lotion was a skin-saver for me! 

Lancome Absolue Eye Precious Cells

Oops, totally forgot to take a photo of this Lancome Absolue Eye Precious Cells before using it up :( It was a generous 8g/0.2oz. jar too ($33 value!)! I don't remember which GWP this came with, but it must have lasted me at least 2 months. I was using it throughout my grad school boot-camp all of July, then through graduation and moving all of August.

This was a very light eye cream that was a shimmery beige color, though I didn't care for the prettiness. Since it was summer and this was light, I used it exclusively during daytime. It tended to pill up when I accidentally applied too much, and now that I think about it, this pilling thing is common to many Lancome eye creams I've used thus far, even serums and sometimes face creams. I think it was unscented. If there were any fragrance, it was so mild I stopped noticing. Over all an okay eye cream and I definitely would never ever purchase the full size 0.7oz at $117! Good lord, they think I work for Goldman Sachs or something?